Chapter 51 The Choice Is Not Yours

Chapter 51 The Choice Is Not Yours
Khione
My mates and I stood around the bonding stone surrounded by the ritual runes. The ceremony was almost complete as the elders did the final bind when a commotion grew louder at the packhouse back door, as two people made their way down towards us.
“COLTON, HOW COULD YOU?”
I was confused
“Mom.”
He was surprised and angry
“So, this is why you’ve been treating me like shit Colton?”
“Courtney….”
I looked at the guy next to his mom
“Colton, what’s going on?”
I turned to him asking him
“My mother hates mates that’s why I didn’t invite her.”
“You promised me remember Colton? When your father abandoned us, abandoned his first family for his mate. You promised me that you would forsake yours isn’t that true my son.”
“Yes, it’s true Mom but that was unfair of you to ask me when I was only seven.”
“But what about me Colton? We have been together since freshman year of high school you promised me, that you’d always pick me and yet you didn’t even have the balls you used to stuff in my mouth to end things properly! I didn’t even know you had a mate until the gossip spread about the princess here having yet another ceremony. Is that why you changed your mind because she’s royalty?!”
“You have a boyfriend?”
“Had the moment I saw you as stubborn as I was my heart belonged to you. And then that day in the library I only touched you after what we shared. We were done even if I hadn’t said the words.”
“FUCK YOU COLTON!”
The guy was screaming and crying I felt bad but why did he have to pick this moment to do this?
“I’m sorry Courtney I truly am but a mate bond is not something that could be ignored. And I’m sorry Mother I know what Father did hurt you and you were alone, but I understand why we couldn’t have fulfilled him like his true mate would.”
“As sad as what you two have experienced is you’re both shifters, not humans we all know the deal with mates so why are you acting so foolishly why would you choose our ceremony to do this? I didn’t know any of this and Sutton didn’t deserve her moment ruined. Selfish and cruel that’s why you are where you are? The Goddess sees your black hearts.”
I was getting angry, but it was fueled by the collective emotions of all of my mates who felt the same, so it was amplified.
“You bitch! You homewrecker fuck you and your ceremony!”
“I didn’t even know you existed I’m no homewrecker or mistress.”
Colton was going to feel my wrath for this but when we were alone.
“It doesn’t change what you’ve done.”
“You two need to remember this is your princess and you're disrespecting her and the royal family.”
Dominic voice was calm, but he wanted to rip the guy apart I could feel his bloodlust.
“So, because she’s royalty she could do whatever she wants?”
His mom was red and on the verge of shifting. Her hurt and anger were misplaced I understood that an angry lioness on my territory was not something I wanted to deal with, and she was close to too many children.
“NO that is not what anyone is saying but what you're doing is disgraceful.”
One of the elders chimed in. Making the crowd start yelling and surrounding them.
“Everyone please let us settle down.”
I didn’t want everything to get out of hand. They went quiet but didn’t move.
“Now you two have said what you wanted and while Colton and I will have words it changes nothing he’s been marked and now bonded to me, my pack, and my other mates there’s no turning back now so this is useless.”
I felt Colton stiffen and his heart rate pick up
“It’s not FAIR! What about me our relationship I love you, Colton.”
“I know and I’m sorry.”
“You will find your own mate and none of this will matter.”
“But I did find my mate!”
“WHAT?!”
Colton screamed
“I found my mate during the summer the night I went out with my cousins for my birthday and even though it was hard I rejected him.”
“Why would you do something so stupid?!”
“FOR YOU!”
The guilt was written all over Colton’s face and I felt his pain and pity for his ex-boyfriend.
“OH, Goddess Courtney I am sorry I noticed you were different, but I ignored it and then I was so focused on my mate, and all this time you’ve been in pain.”
That broke the damn Courtney fell to his knees crying and wailing now that the ceremony was complete, and the binding finished, I rushed over to Courtney and held him. He pushed me off at first but eventually sagged into me.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry you’re hurting I’m sorry I’m the reason I’m sorry you lost your mate I’m so, so, so sorry.”
I cried with him rocking him. It was against nature and some of the laws and I’d deal with the lecture and magical timeout when it came but I cast a spell easing his pain and heartache praying to the Goddess to give him a second chance with his original mate.