Chapter 22: The Fight Begins - Callista's POV

There was a sharp knock at the door. I laid my phone down and turned toward it just as it opened.

My mother stepped inside. “I was…just coming to tell you to get ready, but it seems you already are.”

She came in farther, holding matching silver jewelry. It was a necklace and earrings that had been in our family for generations.

“You look beautiful,” she said as I stood. Without delay, she came around, moved my braid, and began putting on the jewelry for me. “Your father would be so proud.”

“Will be,” I corrected. “He is proud and downstairs.”

She laughed and shook her head. “I meant your grandfather. He was Alpha before your father and he would have loved to see this day.”

I smiled sadly. My grandfather had been challenged and gravely injured before my father took over. He wasn’t able to pull out of it and passed away.

I swallowed hard. "Mom, what if—"

"No what-ifs," she said firmly, cupping my face. "Tonight, you walk in there with your head high. You show them that your bond is real and blessed by the Moon Goddess herself. And if anyone dares challenge it, we stand together as a family. You have the Nightshades on your side, too.”

I nodded, not trusting my voice.

"Come on," she said, taking my hand. "It's time to go."

With the entire family in tow, we headed for the ceremony grounds in neutral territory. It was a massive clearing in the forest where pack boundaries met, which was also about a mile from Silver Moon Academy. By the time we arrived, dozens of cars were already parked along the treeline.

Wolves from at least ten different packs walked around. Their various scents created an overwhelming mixture in the air that made me cringe. I recognized some of their faces from previous gatherings, but many were strangers or I had only seen once and forgotten.

All of them turned to stare as our family emerged from our vehicles.

My father led the way, radiating his Alpha authority. My mother walked beside him, elegant as always. Sabine walked with me right behind them.

I scanned the crowd, my eyes dragging slowly across the sea of faces until I found him. Riven.

He stood with his parents near the eastern edge of the clearing. He wore traditional ceremonial clothes, which surprised me. It seemed our parents were trying to hide this for as long as they could. I took him in from his black pants to the deep green shirt that brought out the gold in his eyes. There was a silver chain dangling around his neck that signified he was an Alpha heir.

Our eyes met across the distance, and the mate bond flared to life, singing with recognition. He looked as nervous as I felt.

His father was speaking with other Alphas, clearly making the rounds and building political alliances. His mother stood beside him, scanning the crowd with sharp, assessing eyes.

"The Nightshades are here," my father murmured. "Good. United front, remember?"

I nodded, my throat too tight to speak.

More packs arrived behind us. There was Shadowcrest, with their stone-faced Alpha and Marcus right behind him. Silver Pine, Moon Ridge, and Thornwood were right behind them. There were so many here it was suffocating.

At the center of the clearing sat a raised platform where the Alpha King would preside over the ceremony. His guards were already in position, their eyes constantly scanning the crowd for a threat.

“He’s not here yet, is he?” Sabine whispered, reading my thoughts. “I guess he wants to be the one to make a dramatic entrance and arrive last.”

“He always does,” I said with a laugh.”

As if summoned by her words, a hush fell over the crowd.

Three black SUVs pulled up, their windows tinted too dark to see through, even with our enhanced eyesight. Guards emerged first, taking their positions around the vehicle.

Then the Alpha King stepped out.

He was tall, imposing, with silver-shot dark hair and eyes that seemed to see everything. Power radiated off him in waves that made every wolf present lower their heads instinctively. He surveyed the gathering with an expression that gave nothing away, then walked toward the platform with measured steps.

"Let the ceremony begin," his voice boomed across the clearing, amplified by his Alpha authority.

My heart pounded against my ribs. This was it. There was no turning back now.

Riven pushed through the crowd toward me, his gaze never leaving my face. When he reached me, he took my hand and laced our fingers together. “Are you ready?”

I looked at him, my mate, the boy with the demon inside him, and the one I was supposed to fall in love with…without having to save everyone. Part of me wanted to tell him that I would never be ready, but I knew in my heart that there would never be another for me.

“I’m ready,” I whispered back.

The Alpha King's voice rang out again. "We gather under the moon to honor bonds, witness matings, and settle challenges. Tonight, we have several new mate pairs to recognize."

He began listing names, calling pairs forward to present their bonds. With each name, my anxiety ratcheted higher.

Finally, he came to our names. I wouldn’t have thought anything of his pause if I hadn’t known we were on the list. His lips pulled into a smirk as he stared at the sheet.

“Riven Nightshade and Callista Monroe. Step forward.”

Riven squeezed my hand once, then led me toward the platform. Every eye in the clearing was on us as we climbed the steps to stand before the Alpha King.

He studied us with those ancient, knowing eyes. "You claim to be mates two years before the traditional age. Show me your marks. I’m a little curious.”

With shaking hands, I pulled down my collar, revealing the crescent marks on my shoulder. Riven did the same.

The Alpha King leaned closer, examining the marks with an intensity that made my skin crawl. After what felt like forever, he straightened with a puzzled expression.

“And these marks are genuine,” he announced. “They have been blessed by the Moon Goddess herself.”

Relief started to flood through me. This was the hardest part. We had made it. I glanced at Riven, but then I heard the Alpha King suck in a breath.

Oh, no. No, no, no.

"However," the Alpha King continued, his voice cutting through the murmurs, "such an unusual manifestation warrants testing. We must ensure there is no deception and no dark magic at work."

My blood ran cold.

"I open the floor to challenges," the Alpha King declared. "Any unmated Alpha's son who wishes to test this bond may step forward."

For a heartbeat, no one moved. Then, from the crowd, a figure stepped forward. Not Marcus, though I saw him watching with vicious satisfaction from the sidelines. This was someone else, someone bigger, older, and radiating power.

He looked to be about eighteen, with a smug expression plastered on his face. “I challenge,” the wolf said, his voice carrying across the clearing.

Riven's hand tightened on mine, his eyes flashing with barely controlled rage. The ceremony had begun.

And so had the fight for our bond.