Chapter 3: The Burden of Blood

~Ruzi~

“Twenty-three years old, and your wolf is still too weak to even sense a soul connection.”

My stepmother’s voice cut through the silence of the high council chamber. She sat beside my father, chin tilted high, a smug sneer on her lips.

“The pack customs are absolute, Ruzi,” she continued, eyes gleaming with malice. “The elder son must take a Luna before the younger brother can bring a female to the altar. You are holding Zabi back. My son is twenty-one and ready to lead his own division, yet he waits in the shadows because your broken beast refuses to pick a female!”

“I never forced any tradition on anyone,” I answered, voice low and flat. “If Zabi wants a mate, let him take one. The council’s old rules are not my leash.”

“Enough!”

My father’s fist slammed onto the mahogany table hard enough to crack the wood. The heavy Alpha pressure in the room spiked, but I didn’t blink. I simply met his glare with a cold stare of my own.

“Today this mockery ends, Ruzi,” he gritted out. “You will leave that ceremonial hall tonight with a mate. I do not care if she is your fated mate or a chosen bride. I do not care if you love her, tolerate her, or if she comes from an enemy pack. Your wolf has proven it will never find a fated connection. The royal bloodline must move forward. We are not waiting any longer.”

I gave them no answer. No reaction.

My father stood, cape sweeping behind him as he stormed out. My stepmother followed with a triumphant smirk.

That left only my half-brother, Zabi.

Zabi leaned back in his chair, a lazy, mocking grin on his face. “I really can’t wait to see who you bring home tonight, dear brother,” he said, tossing an antique coin into the air and catching it. “It’s high time, don’t you think? I have my own life to start, and you sitting on the throne without a mate makes us all look like a joke.”

I rose from my chair. My tall frame cast a long shadow across the table. I looked down at him with complete indifference.

“I never delayed you, Zabi,” I said coolly. “If you want a female, go get one. I don’t give a fuck about the rules, and I give even less of a fuck about your impatience.”

Zabi chuckled and sauntered out, leaving me alone in the quiet chamber.

Ten minutes later the heavy double doors opened. My Beta, Damon, stepped inside and bowed.

“Alpha,” he said softly. “The ceremonial grounds are ready. The car is waiting. It’s time.”

Without a word I stood, smoothed the front of my black formal suit, adjusted my cuffs, and walked past him.

The dark Rolls-Royce rolled through the iron gates of the Grand Citadel. When the car finally stopped in front of the glowing, roaring ballroom, I sat back against the leather seat and stared out the tinted glass. A wave of disgust rolled through my stomach. I hated every second of this. The thought of walking into a room full of eager females and picking a stranger to share my life and throne felt revolting.

I dragged a hand down my face, took a long breath, and pushed the door open.

The moment my boots hit the polished floor, the loud chatter died into terrified silence. Wolves bowed left and right, whispering their useless rumors.

“Look at him… mateless at twenty-three…” “I heard his blood is too pure…”

I ignored them all, face cold as stone. But on my fifth step into the center of the hall, a sharp, electric scent cut cleanly through the cloud of cheap perfume and champagne.

Rich. Warm. Velvet and vanilla.

My blood spiked. Inside my soul, my wolf—usually silent and half-dead—slammed hard against my ribs. He began to pace wildly, throwing his head back with a raw, primal energy that nearly made me lose my footing.

What is wrong with you? I growled at him.

He didn’t answer with words. He just clawed at my mind, forcing my gaze away from the stage and straight across the sea of bowed heads toward the shadows by the marble pillars.

My eyes locked onto a girl standing near the edge of the room.

She wore a shimmering pearl-white silk dress. Long, straight hair spilled over her shoulders. She was breathtakingly beautiful, but something felt off. Her eyes weren’t bright or proud like the other socialite females. They looked heavy with pain, fear, and deep anguish.

Inside my mind, my wolf gave a wicked, possessive grin.

It’s her, he purred. That’s our girl.

What? I demanded, trying to crush the sudden surge of heat racing through my veins. Are you out of your mind? She hasn’t even looked at us!

I kept my face unreadable as the High Elder took the stage and began announcing the selection. I barely heard a word. My entire world had shrunk to the trembling female by the pillar. I watched her hand shake as she reached into her dress for something—then her head suddenly snapped up.

Our eyes locked across the room.

A jolt of pure lightning tore through my heart. My breath caught.

Was this a fated bond? Or was my desperate wolf playing tricks just to force me into taking a mate?

I didn’t trust it. My royal blood was too dangerous to surrender to a sudden feeling.

When the Elder finished, I stepped forward. My voice cut through the silent room like a blade.

“Bring her forward.”

The crowd parted in shock. Whispers exploded.

“Is that Riya?” “He chose Riya?!”

Near the balcony I caught sight of an older man and woman—her parents, no doubt—staring down at her with sharp, intense eyes.

The girl stepped out from the shadows. Her body trembled so hard I thought her knees would give out. She walked toward me with a stiff, unnatural gait, her pale face drained of color.

She stopped a few feet away, chest heaving, dark eyes wide with pure terror as she looked up at me.

“State your name and your house,” I commanded, keeping my tone cold and detached even as every instinct screamed at me to pull her into my arms.

“F-Riya… of the Silver Moon pack, Alpha,” she whispered, voice shaking.

I stared down at her trembling form. She was terrified of me. Completely terrified. Yet my wolf howled in triumph inside my mind. I clamped down hard on the connection, refusing to give in.

“Starting tonight,” I declared, voice echoing off the high crystal ceilings for the entire room to hear, “you are my chosen mate.”