Chapter 6: 6: Blood Oath

ARIEL

Xavier growls and lunges forward, but Alex steps in front of me, blocking his path. For a moment, all protocol about Alphas and kings vanishes as the two men circle each other.

Their muscles are taut, claws just beneath the surface, each a heartbeat away from releasing their wolves. Pack members on both sides are frozen, uncertain whether to intervene or get out of the way.

I catch the look on Alex’s face. There isn’t a shred of fear—only fierce determination. He’d probably win, but Xavier is a mighty warrior too, and every fight carries the risk of death. My heart stutters at the thought that the king himself is willing to risk his life for me.

Before Xavier can make the first move, he’s stopped by a firm hand on his shoulder.

It’s Natalia.

“Don’t,” she warns him as she holds her other hand on her belly. “~Our~ son needs a father. And she’s not worth it anyway.”

For a second, I think Xavier is going to explode at her too.

The tension is thick, and everyone is still.

But then, Xavier backs down.

He turns toward Alex and reluctantly kneels, baring his neck as a sign of submission.

“I apologize, Your Majesty. It’s been a difficult day,”

Alex’s beta steps forward and stands over Xavier. “What do you want me to do with him, Alex?”

I look at Alex.

His eyes stare down with anger at the man who broke my heart just moments ago.

~Is he going to kill him? Do I want him to?~

“We’re not going to kill him, Dom,” he says. “Ariel’s already been through enough pain today by having her bond broken. And that’s nothing compared to the pain of the death of a mate.”

He turns and reaches his hand out to me. His eyes are shining, completely full of confidence.

“Come on, Ariel. I’ll have Steve load up your bike. Let’s get you to your new home.”

I don’t even know what to say.

He just saved me from becoming a rogue.

So I take his hand and walk away from Xavier, my family, and the rest of my pack, leaving behind everything I’ve ever known. Just after I got it all back.

***

As I stand before Alex, we both wear white ceremonial robes, ready for the acceptance ritual.

We’re in an ornate chapel dedicated to the Moon Goddess, with a high domed ceiling and intricate, painstakingly crafted architecture and decor.

Right when we arrived, I asked to go through with the ritual, wanting to get it over with.

Of course, when I asked, I didn’t know the Royal Pack’s ritual is a BLOOD OATH.

~What the hell am I getting myself into?~

I’m positioned on a pedestal that’s directly underneath a moon roof in the center of the dome.

Most rituals take place under moonlight, a sacred practice among wolves.

Alex gives me a reassuring smile, but it does little to calm my nerves.

He’s holding an exceptionally large knife.

Steve and Dom stand by as witnesses as Alex approaches me.

“Ariel Thomas, do you pledge your loyalty and your life to the Royal Pack, under the light of the Goddess?” he asks as he takes my hand.

Alex’s fingers glide softly against my skin, and I get butterflies in my stomach.

It was much easier being around him when I thought he was just a commoner, but now that I know he’s a king…

I second guess everything I say, every move I make.

But he seems to have a special ability to make me feel calm.

He gives my hand a light squeeze. I feel that spark between us again. A flicker in his eyes tells me he does too.

“Yes,” I reply. “I pledge my loyalty to the Royal Pack.”

~

I wince as Alex suddenly slices my palm with the knife. Blood drips onto my pristine white robe.

The incision threatens to bring back memories of the Hunters, but I push them to the back of my mind.

“Then you’re accepted into this pack. This place is now your home,” he says, taking the knife to his own hand.

As we reach out and place our hands against each other’s, the blood mixes, and I feel the pack bond sealing.

I start to feel dizzy, my vision blurring, and my body going numb.

Maybe it’s the blood loss, or maybe it’s something else, but I hear a soft voice in my ear.

~“Ariel.”~

I know this voice.

Selene.

The Moon Goddess.

~We float together on a boat in a dark, endless lake, the surface lit only by moonlight. Her skin glows with its own soft light, her hair so long it trails out of the boat and drifts on water.~

~What does she have in store for me this time?~

~Her silky voice is barely a whisper, yet it fills the air around me.~

~“Ariel, listen carefully. You are in a strange new place, pulled away from home too soon. But you are here for a reason. The threads of fate have placed you where you must be. You must protect Alex. No matter what happens, you must keep him safe.”~

~The boat begins to sink, creaking as the dark water laps higher. Selene remains utterly calm, radiant even as the boat lowers and the lake begins to swallow her. She slips beneath the surface with a calm smile.~

~Meanwhile, I’m thrashing, trying to stay afloat, but my body is heavy, weighed down by something. I’m dragged down into the cold, endless depths. The silver light of the moon fades to total darkness as I sink deeper.~

***

I come to in a cold sweat, gasping for air, as if I’m still underwater.

I’m on land. In a bed. Safe.

I wipe my bandaged hand across my damp forehead.

I still hear Selene’s words…

~You must protect Alex. No matter what happens, you must keep him safe.~

~

What did she mean by telling me to keep him safe? Is he in danger? Do I need to warn someone? And does that mean he’s my mate?

I still can’t even be sure if that was real or if I was just hallucinating.

Truthfully, I’ve been feeling weird lately, getting cold shivers, like my insides are being frozen over.

I’m getting another one right now, and my body feels ice cold, but I try to shake it off.

Werewolves rarely get cold, so it’s definitely a cause for concern, but I don’t want anyone to worry.

“Cold?” I start at the voice, coming from the shadows.

Alex steps forward, sits on my bed.

“I’m okay,” I say. “The blood oath was intense.”

“Yes, especially for you. The way your body reacted…” He’s hesitant to finish the thought.

“What?”

He takes my hand firmly, gives me an intense look. “The goddess visited you, didn’t she?”

How does he know?

I try to deny it. “No, I was, it was…”

“DON’T LIE TO YOUR KING,” he growls.

“Yes, she did.”

I start shaking even harder. He finds a blanket on the end of the bed, drapes it around me, and pulls me close. The heat from his body warms me instantly.

“I won’t ask you to tell me her message,” he says, “that’s between you and her.”

“Thank you,” I say. I mean…how would I even go about telling Alex that I received a message from the Goddess telling me to keep him safe?

He takes me by the shoulders, firm but caring, and looks me right in the eyes.

“Xavier was a fool to give you up. You’re special. And you’re mine now.”

He continues to hold me, his arms strong and steady around me, and I don’t know what to say. Heat radiates from his touch, seeping through my skin, making me acutely aware that I’m still in the thin robe, the fabric doing little to hide the curve of my body.

His eyes darken as he takes me in, hunger flickering there, like he’s fighting the urge to pull me closer.

I want him to.

How can I be feeling this so soon? He is not my mate.

And yet, he feels like something more.

I’m his now… I think I like being his.