Chapter 5- New Mate

ELYSSIA’s POV

“We first crossed paths through a few business meetings,” he said calmly. “One thing led to another, and we eventually became involved.”

I stared at him.

Wh…what!?

He was actually going along with it?

“Thank you Moon Goddess.” I whispered silently.

All I knew was that he hadn’t exposed me, and for now, that was enough.

Darian stepped forward, his face dark with disbelief.

“This is absurd. Elyssia, why are you lying? You’ve never mentioned this man before tonight, and now you’re claiming he’s your lover?”

I looked at him, my lips twisting in irritation. “Why would I lie about something like that?”

“Because you’re trying to escape this bond!”

I scoffed. “Can you hear yourself, Darian?”

His jaw tightened. “You agreed to this arrangement Elyssia, stop this sick joke!”

“Practically, because I had no choice.”

“Enough!” Father’s voice thundered in the hall.

Killian’s hands suddenly moved down, and wrapped around my waist, pulling me closer to his side and I sucked in breath.

His hold was firm, almost possessive, and when I looked up, I found him gazing down at me with a tenderness so unexpected that I momentarily forgot the entire hall was watching us.

Darian noticed it too and his face darkened. “You expect us to believe this nonsense? She has never mentioned you before tonight. How do we know she’s not simply making this up to escape her obligations?”

My heart sank, and I looked at Killian, silently begging him not to abandon me now.

He turned his head towards Darian, and the faint amusement vanished from his face. “ So now, you are calling my woman a liar?” His deep voice vibrated through my chest and I had to force myself to stay still and the words struck me harder than they should have, and I nearly choked.

I turned my head slowly to look up at him. His woman?

What in the world was wrong with this man?

He had agreed to the lie, yes, but did he have to sound so convincing? And why was there something almost tender in the way he looked at me when he said it?

His hand shifted slightly at my waist, keeping me beside him as though he had every right to do so.

Darian’s expression hardened. “She is standing in the middle of a bonding ceremony she agreed to participate in. If I find her sudden change of heart difficult to believe, then you shouldn’t question it.”

“Then perhaps you should ask her what she wants instead of deciding for her.”

The hall fell quiet again.

I hadn’t expected that.

I had expected arrogance, mockery, perhaps even a threat. I certainly hadn’t expected him to challenge Darian on my behalf, especially when he had no reason to care whether I bonded with him or not.

My father stepped forward. “Elyssia, do you understand the consequences of what you’re doing?” he asked. “You are standing before our guests, humiliating the Veymont family and making a mockery of an agreement.”

There it was. A promise my father had decided I would fulfill with my own life.

“Yes, Father,” I said, lifting my chin. “I understand.”

“Now you will return to the platform and complete the ceremony.”

My heart skipped a beat.

No dad… please.

“Alaric,” Mother interjected, her voice trembling slightly, “please. She’s clearly distressed. Can we just hear her out first?”

“There is nothing to hear!” Father snapped. “The Veymont family has been waiting for this bond, and I will not allow her to ruin years of arrangements because of some sudden infatuation.”

“Perhaps if anyone had bothered to ask what she wanted before arranging all this, we wouldn’t be standing here,” Mother replied quietly.

Father turned on her, but before he could respond, Vaelisse stepped forward.

“Father, please. Elyssia never wanted this. You didn’t even give her a chance to—”

“Enough Vaelisse!” he barked. “You’re a child. You know nothing about the obligations and consequences involved in matters like these. Do not interfere in things you don’t understand.”

Vaelisse flinched and retreated beside Mother, her eyes lowered.

My chest tightened. I wanted to reach for her, to tell her she hadn’t done anything wrong, but I couldn’t afford to let go of Killian just yet.

Darian looked between us, his humiliation giving way to fury. “This is a joke. You expect me to believe that she has suddenly fallen in love with Killian Blackthorne? She agreed to bond with me, and now she’s standing here pretending to be another man’s lover.”

I lifted my chin. “I never said I loved you, Darian.”

“You agreed to become my mate!”

“Because I was told I had to!”

Father’s expression turned murderous, but Killian spoke before he could.

He lowered his head slightly, his lips close to my ear.

“Tell me something, sweetheart. Do you want to continue with this bond?” He said softly, but audible enough for everyone to hear through the silence in the hall.

I turned to look at him.

For a moment, I couldn’t tell whether he was genuinely asking or simply testing me. His expression gave nothing away, but his arm remained securely around my waist.

I looked at Darian, then at the Moonstone. I thought of the life waiting for me if I said yes. I thought of the resentment I would carry into a bond I had never wanted.

“No,” I answered without hesitation. “I don’t.”

Killian’s mouth curved into a slow smile. “Good.”

Before I could ask what he meant, he tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear, carefully adjusting the ornament that had begun to slip from my hair. Then, to my utter shock, he leaned down and pressed a brief kiss to my cheek.

The hall erupted in whispers.

I stood frozen, my face burning. What the hell was he doing now?

Killian straightened, his arm still around me, and turned towards the priest standing beside the Moonstone.

Killian straightened, his arm settling around me as he looked towards the ceremonial platform. The red glow of the Blood Moon spilled through the enormous windows, illuminating the sacred Moonstone behind us.

“Well,” he said pleasantly, “it would be a shame to waste such a beautiful night.”

My stomach dropped.

He turned back to my father, then to the priest. “Since the ceremony is already prepared, I see no reason to postpone it.”

For one foolish second, I thought he meant he was going to help me leave.

Then his blue eyes returned to mine. “Why don’t you bond with me instead?”

My heart stopped. The words kept echoing in my head, refusing to make sense.

Bond with him?!

The priest stared at him. Darian’s eyes began to blaze red. My father had gone frighteningly still, and Mother covered her mouth in disbelief.

But it was Killian’s expression that terrified me most.

He looked perfectly serious.

I had wanted to escape a bonding ceremony.

I had not expected the man I’d dragged into my lie to suggest another one in front of the entire gathering.

And judging by the look in his eyes, he had no intention of taking the suggestion back.