Rejected By My Mate; Claimed By Lycan Quadruplets Chapter 79

Beta Ash's POV

The hall was still heavy with the scent of flowers and polished wood when I shifted my weight from one foot to the other, trying not to draw too much attention to myself. The wedding had been a spectacle — one of those events people would talk about for seasons, maybe even years. Baron had really gone all out. No expense spared, no detail left to chance. You could see it in the cut of the tablecloths, the gleam of the goblets, the way every ribbon matched the house colors exactly. Even the guards had their armor polished so bright it could’ve blinded someone if they stood in the wrong spot.

And then there was Atlas.

The Delta had been standing at my side for most of the ceremony, and for most of that time, he’d been smirking like he knew a joke no one else did. I’d learned long ago that was never a good sign.

“You know,” he said, leaning just close enough so his words didn’t carry to the wrong ears, “Baron really did throw a big one this time. Elaborate doesn’t even cover it. I swear the man’s trying to impress the Moon herself.”

I didn’t bother looking at him, keeping my gaze ahead where the bride and groom were still standing near the priest. The vows had just been finished, and now the chorus was lifting their voices in that old blessing song that always gave me a weird mix of nostalgia and impatience. “That’s what you say every time we attend one of these,” I muttered.

“Yeah, but this one?” He tilted his head toward the towering flower arrangements, the gold-threaded banners hanging from the rafters, and the massive, glittering chandelier overhead. “This one feels like he’s making a point. I mean, did you see the roast boar they carried in earlier? Thing was bigger than a pony.”

I grunted in acknowledgment, not giving him the satisfaction of an actual laugh. Atlas had a way of feeding on reactions like a campfire feeds on dry wood. Best to keep him at a simmer.

The ceremony began to wind down. Guests started shifting, some turning to whisper to one another about the couple, others already thinking ahead to the feast. But I wasn’t here just to play witness — I had a job to do.

When the applause settled and the music softened, I stepped forward. The path to the front was lined with smiling faces and curious eyes, but I kept my pace steady, my expression neutral. Atlas, of course, followed a step behind, his posture as casual as if we were strolling back at the pack grounds.

Alpha Baron was the first to notice me approaching. He stood with that easy authority he carried everywhere, dressed in deep crimson that matched the ceremonial robes of the priest. Beside him, Alpha Rowland looked every bit the visiting dignitary — tall, dignified, and watchful.

“Beta Ash,” Baron greeted, his voice warm but threaded with that undertone that said he missed nothing. “It’s good to see you here.”

I inclined my head respectfully. “Alpha Baron. Alpha Rowland.” My voice carried enough to be polite without intruding on the personal moment they were sharing with guests. “Alpha Enzo sends his apologies. He had to attend to an urgent matter back home and couldn’t be here in person.”

Both men’s eyes sharpened slightly — not in suspicion, but in that way alphas do when they’re mentally slotting new information into their running list of priorities.

Baron nodded once. “I understand. The safety of the pack comes first.”

“Of course,” Rowland added.

I reached into the satchel slung over my shoulder and produced two packages, each wrapped in dark green cloth embroidered with the crest of our pack in silver thread. I offered them with both hands — the first to Baron, the second to Rowland. “These are from Alpha Enzo. Gifts for the couple, chosen with the hope they serve them well in the years to come.”

Baron accepted his with a gracious nod, Rowland with a faint smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Tell Enzo his gesture is appreciated,” Baron said.

“I will,” I replied.

There was a brief pause, the kind that can either turn awkward or respectful depending on how you carry it. I bowed slightly, offering my congratulations to both men on the successful union, and then stepped back. My part was done, and I had no interest in lingering longer than necessary.

Atlas fell into step beside me as we left the hall, his smirk firmly back in place. “That was very official of you,” he teased. “Almost like you’re trying to impress someone.”

I gave him a flat look. “Don’t start.”

He ignored me. “So, you think the bride’s happy about this match? Or is this more of a ‘smile and bear it’ situation?”

“That’s none of our business,” I said, keeping my eyes ahead. The crisp air outside the hall was a relief after the warm press of bodies inside. We started down the stone steps toward where our horses were waiting, the faint noise of the ongoing celebration spilling out into the courtyard behind us.

Atlas chuckled low. “Come on, you have to admit it’s a bit of both. These alliance marriages are never just about love.”

“And that’s exactly why I don’t spend my time speculating about them,” I replied, swinging up into the saddle.

He mounted his own horse with an easy motion, still grinning. “Speaking of marriage…”

I groaned under my breath. “No.”

“Yes,” he countered, clearly enjoying himself. “When’s it your turn, Ash? You’ve been dodging the question for years. People are starting to think you’ve got some secret love hidden away somewhere.”

“If I did, it’d be my business,” I said flatly. Then, before he could push further, I added, “And if you’re so free that you’ve got time to worry about my personal life, maybe you’d like to oversee the pack’s annual ceremony preparations this year.”

That wiped the grin off his face faster than I expected. “The whole ceremony?”

“All of it,” I confirmed, spurring my horse forward. “From organizing the hunting games to managing the feast. You seem to have a lot of energy to spare.”

He muttered something under his breath that I didn’t catch, but it made me smirk. Turnabout was fair play.

The ride back to our territory was quiet for a while after that, broken only by the rhythmic beat of hooves and the occasional distant call of birds. The landscape shifted gradually from the open fields around Baron’s stronghold to the denser, familiar forests that marked the edges of our pack’s lands.

By the time we reached the gates, Atlas had mostly given up his teasing, though I could tell from the sidelong glances he kept throwing me that he wasn’t done entirely — just saving it for another day.

We handed off the horses to the stablehands and parted ways in the courtyard. He headed toward the training grounds, and I made my way straight for the main house. Enzo would be in his study — he always was after sending someone else to handle diplomacy on his behalf.

The study door was closed, but light spilled out from beneath it, and I could hear the faint scratch of a pen against paper. I knocked once, firmly.

“Come in,” Enzo’s voice called.

I stepped inside, the familiar scent of parchment and ink mingling with the faint trace of his cologne. He was seated behind his desk, pen still in hand, though his eyes flicked up to me immediately.

“How did it go?” he asked.

I crossed the room and stood before the desk. “The ceremony was… elaborate. Baron made sure it was memorable. I delivered your message and the gifts. Both alphas accepted them without issue.”

Enzo nodded, setting his pen down. “Good. Anything else worth noting?”

I thought of Atlas’s commentary, of the way Baron’s eyes had lingered on me for a moment too long, but none of it was relevant to Enzo’s priorities. “No complications,” I said simply.

“Then we’re done,” he replied, already reaching for another document.

I gave a short nod, turned on my heel, and left him to his work. Whatever he’d been dealing with that kept him from the wedding, it clearly still demanded his full attention. And me? I was just glad to be back on familiar ground, away from the glittering chandeliers and the endless questions.