The ceremony will go on

Cassian let out a strangled, terrible scream as the black root magic snapped. He dropped to his knees, clutching his chest with both hands as black blood seeped from his nose. His skin turned ghostly pale, covered in a sudden cold sweat.

"My chest" Cassian gasped, thrashing on the stone floor like he was drowning. "It burns! Make it stop!"

"The spell is breaking," Lucian said coldly, stepping back from his writhing son. "When fake ink meets the truth, the body rejects the lie."

I ran to Cassian's side instinctively "Cassian are you okay?"

He pushed me away "Get off me you pig"

"Cassian"

"This is all your fault, you wrecked my day, you're a terrible selfish pig"

"Cassian how can say that, I didn't do anything I ju..."

"Enough" my mother snapped and tugged me away

Maya saw her chance. She scrambled to her feet, kicked off her sandals, and sprinted toward the open balcony doors.

"Guards Catch her" my mother shrieked, finally realizing her precious daughter had ruined everything.

Four heavy armored Blackthorn enforcers stepped out from the darkness of the terrace, their broad swords drawn and gleaming in the moonlight. They blocked the edge, forcing Maya back into the center of the room. She sank to the floor, sobbing uncontrollably as the dark swirl on her neck faded into plain grey ash.

"Execute the traitor" one of the senior council members shouted, pointing a shaking finger at Maya. "She used forbidden witchcraft on the Beta's son"

"No, Please,Have mercy" my mother wailed, throwing herself over Maya's trembling body. She turned her desperate eyes to Lucian, weeping loudly. "Alpha Lucian, I beg of you Spare my daughter She is young and stupid Lock her in the dungeon for life, but do not kill her"

Lucian looked at the two women on the floor with absolute disgust. He raised his hand, gesturing to his enforcers.

"Take her to the cell," Lucian ordered, his deep voice leaving no room for argument. "Keep her in silver chains until I decide what to do with her."

The guards grabbed Maya by her arms, dragging her screaming and kicking down the stone hallway. My mother ran after them, wailing into the night.

"This is all because of the wolfless brat" an old council member barked, spinning around to glare at me with bright red eyes. "Why would you try to ambush your sister, now you've severed our only link to power and survival"

"She is a curse on this family!" another elder shouted, stepping toward me with his fists clenched. "She has no wolf, no honor, and brought nothing but disgrace to our territory"

I flinched, stepping back until my spine hit the cold stone wall. "I did not know" I choked out, my voice trembling. "I swear I had nothing to do with this"

"Silence" Lucian's command thundered through the room, so loud and heavy that the wooden roof beams groaned above us.

Every single council member froze in their tracks, their faces turning pale as the temperature in the room plummeted.

Lucian stepped between the angry elders and me, his broad back completely covering my smaller frame. He raised his chin, his silver eyes flashing with a terrifying, ancient power that forced every warrior in the room to lower their heads.

"If any of you speak another insult to this female," Lucian said smoothly, his tone low and lethal, "I will rip your tongue out with my bare hands."

The room went dead quiet. Even Cassian's painful groans quieted down to small whimpers on the rug.

"Alpha Lucian," the head elder whispered, trembling as he bowed his head. "She is a traitor to her family, she could not even protect her sister"

"She is standing in a room full of cowards who let a child run dark magic under their noses," Lucian replied, looking around the circle of elders with pure contempt. "She is the only person in this pathetic territory who told the truth tonight."

Lucian turned around to face me. The coldness in his eyes quickened my pulse rate, it carried an intense, burning heat that made my heart leap into my throat.

"Are you hurt, Olivia?" he asked softly, taking a slow step toward me.

"I am fine," I whispered, my eyes wide as I looked up at the towering man. "Why are you doing this?"

"You were never meant to be hidden in the shadows," Lucian said, his voice dropping so low that only I could hear it over the sound of the wind. "They called you weak because they were too blind to see what you really are."

"I do not have a wolf, Lucian," I murmured, my voice breaking with years of built up pain. "I am just... me."

"You do not need a wolf to belong to me," he said firmly.

Before I could process his words, Lucian reached out and grabbed my waist, pulling my body flush against his hard chest. My breath hitched as his scent of pine and fresh snow completely wrapped around my senses, drowning out every doubt in my head.

"Lucian, what are you doing?" I gasped, my hands resting instinctively against his broad shoulders.

"The bonding ceremony will go on tonight. But it will not be for Maya."

He tilted my head back, his thumb tracing my jawline with incredible gentleness. He opened his mouth, exposing sharp, gleaming white fangs.

"Wait!" the head elder yelled, taking a frantic step forward. "Alpha Lucian, stop! You cannot mark her She is wolfless, A mark will kill her"

Lucian ignored the shouting elders completely. He leaned down and drove his sharp fangs deep into the soft skin where my neck met my shoulder.

.