The next morning when I sat down for breakfast, my hair was put up in a royal bun with strands of it falling over my face like I had done Elena’s so many months ago. I could vividly recall how jealous I had been of her for looking so pretty in preparation for Callan’s visit.
Seated for breakfast were Callan, Isla, Grace, Amelia, and my uncle. Radley was still at the infirmary. At once, several pairs of eyes settled on me as soon as I appeared, and I could see the emotions on their faces when they realized what I was flaunting.
A deliberate smirk curled Callan’s lips when our eyes met before his slowly traveled to my neck, idling on the spot he had marked last night.
A loud clang grabbed my attention, and I snapped my head toward where Amelia was seated, a tumbler had escaped her grip, landing on the floor, thankfully unbroken.
“Are you okay?” I asked, taking a step closer to her.
Fire burned behind her eyes as she glared at me, all of the things she could never say reflected in her eyes.
“I see you’ve been marked,” my uncle said as soon as I’d settled down on Callan’s right, a spot that used to be occupied by Amelia. Now, she was seated at the farther end by Isla’s side, and she continued to watch me with strong contempt.
“I have.” I smiled at him. “The mating ceremony is tomorrow, after all, I am so glad you can attend it.”
His teeth clenched hard, and I could see his jaw twitching. “Of course,” he managed to say. “I am only here to make sure you fulfill your duties to our pack.”
Isla smiled at me with genuine love on her expression. She seemed to be the only one happy about this.
“Congratulations, Sophia.” She turned to my uncle. “You should be proud of your niece, she has grown up into this wonderful young lady, and I believe the Black Tide is in good hands to have her as the future Luna.”
Amelia let out an audible scoff, but she was promptly ignored.
“You’re right, Isla,” Callan said, reaching out his hand to hold mine on the table, his large one enclosing mine as our fingers intertwined. I reddened under their compliments, I was terrified on the inside, scared I wouldn't live up to their expectations.
What did I know about being a Luna, after all? Subconsciously, I compared myself to Amelia. She had been born for this, she had lived for this, so, of course, she would know better than I did, but I knew that didn't mean I was in any way less deserving of it.
The Goddess had made me the mate of an Alpha. I, too, had been born for this, I just needed to learn how to do it right, and from the affectionate gaze Isla sent my way, I knew I could do it.
“Sophia is kind, thoughtful, and selfless. I must have done something good to deserve her,” Callan voiced, bringing my hand to his lips, where he dropped a soft kiss on it.
“When are you leaving?” Isla asked him, and I turned to him, my brows furrowed.
“Leaving?”
“Yes, I am leaving for the Night Blood Pack. I will be back later tonight.”
Fear gripped me instantly, my earlier anxiety concerning how something could go wrong and ruin our mating ceremony returning.
“Hey, hey,” he said, caressing my hand with his thumb, noticing the panic in my expression. “I’ll be fine, I promise.”
“The Night Blood Pack?” Grace voiced out, speaking for the first time. “Aren’t they our enemy? Why do you have to go there?”
He hesitated for a brief moment before saying. “I have business with the new Alpha.”
“Are you certain to make it before the mating ceremony?” she asked with genuine worry.
“Grace,” Isla said, placing her hand on Grace’s shoulder. “Your brother can take care of himself, he is the Alpha remember? And if we are to make allies with the Night Bloods, it should be done before the mating ceremony. The new Alpha could likely be in attendance.”
Grace nodded, but I could still see the reluctance in her expression. I took note of it and concluded I should attempt speaking with her later in the day. We hadn't spoken since the incident with Radley, and I knew there was so much to be said, but she was good at blending in and making herself almost unnoticeable.
“Allies with the Night Blood Pack?” Silviu asked, the taunt detectable in his voice. “You should instead force them to a pack merger, Alpha Callan, and wage war if they refuse.”
He grinned widely, revealing his teeth crooked behind his sinister smile. “It is what your father did best, isn't it so? Snatched the pack he wanted and killed the Alphas of those that refused, taking the pack forcefully and making mistresses of the former Lunas.”
With the progression of Silviu’s utterance, Callan’s grip on my hand tightened, and I could tell how bothered he was by this. A fraction of his emotions filtered through me, so I could feel the annoyance my uncle’s words were inducing.
“No,” Callan began, there was no hint of anger in his tone, “my father was indeed ruthless in his dealings, but this is new leadership, and it would be foolish and backward of me not to at least put in the effort to effect an improvement in my pack. The first thing I did was make certain the act of marriage sealing a deal was canceled, everyone deserves to be with their Goddess-chosen mate, that is a lesson your pack could learn from.”
Rage flashed through my Uncle’s eyes before he subdued it, but I had caught the intensity, and it bothered me. Silviu was still here, would he sit silently and allow the mating ceremony to go on?
“What are you going to do with my father?“ Amelia asked quietly, her quivering voice almost unrecognizable. “It is wrong to not only have snatched his pack, but the treaty was also broken, and now he is being held in the dungeon. He has only ever done what was right for this pack, and treating him like this is unjust.”
As soon as Callan opened his mouth to respond, a loud commotion came from outside the dining hall, grabbing all of our attention.
A bloodied Radley staggered in, he looked a mess as though he’d fought his way here. At the sight of him, Callan shot up. “Radley…”
“You have to hear me out, Callan,” he pleaded, dragging his feet as he approached us. “Please,”
“What happened to you?” Callan asked.
“Nothing is as it seems, I swear it. You must believe me….”
Almost immediately, a volley of arrows came shattered the glass of the windows on their way to plunging themselves directly into Radley’s chest.