Chapter 35 The Morning After

Chapter 35 The Morning After
~Sage~

I woke to sunlight streaming through my curtains and the phantom sensation of Keith's arms around me.
For a moment, I just lay there, staring at the ceiling. My body felt different. Lighter somehow, yet more grounded than ever before. Like I'd been walking around my whole life with a piece missing and hadn't noticed until it slotted into place.
I sat up quickly, my hand flying to my neck. My fingers found the scar immediately. Two small ridges in the skin, perfectly placed where Keith's teeth had broken through. The wound had healed overnight, but the mark remained.
I threw off the covers and rushed to the bathroom, flipping on the light and leaning close to the mirror. The mark was about an inch below my ear, slightly hidden by my hairline but not nearly enough. In the harsh bathroom light, the scarred skin was obvious.
"Shit," I whispered.
Through the bond, I felt a pulse of concern. Keith had sensed my panic.
Sage?
I nearly jumped out of my skin. His voice was inside my head, clear as if he were standing right beside me.
I can hear you, I thought back, hoping this worked both ways.
The mindlink. His relief washed through me like warm water. It formed with the bond. Are you okay? I felt your fear spike.
The mark. Keith, everyone is going to see it.
There was a slight pause. Then his voice again, steadier now. Wear your hair down. We'll figure out the rest. Don't panic.
Easy for him to say. He didn't have his father's teeth marks branded on his throat.
I took a deep breath, forcing my racing heart to slow. Through the bond, I felt Keith sending me calm. It helped more than I expected.
Where are you? I asked.
Training grounds. I left before dawn. I couldn't sleep. I kept thinking about you. About how electric last night was.
Warmth flooded through me, and I knew he felt it too.
The connection didn't close, but it faded to a background hum. He was still there, still present, but giving me space to handle the morning.
I turned back to the mirror with renewed determination.
My hair was long enough to cover the mark if I styled it carefully. I spent twenty minutes arranging it just right, letting it fall in loose waves that draped over my shoulders. The scar was hidden, but one strong breeze or careless gesture and the whole pack would know.
Makeup helped. I layered concealer over the mark until the pink faded to something closer to my skin tone. It wasn't perfect, but it would have to do.
I dressed in a high-necked sweater despite the warm weather as another layer of protection. A knock at my door made me freeze.
"Sage? You awake?"
Natalie's voice. I checked my reflection one more time before crossing the room and opening the door.
She stood outside the door holding a breakfast tray, her eyebrows rising as she took in my appearance.
"A turtleneck? It's like seventy-five degrees outside."
"I'm cold," I lied, stepping aside to let her in. "Didn't sleep well."
Natalie set the tray on my desk and turned to study me with those sharp eyes. I resisted the urge to touch my neck.
"You look different," she said slowly.
My heart stopped. "Different how?"
"I don't know." She circled me like I was a puzzle she couldn't solve. "Your skin is glowing. Your eyes are brighter. You look like someone who definitely slept well, despite what you just said."
"Must be the new moisturizer."
Natalie didn't look convinced, but she let it drop. She settled onto my bed and gestured at the breakfast tray.
"Eat. You'll need your strength today."
I picked up a piece of toast, my appetite nonexistent. "Why? What's happening today?"
"Pack council meeting this afternoon. All the high-ranking families will be there. The alpha king wants you by his side." She paused. "Looking like the perfect future Luna."
The toast turned to sawdust in my mouth. Through the bond, I felt Keith's attention sharpen. He'd caught my fear.
What's wrong? He asked through our link.
Council meeting, I thought back. Your father wants me there.
A surge of protective anger that wasn't mine flooded my chest.
Stay calm, he sent. Keep your hair down. Don't let him touch your neck.
Easier said than done.
Natalie was watching me with a curious expression. "You okay? You zoned out for a second."
"Fine." I forced a smile. "Just nervous about the meeting."
"You should be." She stood, brushing off her pants. "The council members are vultures. They'll be watching your every move, looking for weakness. Don't give them any."
After she left, I forced myself to eat despite my churning stomach. I would need the energy to survive whatever was coming.
The hours until the council meeting came sooner than expected. Maids came to help me dress, selecting a conservative blue dress that I made sure covered my neck completely. My hair was styled elaborately, cascading over my shoulders in a way that felt natural but kept the mark hidden.
At precisely two o'clock, a servant arrived at my door.
"The Alpha King requests your presence in the council chambers."
Not asks. Requests. Even the phrasing felt like a command.
I followed the servant through the winding corridors of the estate, each step bringing me closer to Damon. My wolf was agitated, pacing inside me. She didn't want to be near him. Every instinct screamed at her to run in the opposite direction, to find her true mate and never leave his side.
Almost there, Keith sent. I can feel how scared you are. It's okay. I'm nearby.
How nearby?
Close enough.
The council chambers were larger than I expected. A massive circular room with a domed ceiling and tiered seating arranged around a central platform. Dozens of wolves filled the seats, all of them turning to stare as I entered.
And there, on the central platform, stood Damon. He looked every inch the Alpha King. His eyes found mine immediately, and something in them made my skin crawl.
"Sage." His voice carried through the room. "Come. Stand beside me."
Every eye in the chamber followed me as I crossed the floor. I kept my spine straight and my expression neutral, even as my heart threatened to beat out of my chest.
When I reached the platform, Damon extended his hand. I had no choice but to take it.
His grip was firm and possessive. He pulled me close, tucking me against his side like I was a trophy to be displayed. His scent filled my nostrils, and my wolf recoiled violently.
Through the bond, I felt Keith's rage.
Easy, I sent. Don't do anything stupid.
He's touching you. The thought was almost a snarl. My mate. He's touching my mate.
I know. But we have to be smart about this.
Damon leaned down, his lips brushing my ear. "You look beautiful today. Different somehow. Did something change?”
"I just tried a new skincare routine," I lied.
His eyes searched my face, and I could tell he didn't believe me. But before he could push further, the council session began.
For the next hour, I stood at Damon's side while pack business was discussed. Territory disputes. Resource allocation. Threats from rival packs. I absorbed none of it. All my focus was on keeping my hair in place and my expression blank.
Halfway through, Damon's hand moved from my waist to my shoulder. His fingers brushed the collar of my dress.
Sage. Keith's voice was tight. His hand.
I know.
If he finds the mark—
He won't. Stay calm.
Damon's fingers traced higher, grazing the side of my neck. My entire body went rigid.
"You're tense," he murmured, too low for anyone else to hear. "Relax."
I couldn't. I physically could not relax while his hand was inches from the evidence of my betrayal.
Then his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled away to check it, frowning at whatever message he'd received. The interruption was so small, but it felt like divine intervention.
"We'll continue this later," he said to me quietly. "There's something I need to handle."
He strode off the platform, leaving me standing alone in front of the entire council. A hundred pairs of eyes stared at me with varying degrees of curiosity and suspicion.
I descended the platform on shaking legs and made it all the way to the corridor before my composure cracked.
Keith was there, waiting in an alcove, half-hidden in shadow. He pulled me into his arms the second I was close enough, and I buried my face in his chest, breathing in his scent.
"I felt everything," he whispered into my hair. "His hands on you. Your fear. It took everything I had not to storm in there."
"You can't." I pulled back to look at him. “ He almost found the mark, Keith. He was so close."
"I know." His jaw was tight. "We need a plan. This can't go on."
"What plan? What can we possibly do against the Alpha King?"
He cupped my face in his hands, his eyes fierce and determined.
"I don't know yet. But I'm not going to watch him touch you for another month. You're my mate, Sage. Mine. And I'll burn this whole kingdom down before I let him claim you."