Chapter 6 THE RING AND THE BETRAYAL
I waited for the final hour before dawn, my back turned away from Dorian’s scent and the faint tremor of his seal on the cold side of the bed. I didn't sleep. I couldn't. Even with my eyes closed, Lukas’s whisper echoed in my mind: The traitor, Elder Marius.
Marius was the Head of the Council who had killed my family and was now trying to steal Dorian’s power. The urge for vengeance and survival tied me tighter to Dorian than ever before. My enemy was clear.
Precisely at seven o’clock, the door chimed. Dorian sprang from the bed with the same flawless indifference that concealed an Alpha's lack of sleep.
"Get ready, Luna," he said, his voice dry and commanding. "The show begins."
(THE RING AND THE FIRST SHARED MEAL)
Half an hour later, the servants Dorian had assigned to me (all tense and bewildered Betas) led me to the breakfast hall. Dorian waited for me at the entrance. He wore a flawless, dark suit that expertly hid the seal constraining his power.
He extended his hand. It wasn't a gesture of affection; it was a public arrest warrant. I took his hand. The item he slipped onto my finger was no simple ring; it was a thick, silver band surrounded by diamonds, topped with a raw, black obsidian stone. Silver was poison to werewolves.
"To make the show convincing," Dorian whispered, his eyes never leaving mine. "Remember, this engagement is the product of our passion. You are the only weakness I cannot resist."
The breakfast hall was crowded. There were Council members, high-ranking Betas, and leading families of the Pack. The whispers instantly ceased when we walked in. The fact that Dorian’s Luna was the Beta assistant kissed publicly last night had ruined their appetite.
My eyes immediately locked onto Gamma Lady Elara. The sharp, ambitious woman who expected to be Dorian's Luna. She looked at us, her face showing neither anger nor surprise; only pure, cold hatred emanated from her.
"Congratulations, Alpha," Elara said with an icy voice. As she approached us, her eyes were fixed on me. "I hope our new Luna understands what compulsory loyalty means."
"She does," Dorian replied, merely shrugging his shoulder at Elara. He pressed his hand against my waist, preventing us from walking beside her.
(THE CONFRONTATION WITH THE TRAITOR: ELDER MARIUS)
Marius was seated at the head of the Council table. He was the first to spot me. The anger on his face was momentarily mixed with shock. He remembered me as my father's small assistant. But his main shock was not seeing me next to Dorian, but seeing the ring.
Dorian approached the table. "Take your breakfast, Luna," he commanded, before pulling out my chair.
Marius turned to Dorian. "This hasty decision will have consequences, Volcan. The rules of the Pack do not accept a Beta becoming... a Luna."
"Rules change, Elder," Dorian's voice was calm but threatening. "My Luna’s blood is good enough for me. And you know that questioning a choice of mine is challenging the unity of the Pack."
I looked up at Dorian from beneath the table. He looked back at me. A silent agreement passed between us: We must stop hating each other now and fight this threat.
I turned to Marius. I had known him for years. My father's close friend, the betrayer who covered up the treason.
"Elder Marius," I said, without the slightest Beta tremble in my voice. It was clear and sharp. "I believe the shock from last night has ruined everyone's appetite. I hope the next Council meeting won't be so unpleasant."
Marius's eyes narrowed. In that moment, I saw my true enemy. He wasn't shocked by my Beta assistant role; he was shocked by my open threat toward Dorian.
(THE CONCLUSION: THE TARGET AND THE MISSION)
Throughout the meal, Dorian and I played a role that looked passionate on the outside but conveyed deadly silence on the inside. Dorian watched every movement, every whisper around him, searching for enemies trying to exploit his constrained power. I, meanwhile, protected his back, a fact that still churned my stomach.
When the meal ended, Dorian quickly led me to his study. He closed the door.
"You are provoking Marius," he said, his voice cold. "That is not my plan."
"He is my vengeance, Dorian," I countered. "And my vengeance aligns with your survival. Marius is my father’s killer. Now, you protect my Luna status, and I will defeat the traitor who wants your power."
I leaned over his desk. "Where exactly and when exactly does your seal weaken? Lukas is searching for information on sealing rituals. If you start telling me the truth, I can work faster to save your life. Come on, prison guard. Talk."
Dorian looked at me, analyzing me. He hesitated for a moment. That was his weakness.
"It’s too late," Dorian finally said. "That seal... it doesn't just weaken me. I know what Marius will do now. He is going to try to kill you."