6. A Dangerous Pull

Five days! I can’t believe we’ve had to drag ourselves through this mundane process for five whole days, even though it’s obviously perfunctory and Lucan barely seemed interested.

Most of the time he sat like carved stone at the head of the hall, the kind of stillness that made people try harder to fill the silence. But every so often that impossible grey of his would find me, boring his gaze into me until my knees threatened to give out. I know that look. He despises me. But my body read it wrong every single time because of the bond. It translated his contempt into something else entirely, something dangerous. I learned fast to look away. Today was no different.

All the girls present are younger than I am, yet I have to partake in this selection because I also count as an unmated female. Everyone would rather I vanish, but they couldn’t afford to break the customs handed down by the Moon Goddess for such things.

Still, I’ve made some discoveries. This so-called selection, as I’d predicted, isn’t all that it seems—it’s the Alpha’s quiet way of weeding out enemies. Because of that, I couldn’t risk slipping away to the tunnels to discuss with Riven. Not until it was completely over—and thankfully, it’s the last day already.

The selection process wasn’t totally useless, though. The reason the Alpha and his council are using this method to choose a bride for Lucan is simple: like me, he never bonded with anyone, and there’s little hope of it happening now. In such cases, this sort of selection, followed by a forced bonding, becomes the alternative. I could have used that alternative too when I turned out without a mate bond at eighteen, but no one in their right mind would willingly accept that sort of bond with someone like me, so I’d given up long ago. But unfortunately, a genuine bond had to form now.

Even so, I’m determined to hide it for as long as I can—at least until I carry out my mission. It would be better if they chose the most qualified girl here and bonded her to Lucan. That way, I’d finally be free.

Throughout this entire selection, I’ve done my best to pass off as mediocre, just as everyone expects. Thankfully, the lingering poison in my body makes me weaker than even the frailest omega, which only helps my disguise.

The final tests are different. These aren’t about charm or endurance, but mystical evaluations. I’ve never faced anything like this before, so I didn’t know what to expect. I could only hope it wouldn’t expose me, because the last thing I wanted was to get noticed.

The first test was almost ceremonial. A tall, rune-etched pedestal was brought out, humming faintly with old magic. The council elder explained that each of us was to place our hand upon the crystal sphere mounted at its peak and channel our spiritual force into it. The clearer and brighter the glow, the higher the rank of our essence.

The girls before me leaned in one by one, their energies spilling into the sphere in soft pulses of blue or green. One particularly bold candidate filled it with a fierce golden light that drew gasps from the crowd. I observed them all carefully so I could understand how the crystal worked and see if it might be manipulated.

When it was finally my turn, I stepped forward with deliberate slowness, keeping my head low. The sphere felt cool beneath my palm, almost alive. I reached inside myself, just enough to give it something faint—thin wisps of energy I carefully controlled. The crystal flickered weakly, a pale, uncertain glow. Exactly as I intended. Murmurs rippled through the audience, some amused, others dismissive. I let their judgment roll over me like smoke. Better they believe I was nothing.

The second test was worse. This one didn’t involve ancient devices or glowing lights. This one involved Lucan. He stepped forward, his presence alone quieting the field. His grey eyes swept across the line of girls, and the air itself seemed to thicken, heavy and sharp. The elder announced that each candidate would be tested directly by Lucan himself—measured by how long she could withstand his pressure without yielding. The faster one broke, the weaker she was deemed.

One by one, the girls braced themselves as Lucan’s aura surged out—raw power pressing against them like an invisible weight. Some held out well, others faltered in seconds. Each failure was met with silence, each success with strained relief. Then it was my turn.

The moment his gaze locked on me, the world narrowed. That energy—his dominance—didn’t just press against me. It sank straight into the bond, curling through my veins like molten fire. My wolf stirred instantly, not resisting, but yielding. Not because I wanted to. Not because I was weak. But because the cursed bond made every inch of me want to surrender to him.

My knees hit the ground before I even realized what was happening. Gasps broke out. Some girls smirked, others shook their heads as if it was expected. To them, I was just pitifully weak. They didn’t know the truth, that I hadn’t fallen because of his strength, but because the bond itself betrayed me.

I clenched my fists in the ground, heat prickling my skin, shame battling fury in my chest. And above me, I felt his eyes linger. I stayed on my knees longer than I should have, forcing myself to breathe through the bond’s suffocating grip. When I finally managed to stand, my legs felt like water. Lucan’s gaze was still on me, unreadable, sharp as a blade pressed to my throat. Then, as quickly as it came, the pressure withdrew. He moved on to the next girl without a word, as if I were beneath his notice.

But I could still feel it. That pull. That burning imprint his power left in my chest, curling into places I didn’t want touched.

The trials dragged on until the sun dipped low, shadows stretching long over the courtyard. When the last name was called and the council’s closing words were given, the crowd began to scatter. Girls whispered excitedly to their families, the air buzzing with laughter and relief. I slipped away quietly, head down, my steps measured so no one would notice how shaken I was. Every breath still carried the trace of his dominance, the memory of his eyes boring into me.

By the time the pack had settled into their homes for the night, I was already restless. There was no way I could sleep with that lingering fire clawing under my skin. So I waited until the watch changed and the pathways grew quiet. Then I pulled my cloak low and slipped into the darkness, careful to avoid the main roads as I made my way to the tunnels.

And waiting there, as always, was Riven.