Chapter 6

 

Ravena's POV

It was as though fate had chosen that very moment to humiliate me further because the door suddenly creaked open and Lucien’s father appeared, his cold gaze sweeping the room like a hawk looking for prey. Astrid followed behind, her hand resting lightly on the back of his wheelchair as though she were the dutiful daughter he never had.

“What is going on here?!” Garrick asked sharply.

At once, Lucien’s grip on me loosened. I pulled away, though the burn of his hand still lingered on my arm. He moved quickly and placed himself at his father’s side as though the old man’s shadow offered him protection. Astrid stood proudly beside them, her head held high, her smug eyes fixed on me like she had already won.

“She went to the king,” Lucien said firmly, his voice steady enough to carry across the room. “She begged him to revoke his order for me to marry Astrid.”

Garrick’s expression changed, his mouth twisting into a snarl as his gaze fixed on me. “So it is true. You had the audacity to go behind this family’s back and insult the king with your petty schemes?”

“I never…”

“Guards!” Garrick shouted and immediately, the two men outside the door burst in, their spears raised. “Seize her. She thinks herself clever. Let her learn the cost of reckless decisions.”

As the guards moved towards me, my every instinct urged me to tear through them, to strike at Garrick where he sat with his smug smile. But I knew the truth. I was alone in this room. Outnumbered. If I resisted, I would be beaten down before I even got a chance to land a single strike.

So I did the one thing I never thought I would do. I lowered my chin and let the fire in my eyes dim, just enough to make it seem as though I had bent.

“I should not have acted that way,” I blurted out, my words bitter on my tongue. “It was wrong of me.”

The silence that followed was suffocating. Then, to my surprise, Garrick’s face smoothed. He leaned back in his chair, a satisfied smirk playing on his lips.

“Let her go,” he ordered. The guards froze in surprise. “Did you not hear me? Let her go at once.”

The men stepped back, lowering their weapons. My arms shook, not from fear, but from the restraint it took to stay still.

Garrick’s eyes sparkled as he turned them on me again. “You are quick to repent. That is wise. I came here this afternoon for a reason, Ravena, and now you will hear it.”

I remained quiet, but my heart pounded in my chest.

He gestured towards Astrid, who stood taller beside him, her lips curved in triumph. “It is time to prepare for the future of this pack. The marriage between Lucien and Astrid must be arranged. And you, as Luna, will see to it that it is done properly.”

I stared at him, my mouth parting in shock, then closing again as laughter bubbled in my throat.

“You want me,” I said slowly, “to plan their wedding?”

“Yes.” Garrick’s tone held no room for debate. “It is your duty as Luna. You will handle the preparations, the guest lists, the arrangements. You will contribute the funds from your accounts. The pack must see unity, not discord.”

My hands curled at my sides, nails digging into my palms. “You really believe I will pay for their marriage?”

“It is not belief,” Garrick replied calmly, his cold eyes never leaving mine. “It is expectation. You will obey, because obedience is all that is left to you. You may hold the title of Luna, but that title means nothing if you cannot uphold it. You will make yourself useful, Ravena, even if it means paying for the ceremony that will finally set this pack right.”

Astrid tilted her head, her smile sweet, almost mocking. “It is not so hard, is it? A Luna is meant to support her Alpha. You can still play your part.”

I turned my gaze on her, the rage inside me breaking through every careful wall I had built. “You speak as though you have any right to ask me for anything.”

Astrid’s smirk grew wider. “You are right. I do not need to ask. Because Lucien chose me.”

I looked at Lucien. His eyes flickered toward me, but he did not move. My lips curved into the faintest smile as I mouthed the words to him. “Do you need my money?”

The way his jaw tightened told me he heard. For a moment, shame flickered across his face, quickly replaced by anger. He shoved his father’s chair aside and stepped forward. “I do not need your money. I have my own.”

Garrick snapped, “Do not be a fool, Lucien. This wedding will not be a small expense. There will be hundreds of mouths to feed, endless barrels of wine and ale. The warriors will expect meat, the elders expect gold. The bride and groom must have new outfits, and every guest will be watching. This is not about pride, it is about duty. And it requires her money.”

His finger pointed at me, sharp and accusing, as though I was nothing but a coin purse he could reach into whenever he pleased.

I smiled slowly. “If that is what you want, then so be it. I will personally bring the palace tailors here. Astrid will have her dress made from silk and gold thread. Lucien will have robes befitting for a king. The guests will be dazzled. Even the servants will wear new garments.”

Astrid’s eyes lit up. Garrick leaned back, a look of joy on his face. “That is how a virtuous Luna should speak. At last, you show some sense.”

But I did not let him finish savouring it. I tilted my head, my smile turning cold. “And, of course, I will keep a record of everything. Every coin. Every bolt of cloth. Every drop of wine. When it is done, Lucien will repay me for it all.”

The joy on Garrick’s face cracked into rage so quickly it was almost amusing. His hand slammed against the armrest of his chair. “Ungrateful girl! You dare to speak of repayment? You insult this pack by placing a price on your duty.”

“I insult nothing,” I said clearly. “I will not fund a wedding meant to push me aside. You want Astrid, you can pay for her crown yourself.”

“You will not speak to me that way. You wear the title of Luna because we allowed it. You are here because this pack took pity on you when your family was ash and dust. If you wish to walk away, fine, but the money stays. You will not carry it with you. It belongs here.”

“You can take everything from me, Garrick, but you will not take what I earned with my own hands. Not the fields I sold, not the gold I saved, not the dowry my father gave before he died. None of it belongs to you.”

Lucien suddenly barked, his eyes flashing as he stepped forward again. “I do not care for her filthy money!”

Before I could answer, Astrid tugged lightly on his arm. “Lucien, do not be so proud. She has more money than you imagine. Why waste it? If she is leaving, then it is only right that she leaves it behind. The pack will run better. We could strengthen our warriors, improve the houses. Her money could serve the people.”

Lucien’s jaw flexed, but he did not argue with her. That silence, again, screamed louder than words.

My chest burned, but I held my ground. Slowly, I turned to them, letting my eyes sweep over Astrid’s smug face, Garrick’s rage, and Lucien’s shame.

“You all speak of my money as though it has already been poured into your hands. You think you can decide my worth. You think you can demand I bow, hand you the keys to everything I built, and thank you for the privilege.”

Astrid’s lips parted, ready to reply, but I raised my hand, silencing her before she spoke.

“If you want my money,” I said, my gaze locked on each of them in turn, “that is fine.”

I stepped forward, my head held high, my wolf pacing hot and restless within me.

“But only if you can beat me in a fight.”