Chapter 218 Asteria’s doubt
Chapter 218
ASTERIA
Austin stood from the table, his voice commanding. "All of you, return to the ceremony and let's elebrate the success of our alliance."
The Alphas and elders filed out, some nodding to me as they passed, others avoiding my eyes.
We followed them back to the great hall.
The ceremony was in full swing, loud singing, drumming that made the floor vibrate, wolves dancing and drinking and celebrating.
Austin raised his hands, and everything stopped.
The music cut off mid-beat. The dancers froze and every eye turned to him.
He climbed onto the raised platform where we'd been mated earlier and poured himself a glass of wine from a crystal decanter.
"I want to raise a toast," he announced, his voice carrying across the hall. "To my mate and Luna, Asteria."
He paused, and I felt my face flush as hundreds of wolves stared at me.
"She has proven herself wise beyond her years," Austin continued. "She brought us together on short notice. She provided the intelligence we needed. And she gave us a path to victory."
He turned to look at me directly, his eyes intense. "She means a great deal to me already."
He raised his glass high, pointing it toward me. "To Asteria."
The entire hall erupted. "To Asteria!"
Hundreds of voices in chorus, hundreds of glasses raised.
Then they drank, and the hall exploded back into celebration.
Austin raised his hands again. "Let the ceremony continue!"
The music started up again, louder this time, more energetic.
Austin stepped down from the platform and came to sit beside me at the head table.
Throughout the evening, he kept shifting closer, leaning in to whisper things in my ear.
"You were magnificent in there," he murmured at one point, his breath warm against my skin.
I blushed and looked away.
Later, he whispered, "I chose well. You're exactly A I needed."
Each comment made heat rise in my cheeks, made my heart beat faster.
I didn't know how to respond, so I just smiled and tried to focus on the celebration around us.
After what felt like hours, the music changed to a slow waltz.
Austin stood and held out his hand. "May I have this dance?"
I took his hand, my palm still stinging from the ceremonial scar.
He led me to the centre of the hall, and the crowd parted, creating space for us.
The first dance belonged to the newly mated couple.
I positioned myself properly—one hand in his, the other on his shoulder—and we began moving to the music.
Austin was surprisingly graceful for such a large man, guiding me smoothly across the floor.
After a few moments of silence, he spoke quietly. "You've been very quiet since we returned to the hall. Are you hurt?"
I looked up at him, confused. "Is there a particular way I'm supposed to behave?"
Austin chuckled, a warm sound that surprised me.
Then he leaned forward and stole a kiss, his lips pressing against mine for just a moment before pulling back.
I gasped, my face burning. "Austin!"
"What?" he asked innocently. "You're my mate now. I'm allowed."
I shook my head, but I was smiling despite myself.
He really was a good dancer, much better than I'd imagined. He moved with confidence and precision, never missing a step, guiding me effortlessly.
As the song ended, Austin slowed our movement and raised his voice. "Join us!"
The rest of the pack flooded onto the dance floor, couples forming, the music picking up tempo again.
Austin and I danced through several more songs.
At one point, other Alphas came to congratulate us, Alpha Kellen clapping Austin on the shoulder, Alpha Mara embracing me briefly.
Later, servants brought out an enormous cake decorated with red and black icing.
Austin cut it with a ceremonial blade, then fed me the first piece.
The sweetness exploded on my tongue, but I could barely taste it over my nervousness.
We stayed at the celebration for hours doing nothing but greeting guests, accepting well-wishes, playing our roles as the newly mated Alpha and Luna.
Austin never left my side, his hand frequently finding mine, his presence both comforting and overwhelming.
Finally, as the night wore on and guests began departing, Austin leaned close. "You should rest. It's been a long day."
I nodded gratefully, exhaustion suddenly hitting me.
He walked me to my chambers, pausing outside the door.
"You did well today," he said softly. "I'm proud of you."
Then he kissed my forehead and left.
Alone in my chambers, I finally let the mask drop.
I sank onto my bed, my body trembling, my mind spinning.
What had I done?
I'd set in motion something monstrous.
Children would die because of the plan I'd laid out. Innocent students who'd done nothing wrong except attend the same academy as my sister.
Families would be destroyed. Parents would receive pieces of their children in boxes. They'd grieve, they'd rage, they'd break.
And all of it was because of me.
Because I wanted revenge against Ravenna.
I tried to justify it to myself.
Ravenna deserved this. She'd stolen everything from me: Darius, my future, my happiness.
She was a threat to the supernatural world with her uncontrolled power.
This was necessary. This was justice.
But the justifications felt hollow, echoing emptily in my chest.
I stood and walked to the window, staring out at the dark pack territory.
The truth was, I was the one who'd sent Ravenna to the academy in the first place.
I'd begged her to go. To help me get revenge on Darius for supposedly dumping me.
If I'd never done that, Ravenna would never have met him. Would never have fallen in love with him. Would never have stolen him from me.
I'd created my own nightmare.
Had the Moon Goddess worked against me? Had she deliberately mated Darius to Ravenna as punishment for my lies?
Or was it just cruel fate?
I thought about our childhood again—those few good memories buried under years of resentment.
She'd been my protector once. My only family. The one person who cared whether I lived or died.
Was she really so terrible?
Or had my hatred twisted everything? Had I rewritten our history to justify my revenge?
When had love turned to hate? When had my sister become my enemy?
I couldn't even remember the exact moment. It had been gradual,.small resentments building, jealousies festering, lies growing until they consumed everything.
I walked to the mirror and stared at my reflection.
The woman looking back at me was a stranger.
She hard eyes, bitter mouth and a fresh scar on my neck from Austin's bite.
When had I become this person?
When had I become someone who could plan the torture and murder of children without flinching?
I touched the mark on my neck, feeling the raised skin.
I was bound to Austin now legally, politically and through blood and pain and sacred oaths.
There was no going back.
Even if I wanted to stop this, I couldn't. The plan was already in motion. Eastfang's rogues were probably already preparing.
Soon, some innocent student would be kidnapped. Taken from their dorm, dragged to a secure location, tortured for information about Ravenna.
And I was responsible.
I sank to the floor, my back against the wall, my knees pulled to my chest.
What had I become?
A knock at the door made me jump.
I stood quickly, wiping my eyes. "Who is it?"
The door opened, and Austin stepped inside.
He was still in his ceremonial robes, but he'd removed some of the more elaborate pieces. He looked tired but satisfied.
"Having second thoughts?" he asked, his eyes studying my face.
I forced myself to meet his gaze. "Why would you think that?"
Austin's smile was cruel, knowing. "Because you're not stupid. You know what you've set in motion. What it means."
He walked closer, stopping just in front of me. "Children will die, families will be destroyed and blood will be spilled because of your plan."
His hand came up to cup my cheek. "It's too late for regrets now, Asteria. The first kidnapping happens tomorrow."