Chapter 2

The next morning, the Blood Court sent a seamstress to measure me for my bridal gown.

On my way downstairs, I passed Mother’s room and saw Evelyn standing before the mirror.

She was wearing the gown I had made for my bonding ceremony with Rowan.

The ivory silk shimmered like moonlight, and the thread formed two wolves beneath a crescent moon. I had spent three winters embroidering it by hand.

When Evelyn saw me, her eyes immediately filled with tears.

“I only wanted to see what it looked like on me,” she said. “You don’t mind, do you?”

Before I could answer, Mother frowned.

“You’re marrying the vampire prince now. You won’t need a wolf bonding gown.”

She adjusted the clasp at Evelyn’s waist. “If your sister likes it, let her wear it.”

Then Mother opened a small wooden chest and took out a moon-blessed pendant.

I had knelt at the Moon Goddess’s temple through an entire winter night to receive it. I had planned to wear it when I crossed into vampire territory.

Mother placed it around Evelyn’s neck.

“She had nightmares again last night. This may calm her wolf.”

I stared at the pendant. “What about me?”

Mother’s hands stilled.

“I’m the one leaving the pack.” I reminded her.

Her gaze shifted away.

“You have the Alpha’s moonstone. If anything happens, he’ll protect you.”

Then she drew Evelyn closer. “Your sister only has me.”

A bitter laugh nearly escaped me.

I had called her Mother all my life.

I hadn’t realized that word belonged only to Evelyn.

I found Rowan in the warriors’ hall, preparing the list of guards who would escort me to the Blood Court.

When he saw me, guilt flickered across his face.

“The moonstone is gone.” I put it straight, watching him for a reaction.

To my surprise, he frowned instead of asking what I meant.

“Elara, don’t start this.” He spoke as if I had invented the whole thing just to make his life difficult. “This is not funny.”

“I used the Alpha’s favor three years ago. ” I repeated. “He owes me nothing now, he has no reason to bring me home.”

Rowan set down his pen. There was no shock or guilt in his eyes, only disappointment.

“Enough, Elara. Don’t lie to me just because you’re afraid to leave. You’ve always understood your duty to the pack. Don’t make this harder than it needs to be.”

“I’m telling you that once I cross the border, I may never come back.”

Before he could answer, a sob came from behind the divider.

Evelyn stumbled into the room, still wearing my bonding gown.

“If Elara blames me, I’ll go to the Blood Court myself,” she cried. “I don’t want you two fighting because of me.”

Rowan reached her before I could move.

“Evelyn, don’t say that.”

Mother rushed in moments later. When she saw Evelyn trembling in Rowan’s arms, she turned on me.

“You know how fragile her wolf is. Why would you frighten her like this?”

By the time Father heard what had happened, he decided I had disgraced our family by questioning the peace agreement in front of the pack warriors.

He ordered two guards to take me to the great hall. A vampire etiquette tutor was waiting there.

“If you are going to represent the Silvermoon Pack before the vampire prince,” Father said, “you will learn to behave like a proper royal bride.”

For the rest of the day, I practiced the Blood Court’s bridal oath.

It was called the Surrender of the Vein. Every bride offered by a defeated kingdom was required to perform it before the court.

I was expected to sink onto one knee, place one hand over my heart, and swear loyalty to the prince.

Only after the oath was spoken would I bare the side of my throat—the final sign that the bride came without hostility.

Every instinct inside me resisted. A wolf knelt to no one but her Alpha, and she exposed her throat only in complete surrender.

My inner wolf snarled each time I lowered myself.

But when I hesitated, the tutor struck the stone floor with her cane.

“Again.”

I knelt, recited the oath, rose, and knelt again.

By midday, my knees were bruised. By sunset, the skin had split against the bare stone. Blood seeped through my pale skirts.

But the tutor looked down at me without sympathy.

“At court, you will have only one chance to do this correctly,” she said. “If you stumble before His Highness, the Blood Court will consider it an insult.”

From the other side of the hall came the sound of hurried footsteps.

Evelyn had coughed twice.

Mother immediately sent for the healer, along with the moonflower incense to soothe her wolf.

My brother passed through the great hall and saw me shaking on my knees.

He didn’t stop.

“Evelyn is upset enough already,” he said coldly. “Don’t cause another scene.”

The tutor did not dismiss me until nightfall. By then, my legs could barely hold me.

Rowan came after everyone else had gone. He didn’t come closer or ask about my bleeding knees.

“Elara, don’t hate me,” he said quietly. “When the Alpha brings you home, we’ll hold our bonding ceremony as planned.”

I sank against a stone pillar, too exhausted to stand.

Only I knew the truth.

The Alpha would never bring me home.