Chapter 5

Five: An Alpha And His Luna

CASSIAN

Murmurs rise quickly in the courthouse. And my heart aches, my wolf whines. But what must be done, must be done.

As King and as Alpha, I must sacrifice… even if the sacrifice is my mate. A sacrifice too great to bear. Lysandra gives me a sultry smile, which I ignore.

Instead, I fix my eyes on the Omega who mops up the vomit. Then, I stare at the door Eira was carried through. It took everything in me not to go to her when she fainted.

No one knows that my wolf is angry. No one knows that my heart is hurt. Because it is my duty to do right by my pack. My kingdom. And my position.

Jafeth returns and stands by my side. And I get up. Everyone rises again in respect. The room grows silent.

“Sit!” I command, and they do.

All eyes stare up at me, in reverence. And it gives me the strength to keep going. It confirms that I did the right thing.

“As you have witnessed the rejection of my mate, you shall also witness the joining of a new Luna,” I announce.

“Luna?”

“What? Who?”

I let them murmur among themselves for a few minutes before I continue.

“Yes, as King and Alpha, I cannot rule alone. Especially not after a severing of my mate bond. Therefore, a Luna, one capable and deserving of the title, will rule at my side.” My voice is loud. Gripping. It bounces off the walls.

My throat tightens, and my wolf sags in my mind. I ignore him.

“I present to you all, Lysandra Orion. Daughter of Alpha Eric Orion of the Crescent Pack. A Luna by birth. And by right.”

Lysandra steps forward, and stands by my side. And so does Alpha Eric. This alliance is what the pack needs. What I need.

Even though Eric and I have butted heads more than once, we both know this is a better idea. And though we still don’t like each other, this is an olive branch. An extension of a bit of grace. An avenue for a relationship between Ashbane Pack and Crescent Pack.

Eric and I have been enemies since our fathers were alive. The enmity was inherited. And it only grew from there. No one knows why. No one can trace it to the beginning.

So this union was the best option to have some common ground.

Elder Gaza shuffles down from his seat and steps forward. He is the one that will join us in the bonding ritual. He gives me a look, and I nod for him to go ahead.

“You all serve as witnesses to this bond, between His Majesty, Alpha Cassian Vael of Ashbane Pack and Lysandra Orion of Crescent Pack!” He says, and stands in front of us.

Gaza holds out a blade. “Hold out your hands.”

Lysandra and I extend our palms. My wolf claws at my mind, he disagrees. But I push him away. This is the only way. There is no other choice.

His silver eyes access us, looking for confirmation that we know what this is, and that we are sure of it. When he finds what he’s looking for, he presses the blade into our palms.

Lysandra winces. But I don’t feel it. Nothing can hurt me again. The snapping of the mate bond was enough pain to last a lifetime.

“Bond not of the moon. Bond not of the goddess. But bond by choice. I pronounce you mates by choice. Equals in the sight of the goddess. An Alpha and his Luna.” Gaza grips our bleeding palms and joins it together. His lips move in soundless chants.

My wolf howls at the unfamiliar bond that snaps into place. Lysandra’s eyes flash, and so does mine. My jaw clenches and Lysandra’s grip tightens in mine.

“All rise before your Alpha and Luna of Ashbane Pack!”

Everyone rises to their feet. Collective howls sound in the room, and then they bow. Necks bare in submission. In respect. And my chest constricts.

Lysandra stands beside me with her head held high, blonde hair in a tight ponytail. Her red dress flows around her, almost like it is submitting to her too. She’s ethereal, a true Luna. Confident, poised.

But she isn’t my mate. And she can never take the place of my mate. I wonder why I still long for my mate, why I still yearn for her.

If the bond was broken, why then does my wolf still call for her?

***

“Welcome to the Palace, Luna,” Elder Kalem bows. Lysandra smiles and nods.

The courthouse is empty except for the elders, Eric, Lysandra, Jafeth and I. We sit at a table, and wait for further instructions and information from the elders.

“This bond,” Shyra, a female elder, reads from a scroll, “is one that can be severed. It can be severed just like a regular bond. But it is more dangerous.”

Lysandra blinks. “How dangerous?”

“You can die. This is a bond of choice and of blood,” Shyra clarifies. And I notice out of the corner of my eye the way Lysandra eyes widen at Jafeth.

But I pay no heed to it. Instead I focus on Shyra and the rest of the elders.

There is currently no plan on severing the bond. I don’t see a reason we would ever need to sever this bond, so there’s no need to fear.

“Although,” Shyra  continues, and I raise a brow. “This bond needs to be firmly established. You must consummate the bond by sleeping together.”

“Do we have to mark each other?” Lysandra blurts. My brows pull down as I look at her. Everyone looks at her like she’s grown two heads.

I pin her with a look, my lips twisting in distaste. “It’s already too late to back out, Lysandra.”

“Oh no, Your Majesty,” she says. “I’m not trying to back out.”

My eyes narrow and she stares back. Unshaken. Unmoved.

But she isn’t convincing enough, though, I let it go. I just need a break, a breather. My severed mate bond still hurts.

“Okay,” I concede.

Shyra continues. “No, you don’t have to mark each other. But it would make the bond stronger. You do have to sleep with each other, though. I believe you know how that works?”

Lysandra’s cheeks tinge pink, and she nods. I give a firm nod too. Of course I know how sex works. I would be pissed about the question if I cared enough.

“That’s it for now, we need a word with Alpha Cassian alone,” Kalem says.

Lysandra and Eric rise to their feet. They bow at me, and take their leave with Jafeth following.

Once the door shuts, Gaza’s silver eyes pierce into mine.

“Your Majesty.” He bows. “You need to fix the coronation soon for your Queen and Luna Lysandra.”