Chapter 11

LYRA

Five days later, I found myself sitting inside the Lycan High Court, wishing I could be anywhere else.

The place was intimidating as hell. Powerful Alphas filled the rows, lawyers whispered over stacks of documents, and elders sat at the front like their word was the law and everyone else could just deal with it. Even the way people looked at me made it clear they thought I was in over my head.

Zade sat beside me, calm as ever, with his legal team seated on his other side. He hadn’t said much on the drive over, and I wasn’t about to start asking questions when he looked ready to handle this whole thing without breaking a sweat.

Elder Thorne, on the other hand, looked like he was having the time of his life.

The smug smile on his face told me he’d come prepared to make this as miserable as possible. He stood in front of the court and held up a set of photographs from the gala.

“Your Honor, these images show Lyra kissing Alpha Zade Vane in full view of several witnesses,” he said. “This was no private moment between two people. It was a public display, clearly intended to embarrass Alpha Julian Croft and interfere with the laws governing his marriage.”

I stared at him, my jaw clenched.

Seriously? He was making it sound like I’d planned the whole thing just to get a reaction out of Julian. As if I didn’t have enough problems without being dragged into court and made to explain who I kissed and why.

Thorne continued, pulling out a few written statements. “We also have witness accounts supporting the claim that this marriage contract was arranged for convenience. It appears Alpha Vane and Lyra entered into an agreement to get around the legal restrictions on her separation from Alpha Croft.”

One of Zade’s lawyers stood. “That’s a misrepresentation of the evidence. The contract was signed legally, and nothing presented so far proves it was created to violate pack law.”

“Then let the court determine that,” Thorne shot back. “We have every right to investigate an arrangement that may undermine traditional mate bond law.”

He turned his attention to me, and I immediately disliked the look on his face.

“Lyra, did you enter this marriage with the intention of honoring the contract, or was your only goal to escape your existing marriage?”

I stared at him. “You make it sound like I’m on trial for wanting to leave a man who treated me like crap.”

“Please let the attorneys handle this,” Zade murmured beside me.

I turned toward him, annoyed. I knew he was trying to keep me from making things worse, but I wasn’t a child. I could answer a question without him telling me when to speak.

Still, I held my tongue. For now.

Thorne looked far too pleased with himself as he returned to the center of the room. He wasn’t just questioning the contract anymore. He wanted it thrown out completely, along with any protection it offered me.

“Your Honor,” he announced, “unless Alpha Vane can prove this marriage is genuine and not merely a paper arrangement designed to defeat the law, I ask that the contract be declared invalid.”

He turned toward Zade, his smile growing wider.

“Let him prove this marriage is real.”

“Lyra is my fated mate.” Zade’s voice carried across the courtroom, clear enough for everyone to hear.

For a second, nobody said a word. Then the room erupted in whispers. People turned to each other, some looking shocked, others leaning toward their neighbors to discuss what they’d just heard.

I couldn’t move.

I turned toward Zade, waiting for him to explain himself, to give me some sign that I’d misunderstood. But he stood there, perfectly calm, like announcing something that huge in front of the entire Lycan High Court was no big deal.

His fated mate?

Me?

What the hell was he talking about?

Ever since the gala, I’d felt something strange between us. There was that pull when he touched me, that weird feeling when he kissed me, and the way my body sometimes reacted to him before I could think straight. But none of that meant I knew for a fact we were fated mates. I didn’t even know what the hell was happening between us.

And now Zade was standing in front of a room full of powerful wolves, announcing it like it was settled.

“Care to explain that statement, Alpha Vane?” the presiding judge asked.

Zade faced the bench. “The mate bond was triggered the night of the gala. I felt it, and several wolves in the VIP section felt the shockwave too. They witnessed what happened and can testify to it.”

My lips parted, but no words came out. He was talking about the gala like he understood exactly what happened that night. Meanwhile, I was still trying to make sense of it all.

“The bond wasn’t planned,” Zade continued. “It wasn’t a publicity stunt to embarrass Julian Croft, and it wasn’t some trick to get around the law. It happened naturally. I’m here to make sure this court understands that.”

Elder Thorne’s smug expression finally slipped. He straightened his jacket, clearly unhappy with the direction the hearing was taking.

“A claim like this cannot be accepted without proof,” he argued. “Anyone can stand before this court and declare another wolf their fated mate.”

“Then let the witnesses speak,” Zade replied without missing a beat.

One of his lawyers stood. “Your Honor, we have several witnesses from the gala prepared to testify. They were present when the bond was triggered and can confirm the unusual energy that spread through the VIP section.”

Thorne’s mouth pressed into a thin line. He’d expected Zade to defend the marriage contract with paperwork and legal arguments. He clearly never expected him to bring the mate bond into it.

The judge conferred with the other members of the bench before addressing the room.

“The court recognizes Alpha Vane’s fated mate claim for the record. Based on the evidence presented, Elder Thorne has failed to establish sufficient grounds to invalidate the marriage contract.”

My shoulders relaxed a little.

“The request for an injunction is dismissed.”

Whispers swept through the courtroom again. Thorne looked furious, but there wasn’t much he could do about the ruling.

“This matter isn’t over,” he snapped. “The thirty-day countdown remains in effect, and the court will continue monitoring any legal challenges involving Lyra’s marriage to Alpha Julian Croft.”

“Your warning is noted, Elder Thorne,” the judge replied. “This hearing is adjourned.”

We’d won. The injunction was gone, and Thorne couldn’t use it to tear up my marriage contract with Zade. I should’ve been relieved, but my mind was stuck on something else.

Why did Zade believe we were fated mates?

And why was I hearing about it for the first time in a courtroom?

Outside, reporters and curious wolves crowded the courthouse steps. Questions came from every direction, but Zade ignored them. He placed a hand at my waist and guided me through the crowd, keeping people from getting too close.

Once we reached the waiting car, I turned to him.

“What was that back there?”

His attention shifted to me. “What was what?”

“Don’t play dumb with me, Zade. You stood in front of the entire court and announced that I’m your fated mate. Since when do you know that?”

“Since the gala.”

My eyebrows shot up. “And you’re only telling me now?”

“I was waiting for the right time.”

“The right time?” I let out a disbelieving breath. “You picked a courtroom full of strangers as the right time?”

“Thorne was trying to use the law to separate us. I wasn’t going to let him.”

“That still doesn’t give you the right to make decisions about my life without talking to me first.”

His jaw shifted. “If I’d told you before today, would you have believed me?”

I hesitated. I couldn’t give him an honest yes or no. I barely understood what I felt around him, and now he was telling me we were fated mates like I was supposed to accept it without question.

“That’s not the point,” I said. “You don’t get to decide what I believe or what I’m ready to accept.”

“No, I don’t.” His voice softened, but his expression remained serious. “But I wasn’t going to let Thorne use the law to take you away from me.”

Before I could respond, he pulled me into his arms. I stiffened, caught off guard by the sudden embrace, and pushed lightly against his chest.

“Zade, I still don’t know what this means.”

“You don’t have to figure it all out right now.” He held me close, his voice dropping near my ear. “But there’s one thing I’m sure about, Lyra.”

I went still as his arms tightened around me.

“You’re mine now, Lyra. And I don’t share.”