CHAPTER 8

JAKE’S POV

The incident at last full Blood Moon haunted me everyday. The memory persisted in my mind like a festering wound that would not go away, regardless of how much time had passed.

I remembered the heat of it, the way my blood boiled as my wolf, Lucio, struggled for control. The Blood Moon's tug was more powerful than anything I had ever experienced. My entire body shook, my muscles tensing up and my claws sticking out against my will. I had tried to resist it. But it was more powerful.

And Alisha paid the price.

She had looked at me with such love, even in her final moments. Her dark eyes, wide with fear but unwavering in trust.

"Jake, it’s me," she had whispered, hands cradling her stomach, protecting our unborn child.

But I hadn’t heard her. Not truly. The beast inside me had drowned out everything—her voice, her scent, her pain.

Her body laid lifeless beneath me. My claws buried in her chest. The howl of agony that ripped from my throat when reality snapped back.

I had killed her. My mate. My unborn child.

A sharp knock on the door of the council chamber yanked me from the past. I exhaled, shoving the memories back into the darkness where they belonged.

The doors creaked open, and the council members filed in, their expressions unreadable as they took their seat.

Elder Ragnor cleared his throat. "Alpha Jake, before we begin, I would love to address what happened during your mate’s introduction."

I stiffened.

"As you know, the announcement did not go as planned," He continued. "The hostility toward your mate was… unfortunate."

Unfortunate? That was putting it lightly.

The moment I introduced Lyra, murmurs turned into outright protest. They saw her as an omega— weak, fragile, not capable of ruling the pack alongside me.

Lyra had sat there, silent, refusing to cower. But I saw the pain in her eyes with the way her hands trembled. It had taken every ounce of my restraint not to rip through the crowd and demand their respect.

But respect wasn’t given. It was earned.

I exhaled sharply. "And what do you propose we do to fix this?"

Elder Gregory met my gaze evenly. "The council has decided that tradition must be upheld. Lyra must prove herself. A trial by combat!."

My eyes widened as those words rang into my ears. A trial by combat? Against Cloe? It was obviously a death sentence. Lyra could never compete with Cloe’s combat skills. She cannot do the basic shifting into a wolf.

I leaned forward, my eyes locked on Elder Gregory’s. “This is ridiculous! A trial by combat?" I repeated, my voice tinged with contempt. “Alisha didn’t have to go through this, so why make Lyra do it?”

Gregory’s expression remained unyielding. “Alisha was with child or have you forgotten so soon”.

I already knew where this was going.

“It’s not about want, Alpha,” He continued. “It is about necessity, It is tradition! You of all people should know better than that. The Luna of ShadowClaw must be strong, feared and respected. And your mate…” He hesitated. “She is not there yet”.

A low, sinister growl rumbled inside of me. Lucio, my wolf was agitated prowling at the edges of my control, his rage pulsing through me. “She shouldn’t have to prove herself,” he snarled. “She is our mate and that ought to be enough”.

I agreed but however, for obvious reasons, the council has refused.

How can I break this curse if I don't have a mate? It has already been prophesied that only my fated mate could do it. As much as I try to agree with my council that Lyra doesn’t possess the qualities I need, something inside of me speaks otherwise.

“She is my mate and I am the Alpha! My word is law!” I declared with a stern voice.

Gregory shook his head. “Yes she is chosen, but tradition supersedes all!. We cannot risk incurring the wrath of the moon goddess when things go south for disobedience. If she wins, she will be recognized as Luna, If she doesn’t...”

I narrowed my eyes. “Then what?”

“Then she leaves Shadowclaw!”

I leaned back into my seat, lining my fingers into a clenched fist, breathing deeply to keep Lucio from surfacing. My jawline tightened forcing me to swallow hard.

“This gathering is dismissed, you can all leave...now!”. I thundered

"I said leave!" I snapped, standing abruptly. My chair scraped against the stone floor, the sound echoing through the chamber. A powerful wave of my aura crashed over the room, making even the strongest to flinch.

Without another word, they rose from their seats, murmuring among themselves as they filed out of the chamber except Damon.

Damon stood near the far end of the table, arms crossed over his broad chest. He hadn’t altered a word since the onset of this meeting, but I know damn well his sharp eyes hadn’t missed a thing.

I tried to calm my nerves before slowly turning my eyes towards him. " Please tell me you think this is ridiculous too"

"Jake…" He sighed, rubbing a hand over his jaw. "I won’t lie to you. I see why the council is doing this."

My stomach twisted. "So you agree with them?"

Damon didn’t flinch at my glare. "I understand their reasoning," he corrected. "Lyra is an omega. She’s never fought before. The pack sees that as a weakness."

Lucio growled inside me, but I forced myself to listen. Despite my reluctance to hear it, Damon had consistently been my most candid and trusted advisor.

"But," Damon continued, his voice firm, "that doesn’t mean she can’t be trained."

“A month is a short time, but it’s not impossible," Damon said. “She just needs to hold her ground long enough to prove she isn’t weak. That’s what the pack needs to see”.

I inhaled deeply, considering his words. Damon was right. The duel was a month away. It gives her time to learn.

I hated that she had to go through this at all. But if this was the only way for her to claim her rightful place beside me… then I would make damn sure she didn’t fail.

I met Damon’s gaze, my resolve hardening.

“Then we train her.”

Damon excused himself from the room. I leaned back in my chair and inhaled deeply.

I rubbed my temples swaying slightly in my chair in an attempt to get rid of the irritation in my chest. But I caught a glimpse of movement right before I closed my eyes.

There she was, Lyra.

The golden light of the setting sun was shining on her. as she strolled through the field. The breeze caused her silver hair to dance, with loose strands swaying across her face. She looked like the god of beauty itself had taken a human form.

My breath hitched, I couldn’t look away, not with the mate bond tugging me like an invisible chain. I stood up, my legs moving on their own before my mind could catch up.

The evening breeze immediately welcomed me with her soft scent as I made my way towards her.

The moment she caught a glimpse of me, a slow smile curved her lips and damn it, my heart stuttered. I narrowed the gap between us, coming to a stop just close enough to touch her if I so desired.

“You look worried,” she said tilting her head up slightly. Her gaze right in my face like the answer to her question was right in my eyes.

I exhaled sharply, shaking my head. “And you, like a goddess descended onto this field”.

A soft blush infused her face, but she rolled her eyes. “Your flattery won't distract me. Now stop kidding and tell me what the problem is”.

“Alright, you caught me, “ I admitted. I hated the way the uncertainty crept into her face before I even said the words.

I held her hands. “I had a meeting with the pack council pertaining to your stay in the pack and as the future Luna of the pack..”

“....and?” She queried. Her lips parted slightly, eyes peering deep into my soul.

“And we…I mean they,” I stuttered. “The council members are demanding you prove capability.” I hesitated a bit. “They are demanding a trial by combat”.

“What? A fight?. Her eyes widened in shock. “Jake, you’re the leader of this Pack and you can do something about this right…tell me you won’t allow that!”

My heart sank into my stomach as those words escaped her lips.