Choosing Between a Vampire and a Werewolf Chapter 5

"I refuse... hm? The siren tribe and which tribe?"

Darian's expression changed from smug to utterly incredulous.

Instantly the entire venue fell silent, curious gazes constantly measuring between him and me.

Whispered voices arose: "What's happening? I also thought the Holy Maiden would choose Darian, considering how attentive she was to him before."

"Could the shaman have misread?"

I gently shook my head in response: "He didn't misread. The mate I chose is Cillian."

Darian instantly couldn't contain himself, questioning me sternly.

"Why didn't you choose me? Is it because I've been too cold to you lately and you're throwing a tantrum?"

He seemed to convince himself, looking at me with reproach.

"Alliance is a major matter. How can you be so willful as to make everyone play along with your games?"

"Hurry and go explain to the shaman that you chose the wrong person."

I looked at him with amusement.

Yesterday he thought I'd chosen him and forced me to ask the king to change.

Today, discovering I hadn't chosen him, he was still unhappy.

Seeing me actually smile, Darian frowned even deeper, even reaching to pull me.

"What are you grinning about? Hurry up!"

I stepped aside to dodge, glancing at him: "What are you so anxious about? My not choosing you suits you better, doesn't it?"

He still thought I was sulking, his tone softening somewhat.

"Bella, be mature. Don't randomly choose someone to marry just to spite me."

I scoffed: "Darian, I remember telling you long ago that I'm not choosing you."

"Before, my eyesight wasn't good—I looked at you. But I can't stay blind forever, can I?"

The crowd burst into laughter: "I never realized Darian was this blindly confident! The Holy Maiden not choosing him makes her immature and ignorant?"

"Remember his tone earlier? Oh, something like: 'Yesterday I told you to cancel the alliance, but you refused. Today, publicly rejecting you is my only option.' Ugh!"

"Right, right! Our Holy Maiden never chose him in the first place. He's adding his own drama. Why doesn't he go on stage and sing a few lines!"

Hearing the vivid mockery around us, I couldn't help but laugh.

Darian instantly flushed with embarrassment and ill-manneredly cursed at me.

"Your taste is getting worse. Cillian looks so effeminate, doesn't even seem like a man. I'm afraid after marrying him you'll only be left alone in an empty room."

"When that time comes, you can regret it!"

I nodded perfunctorily: "Mm-hmm, I know you're jealous that Cillian is good-looking."

"You don't need to feel so inferior. Though you're ugly, bad-tempered, and incompetent, you and Faye are well-matched! After all, neither of you is any good."

Faye ran out crying. Darian cursed and followed her out.

Neither even had the courage to wait until the ceremony ended.

With the inauspicious people finally gone, I slowly exhaled.

Only Cillian remained beside me. I turned to look, only to see him with his head down, looking quite dejected.

Remembering Darian's excessive words, I was about to comfort him when the shaman called us up.

To begin the ceremony's final step—the binding.