CHAPTER SIX

LYRA'S POV

Elder Rowe stays for five more minutes before the grumpy Blackthorne warriors come back, this time followed by Viktor, and take him away.

"I heard you were throwing one of your tantrums again." Viktor says casually in conversation as he leans against the wall of my cell.

"You hear a lot of things, don't you?"

He goes to reply to me but I stop him when I lift my hand.

"Tell your Alpha I'm requesting a meeting with him. It's high time we came to a decision."

Viktor goes very still before arching a brow at me.

"Okay." He answers coolly before walking away.

I stew in my cell for a few hours, ears listening for any sounds, but as the sun begins dipping I hear the familiar boots crunching again. This time, several of them.

A few moments later, Viktor shows up to my cell with a few Blackthorne warriors, all of them staring openly at me like I'm an otherworldly creature, and begins opening the door to my cell.

"Your request has been granted." He says loudly and formally. "But for your sake, I'd hope you use it well." He says under his breath.

I'm marched out into the pack grounds and taken to the armoury post, which they now use as a council chamber.

I swallow the bile that rises to the back of my throat with every second my feet carry me toward them. The mate bond is flaring and pulsing with emotions I can't comprehend and don't want to acknowledge.

The warriors wait outside as Viktor leads me into the tent and I'm greeted with the exact same faces I saw earlier in the day.

My eyes collide with Ronan's the moment I enter the tent, and I catch his eyes widen before that lone reaction retreats back into the dark abyss that are his eyes.

I want to gouge them out.

"Welcome again." The chirpy man who spoke to me earlier on my way out greets. I don't reply; instead I take an empty seat and give Ronan my full attention.

After a few moments of lingering silence and everyone watching me like a hawk, I decide to speak first.

"I'll accept the bond in exchange for Misthollow's freedom."

Ronan's expression doesn't change, but I see his eyes jump to Viktor behind me before they settle back on me.

"Then that settles it-"

"I don't think you understand, Alpha Blackthorne." I cut him off. "Me accepting a bond, such as this, can easily be seen as betrayal and hatred against my father, whom you killed." I stop myself from gritting the last part but take immense joy when I see his jaw jump.

"Accepting this bond only serves the purpose of Misthollow's independence from your oppression, and me remaining in my role as Misthollow's alpha. This marriage will be purely political."

Ronan leans forward in his seat, and immediately it feels like there's a thin veil of agitation in the air. The bond begins to buzz, and I can feel his irritation coming through it in waves.

"There's nothing political about a mate bond." He says after a few moments, his voice concealing his actual feelings.

"And there is nothing natural about bonding with my father's killer." I hear one of the elders scoff.

"Lyra, some things are worth starting over for?"

"Worth?" I scoff. "Tales, rumours and lies are going to keep following me as long as this bond exists. People will ask why I accepted you even after knowing you killed my father, after all a mate bond isn't a do or die affair. But not in my case. I'll actually have to forfeit my life and that of my people if I reject this bond. So, no. This marriage is one of convenience and should serve its convenience."

A long moment of silence follows my speech till one of Blackthorne's elders clears his throat.

"You seem to have this all figured out." The elder says in a mocking voice. "You clearly want to save your little land, but I'm yet to hear what importance this bond serves to Blackthorne."

I don't have everything figured out as the elder had said, but I have a rough idea of what would benefit both packs. And realistically there's no way I'm going to avoid mating with Ronan if I'm to free Misthollow.

"What Blackthorne gains in this relationship is clear. A Luna, a complete alpha, and the future of Blackthorne's hierarchy."

"Are you insinuating that our Alpha-"

"Yes." I cut him off, already knowing where he's heading with the question. Turning to Ronan, I continue. "Alpha Blackthorne might be a warlord, if not a criminal, but compared to other alphas… he still doesn't have a significant other."

A light feeling of amusement comes through the bond and I almost curse Ronan out. He thinks this is funny.

Viktor chuckles. "So you are offering babies and companionship-"

"Do not forget status." I add to his list.

"And status in exchange for freedom?" He gripes. "This isn't child's play, Lyr-"

"I accept your conditions." Ronan cuts Viktor off and I hear a collective gasp in the room.

I wasn't expecting that either. I don't know what he's playing at, and I can't get any sort of emotion coming from his own end of the bond.

"Alpha!" One of the elders scolds.

"Lyra is my mate." Ronan says, leaning closer to me but stops when I back away. "Fenrir's gift. The woman who gets to wear my mark and secure Blackthorne's hierarchy through trueborn heirs."

"But Alpha, what she gives in exchange is just not up to par!" The elder almost screeches.

"It is. A mate bond cannot be invented or bought."

What is Ronan on about? I think he's forgetting that I'm the enemy here.

"Very well, then we need to discuss how Misthollow's Alpha and Blackthorne's Luna can be the same person without disrupting the balance between both packs." The female elder says.

I see one of the elders give me a wicked smile, and I realize I don't have a rough idea what I'm negotiating. It's impossible to serve as Misthollow's Alpha and remain Luna in Blackthorne. It's bound to clash, and everyone in this room knows that.

My nails sink into the flesh of my hand and colour fills my cheeks when the coppery smell of my blood fills the air.

"I think that can be arranged." The man by the door speaks, his eyes finding mine. I can tell he's an alpha. I don't know of which pack, but the sheer aura coming from him and the shock of blond hair on him suggests something ancient.

"Lyra will come and go from Misthollow, governing it as its Alpha, while she lives at Blackthorne."

"But-" I immediately go to speak up in protest when another presence that definitely isn't Ronan's fills my head.

"You wish to keep your land and claim his home too? Then this is the only way." My jaw goes slack when I hear the voice of the man at the door in my head.

"You can't live at Misthollow and pretend that Blackthorne is also your home. You can be a great leader to them while protecting them from outside wrath. They don't have to understand your decision, but they'll see its advantages."

I didn't know there was a wolf alive capable of doing that. The Alpha by the door sends me a wink, and my tunnel vision shatters. Immediately I'm hit with a strong wave of irritation, jealousy, and impatience from Ronan.

"I-I accept, Alpha…" I look in the man's direction but I see his back retreating from the tent. "...I accept his advice."

"You are inexperienced and don't understand what you are choosing." One of the elders scoffs.

"For someone who knows a lot, all you do is advise your Alpha into tyranny." I reply hotly. "Or is that just who he is?"

"You-" the elder begins again, this time pointing a finger at me, but the sound of an irritated growl from Ronan shuts him up quickly.

"We accept your conditions, Alpha Lyra." The female elder says again, this time with a genuine smile.

"Good." I reply. "You and your people need to be out of Misthollow before dawn."

Ronan finally chuckles before leaning back into his seat. "We can leave this instant, but you will be coming with us."