CIAN
"Alpha Cian."
Elder Moira's voice cut through my thoughts. I turned to find her standing beside me, her cornflower blue eyes watching me with an expression I hated. It was similar to the look she gave me after the healer told me there was no saving my mother.
An expression of pity that made me feel as powerless as a young boy, unable to do a single thing to change matters. "Whatever has transpired here," she said quietly, "you must not reject this bride."
I stared at her. "Elder..."
"The goddess has given her blessing," Moira continued. "Both of us felt it during the ceremony. The bond between you has already taken strong roots. To break it now would be an act of blasphemy against the Moon Goddess herself. We…she cannot afford to suffer the possible consequences."
She lowered her voice at the end, but her words hit me like a sharp splash of cold water. On any other day, I wouldn't give two fucks about incurring the permanent wrath of the Moon Goddess by spitting in the face of her gift. I wasn't the devout type.
But my mother's life was hanging in the balance. Her life made it impossible for me not to care about the whims of the gods. I could no longer be indifferent to the Moon Goddess' desires.
I might have another mate in the future, but I would always only have one mother.
If I still callously went ahead with breaking the bond, how else would the goddess get back at me, if not through my mother? She could not endure any more pain. I would not let her.
I clenched my jaw.
Fate intended to make me its bitch today, didn't it?
I looked at Fia. She stood there shaking, tears streaming down her cheeks. Through the bond, I felt her terror and confusion crashing against my own fury like waves against stone.
The impossible position she'd put me in tightened like a noose. Whether this was jealousy, calculation or sheer plain idiocy, she'd trapped me as surely as if she'd locked me in chains.
Fine.
If I couldn't break this bond without angering the goddess, then I'd make sure she regretted every moment of what came next.
I turned to face the crowd. My voice came out cold and clear, carrying to every corner of the hall.
"The wedding will go forward."
Gasps erupted. People started talking over each other. Confusion and shock was heavily laden in their voices. None of them could believe their ears, and Fia was staring at me with wide eyes in disbelief, and I felt my lips curl in distaste.
I held up a hand for silence.
"But understand this," I continued. "This is punishment. She wanted this position badly enough to attack her own sister? Fine. She has it. And she will learn exactly what she's earned."
I turned to Alpha Joseph. The man looked like he'd aged ten years in the last five minutes.
"Does that satisfy you?" I asked him. "Or would you rather stake your pack to protect your unruly daughter?"
The threat was clear. Accept this or face the consequences. Joseph's face went even more gray. He opened his mouth but no words came out.
"Father, no, father please."
Fia had dropped to her knees beside me. She was begging him, her voice breaking on every word.
"Get up," I commanded, barely managing to hide the venom that followed my voice.
She looked at me, then slowly stood. Her whole body trembled like a leaf in a storm.
"I am sorry," she whispered. "I swear that this was not my intention. I never wanted to ruin this wedding."
The sight of her like that turned my stomach.
Kneeling... Begging... Reduced to something pitiful... I despised it more than open defiance.
This performance of helplessness, and the quiet hope that the fear that she kept sending in droves into the mate bond might soften me, made my skin crawl.
As if shrinking herself could erase the choice she willingly made. As if playing the victim could rewrite that wicked intent.
Alpha Joseph finally found his voice.
"Alpha Cian," he said hoarsely, hands lifting in a useless, placating gesture. "Please. She is young. She is stupid."
I laughed once, sharp and humorless.
"Enough," I said. "Do not stand there and insult me."
"It is just—" Joseph faltered, his hands trembling now, no longer pleading so much as flailing. "She did not understand the weight of it. She did not think it would go this far. You know how girls are, ruled by impulse. I am asking for leniency, nothing more."
That did it.
I stepped closer, close enough that he stiffened, close enough that he had to look at me.
"Do not insult me again," I said quietly. "Or yourself. You stand here calling your own blood foolish as if that absolves her. Stupidity is not a shield. She knew enough to lie. She knew well enough to hide. She even dragged others into it. The union I wanted to make was not a joke."
Fia shook her head hard, tears streaking down her face. "Father, please," she cried. "Please, you know I never meant to hurt anyone. I did it because I thought it would save us. I am confused. I don't know why they are making me out to be something I am not. I thought Hazel ran away. I swear."
I did not look at her.
I kept my eyes on Alpha Joseph and watched the moment his resolve finally cracked.
His shoulders sagged as the last of his weak willed fighting spirit drained out of him.
"Alpha Cian," he said again, quieter now. "What do you want from me?"
"Good," I said. "I want to know if you would rather I settle this here in your grounds, under my authority, or if you would prefer your daughter stand before an elders circle at Skollrend and answer for her crimes in full. I might not be able to reject her. But it doesn't mean she cannot pay for her sins if I really want her to. Even Silver Creek will be dragged into that hell..."
The color drained from his face.
He knew what that meant. The gravity of it and completely caved.
"We will accept your judgment," he said. "Whatever you decide."
Fia let out a broken sound.
"No," she sobbed, lunging for him. "Father, no, please. You cannot do this. Do not abandon me. Please... Please..."
"Save it," I cut her off. My voice was ice cold. "You wanted me that bad? You have me now. Let's finish this."
I grabbed her, pulling her close. She gasped, her hands coming up to push against my chest, but I was stronger. So much stronger. I wrapped one hand in her hair, tilting her head back, and crushed my mouth against hers.
The bond flared between us like a flame catching gasoline. I felt it snap into place fully, locking us together in a way that couldn't be undone. Her lips were soft and tasted like salt from her tears. She made a small sound of distress that vibrated against my mouth.
I pulled back just enough to look into her eyes. They were wide and dark with fear and something that could only have been heartbreak.
"You'll regret ever stepping into your sister's place," I said quietly, making sure only she could hear. "I promise you that."
Then I kissed her again, sealing the bond completely while the crowd watched and the mate connection between us solidified into something permanent and unbreakable.
She was mine now. And I was going to make sure she understood exactly what that meant.