Chapter 3: The Morning After

Lena's POV

Kael stared at me for a long moment, and I braced myself for him to take back his decision.

"Your maid may stay," he said at last. "We leave for Bloodmoon after the wedding at noon. Until then, you stay in this room."

He walked out, and the lock turned behind him.

I sat on the bed, wondering how a man could reject me in front of an entire hall and still insist on keeping me as his wife. I had no idea what he wanted from me, but I knew better than to expect kindness.

My body soon decided it had endured enough. I lay down to rest and fell asleep almost immediately.

When I woke, Lucy was shaking my shoulder.

"My lady, please wake up!"

I struggled to sit. "What's happened?"

"The Bloodmoon elders arrived at dawn. They're in the great hall, and Lady Chloe went to them first." Lucy looked close to tears. "She's on her knees, crying. She's telling them the pact is broken and the king needs a new bride."

"A new bride?"

"Herself."

Of course.

Chloe's shocked expression the previous night suddenly made sense. She hadn't expected Kael to keep me after rejecting me. Now she wanted to take my place.

I couldn't prove she had arranged the accusation against me, but I wasn't going to let her replace me without a fight.

"Help me get ready," I told Lucy.

"My lady, what are you planning?"

"To listen."

I looked at myself in the cracked mirror above the washstand. A pale, narrow face stared back at me, with dark eyes and shadows beneath them. The girl looked eighteen, perhaps younger. She was weak, injured, and trapped in a world she barely understood.

I pinned my hair up and straightened my dress.

Whatever happened, I wasn't going to surrender without trying.

The great hall was crowded with strangers dressed in black and silver. Three elders in grey robes sat behind a long table, with Kael seated beside them. He looked bored, while a knife rested beside his plate.

In the middle of the hall, Chloe knelt in a pale pink gown. Henrietta stood behind her, dabbing at her eyes, while my father watched like a man waiting for a bargain to be completed.

"I would never speak against my sister," Chloe said, her voice trembling. "But the pact must be honoured. If Lena can no longer fulfil her duty, I am willing to take her place and serve His Majesty as his Luna."

"A reasonable suggestion," the white-bearded elder replied. "The pact requires a Steele daughter, not necessarily the one originally promised."

I pushed open the doors.

"Good morning," I said. "Am I interrupting?"

Every head turned towards me.

Chloe's mouth fell open. Henrietta stopped dabbing her eyes, and my father's expression darkened.

"Lena!" he barked. "What are you doing here?"

"Listening to a discussion about my marriage."

"You will leave at once!"

I looked at him. "Yesterday, you allowed everyone to call me a disgrace. Now you want to tell me where I can stand?"

He stared at me in disbelief. I had never spoken to him that way before.

The white-bearded elder struck the table.

"You have no right to interrupt this meeting. Guards, remove her!"

"Honoured elder, may I ask one question before you decide?"

"You have already caused enough trouble."

"Then one question should be quick."

He motioned impatiently for me to continue.

"Last night, His Majesty said pack law allows the wronged party to choose the sentence. He then declared that I would remain his wife, though he had rejected me as his mate. Is that correct?"

The elder glanced at Kael.

"It is."

"Has His Majesty changed his decision?"

"No, but—"

"Then why are we discussing my replacement?"

His mouth closed.

I felt my knees trembling, but I forced myself to continue.

"Forgive me if I misunderstand your laws. I only want to know whether the king's decision stands or whether the elders intend to make another decision on his behalf."

The elder's face reddened.

"You presume too much, girl."

"I wouldn't presume to tell you how to do your duty. I only thought your duty was to advise the king, not undo his decision because another woman wants my place."

The hall fell silent.

I had no idea whether my argument would work. I had simply remembered Kael's words from the previous night. If the elders wanted to replace me, they would have to explain why his decision suddenly meant nothing.

My father stared at me as though I had become a stranger.

Henrietta stepped forward with a worried smile.

"Lena, darling, you've suffered a terrible shock. You hit your head, and you're clearly confused. Come back to your room and rest."

"I'm aware that I hit my head."

"Then you should understand why you shouldn't be here."

"I understand that everyone is discussing my future without asking me what happened last night."

Chloe jumped to her feet.

"How dare you? You were found half-dressed with a guard! You should be ashamed to show your face here!"

"I was found injured on the floor. Nobody has asked me how I got there, but everyone seems certain they know what happened."

Chloe's face lost its colour.

Kael had remained silent throughout the exchange. Now he lifted his gaze and studied me, as though he were trying to understand how the foolish Steele daughter everyone had described could speak this way.

His expression didn't soften. He offered no reassurance, but I could tell he was paying attention.

"Enough," he said.

The entire hall fell silent.

He rose from his chair.

"My decision stands. Lena Steele remains my wife under the pact. This discussion is over."

The white-bearded elder bowed his head.

"As you command, Your Majesty."

Kael turned to Chloe.

"You may leave."

Chloe looked towards her mother, but Henrietta was already guiding her towards the doors. Neither dared challenge him.

My father gave me one last furious look before following them.

I had stopped them from replacing me, but I hadn't proved my innocence. The accusation still hung over my head, and I was no closer to discovering who had arranged it.

As I turned to leave, Kael spoke.

"Lena."

I stopped.

"Who taught you to speak to the council that way?"

"Nobody."

His eyes narrowed slightly. He seemed to be reconsidering something, but he said nothing more.

At the doorway, Henrietta paused beside me.

"Enjoy your little victory, sweetheart," she whispered, her kind expression never changing. "Kings get bored. When they do, wives disappear."

Then she followed Chloe out.

I was still thinking about her warning when Lucy hurried into the hall, her face pale.

"My lady, there's something you need to know."

"What is it?"

She swallowed hard.

"They've taken the guard to the courtyard. Alpha Colton ordered his execution at dawn."

My stomach tightened.

"The guard who was found with me?"

Lucy nodded, tears gathering in her eyes.

"Pack law says a man found with a pact bride must hang before the wedding. They're going to execute him at the eleventh bell."

I stared at her, unable to speak.