All Chapters of Marked by Gold and Ruin: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

(ELARA'S POV) By the time the first light of morning slipped through the curtains of my room, Trueblood was already awake. The distant clatter of carts in the courtyard. The voices of traders calling to one another. Warriors changing shifts at the gates. Servants moving through the corridors with baskets balanced against their hips. There had been a time when mornings in Trueblood sounded different. Quieter. Now, there was movement everywhere. I crossed the room slowly, with one hand resting over my stomach. The baby had grown considerably over the past few months, and so had the life around me. I stopped beside the window. Three wagons were being unloaded below us. One carried sacks of grain, another held tools and metalwork. The third was filled with crates of medicine. Human goods. Months ago, Ronan had been reluctant to expand his dealings with humans— not because he didn't see the benefits, but because the elders had made their position exceedingly clear. They didn't

(ELARA’S POV) The rain was freezing. It struck my skin like tiny shards of glass as I stumbled through the mud, my bare feet sinking into the cold earth with every step. I couldn't feel my fingers and my toes. But I could feel the wound in my neck. And it burned— pulsing beneath my skin, the silver mark Darius had once shared with me now twisted into something I barely recognized. I pressed a trembling hand against it. Gold blood covered my fingers. I didn't understand anything anymore. I turned around, and Ironridge stood behind me, its gates closing. "Please!" My voice broke as I stumbled towards the gates. "Darius!" He stood on the other side of the gates. Still watching. Still angry and refusing to believe me. "I didn't do it!" My voice disappeared beneath the thunder. He didn't move. "You know me, Darius!" His face remained cold. "You betrayed this pack— betrayed me. You're no longer my mate." The words hit harder than the claws had. I reac

(Elara’s POV) By the time the next gathering of Lunas was called, the idea that had once existed only between Maeve, Maren, Selene, and me had become something much larger. Letters had arrived from packs I had never visited, and Lunas I had never met had written asking what the council would actually do, how it would operate, and whether their Alphas would be expected to approve their participation. Some were curious, some were cautious, and a few were openly skeptical. I understood all of them. An organization like this was unfamiliar. Lunas were used to standing beside their Alphas, supporting their decisions, managing the needs of their packs, and quietly solving problems that rarely made it to the council of Alphas. No one had ever asked what might happen if we began solving those problems together. That was what I wanted to find out. I stood at the head of the long table in Trueblood’s meeting hall, one hand resting against the gentle curve of my stomach. My pre

(ELARA’S POV) By the time the first official Luna Council meeting took place, my child had become impossible to ignore. Now, there was no mistaking how close I was to giving birth. My stomach had grown heavy enough that sitting for long periods had become uncomfortable, and my baby seemed to have developed a particular interest in kicking whenever I was trying to concentrate. I rested a hand beneath my stomach as Maeve continued speaking. “The eastern packs have agreed to the trade proposal.” She pushed a piece of parchment toward me. “That leaves three packs who haven’t responded.” “Which ones?” “Ironridge, Ravencrest, and Thornhaven.” Selene frowned. “Ravencrest’s Luna sent word that their Alpha isn’t convinced the council is necessary.” I sighed. “That again.” Maren smiled. “You’re becoming familiar with that argument.” “I’m beginning to think some Alphas hear the word council and immediately imagine someone trying to take their positions.” Maeve laughed.

(ELARA’S POV) The courtyard was louder than ever. Voices carried through different houses from early morning, servants hurried between rooms with trays and linens, and warriors stood outside the gates directing arriving packs. Today was supposed to be about Lucian, and it seemed everyone had decided that meant the entire pack grounds needed to be turned upside down. I stood in front of the mirror in my room while a servant adjusted the final fold of my dress, and the deep emerald fabric fell softly around me, catching the light. "You're moving too much," she complained. "I've been standing here for ten minutes." "Exactly." I smiled and she shook her head, returning to fixing the fabric around my waist. A few weeks had passed since Lucian's birth. Long enough for my body to recover, the soreness to fade and for me to return to the Luna Council meetings. And long enough for the entire pack to become completely obsessed with my son. I couldn't blame them, and neit