Eira’s POVTurning my head to look at him, I tried to think of a reasonable explanation for why he’d done such a thing. A contract marriage should have stayed simple, something signed in silence, sealed on paper. Not with vows, not with an oath, and certainly not with an actual ceremony.Or perhaps... he was planning to find a way around the oath.After all, what man in his right mind would bind himself with a vow he didn’t intend to keep? But then the memory slammed into me.Keiran had said those same words too. “I will.”Magnus’s voice rang out, snapping me from my spiraling thoughts.“I will,” he said—firm and unwavering.My heart skipped.So he hadn’t dodged it. He’d accepted it—knowing full well what the oath meant in a werewolf union. The words didn’t just symbolize intent; they bound the soul. And for an Alpha like him, those words carried the weight of blood and legacy. There was no taking them back.I didn’t understand. Why would he agree to something so permanent for a contr
Eira’s POVAs soon as the door opened, I came in contact with the sight of dozens—no, hundreds—of wolves. Each of them stood in human form, dressed in formal wear that shimmered under the soft golden chandeliers.Every head turned. Every conversation halted as they looked at us.And then, as though rehearsed, they bowed their heads. All of them.I stood frozen, my breath catching in my throat. The room itself looked like something out of a dream. Crystal chandeliers dangled from the ceiling, casting warm light over velvet-draped tables.Golden flower arrangements glowed in every corner, and a long table lined with silver trays and polished cutlery stood near the back wall. Soft music drifted through the air, carried by a string quartet nestled on a small raised platform.The room looked like it had been prepared for royalty, and yet it was me walking in with Magnus. Why did it feel like all their gazes were fixed on me? It made me a little nervous having that much attention.“This way
Eira’s POVAs soon as the sound of knocking filled the room, I turned to the door. This was the first time anyone had knocked since I arrived—and the first time I would be seeing someone who wasn’t Magnus’s Beta or Riley.“I’ll get the door,” Riley said, walking toward it.I watched her go, curious. The door opened, and I spotted a woman standing outside. She didn’t try to peer into the room—she simply handed Riley a dress.“This is for the guest,” she said plainly. “The Alpha asked me to deliver it to her.”Riley took the dress and nodded. “I’ll make sure she gets it,” she replied politely, then shut the door.Turning back to me, Riley walked over, the garment carefully draped over her arms. Her expression was unreadable.“This is from the Alpha,” she said, holding it out to me.I stared at the dress without moving. It was beautiful—too beautiful. A deep burgundy that shimmered in the light, with delicate embroidery along the hem and sleeves. It looked like something a Luna would wea
Eira’s POV“If I may ask, how did your conversation with the Alpha go?” Riley’s voice drew my attention away from the book I was reading.I was lying on my back in bed, holding the book above my face. It was one of my usual reading positions, but this time, it wasn’t as comfortable as it used to be.I sighed softly and shifted, lowering the book to my chest. Then I turned onto my side, propping my head up with one hand while letting the other rest on the blanket. That felt a lot better.Looking at Riley, I finally answered, “It went… okay, I guess. Confusing, but okay.”She raised an eyebrow, clearly waiting for me to say more.I ignored the look in her eyes, pretending I had nothing else to add, and turned my attention back to the book. There was no point in continuing the conversation—especially when I wasn’t entirely sure she was on my side.For all I knew, she resented the idea that a woman from nowhere, with no notable background, was about to become the Luna of the pack.In most
Magnus POVAs soon as I asked the question, I watched her freeze.Her expression didn’t crack—Eira was too composed for that—but the flicker in her eyes was enough. She was caught off guard, and for someone who had built her rules so carefully, that meant something.“No,” she said finally, her voice firm but quiet. “I mean I’m not here to repeat old mistakes.”She didn’t deny still loving him.And maybe I didn’t expect her to.I leaned back in my chair, letting the silence stretch. If she thought I was going to push her, she was wrong. I didn’t need to. Kieran had left enough damage behind—I could see it in how she held herself, in the clauses she’d added, in the fire behind her eyes every time I read one aloud.But I wasn’t Kieran.And I was going to make sure she knew that.The way she tried to explain every clause was... adorable. The sound of her voice was like music to my ears, and I just wanted to hear her flutter as she scrambled for the right words.“Right,” I said finally. “S
Eira’s POVThe longer the silence stretched, the more nervous I became. What if he rejected the rule? Could I really stay here, knowing I’d have no equal footing in the pack—that he’d always be right, no matter what he did?I couldn’t believe I might have to leave this pack… the one I had just joined.“As long as you come here with me, you won’t be a decorative Luna. You’ll have equal footing. It’s normal,” Magnus said, his voice so casual it made my eyes widen.“What?” I blinked, stunned. He agreed?“You heard me,” he muttered, eyes locking with mine. “We’ll both have equal standing—if you become my wife.”His words brought a strange sense of comfort. Kieran would never have agreed to something like this. He always insisted the Alpha deserved the utmost respect, even from his own Luna.I shook my head and lightly smacked my cheeks, earning a questioning look from Magnus, which I ignored. I needed to stop comparing every man to Kieran.Maybe I’d overthought everything.“Fifth—I'll hav