Chapter 5

The next morning, I was awakened by a message from Lucas.

"Go to the greenhouse," he commanded, his tone brusque. "Bring the 'Moonlight Flower.' The Alpha is waiting for you."

I stared at the screen, my fingertips ice-cold.

The Moonlight Flower. It blooms once every ten years, for a single night.

Its nectar makes the marking process feel like a dream, completely painless.

This one, I had been nurturing since I was eighteen, even using my own blood to feed it.

I had fantasized countless times about the day I would finally become Slade's mate. I would pick it myself, and he would mark me gently.

Now, the flower was in bloom. But I would never have a use for it.

When I pushed open the glass door of the greenhouse, Slade was standing in the center of the flowerbeds. Rosalind sat in a nearby wicker chair, toying with a common rose.

"Did you bring it?" Slade turned. His gaze passed over me, landing on the potted plant I held in my arms.

"This is an asset of the medical center," I said, clutching the pot tighter. "It hasn't fully bloomed yet."

"Tsk, tsk. Lying isn't a good look on you, Eloise," Slade walked over, looking down at me with amused eyes. "Tonight is the full moon. I can smell its sweetness from here."

He stopped in front of me, looking down at the flower.

"Rosalind is... delicate. She is afraid of pain."

"I want you to offer this flower. We will use it during our marking."

I looked up at him in disbelief.

He knew. He knew exactly what this flower meant to me.

During those stolen nights in this very greenhouse, he had kissed my fingers and whispered, "When this blooms, you will be my mate."

And now he was giving it away so easily.

It was like he was asking me to carve out my own heart and serve it on a platter.

"Slade?" Rosalind walked over, glancing at the stunning flower. "Is this that magical herb? It looks a bit... plain."

Rosalind reached out, her finger flicking disdainfully at a silver petal.

"Darling, I know it's for the pain. But I think it's too monotonous on its own. Why don't we crush it together with the 'Blood Thistle' we're using?"

My pupils contracted violently.

"Blood Thistle is a highly toxic catalyst," I cut her off. "Mixing them would completely neutralize the Moonlight Flower's properties. It would be worthless."

"But it's the symbol of the Thorne Pack," Rosalind blinked innocently.

"Mixing the two flowers symbolizes the merging of our two pack bloodlines. That's what's most important, isn't it? As for the pain... you're the best healer. You can always find another way, right?"

Her intention was obvious. She wanted to destroy it.

Slade was silent for two seconds, then he looked at me. "Do as she says. Come on, Eloise, don't be stingy."

"Are you insane? I've nurtured this flower for ten years..."

"Honey," Slade interrupted, "Why are you throwing a tantrum over a plant? I am the Alpha. Everything here is mine to use, including you, and including your little flower. Now be a good girl and put it down."

In that moment, I heard the last string inside me snap.

I once believed I would be his. Now, I knew he was dreaming if he thought I still would be.

"Since you want to see the two packs merge so badly..." I forced a smile, but I didn't hand the flower to Rosalind.

Instead, I walked to the large copper brazier in the center of the room, the one used for burning dead branches, its coals glowing red hot.

"No!" Slade seemed to realize what I was about to do and lunged forward.

But he was too slow.

I grabbed the Moonlight Flower by its stem and ripped it out, roots and all.

Without a shred of hesitation, I threw the blooming flower directly into the roaring fire.

The delicate petals were instantly consumed by the flames.

"What are you doing?!" Rosalind shrieked.

Slade whipped his head around to glare at me, his face twisted into a look of disbelief, as if his favorite toy had just bitten him.

"You dare to defy me? Eloise, are you trying to punish me? That's cute, but foolish."

I dusted the remaining dirt from my hands and glanced at the empty pot.

My heart was completely empty, too.

"If you were going to treat it like trash, I'd rather do it myself. At least it died a clean death."

I turned and walked away, the sound of the pot smashing to pieces behind me followed by Slade's annoyed sigh.

Back in my room, the gilded invitation for the ceremony sat on the table.

A cordial invitation to the Marking Ceremony of Alpha Slade and Luna Rosalind.

I took out my lighter and lit a corner of the invitation.

I watched it curl and blacken, until their names had vanished completely into ash.

The countdown on my phone screen hit zero.

I dialed the encrypted number.

"Professor, it's me."

I looked out at the dark night, the last speck of ash falling from my fingertips.

"It's time. We move tonight."