Chapter 134
Chloe's POV
The great hall of the Wolf House gleamed with splendor.
Flowers were piled into arches, white roses intertwined with violets. A red carpet stretched from the entrance all the way to the raised platform, flanked by pack members dressed in their finest, their cheers rolling toward me like waves, making my eardrums throb.
I held Ivan's arm, feeling the warmth of his palm and the faint tremor running through it.
He wore that charcoal-gray suit, looking impossibly handsome. But I knew that the tension gripping him now was no less than the fear he'd felt facing the thunder trials.
His fingers tightened slightly, as if confirming my presence.
"It's okay." I placed my hand over his. "I'm here."
He turned his face toward me, his eyes a tangle of emotions—gratitude, love, and a trace of unease barely visible beneath the surface.
I gave him a small smile.
Along both sides of the red carpet, pack members clapped and cheered with fervor. Frank stood in the front row, his weathered face streaked with tears. Grace was there too, wearing a pale green gown, her eyes rimmed red as she sent me a look full of blessing.
Our gazes met in midair, and she silently mouthed, "You've got this."
I took a deep breath, grateful for her unwavering support.
On the platform, the priest had already taken his place.
Ivan led me forward, step by step. Each one was slow, deliberate, as though he wanted to etch this moment deep into memory. My belly curved gently outward, and I could feel the small life within resting quietly, as if bearing witness alongside us.
We finally reached the priest, who looked at us with kindness.
"Children," his voice was aged yet resonant, "today, you will complete the sacred mate ceremony under the Moon Goddess's watch."
He raised his staff and tapped it lightly against the floor.
"Ivan, do you vow in the name of thunder to protect your mate, through poverty and wealth, sickness and health, in life and in death?"
Ivan's voice rang out like an oath: "I do."
"Chloe, do you vow in the name of the Moon Goddess to trust your mate, through storm and trial, honor and shame, never to forsake him?"
My throat tightened, my eyes stinging faintly. "I do."
The priest nodded with satisfaction and drew a slender silver chain from his sleeve.
Hanging from it were two small thunderstone pendants, glowing faintly blue beneath the lights.
"Extend your hands."
We held out our right hands. The priest wound the silver chain around our wrists and tied a gentle knot. The thunderstones pressed against our skin, radiating warmth, as though a weak current flowed through our veins.
"From this day forward, your fates are woven together, your souls bound as one. Thunder and moonlight will forever illuminate your path."
The priest's voice echoed through the hall, and then the room erupted into deafening cheers.
Ivan turned toward me, his eyes slightly red, though the corners of his mouth curved into a tender smile. Slowly, he leaned down and kissed my lips.
In that moment, the world seemed to stop. The cheers, the applause, the scent of flowers—all of it faded into distant blur. All I could feel was the warmth of his lips, the strength of his embrace, and the wild pounding of my heart.
I closed my eyes and let the tears slide down my cheeks.
Just then, footsteps sounded from the side of the platform. I opened my eyes to see Alpha Tyler ascending slowly.
He wore a deep blue formal suit with the Lightning Wolf emblem pinned to his chest, his expression solemn. He stood beside us, scanning the crowd, then raised his hand to signal for silence.
The cheers gradually died down. Everyone held their breath.
Tyler inhaled deeply and began: "Today, I stand here not only as the Alpha of the Lightning Wolf Pack, but as a father."
His voice carried a weight of emotion.
"I have made many mistakes." He paused, his gaze settling on me. "I underestimated my daughter. I thought she was just a child who needed protection, never seeing the resilience and courage within her."
He turned toward Ivan, his expression complicated. "I also underestimated this young man. I once believed rogues were nothing but worthless creatures, unworthy of noble blood. But the truth has proven that true nobility is never determined by birth—it lies in the quality of one's heart."
The hall fell utterly silent.
Tyler's voice grew heavier still. "Ivan, you saved our people in Thunder Canyon. You fought the witch's dark magic single-handedly. You mastered the lightning element—a power our pack has dreamed of for centuries. You are not a rogue. You are the true hero of the Lightning Wolf Pack."
When he finished, he bowed deeply to Ivan.
The crowd erupted in astonishment.
An Alpha bowing to a former rogue—it was almost unheard of in pack history. Ivan froze, clearly unprepared for such a gesture.
Tyler straightened and swept his gaze across everyone present. "Today, I have an announcement to make. For the future of the Lightning Wolf Pack, to ensure our people are no longer threatened by outside enemies, I have decided to break the tradition of bloodline succession."
He paused, drawing in a deep breath. "I will pass the position of the next Alpha to Ivan, who has mastered the thunder element and saved our tribe!"
The hall exploded.
Shouts of shock, skepticism, and approval collided, nearly lifting the roof.
But gradually, someone in the crowd began to clap. The applause spread like wildfire.
I turned my head toward Ivan. He stood frozen in place.
Tyler extended his hand. "Ivan, will you accept this responsibility?"
Every eye in the room locked onto Ivan, waiting for his answer.
Ivan remained silent for a long time.
His hand trembled faintly. I could feel the struggle raging inside him.
This was a future he had never imagined—going from a despised rogue to the Alpha leading an entire pack. It was the power and glory so many dreamed of.
But in the end, he shook his head.
"I refuse."
His voice wasn't loud, yet it rang clearly through the hall.
The crowd erupted once more, this shock even greater than before.
Tyler stiffened, clearly not expecting rejection.
Ivan squeezed my hand and spoke calmly. "I'm deeply grateful for your recognition, Alpha Tyler. But I have no interest in power. I mastered the lightning not to rule anyone, but to protect those I care about."
He looked at me, his gaze gentle and unwavering. "I just want to live a quiet life with my mate and my child."
He turned back to Tyler. "The Lightning Wolf Pack doesn't need someone like me. You have better options."
Tyler was silent for a moment, then gave an awkward smile. "I understand."
He didn't press further. He simply nodded at Ivan and turned to descend the platform.
Applause rose again, this time even more fervent.
People cheered for Ivan's choice. I gripped his hand tightly.
I knew this was the real Ivan—the warrior who had protected me in the thunder, the mate willing to give up everything for me.
But just then, a piercing laugh rang out from the crowd.
"Ha ha ha ha—"
The laughter was wild, twisted, filled with malice and despair. Every head turned sharply toward the source.
Connor burst from the crowd.
His face was ashen, his eyes bloodshot, his entire being like a cornered beast. He pointed at Ivan, his voice hoarse. "You don't even want the Alpha position? Do you have any idea what I've sacrificed for it since I was a child?!"
His laughter grew more unhinged, tears streaming down his cheeks. "You're all the same! Sycophants who bow to whoever's strongest! Yesterday you mocked him for being a rogue, today you worship him! Disgusting!"
Tyler's face turned iron-dark. "Connor, shut your mouth!"
But Connor ignored him completely. He threw both hands into the air and howled toward the ceiling. "Since you've all abandoned me, then let's destroy everything together!"
His voice echoed through the hall, and then the air rippled with a strange distortion.
My heart clenched. Instinct screamed that something was wrong. Ivan sensed it too—he yanked me behind him as lightning began crackling around his body.
The next second, space twisted.
Two figures in black robes appeared out of nowhere in the center of the hall.
One was a tall, slender woman with a mocking smile, as though watching a farce unfold.
The other was a short, stout woman shrouded in black mist, radiating a nauseating stench of death.
"The space witch Elvira..." someone screamed in terror.
"And the necromancer Morena..."
The hall plunged into chaos.
Tyler roared, "Connor! What are you doing?!"
Connor laughed maniacally. "I never wanted to betray the pack! I just want to get rid of this disaster!"
He jabbed a finger at Ivan, his eyes blazing with hatred. "Once he's dead, everything will go back to normal!"
Elvira glanced at Connor with disdain, then snapped her fingers.
A sharp crack.
Then the entire hall shook violently.
I stared out the windows in horror as the sky turned a sickly purple-black. Three columns of dark light rose in the distance, rapidly closing in on the main estate. They converged overhead, forming a massive, translucent dome made of dark energy.
The dome descended, cutting off light and sound, radiating an aura of annihilation.
The joy of the wedding turned into screams of terror. People scattered in all directions, their cries and wails blending into chaos.
Instinctively, I covered my belly, my heart hammering wildly.
Ivan stepped in front of me immediately, lightning surging across his entire body, blue arcs crackling wildly around him. His eyes turned cold and lethal, like an enraged beast.
"Don't be afraid," he said quietly, though his voice dripped with killing intent. "I'll protect you."