Chapter 18 Bloodbound Rite Day 1
The emcee’s voice thundered across the wide grounds, amplified by hidden speakers and the natural acoustics of the stone arena. The chatter that had filled the air moments ago died instantly. Conversations cut off mid-sentence. Even the wind seemed to still.
This was it.
The Bloodbound Rite was about to begin. The ancient challenge capable of breaking lives apart or fulfilling ambitions no one dared to speak aloud. A rite that promised glory to some and ruin to others.
“I know you have all been waiting for this moment,” the emcee announced, his voice steady but charged with excitement. “From the day it was announced until today, each of you has prepared—physically, mentally, and emotionally.”
Selene stood among the crowd, arms folded loosely, her gaze fixed on the elevated stage. She could feel the tension thrumming beneath her skin, sharp and electric. Her wolf stirred, restless, her wolf knows what is coming.
“But before we begin,” the emcee continued, “let us welcome the man who once stood at the head of this pack—the former Alpha of the West, and the current principal of Red Moon University…Sir Frederick.”
A hush fell and from the shadows behind the stage, a man stepped forward.
He was tall, broad-shouldered, his presence commanding without effort. His hair was streaked with silver, though his posture remained unyielding, sharp as a blade that had never dulled. The moment his eyes swept over the students, a wave of pressure rolled through the grounds.
Selene felt it immediately.
Power.
Not loud. Not forced. But absolute.
Even the current Alphan who is standing among the faculty has shifted subtly, his jaw tightening as he endured the weight of Frederick’s aura. Former Alpha or not, the man still carried dominance in his bones.
“Students,” Frederick began, his voice low but resonant, “faculty, staff…”
He paused, letting the silence stretch, letting anticipation coil tighter.
“Welcome to our annual rite,” he said at last. “The Bloodbound Rite.”
The grounds erupted.
Cheers broke out in waves, howls piercing the air as students clapped in unison, the sound echoing as if rehearsed. Selene watched faces light up. Some with excitement, others with fear thinly veiled beneath bravado.
Frederick lifted a hand, and the noise slowly faded.
“I would be lying if I said any of you are ignorant of what this rite entails,” he continued dryly. “If you do not understand its purpose by now, then you have not been listening to your professors and I assure you, ignorance will not protect you from its consequences.”
A ripple of nervous laughter moved through the crowd.
“Today,” Frederick said, stepping closer to the edge of the stage, “you will prove yourselves to the Moon. You will prove your resolve, your devotion, and your willingness to bleed for what you desire.”
His gaze sharpened.
“No matter how brutal the trials may become. No matter how much pain is demanded of you. Giving up,” he added, almost casually, “is not an option.”
Selene felt her wolf lift its head.
“Therefore,” Frederick concluded, voice carrying across the arena, “as principal of this university and former Alpha of the West Pack, I hereby declare the Bloodbound Rite officially open.”
The crowd exploded.
Students screamed, clapped, some even shifted partially in excitement before restraining themselves. The air buzzed with adrenaline and ambition. Selene inhaled slowly, grounding herself as the noise washed over her.
Beside her, Kai and Christopher stood unnervingly close.
They didn’t touch but they didn’t need to.
Selene noticed the way their gazes flickered toward each other. Brief. Quick. Intimate in a way only people hiding something could manage. Christopher’s jaw tightened whenever Kai looked at him too long. Kai, on the other hand, didn’t bother hiding the satisfaction curling at the edges of her smile.
Selene tilted her head slightly, watching them from the corner of her eye.
Interesting.
“Oh right. Kai.” Selene’s voice was light, almost playful.
Kai startled slightly before schooling her expression, turning toward Selene with practiced innocence. “Yes?”
“Aunt mentioned something earlier,” Selene said casually. “She said you were planning to challenge someone during the Rite.”
Christopher stiffened imperceptibly and Selene didn’t miss it.
“Who is it?” Selene asked, smiling.
Kai laughed softly and immediately slipped her arm around Selene’s shoulders, clinging a little too tightly. “You must’ve misunderstood. I changed my mind.”
She leaned closer, voice sweet. “I’m not challenging anyone. I’ll just stay with you and watch. Sister time, right?”
Her smile was wide and it is too wide.
Selene studied her for a heartbeat.
Kai’s eyes were bright. Excited and not relieved.
“Oh?” Selene replied mildly. “That’s surprising.”
Kai shrugged. “People change.”
Yes, Selene thought. They do.
Christopher let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding, forcing a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Probably for the best,” he said. “The Rite isn’t something to take lightly.”
Kai squeezed Selene’s shoulder, nails pressing just a little. “Exactly.”
Selene felt her wolf snarl softly beneath her ribs.
“She lies”, it murmured.
Selene ignored it… For now.
Selene let her gaze drift back to the stage. The banners fluttered overhead, crimson against the sky. The ground beneath her feet felt ancient—older than the academy, older than the rules now being recited.
Somewhere in the crowd, students were already making plans. Alliances forming. Ambitions sharpening and Kai’s grip never loosened. Selene smiled faintly.
If Kai thought backing out now would hide her intentions, she was mistaken. The lie sat between them like a blade wrapped in silk.
The Bloodbound Rite had begun.
And whether Kai stepped forward today or waited until the perfect moment. Selene knew one thing with absolute certainty. This challenge was coming and this time, she wouldn’t be the one caught unprepared. In the middle of the field, the emcee’s voice rose again, cutting through the lingering cheers and murmurs like a blade.
“Now,” he announced, his tone formal and heavy with significance, “we will begin with the first Invocation of the Rite.”
A hush fell over the grounds.
Even the most restless students stilled, their earlier excitement tightening into something sharper, anticipation mixed with fear. Selene felt it ripple through the crowd, a collective holding of breath.
“Any participant who wishes to invoke the Bloodbound Rite,” the emcee continued, “must step forward willingly, declare their intent, and name the bond or claim they seek to challenge.”
Torches along the perimeter flared higher, their flames burning crimson instead of gold. The stone markers surrounding the arena began to hum faintly, ancient runes awakening beneath centuries of silence.
Selene’s wolf stirred, alert and focused.
She glanced sideways.
Kai stood perfectly still, her expression serene, almost bored yet Selene could feel it. The tension beneath her skin. The impatience coiled tight behind her eyes.
“Not yet”, Selene thought calmly. “But soon”.
Somewhere under the blood-red banners and the Moon’s watchful gaze, fate leaned closer while waiting to see who would be brave enough, or foolish enough, to take the first step forward.
The emcee stepped aside, allowing the center of the arena to open fully. A circular platform of pale stone lay exposed, etched with runes that pulsed faintly beneath the crimson light of the torches.
For a moment, no one moved. Until a student stepped forward.