Chapter 42 Chapter 42
ELIJAH'S POV
“Yes Elijah...” Amanda screamed before I even continued the sentence.
Her eyes glowed with emotion, her lips trembling as if she couldn’t believe I’d asked. “Yes, Elijah, I'll be your mate.” she screamed again, extremely loud this time, a smile breaking through her shock.
And I kissed her.
It wasn’t out of love or passion.
It was out of duty.
Her lips were soft, eager, and trembling with devotion—but my heart felt like stone. I could almost hear Elder Matthias’s voice replaying in my mind, "An heir will silence their doubts…"
That was all that mattered.
The pack needed an heir, and I needed to become Alpha King. I would never—never—let Damon take that title, not while I was still breathing. He had succeeded in taking Anna away from me but I wouldn't let him be the next Alpha King.
I didn’t care if he was stronger, faster, or if the blood of two species ran in his veins. He could be half god for all I cared, but I would still find a way to bring him down. His hybrid blood—the very thing that made him powerful—was the same thing I’d use to destroy him.
I broke the kiss and stared into Amanda’s eyes. She looked dazed, a hand resting over her chest as though her heart might burst from excitement.
“Elijah,” she whispered, voice shaky, “but are you really over her?”
The question caught me off guard. “Who?” I asked even though I already knew who she was talking about.
“Anna,” she answered softly, almost regretfully. “I know what she meant to you. I just want to know if… if I’m not living in her shadow. I just want to know if you'll really forget about her.”
I stared at her for a long time.
Part of me wanted to lie—to give her a gentle answer, but something inside me was tired of hiding the truth.
“I’m over her,” I said finally. “Completely.”
Amanda searched my face for a trace of doubt, but I didn’t give her any.
I forced myself to remember what I’d seen that morning—the image burned behind my eyelids. Anna on top of Damon in his bed. His hands on her ass, possessive, and his smirk when he caught me looking.
That was all the reminder I needed.
I was over her!
“I saw her this morning...” I told her, my voice sharper than I intended. “She was with Damon...”
Amanda’s eyes widened.
“She was with him,” I continued, unable to stop. “And she looked happy, like she’d never been happier with me. I want nothing to do with her again, Amanda.”
My hands curled into fists. The memory boiled inside me, igniting that old anger I’d buried under pride.
“She infuriates me now,” I admitted quietly. “But maybe… maybe that’s a good thing. It'll help me get over her in no time.”
Amanda stepped closer, pressing her palm to my chest. “I'm glad you feel like that, Elijah. I need you to let her go completely.”
I looked down at her hand, then met her eyes. “I already have.”
The words felt like chains breaking inside me.
Then she smiled faintly. “So… when do we have the mating ceremony?”
I hesitated.
The mating ceremony.
To most outsiders, it was just a union—a celebration, but to us, to werewolves, it was everything.
Being mates wasn’t like a human marriage. It wasn’t about rings or vows—it was a soul bond. It was a link that tied two wolves together for life. Once completed, the bond was unbreakable. You felt what your mate felt, you knew when they were in pain, and even when apart, their scent lived under your skin like a second heartbeat.
The ceremony itself was ancient and sacred. The Alpha and his Luna stood before the Moonstone, marking each other under the full moon’s light. Their blood was joined, their souls fused. After that night, there was no turning back.
“When should we do it?” Amanda asked again, her eyes filled with hope.
I didn’t answer immediately. I looked past her—out through the open balcony doors—where the sunlight spread across the training grounds. Warriors trained, blades clashing, and their shouts echoing through the field.
And then, a thought entered my mind.
The date for the mating ceremony came to me. It was a date that would tear Anna apart, and one she would never forget.
I almost smiled.
“Soon,” I answered quietly, meeting Amanda’s eyes again. “It’ll happen soon.”
She grinned, her happiness so innocent it almost made me look away. “I can’t wait,” she replied softly. “The whole pack will finally see us as one.”
“They will,” I promised. “They’ll see.”
And they would—oh, they would. Especially Anna.
She would know I've moved on.
The door creaked open, and a guard passed by the hallway. My gaze followed him until he stopped to bow. I called out sharply, “You there.”
He straightened instantly. “Yes, Alpha?”
“Send a message to the pack hall,” I ordered, my tone firm. “Tell everyone to gather there will be an announcement in ten minutes.”
He blinked, startled. “An announcement, my lord?”
“Yes.” I turned fully toward him, my expression unreadable. “I have something to announce.”
He bowed deeply. “At once, Alpha.”
As his footsteps echoed away, Amanda’s brows furrowed slightly as she stepped closer, her hand brushing mine. “Do I need to get ready?”
I nodded. “Wear something royal. You’re the Luna of this pack now. It’s time they saw you as one.”
Her face lit up with pride, and for the first time since morning, I saw fire in her eyes.
As she left to prepare, I stood by the window, watching the clouds drift lazily across the sky. The world outside felt distant, almost quiet—but inside me, something darker stirred.
This wasn’t just about duty anymore.
It was about revenge.
For too long, I’d been the shadow of my brother—the second-born, the less powerful, the one always one step behind. Damon was the hybrid, the legend, and the threat everyone whispered about in awe and fear.
It was time people feared me too.
Because soon, I would have what he never could—the throne, the respect, the pack’s loyalty, and a Luna carrying my heir.
He could do anything he wanted with Anna. I didn’t care anymore.
The man who loved Anna was gone.
The man standing here now was someone else—someone who didn’t care about love or loss, only legacy.
I ran a hand through my hair, tightening the last button on my shirt.
I was ready to be the Alpha King.
And nothing—not love, not Damon, not even Anna—was going to stop me now.