第3章

At six in the evening, the Blood Moon Pack's full moon gathering officially began.

Bonfires blazed, and the moonlight was bright.

Damien sat in the main seat. Traditionally, as his destined mate, I should have been on his right.

Lyra, as Damien's "most trusted companion" and "future key supporter of the pack," sat on Damien's left, a position even more prominent than some of the older elders.

Damien was the first to raise his moon-wine cup, toasting the elders and leaders of the affiliated packs.

I also stood up, picking up the cup in front of me, which reeked of strong alcohol.

Lyra reached for her cup too, but Damien quickly stopped her.

"You haven't fully recovered. You can't drink such strong liquor."

Lyra looked at the stern-faced elders and leaders around us, nervously lowering her voice so only the three of us could hear, "But... Selena's strength hasn't fully recovered either, and she's toasting. If I don't, isn't that... against our Blood Moon Pack's rules?"

Damien frowned, took her cup without hesitation, then turned to the elders, his voice booming, "Esteemed elders, leaders. Lyra was recently severely injured defending the pack. The pack healer has advised her against strong moon-wine for now. However, the ancient traditions of our Blood Moon Pack must not be broken. I, as her Alpha, and as her closest companion, will drink this toast on her behalf!"

With that, he downed both Lyra's cup and his own.

A bold move, awe-inspiring.

It drew murmurs of admiration and praise for Lyra's bravery.

I looked at my own half-empty cup, then at Damien, who was already helping Lyra sit back down and carefully adjusting her seat cushion. A bitter taste filled my mouth.

I took a deep breath, fighting the nausea that came with drinking this strong moon-wine when my lunar energy was still weak. I tilted my head back and drained the rest of the cup.

The fiery liquid burned its way down my throat and into my stomach.

Under the intense stimulation of the alcohol, my already weak body reacted violently.

An unbearable pain shot through my stomach. I bit my lip so hard it bled, and a cold sweat broke out on my forehead, soaking my bangs.

But I couldn't make a sound, couldn't show any weakness, because the etiquette at Blood Moon Pack gatherings was incredibly strict.

Before the elders and the Alpha signaled the end of the gathering, no core member could leave their seat without permission, much less show any discomfort or weakness.

So I could only grip the edge of the stone bench beneath me, my knuckles white from the pressure, and force myself to endure the excruciating pain.

All the wolves were drinking merrily, cheering for the Alpha's "wisdom" and Lyra's "courage."

No one noticed anything was wrong with me.

Even if they had, no wolf would dare to defy the Alpha's wishes at that moment for me, his out-of-favor Luna.

Damien effortlessly handled the leaders toasting, while keeping a close eye on Lyra out of the corner of his eye.

He kept piling the most tender, juicy roasted meat and the sweetest, rarest berries onto the stone plate in front of Lyra, which soon became a small mountain.

My plate, however, remained empty.

Damien's mother, an older she-wolf once renowned for her beauty and wisdom, still regal, narrowed her eyes at my empty plate.

"Damien," her voice was low but carried an undeniable authority, "don't just focus on Lyra. Selena is here too. She is your mate, chosen by the Moon Goddess. She hasn't eaten anything. Is the food not to her liking?"

Only then did Damien turn his head. His gaze rested on my deathly pale face for a second, then, as if completing a task, he casually picked a piece of foul-smelling Fire-Scale Lizard meat from the pile in front of him and put it on my plate.

That Fire-Scale Lizard meat was tough and carried a special fire-type energy. My lunar energy leaned towards the yin, inherently clashing with this fire energy.

Eating it wouldn't kill me instantly, but it would cause chaos and intense discomfort within my body.

I had mentioned this to him once when we were alone.

He’d just given a faint "Mm," and I didn't know if he'd listened or just hadn't cared.

Now, it seemed it was the latter.

Facing the concerned gazes from all around, tinged with various meanings, I was silent for a moment.

Then, I picked up my stone knife, emotionlessly cut the lizard meat, and ate it, bite by tiny bite.

Chewing the tough meat felt like gnawing on a red-hot iron.

The strong fire energy surged down my esophagus into my stomach, instantly clashing violently with my already weak lunar energy.

An even more intense pain quickly spread throughout my body.

Lyra happened to see me eat the meat. Her eyes widened in surprise, and maybe... a little bit of schadenfreude?

But she quickly lowered her head, hiding her expression.

Damien's mother nodded, satisfied. Her gaze then fell back on Lyra, and she spoke earnestly.

"Lyra, next month will be your third Pack Contribution Day after your coming-of-age ceremony. According to Blood Moon Pack rules, it's time to find a suitable mate for you. I plan to hold a grand mate-selection ceremony, inviting all outstanding unmated Alpha and Beta males from powerful neighboring packs. You can see if there's anyone you like. Settling your mating anjo sooner rather than later is good for you, and for the pack."

The color drained from Lyra's face instantly.

She looked at Damien in panic, like a frightened fawn, practically begging him with her eyes.

Damien's expression changed abruptly. He tried to maintain his composure and find a way to politely refuse.

"Mother, Elders. Lyra is still young by our pack's standards. Her choice of mate concerns her entire life's happiness and our pack's future alliances. It can't be so rushed. I will personally select for her, ensuring I find a male who can truly match her and cherish her."

Hearing this, the elders on the platform began to persuade him.

"Damien! We know you've cared deeply for Lyra since childhood, but finding a mate is guided by the Moon Goddess and is the right and duty of every pack member! You already have Selena as your destined mate; Lyra should have her own! And you're so picky, who knows how long this selection process will drag on!" one hot-tempered elder couldn't help saying.

"Ever since your bond with Selena was confirmed, the council of elders has been looking for suitable mates for Lyra. We've selected dozens of outstanding young talents from major packs. But you? You either say their strength isn't enough, their bloodline isn't pure enough, or their personality doesn't suit Lyra! You haven't approved a single one!" another elder chimed in.

"Exactly! Lyra and Selena are around the same age, and this year they're about to go through their second heat! They're not that young anymore! You, as her older brother, already have a destined mate. She must also hope to find her other half soon, to have her own warm den and a strong protector!"

Lyra panicked.

For the first time, she mustered the courage to whisper, "I... I'm not in a hurry to find a mate... waiting... waiting a few more years is fine..."

"Lyra!" Damien's mother's tone became sterner. "Although you are not and the former Alpha's biological child with me, we have always treated you as our own, investing more in your upbringing and care than even some distant relatives! We naturally hope you find a good match, marry a truly strong and responsible Alpha, bringing honor and support to our Blood Moon Pack! Now, Damien's mate has been designated by the Moon Goddess. It is both reasonable and right for us to plan for your future! This mate-selection ceremony is settled! Go back and prepare yourself, show the grace of a Blood Moon Pack she-wolf!"

Amidst the chorus of agreement from the elders, Damien's father, the quiet former Alpha who held the ultimate decision-making power, finally spoke slowly, "Do as your mother says."

Lyra trembled, her beautiful eyes instantly filling with tears, ready to fall.

Damien's face darkened completely, veins bulging on the back of the hand gripping his wine cup.

He couldn't take it anymore!

Suddenly, he shot up from his seat, his powerful Alpha aura exploding outwards.

"I said! Lyra's mate! I'll decide! It's none of your business!"

The young Alpha of the Blood Moon Pack, usually calm, collected, and diplomatic in front of the elders, was actually confronting the entire council, even defying his own parents, all for Lyra!

Every wolf present, whether elder, leader, or ordinary pack member, was stunned by Damien's earth-shattering declaration, their faces turning incredibly grim.

"What do you mean, none of our business?! Damien, you're too insolent!" One of the oldest elders was so angry his whiskers trembled. "Lyra is at the prime age for choosing a mate! If we don't find one for her now and keep delaying, do you want her to become the laughingstock of the entire werewolf world?! How can we, the elders who watched her grow up, not care!"

"Exactly, Damien! We know you and Lyra have been close since childhood, but don't forget, you already have Selena, your mate designated by the Moon Goddess! You and Selena will have your pups, and you will jointly lead the Blood Moon Pack! In the future, your focus will inevitably be on your own mate and offspring! Even if you dote on Lyra, you can't put her first in everything like you do now! And you certainly can't... take the place of her future mate!"

Another elder tried to reason with him.

Damien was completely enraged by these harsh words.

Without thinking, he retorted coldly, almost roaring,

"I will never have pups with Selena in my life! As long as Lyra doesn't want to find a mate, I will absolutely not force her! As long as I'm here, the Blood Moon Pack will always be her home! Even if she never wants to find one, I can support her for a lifetime! With my Alpha status, with the entire strength of the Blood Moon Pack, I will protect her, worry-free, for her entire life!"