Chapter 81 SISTER

Chapter 81 SISTER

AVRIELLE'S POV

“Really?” I whispered, my voice barely carrying across the small space between us. “He… he is really your brother?”

Xavier gave a slow, somber nod. His eyes were clouded with an exhausting grief that looked completely out of place on a man as ruthless as him.

He didn’t look like the feared Devil Alpha in that moment. He looked like a weary survivor carrying the weight of a shattered family on his shoulders.

I shook my head, my brow furrowing as confusion warred with anger inside me.

“Then… why is he trying so hard to kill you?” I asked. “The last time I checked the pack history and listened to the elders, you two were the best of brothers as children. People used to say you were inseparable. Other packs literally envied the bond between the two heirs of the North.”

Xavier released a dry, bitter breath.
A ghost of a smile touched his lips, though there wasn’t the slightest hint of warmth behind it.

He leaned his head against the headboard and stared up at the ceiling.

“He believes I orchestrated the fire,” Xavier said softly, his gravelly voice carrying the weight of an old, unhealed wound. “He thinks I set fire to our old manor to end him. To burn him out of existence so I could step over his ashes and claim the Alpha throne for myself.”

“Wow.”
The word slipped out before I could stop it.
A cold flare of indignation rose in my chest, making my hands clench into fists against the soft sheets.
“That is low… even for Malphas.”

I looked down at Xavier’s quiet, pained face and softened my voice slightly as I reached out and rested my hand over his knee.

“Don’t get angry if it hurts you that I’m talking about your brother that way, but he honestly deserves it. To harbor that kind of bitterness for fifteen years? To hunt his own blood and use innocent people just to feed a lie he created in his own head?”
I shook my head. “It’s sick.”

Xavier didn’t argue.
He simply gave another muted nod, his gaze shifting toward the narrow stained-glass window where moonlight filtered through in pale blue beams.

Silence settled over us again, heavy and tense.
But my mind was already racing, connecting the bloody pieces of the nightmare we were trapped in.
“Xavier…” I began quietly, shifting closer to him on the bed. “Do you really think he’ll believe Adrian died from self-assault?”

I swallowed.

“What if he thinks you killed Adrian out of pure spite? Or worse… what if he believes you executed his son just to clear the path, eliminate a rival bloodline, and secure your throne once and for all?”

Xavier released a long, ragged sigh.
His shoulders slumped as if someone had draped an iron cloak over them.

He dragged a hand down his face, rubbing his tired eyes.

“He probably thinks that already,” Xavier admitted, his voice dropping into a dark, resolute register. “Knowing Jeremy… knowing how his mind works now, he’s already convinced himself I slaughtered the boy in cold blood.”

His jaw tightened.
“That’s why I’ve decided to end all of this. Once and for all.”

I blinked, tilting my head as a strange knot of dread tightened in my stomach. “What do you mean?”

Xavier turned his head toward me.His eyes locked onto mine with such intensity that my breath caught. “I want us to hold our mating ceremony tomorrow.” The words came out flat, precise, and absolute.

“I’m going to make a formal, grand announcement across the entire territory. A massive, public celebration of our union. News will travel fast, and it will be more than enough to make him completely wild with rage.”

His expression hardened.

“He won’t be able to tolerate seeing me crowned and bonded while his son lies cold. He’ll attack again. He’ll bring everything he has left straight to our gates.”

His eyes darkened.
“And when he steps onto this land… I’ll end the war.”

I stared at him, my lips parting as the sheer recklessness of his plan settled over me.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Xavier.” I shook my head firmly. “Using our bond as a trap? Baiting a man who has nothing left to lose right into the heart of the pack house?”

Xavier reached out and took both of my hands in his.
His large, warm fingers tightened around mine.

“I know,” he murmured, his voice carrying a raw honesty I rarely heard from him. “I know, Avrielle. I shouldn’t be using our mating ceremony as a bargaining chip or a tactical trap.” His eyes dropped briefly to our joined hands. “But I’ve really run out of options.”

He exhaled slowly.

“Everything is piling up on my shoulders. The pack elders are demanding greater security, Border guards are dying, there’s a threat lurking in every shadow.”
His gaze returned to mine. “I have to stay strong for this pack. If I show even an ounce of weakness or hesitation right now… who will they rely on? Who will protect them?”

He looked into my eyes, his expression softening into a pleading tenderness. “I promise you… I’ll hold another mating ceremony after this. A real one. A proper, peaceful celebration where we aren’t waiting for blood to spill on the altar.” His fingers tightened around mine. “Just give me this one chance to draw him out.”

I looked at his face and instinctively released a soft breath, gently slipping my hands from his grip only to lift them to his face.

I cupped both of his warm, stubble-roughened cheeks, forcing him to look directly into my eyes. “Stop babbling now,” I said softly, my voice firm but filled with affection. “Just listen to me.”

Xavier fell silent as his eyes searched my face.

“I have no problem with you ending the war at our mating ceremony,” I told him plainly, a faint, reassuring smile touching my lips. “If it brings peace to this territory and keeps our people safe, then let him come.”

I paused. “But I want to ask you something serious, Xavier.”

He held his breath.

“Ending the war means ending Jeremy.” I watched his reaction carefully. “Or Malphas… or whatever he calls himself now. If it comes down to it on that field… will you really be able to do it?”

My voice softened. “Will you be able to strike down your own brother?”

Xavier stared at me and the air seemed to freeze between us.

He held my gaze for three excruciating beats before releasing a slow, heavy sigh that rattled his chest.

“That’s what I’m most scared of,” he whispered.

•~•~•

The entire pack estate was bubbling with chaotic, electrified energy.

News of the Alpha’s official mating ceremony had spread through the corridors like wildfire, bursting out of the keep and cascading into the surrounding pack villages within hours.

The pack house practically vibrated with excitement, anxiety, and breathless gossip.

Everyone wanted to know who the future Luna was.
Among the few who already knew my identity, the reactions were a wild mixture.

Some showed deep, awe-struck admiration for the woman who had somehow managed to thaw the heart of the ruthless Devil Alpha.
Others whispered in corners, displeased and wary of an outsider taking the highest crown in the territory.

Truthfully?
I didn’t give a damn about any of their opinions nor did I have the energy or desire to care about pack politics or bitter court maidens. Mostly because I had Elena in my room and for the past two hours, she’d been hyperventilating, gushing, and practically floating around my vanity as she fussed over me.

As for Xavier?
I hadn’t seen a single hair on his head since yesterday evening.

The moment dawn touched the horizon, he’d disappeared with Kaiden and the high commanders to organize the perimeter defenses and prepare the vanguard.

Sitting before the polished silver mirror, I felt a knot of deep, nervous anxiety twist tightly in my stomach. I knew that any moment now, Malphas could invade the pack and he wouldn’t be able to resist a public declaration of Xavier’s happiness while his own bloodline lay scattered in pieces.

It felt strange calling him Jeremy in my head.
I preferred Malphas.
First, because I didn’t want to ruin the golden, untainted memory of the innocent brother Xavier had loved as a boy. And second… Calling a monstrous, bloodthirsty warlord by a soft, name like Jeremy was just completely ridiculous. So Malphas he remained.

“Done, Mistress!” Elena’s dramatic announcement pulled me from my thoughts.

She placed the delicate horsehair makeup brush into the wooden kit on the table with a triumphant flourish.
I blinked and looked up at my reflection in the full-length mirror.

My breath caught.

The dress Elena had retrieved from the elder tailors was a masterpiece of Northern tradition and dark elegance. Deep midnight-blue silk hugged my waist before falling into heavy, velvet-trimmed folds around my feet. The neckline dipped wide across my collarbones, while intricate red embroidery shaped like sprawling frost blossoms and howling wolves wound its way along the long, fitted sleeves.

My hair fell over my shoulders in soft, voluminous waves, pinned back on one side with a silver comb encrusted with moonstones. My lips were painted a rich, dusky rose. My eyes looked sharp, striking, and luminous.

I stared at the woman in the mirror, I looked drop-dead gorgeous, hot, radiant and undeniably powerful.

Elena clapped her hands together, releasing a soft, high-pitched squeal as she hovered behind my chair.
“I bet the Alpha won’t be able to take his eyes off you today! He might actually forget we’re under threat and carry you straight back to bed!”

A sudden rush of crimson warmed my cheeks.
I covered my burning face with both hands, letting out an embarrassed laugh.

“Elena!”

“What?!” she giggled, bouncing on her heels. “I’m just speaking absolute facts, Mistress! You look like a literal goddess dropped down from the Moon itself!”

I lowered my hands and turned around in the chair to face her.

A warm, genuine smile spread across my lips. “It’s only because my sister knows how to do everything and does it best.”

Elena froze, her wide brown eyes blinked rapidly.
Her playful smile faltered as she stared at me in complete silence.
“Did…” she whispered. “Did you just call me sister, Mistress?”

I chuckled softly and reached out, taking both of her hands in mine. “Yes… I did.”

I squeezed her hands gently. “We’ve been through so much together over these past months, Elena. Through Danger, secrets, dungeons, and now a war.”

My smile softened. “It’s been almost a year of you standing by my side through everything. Don’t you think I should stop calling you my friend and start calling you my sister?”

A bright beam of pure joy transformed Elena’s face.
Tears instantly welled in her dark eyes, sparkling beneath the morning light.

“Thank you…” Her voice broke. “Thank you so much, Mistress!”

She squeezed my hands so tightly her knuckles turned white, sniffing back her tears. “You have no idea what that means to me!”

I chuckled warmly, shaking my head at her emotional reaction. “Now… it’s your turn to stop calling me mistress.” I raised an eyebrow. “Doesn’t it sound completely ridiculous, calling your own sister ‘mistress’ all over the pack house?”

Elena blinked, wiping a stray tear from her cheek. “Wait… what?”

“Just call me Avrielle,” I told her firmly, nudging her side with my knee. “Or Avy. I promise I don’t bite.”

Elena immediately shook her head, taking a quick step back as though I’d suggested she throw herself into an icy river.

“Oh no, no, no! I don’t think that’s proper at all! You’re the future Luna! It won’t be right, and the Alpha will literally bite my head off!” She waved her hands frantically. “The Alpha won’t like me calling you something so casual!”

I folded my arms over my silk gown, raising a sharp, challenging eyebrow. “Fuck Xavier! I’ll scold him myself if he dares raise his voice at you for calling me by my name.”

Elena’s jaw practically dropped.

She waved her hands frantically in front of her face “No, no, no! Please, no! I know my mistress is exceptionally strong and brave, but please don’t start a fight with the terrifying Alpha on your wedding morning just for my sake!”

I burst into a loud, breathless laugh, shaking my head at her sheer terror of Xavier. “Fine, fine. I’ll consider letting him off the hook…” I pointed a warning finger at her. “But only if you stop calling me ‘mistress.’”

Elena bit her lower lip, thinking hard. Her brow furrowed as she tried to navigate the strict pack hierarchy in her head.

“Okay, then…” she said slowly, a hesitant smile returning to her lips. “I’ll call you ‘Luna’ instead.”

I groaned playfully, rolling my eyes toward the high ceiling. “Isn’t that practically the exact same thing as ‘mistress’?”

“No… it really isn’t!” Elena argued fiercely, stepping forward to adjust the silver comb in my hair. “‘Mistress’ is what a servant calls her employer. ‘Luna’ is a title of pure respect and love from the entire pack!”

“Hmm…” I hummed softly, tilting my head as I looked at her reflection in the mirror. “Wouldn’t ‘Luna’ be what the whole pack will be yelling at me after the mating ceremony anyway?”

I smiled. “How about… ‘Luna Avrielle’? Or better yet… ‘Luna Avy’?”

Elena stared at me for a long beat. She took in my stubborn, amused expression before finally releasing a soft, defeated laugh and bowing her head in dramatic submission.

“Okay, okay! I yield to your absolute command,” Elena chirped cheerfully, her eyes twinkling with affection. “Luna Avy.”

I beamed at her, patting her hand gently. “Good girl. Now that’s settled…”

Before I could finish my sentence, the door of the bedchamber creaked open.

The warmth of the room vanished instantly and every trace of amusement... disappeared from my face.