Semua Bab Moon Goddess, I Choose a New Fate: Bab 21 - Bab 30

KATNISS I had expected the Alpha Council to question my decision. I hadn’t expected their questions to make me question it too. The high council chamber in Silvercrest City was a cold, cavernous room of dark granite and ancient oak. Five high-ranking Alphas sat on the elevated dais, looking down at us like judges preparing to pass sentence on a pair of criminals. "Lady Katniss," Council Leader Vane began, his voice echoing off the stone walls. "You severed a year-long engagement with Alpha Damien Ravenscar in less than twelve hours. Now you stand beside Alpha Hassan Blackthorn claiming a sudden, absolute union." "The timeline is my business, Council Leader," I replied, keeping my head high, my voice even and unyielding. "Is it?" Vane leaned forward, his sharp eyes narrowing. "Or did the Blackthorn Pack pressure an heiress whose wolf remains silent into an opportunistic territorial contract?" I opened my mouth to

KATNISSIf Hassan Blackthorn wanted us to look like lovers, he was going to have to learn that I wasn’t very good at pretending.The private terrace at the Obsidian Club was lit by soft silver lanterns, overlooking the glowing skyline of Silvercrest City. It was an intimate pre-wedding gathering, just our inner circles, a few trusted high-ranking Beta officers, and my father's closest allies. No press, no Council elders, just people who knew how to spot a lie from a mile away."You two look like you're about to execute a hostage negotiation," Elara muttered, sliding up beside me near the stone bar and handing me a glass of sparkling wine."We are standing naturally," I replied, smoothing down my burgundy silk jumpsuit."Kat, he's standing three feet away from you with his arms crossed like a fucking bodyguard," Elara teased, rolling her eyes. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you were waiting for him to audit your taxes."Across the terrace, Kael

KATNISSTomorrow, I would become Hassan Blackthorn’s wife. Somehow, that frightened me less than the thought of what I was beginning to feel.The private fitting salon was quiet, illuminated only by the warm amber glow of the marble fireplace. White silk, obsidian embellishments, and gold-trimmed invitations were stacked neatly on the vanity table. The formal ceremony was less than twelve hours away, and the entire territory was holding its breath."Hold still, Kat," Elara muttered, carefully pinning up the lace train of my rehearsal gown. "If you keep pacing like a caged beast, I'm going to stick you with one of these needles.""I can't sit still, Elara," I shot back, rubbing my temples as I stared at my reflection in the full-length mirror. "Everything is moving too damn fast. The Council press feeds, the border security deployments... it's a total circus.""It's a wedding," Elara corrected softly, stepping back to hand me a glass of iced water. "And

HASSANI could command an army without hesitation, but one woman’s answer had become the only thing I couldn’t control.The grand armory in the subterranean wing of the estate was silent, save for the rhythmic metallic scrape of my sharpening stone against a silver-steel blade. The scent of gun oil, polished leather, and cold stone surrounded me, but my mind was miles away, locked on the third floor where Katniss was currently preparing for our wedding."Boss, you're going to grind that dagger into dust if you press any harder," Kael said, leaning his broad frame against an weapons rack with a smirk."The edge is uneven," I rumbled, not breaking my rhythm, my dark gray eyes fixed entirely on the gleaming metal."The edge is sharp enough to split a hair in midair," Gareth chimed in, walking down the stone steps while reviewing a stack of ceremony logistics on his tablet. "You've been down here for three hours, Alpha. The tailors are waiting upstairs to perfor

HASSANI had signed a contract with Katniss Ashbourne. I had never expected to stand before her wanting to give her everything the contract could never demand.The central hall of the Blackthorn fortress was bathed in the warm amber glow of flickering torches and silver chandeliers. Banners of dark obsidian and silver crests hung from the stone pillars, framing the crowded room.Members of both packs sat in the carved wooden pews, Ashbourne nobles on the left, my Blackthorn warriors on the right."Everything is locked down, Alpha," Beta Kael muttered, leaning into my shoulder as we stood near the raised marble altar. "Perimeter sweeps are clear. If anyone twitches the wrong way during the vows, my enforcers will put them down quietly.""Keep it discreet, Kael," I rumbled softly, adjusting my dark ceremonial cuffs. "I don't want a single blade drawn in front of her."Gareth stood nearby, quietly reviewing the legal registry documents with the High Council prie