Chapter 9

Blythe’s POV

“What can I do?”

My voice was urgent, desperate, as I stared at Elder Moses.

He gazed at me intently, his expression heavy with meaning—a meaning I wasn’t ready for.

The silence stretched between us.

Then, he spoke.

"Find a man to marry."

"What?!"

I staggered back, my breath catching in my throat.

Marriage?

At seventeen?

The thought terrified me.

I was still mourning.

Still trying to process my parents' deaths.

And now he was telling me to—

Get married?

“You need to listen, dearest,” Elder Moses said, his tone firm but kind.

“Your heart is clouded with grief. That is why you cannot see the danger right in front of you.”

I stiffened.

“The aristocrats and court officials are desperate for the throne,” he continued.

“And they will do whatever it takes to remove you from the picture.”

A cold chill spread through my chest.

“If you wait until you turn eighteen, it will be too late.”

His words hammered into my brain.

“No one will wait for you to grow into your position, Princess,” he pressed. “And without a wolf yet, you are weaker than they are.”

I swallowed.

He was right.

They would use my youth against me.

They would say I was unfit to rule.

And I would have no power to stop them.

But marriage…

“Getting married changes everything,” Elder Moses continued.

“Because then, your husband will have the power to guard what is rightfully yours.”

His words made sense.

But all my mind could focus on was—

Find a man to marry.

I had never considered marriage this early.

I had always thought I would wait to meet my true mate.

That was what my mother had prepared me for.

She always said, "Be ready for your mate, for he will complete you."

I thought I had time.

But time had been ripped away from me.

And now, I was being told that if I didn’t marry immediately, everything my parents built would be stolen from me.

“I know this is overwhelming,” Elder Moses said softly.

“But if you do nothing—if you let traitors take the throne—your father’s legacy will be wiped away.”

His eyes darkened.

“I will not allow that,” he vowed.

And neither would I.

I clenched my fists, my mind racing.

I had assumed my parents' deaths were an accident.

But Elder Moses kept saying traitors.

My pulse spiked.

“Do you… do you know who killed my parents?”

My voice shook.

He sighed.

“No,” he admitted.

“But you can find out.”

My stomach dropped.

"How?"

His eyes locked onto mine.

"Settle down and marry."

I swallowed hard.

There really was no way out.

Except marriage.

If I refused, the throne would fall into the hands of people who had likely orchestrated my parents' deaths.

"Goddess forbid."

I exhaled shakily, my mind fighting against what I already knew I had to do.

Slowly, I whispered,

"Even if I agree… where will I find a suitor?"

I looked away.

“I… I can’t even recognize my mate yet.”

Elder Moses hesitated.

Then, he sighed.

“I do not know,” he admitted.

“But you have until Wednesday to find someone.”

I stiffened.

"Our next meeting is on Thursday."

His tone turned grim.

"Things are not looking good, Princess Blythe. You must act now."

I felt like the walls were closing in on me.

He gave me a long, pointed look.

"Find a man to marry before Thursday. Or lose everything."

That night, I barely slept.

I lay awake, my mind racing.

Marriage.

I had to find a man in two days.

The thought made me sick.

But the thought of losing everything made me sicker.

I had no one to turn to.

Except for Vito.

At the time, he was my best friend.

He checked on me often, comforted me in my grief.

So I told him everything.

I told him about Elder Moses’ warning.

And he promised to help me find a suitor.

But by Tuesday evening, we still hadn’t found anyone.

And time was running out.

I remember the desperation in my voice when I turned to him and whispered—

“Maybe… we could be more than best friends.”

That was how it happened.

How I convinced him.

How we went to Elder Moses and arranged our wedding.

How I sealed my fate.

The next morning, we planned a wedding.

And on Thursday, we claimed the throne.

I can still remember the shock on the faces of the aristocrats.

They had thought they won.

But I had outplayed them.

Their expressions calmed my grief.

I was glad.

I searched the crowd for Elder Moses.

When I saw him, I gave him a grateful nod.

Because without him, I would have lost everything.

Now, years later, I don’t want to say I regret marrying Vito.

After all, I had dragged him into this mess.

I had been desperate.

I had been selfish.

I hadn’t even asked him if he had found his mate.

I just needed someone.

And he was there.

I exhaled sharply, shaking my head.

"Perhaps I should have married Elder Moses instead," I muttered.

Then, I let out a chuckle.

"Funny me."