Chapter 10 – THE FAMILY MEETING

I stared at her.

“What?”

The moment I heard that Aria was moving into my old room, I knew I could not wait any longer.

She was coming to Blackridge.

The thought alone made my chest tighten.

I had spent the past days telling myself to wait for the family meeting, but now I was done waiting. If Aria was returning to this house, then I needed to make my decision clear before anyone could change it for me.

I found the Blackridge Luna in the west corridor.

She turned when she heard my footsteps.

“Malia?”

“Please Luna, when is the meeting holding.”

Her brows pulled together. “The meeting?”

“The one we discussed. I want it tomorrow.”

She studied me carefully.

“Why the sudden urgency?”

“Because Aria is moving into my room.”

Her expression changed.

“You heard?”

“Yes and it isn't fair.”

She sighed. “Malia, you need to understand that—”

“No.” I shook my head. “I understand enough. She was supposed to be here. Everyone knows that. She wants her place back, and I want out.”

The Luna said nothing.

“I don’t want to fight her,” I continued. “I don’t want to fight Deucalion either. I just want this marriage to end before things become worse.”

She looked at me for a long moment.

“Very well,” she finally said. “I will speak to the Alpha.”

“Thank you.”

I walked away before she could say anything else.

The meeting happened the next morning.

I stood outside the council chamber for several seconds before entering.

The room was large, with a long dark table in the center. The Blackridge Alpha sat at the head. His Luna sat beside him. Deucalion was on the other side, his face unreadable.

Several elders were seated around the table.

And then I saw my parents. My stomach twisted. They looked completely comfortable sitting like they weren't the people who had forced me into this situation.

My father looked at me. “Malia.”

I gave him a cold nod. “Dad.”

My mother avoided my eyes.

I took the empty seat across from Deucalion.

The doors closed behind me.

The Blackridge Alpha folded his hands on the table.

“We are here because Malia has requested that her marriage to Deucalion be ended.”

There was a brief silence. I felt every eye turn toward me.

I took a slow breath. “Yes.”

One of the elders leaned forward. “Why?”

“Because neither of us wanted this marriage.”

My eyes moved toward Deucalion.

He remained silent.

“I was brought here because of my family's debt with the Blackridge’s pack,” I continued. “I was not given a choice. Deucalion was not given one either.”

The elder frowned.

“The ceremony has already taken place.”

“I know.”

“You were marked.”

“The mark is incomplete.”

A murmur moved around the room.

I touched the side of my neck.

“It hurts every day. And from what Deucalion told me, it hurts him too.”

The Blackridge Alpha looked at his son. “Is that true?”

Deucalion finally spoke. “Yes.”

His voice was calm.

The Alpha stared at him.

“You have said nothing about this.”

“There was nothing to say.”

I looked at him. He did not look back. That hurt more than I expected. I turned toward the elders.

“I am not asking for revenge. I am not asking anyone to punish Deucalion. I simply don’t want to remain in a marriage where neither person wants the other.”

One elderly man exchanged a look with another.

“This may be the sensible choice,” he said.

The Alpha’s eyes narrowed.

“Sensible?”

“If the bond is incomplete and both parties reject the union, forcing them to remain together may create greater problems.”

Another elder nodded.

“We already have rumors spreading through the packs. Aria’s accusation has not helped matters. If Malia leaves peacefully, perhaps the situation can be contained.”

My heart lifted slightly.

For the first time, someone was saying what I had been thinking.

The first elder continued.

“She can return to her pack. The marriage can be declared unsuccessful. The alliance can be renegotiated.”

My father suddenly spoke.

“That cannot happen.”

I turned toward him. “Why?”

His jaw tightened.

“Because our agreement with Blackridge was made on the basis of this marriage.”

I stared at him. “You made that agreement.”

“You are part of this pack.”

“No,” I said quietly. “I was part of it until you decided I was worth sacrificing.”

His face hardened. My mother finally looked up. “Malia, this isn’t the time.”

“When will it be the time?”

She said nothing.

I turned back to the Blackridge Alpha.

“I did not come here to embarrass anyone. I came because I want my life back.”

The room fell silent.

Deucalion finally raised his eyes.

They met mine.

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

Then he said, “If she wants to leave, let her.”

My heart skipped.

The Blackridge Alpha stared at his son. “Deucalion.”

He remained silent.

I could not tell whether he truly wanted me gone or whether he was simply tired of the entire situation.

One of the elders sighed. “This may be the cleanest solution.”

I looked at the Luna.

She had been silent throughout the meeting.

She had been the only person who had shown me kindness since I arrived.

I expected her to understand.

I expected her to support me.

The Alpha leaned back. “Perhaps we should—”

“No.”

The word came suddenly.

Sharp.

Everyone turned. The Blackridge Luna stood up. My breath caught. She looked directly at me.

I stared at her, unable to understand.

“Luna?” one elder asked.

She did not answer him. Her eyes remained fixed on mine.

I felt something cold settle in my chest. I had thought she was the one person in this house who understood me.

The one person who had seen my pain.

The one person who had listened when I said I wanted out.

I had believed she would be the first to stand beside me.

Instead, she had stood against me. “No,” she repeated.

My fingers tightened around the edge of the table.

“Why?” I whispered.

Her face was calm. But her next words made my blood run cold.

“You are not leaving Blackridge, Malia.”