Chapter 78 CEREMONIAL EVE
Celestia's Pov
I couldn’t sleep at all the night before the ceremony. I kept getting up, pacing the room, staring out the window as if the darkness might offer answers. My thoughts wouldn’t slow, looping over everything that could go wrong. Tomorrow, I would be in the same building as Asher—so close to him I could almost feel it. The nearness was both a comfort and a torment, filling my chest with restless hope and unbearable fear.
Lucian found me standing by the window at three in the morning.
"You should be sleeping," Lucian said.
"I can't. Every time I close my eyes all I can think about is him," I said.
"I know. But you need rest for tomorrow," Lucian said and he came to stand next to me.
"What if something goes wrong? What if I can't get to him?" I asked.
"Then we'll find another way. But I think you will get to him. We have a solid plan," Lucian said.
I looked at him and felt tears start to come.
“I’m so close to him, Lucian,” I said, my voice shaking as the words spilled out. “Just walls between us.” I pressed my hands together, trying to steady myself. “I could run there right now, break down the doors, and take him. I can almost feel him on the other side, like he knows I’m here. Every second I wait feels unbearable, like I’m choosing obedience over my own child.”
"But you won't. Because that would ruin everything we've worked for," Lucian said.
"I know. I know I can't just take him. But I want to so badly it hurts," I said.
Lucian pulled me close and let me cry on his shoulder.
“Tomorrow during the ceremony, everyone will be distracted,” Lucian said calmly, trying to anchor me. “That’s when you’ll see him.” He softened his tone, knowing how close I was to breaking. “Just be patient a little longer. The attention, the crowds, the rituals—they’ll all work in our favor. One wrong move too soon could ruin everything. Trust me. You’ve waited this long. You can wait a little more.”
"What if he doesn't remember me? What if he's scared of me?" I asked.
"He won't be scared. You're his mother. He'll know you," Lucian said.
I pulled back and wiped my eyes.
"I'm sorry. I'm being emotional," I said.
"You're being a mother. There's nothing wrong with that," Lucian said.
We sat down on the couch and Lucian held my hand.
"Can I tell you something?" I asked.
"Anything," Lucian said.
“Part of me wants to just grab him tomorrow and run,” I said quietly, the confession slipping out before I could stop it. “Take him and disappear somewhere they’ll never find us. Start over completely.” I let out a shaky breath. “No courts, no packs, no politics—just him and me. I know it’s reckless, but some days it feels like the only way to keep him safe.”
"I understand that feeling. But you know what would happen if you did that right?" Lucian asked.
"I'd be a kidnapper. They'd hunt us down. And when they found us they'd take him away forever and I'd probably go to prison," I said.
"Exactly. We have to do this the right way. Through the legal system. We're so close to proving your innocence. Once we do that you can file for custody and actually win," Lucian said.
"How close are we really? Your investigators have been working on this for weeks," I said.
"We have the financial records showing Eclipse paid Dr. Lake. We have witnesses who saw Eclipse and Medea meeting secretly. We have evidence that Medea's pregnancy timeline doesn't add up. We just need Dr. Lake to confess and it all comes together," Lucian said.
"And if she doesn't confess?" I asked.
“Then we use what we have and hope it’s enough,” Lucian said steadily. “But I think she will.” He leaned forward, voice firm with quiet confidence. “My team is approaching her tomorrow. They’re going to offer her immunity in exchange for her testimony.” His eyes met mine. “If she’s smart—and scared enough—she’ll take the deal. Once she talks, everything changes.”
"Tomorrow? During the ceremony?" I asked.
"Right before it. While everyone is distracted at the pack house my investigators will be at Dr. Lake's office getting her statement," Lucian said.
"That's risky. What if Eclipse finds out?" I asked.
"She won't. We've been very careful about keeping this quiet," Lucian said.
I leaned my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes.
"I'm scared," I admitted.
"Of what?" Lucian asked.
"That something will go wrong. That I'll get so close to having him back and then lose him again. I don't think I could survive that," I said.
"You won't lose him. I promise you that. Even if we have to fight for years you will get your son back," Lucian said.
"Thank you for helping me. For believing me when nobody else did," I said.
"You don't have to thank me. You're my mate. Your fight is my fight," Lucian said.
We sat there in silence for a while and I felt myself finally starting to relax a little bit.
"Tell me the plan again. For tomorrow," I said.
"During the ceremony Crane will create a distraction. Something small but enough to draw attention away from you. You'll slip away to the medical wing. Asher's guard should be at the ceremony watching so his room will be unguarded. You go in. You talk to him. You let him know you're real and you're coming for him. Then you come right back before anyone notices you're gone. Ten minutes max," Lucian said.
"What if the guard doesn't leave his post?" I asked.
"Then Crane will handle him. But quietly. We don't want to cause a scene," Lucian said.
"And you'll be at the ceremony keeping everyone distracted?" I asked.
"Yes. I'll make sure all eyes are on me and not on you," Lucian said.
"Okay. I can do this," I said.
"I know you can," Lucian said.
I finally went back to bed, but sleep still refused to come. I just lay there in the dark, staring at the ceiling, my mind racing. I kept thinking about what I would say to Asher when I saw him—how I would explain my absence, how I would reassure him that I wasn’t leaving again. I practiced the words over and over, wondering if any of them would be enough to make up for the time we had lost.
Would I tell him I'm his mother? Or would that be too confusing for him?
Maybe I should just tell him I'm the blanket lady. That seemed safer.
But I wanted him to know the truth. I wanted him to know I was his real mother and I never stopped fighting for him.
I must have fallen asleep at some point because I woke up to sunlight coming through the windows. It was morning. The day of the ceremony.
I got up and got dressed carefully, moving deliberately so I wouldn’t disturb the quiet of the house. I picked clothes that were polished and appropriate for a ceremony—something that looked respectable, put‑together, and unobtrusive—but also practical, easy to move in, with soft shoes and secure fastenings. Every detail mattered. Just in case I needed to run. Every choice was made with one thought in mind: if anything went wrong, I had to be ready to act immediately.
Lucian was already up and dressed. He looked at me and smiled.
"Ready?" Lucian asked.
"As ready as I'll ever be," I said.
Crane came to our room to go over the plan one more time.
"I'll create the distraction around twenty minutes into the ceremony. That gives you time to slip away. I'll meet you at the medical wing entrance to make sure the coast is clear. You go in. Talk to him. Then we get out," Crane said.
"What kind of distraction?" I asked.
"Nothing too dramatic. Maybe I'll spill something on one of the Elders. Or start an argument with another guard. Something that draws attention but doesn't raise suspicion," Crane said.
"Okay. And Lucian you'll be watching to make sure Raphael doesn't notice I'm gone?" I asked.
"I'll keep him busy. Don't worry," Lucian said.