Semua Bab Colorless : Bab 81 - Bab 90

The council chamber had been transformed into something colder; the chill of judgement itself was nothing compared to this. The long tables had been shifted into a half-circle, high-backed chairs filled with council members draped in ceremonial robes. They took it upon themselves to dress for the occasion. The pack's banners hung heavy from the walls, their golden threads gleaming in the torchlight. Rows of wolves—guards, elders, pack members—lined the sides, their eyes sharp, hungry for blood. I knew before the trial started, it was clear in their eyes. My fate had already been set. And I stood in the centre of it all, a lamb before their tribunal. My heart was steady, my eyes cold. I felt numb. Amaya stood behind me, her hand resting on my shoulder, steady as a stone, almost reassuring. Almost. Ciro was to my right, but higher up—seated on the dais, flanked by Isabella and the council, his jaw clenched so tightly I thought it might break. His eyes never left me.A councilor rose,

The first thing I felt was warmth. A steady, consuming warmth that pressed against me, surrounding me like a cocoon. For a fleeting second, I let myself sink into it, clinging to the illusion of safety. But then memory tore through me—the trial, the shouts, Duncan's voice condemning me, the sting of Ciro's teeth sinking into my neck.My eyes flew open.The ceiling above me was unfamiliar. Dark beams, high arches, heavy drapes that muted the light. A room large enough to swallow me whole, yet suffocating because I didn't belong here. My breath caught as I pushed myself upright, the soft sheets pooling around my waist.Pain flared at my neck.I raised my hand to it, fingers brushing the tender, raised skin. The mark burned beneath my touch, not in agony but in a strange, lingering ache that was both foreign and terrifying. It pulsed faintly, like a tether tugging deep in my chest.He had marked me.My throat tightened, panic rising. A mark wasn't something you could undo—it was binding,

Ciro’s POVThe council chamber was suffocating, even with only Isabella and me inside. The heavy oak doors had barely closed behind the last of the council members before she rounded on me, her eyes flashing like steel."You've lost your mind, Ciro."Her words cut sharp, the weight of them reverberating in my skull. She stood rigid at the far end of the table, her dark hair spilling over her shoulders, her fists planted on the polished wood as if she could pin me there with sheer force of will."You marked her. In front of the council. In front of the pack!" Her voice cracked with disbelief, though underneath it was fear. "Do you understand what you've done?"I met her fury with silence at first, leaning back in my chair, jaw tight. My wolf bristled under her tone, my blood still running hot from the trial, from the sight of them circling Jasmine like vultures. They demanded her death, my mate. "I did what I had to do," I said finally, my voice low, dangerous."You bound yourself to

"Jasmine?"My head snapped up from where I'd been curled on the bed, still rattled from earlier. I pushed the stray strands of hair out of my face, willing myself to sound normal. "Come in."The door opened, and Ciro stepped inside. He wasn't in his usual dark, commanding attire but in a simpler shirt and trousers that somehow still clung to his frame with authority. His hair was loose, brushing over his temples, and for a moment I forgot to breathe."You look like you haven't left this room all day," he said, his voice gentler than usual.I glanced down at myself and winced. He wasn't wrong.Ciro's lips twitched into a ghost of a smile. "Come with me.""Where?" I asked cautiously."Out," he replied simply. "A walk. Dinner. Doesn't matter where, as long as it's not in here." His eyes softened, though the command in them never really faded. "You need air. And I... I need time with you."My chest tightened. A date. Was that what he was asking me for? I hesitated, but when he held out hi

The sheets smelled faintly of him.I stirred slowly, eyes fluttering open to a room washed in pale morning light. For a moment, disoriented, I thought I was still dreaming. Then the memories from last night tumbled back in vivid fragments—his hands, his mouth, his voice whispering my name like a vow. Heat rushed to my cheeks, and I buried my face into the pillow with a groan."Gods," I muttered, squeezing my eyes shut. My heart wouldn't stop racing, replaying everything with a sharpness that made me both giddy and embarrassed.But when I reached for him, my hand brushed only empty sheets.He was gone.The realisation made my chest tighten. Not in anger—not yet—but in a quiet ache, as though the warmth of last night had been carried away with him. I sat up slowly, tugging the blanket tighter around me. My body protested the movement; every muscle felt heavy, drained, as though he had pulled every ounce of energy from me.I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, trying to stand. My kne