Page 58 of Rejected By the Shifter King

"I'm sure you had your reasons for doing what you did," Estrella said unsteadily, "but you could've come to me first. You could've let me know—-"

"If we had told you," Alain said heavily, "you might've been forced to defy the prince—-"

"He already thinks I went behind his back, Alain," she pointed out helplessly. "And I haven't done anything." She swallowed hard. "Sotell me. You owe me this." She waited for her friend to speak, but when Alain still refused to divulge anything, she could feel her eyes starting to burn. "Please,Alain." And now, her entire body was shaking, her every effort focused on keeping her tears at bay. "I don't want—-" Her voice caught, and she swallowed back a sob. "I d-don't want to hear the truth from Fina."

Both men stiffened, and their stricken expressions made it obvious that such a thought hadn't occurred to either of them at all.

Aluin was struggling with his guilt.This was their fault, dammit.Not the prince's, not even Fina's, despite being the world's most infuriating bitch. All of this was their fault, and it would only get worse, and the princess more hurt, if Fina was given the chance to crow about her being the prince's first choice.

Aluin inhaled deeply just before he heard himself say, "The letter we gave you that night, princess..."

Alain jerked when he realized what his twin was about to say. "Aluin, goddammit, no—-"

But it was already too late.

Because they saw in the princess' eyes that she already knew.

"It was supposed to be for Fina," Estrella said dully. "Wasn't it?"

The twins couldn't stand the look on the princess' face, and they started speaking.Fast.

We never thought she'd suit the prince as his mate. We believed you were the better choice for him. We were even more convinced when she started making trouble as soon as she came back.

But all the words just made things worse.We, we, we.Didn't they realize they were making it so painfully obvious that she wastheirchoice and not Lysander's?

"The prince was pressed for time." Aluin was doing his best to defend Lysander's decision in the face of the princess' growing pallor. "He was under a lot of pressure to keep the kingdom safe—-" A tiny sob from Estrella cut him off, and he stared in appalled shock when the princess started swaying. "Princess?"Shit.What had he said?

Estrella could no longer see past the blur of tears that filmed her gaze.Keep my kingdom safe for me.A hysterical laugh almost bubbled past her lips.Oh God.Those were the very words he wrote, the very words that gave her the strength and power to face all the challenges that went with wearing the crown. And yet as it turned out...those words had never been for her.

He had never trusted her. Never chose her. Maybe never even loved her.

"I understand now," she whispered. "Thank you for telling me the truth."

"Princess—-"

Estrella shook her head. "If it's alright, I'd like a moment alone please. I need some time to...think.Please."

Alain and Aluin were reluctant to leave, but the look on the princess' face left them no choice. It was too damn obvious she was seconds away from breaking down, and just as obvious was the fact that she couldn't bear having anyone see her cry.

And they were right.

The tears fell the moment the twins pulled the doors shut behind them. She tried, she really tried to keep it together, tried to keep the sounds of her tears to herself, but then she thought of how all this time it was just never her—-

Misty.

Fina.

In different times of Lysander's life, those women had been his choice. He had chosen to care for them. Trust them. And Estrella...she had thought that she was one of them.

But she was not.

Because he had never...

Never chosen her.

The realization was just too much, and her hands flew up to cover her mouth as a memory razed her mind—-

Only you...matter.