Chapter 8 THE BALANCE OF RITE
Alicia’s POV
Once more, the female elder speaks. "You have to go through the Claiming Ceremony on the night of the full moon. All four of your mates will publicly mark you in front of witnesses, establishing their bonds for all to see." She pauses. "It's... traditional for such ceremonies. To prevent challenges."
My stomach drops. "Publicly. You mean…"
"The pack will watch," Pascal confirms. "They must witness your acceptance of all four mates. Only then will the bonds be recognized by pack law and by the power that governs our kind."
I can't breathe. Can't think. "Ray will never allow that."
The idea of submitting to all four of my mates in public, with the pack's eyes on my survival and shame, made the internal corruption feel benevolent. But I'm not going to die. For the sake of my life, I will put up with this public spectacle.
"Ray has no choice." Pascal's voice hardens. "None of you do. You're bonded now, girl. The only question is whether you'll survive it."
A knock at the door. Monty's voice filters through: "Elder, the Alpha demands…"
"Send them in," Pascal interrupts. "She needs to tell them herself."
The door opens. Four males enter, and the bonds flare so hot I gasp. Ray moves to my side instantly, his hand finally touching my face, checking for fever. Monty hovers at the foot of the bed. Kai leans against the far wall, deceptively casual. Logan stands in the doorway, blocking escape.
"Tell us," Ray demands, looking at Pascal but keeping his hand on my cheek. "What does she have to do?"
Pascal's gaze moves to me. "Tell them, child. They deserve to hear it from you."
I look at each of them in turn. Ray, whose bond I corrupted through ignorance and forbidden love. Monty, who volunteered himself to save me. Kai, who I don't even know but who feels right in ways that terrify me. Logan, my childhood friend turned stranger turned... what?
"I have to complete the bonds," I say quietly. "With all of you. Before the full moon."
Ray's hand tightens on my face. Not painful, but possessive. "Complete them how?"
I force myself to meet his eyes. "Intimately. And then... publicly. A claiming ceremony. All four of you. In front of the pack."
The silence is absolute.
Then Ray's hand drops from my face. He takes one step back. Two. His storm-grey eyes have gone completely black.
"No." His voice is lethal calm. "Absolutely fucking not."
Monty moves closer, hand settling on my waist…exactly where Ray can see it. "Ray, if it saves her life…"
Ray's head snaps toward him, and the Alpha command in his voice could shatter stone. "Don't. Touch. Her."
But Monty doesn't move his hand. The bond between us pulses, warm and steady, and I realize something: Monty isn't backing down. Not this time.
"She's my mate too now," Monty says quietly. "Whether you like it or not."
The room explodes.
Ray lunges. Monty shoves me aside and meets him halfway. They collide in a tangle of fists and fury, crashing into the wall hard enough to crack stone. Kai moves like liquid shadow, inserting himself between them with one hand on each chest.
"Children," he drawls. "Save the bloodshed for enemies."
The bonds are like four clashing frequencies which made my teeth vibrate and my raw nerves are scraped. The chaos becomes more intense and unbearable every second they are standing here.
Logan crosses to me, helps me stand. His hand on my elbow sends sparks through the bond. "Are you alright?"
I nod, unable to speak, watching Ray and Monty snarl at each other over Kai's restraining arms.
Pascal's voice cuts through the chaos. "Enough. This is precisely why the Rite exists, to force cooperation among mates who would otherwise tear each other apart." His eyes find Ray. "You have twenty-eight days to make peace with sharing her, Alpha. Or you'll all die."
Ray's chest heaves. Slowly, so slowly, he straightens. Kai releases them both, stepping back but staying alert.
"Fine," Ray grits out. "We'll do your ritual. We'll complete the bonds." His eyes find mine, and the possessive hunger in them makes my knees weak. "But I'll be first. Before any of them touch her, she's mine." he says it as if ownership is the only thing
that counts. an attempt to force his will on a destiny beyond his control. I know that this is his way of protecting.
"Actually," Pascal says, and his tone makes my blood freeze, "there's one more detail about the Claiming Ceremony I should mention."
Everyone turns to look at him.
Pascal's expression is grave. "All four mates must mark Alicia simultaneously. On the night of the full moon. In front of the entire pack." He lets that sink in. "And the marking... it must happen while she's claimed. By all four. At once."
The words hang in the air like a death sentence.
My vision goes grey at the edges. Claimed. By all four at the same time. Publicly. The dignity I was desperately clinging to disappears, and it's replaced by my cold, crushing reality. This embarrassment cannot be avoided.
Ray's roar shakes the foundations of the building.
And Elder Pascal simply nods, as if he expected nothing less.
"Twenty-eight days," he repeats. "Prepare yourselves. Because the Claiming Ceremony will test everything you think you know about love, loyalty, and survival."
He sweeps from the room, the other elders following.
Leaving me alone with four males whose bonds are screaming, whose eyes promise possession, and whose futures are now inextricably tied to mine.
Ray's voice is deadly quiet when he finally speaks.
"Twenty-eight days. And then everyone will watch me claim what's mine."
Monty's hand tightens on my waist. "What's ours," he corrects softly.
Kai's ice-blue eyes meet mine across the room, and he smiles, all teeth, no warmth.
Logan closes the door with a quiet click that sounds like a prison cell locking.
And the mate bonds gently whispers with a particular word:
Ours. Ours. Ours.