49. Lucy's Choice.

Lucy POV

The sunlight hurt my eyes.

Blinding.

I groaned and rolled to the side, only to realize that I was lying on something hard, cold, and… not my own bed.

Panic clawed at my chest, my heartbeat spiking as I tried to remember where I was, how I got here, and why my body felt like it had been through a storm.

I opened my eyes fully, wincing.

Everything was unfamiliar yet chillingly familiar at the same time.

The stone walls were carved with intricate sigils and charms that glimmered faintly in the pale morning light that filtered through the high windows.

My stomach churned as I realized I was still in the witch’s shrine.

The same shrine where my father and I had performed the ritual.

My mind struggled to recall the details of the last moments, but it was hazy, blurred by exhaustion, magic, and fear.

I slowly tried to sit up.

My body screamed at me—muscles stiff, joints aching, and a sharp, persistent pain at my lower back. Something was… wrong. I felt along the region and froze.

A burning, almost alive sensation spread across my skin.

My hands trembled as I reached behind me.

A tattoo.

Not just a simple mark, but a detailed, glowing sigil etched across my lower back.

The intricate lines pulsed faintly as if they were alive, almost synchronizing with the rhythm of my pulse. I gasped and pressed my fingers against it. It burned, and yet it wasn’t painful—more like a demand.

A calling.

Something that tied me to the events that had just occurred, and, I feared, to what was coming next.

My head spun, and I collapsed back onto the cold stone floor, trying to make sense of it.

The shrine was quiet. Too quiet.

Shadows moved against the walls as the faint glow of the charms reflected off the polished stones.

My gaze darted around, noting their arrangement. Protective, I realized.

They were not just decorations or symbols; they formed a circle around me, a barrier.

A cage of magic.

My breath hitched as I thought about what that meant.

The witch must have used them for the ritual. I had been… contained? For days? Or longer?

The air shifted, and a familiar presence appeared without a sound.

I froze.

The witch entered.

Her steps were soft but deliberate.

Her presence carried power, authority, and a quiet warning.

Her eyes were steady on me as she smiled faintly. “Ah, Lucy,” she said, her voice melodic but edged with steel. “You’re awake.”

I blinked, trying to gather myself.

“How long… have I been…?” My voice cracked.

She raised a hand, and the charms around me dimmed, flickering like dying embers.

“Three days and three nights,” she replied calmly.

“You’ve been sleeping longer than you realize, but your body needed it.

Your mind needed it. The magic of the ritual is draining, and you’ve endured more than most could survive.”

I shivered. Three days? My body felt… hollowed out, as if my energy had been stripped layer by layer. I tried to stand but fell back to my knees, the pain in my back and the burning tattoo intensifying.

She motioned gracefully with her hands, chanting in a low, melodic tone. The charms surrounding me started to dissolve, floating upward like smoke and fading into the sunlight. My vision cleared, the oppressive magic dissipating, leaving only the tattoo on my back and the faint ache in my body as a reminder of what had been done to me.

“Sit up,” she instructed, and I obeyed, swaying slightly as I balanced myself. My fingers traced the tattoo again. It wasn’t just a mark—it was a signal, a key, a reminder. I had been chosen. For what, exactly, I did not yet fully comprehend.

“Do you see it?” she asked, her voice quiet but firm. I looked up, confused.

“The tattoo… on my back?” I asked.

“Yes. That mark signifies your bond to the Alpha. It is more than decoration—it is a connection. It will glow fully only after mating is completed.”

I swallowed hard. “What now?” I whispered, my voice barely audible. Fear and awe warred inside me.

The witch’s eyes softened for a moment, though the power in her gaze did not falter. “Tonight, you will mate with the Alpha,” she said. My stomach twisted violently. I knew this moment was coming, but hearing it stated so plainly sent a jolt of panic and disbelief coursing through me.

“M-Mate with… him? Tonight?” My voice shook, the words barely forming. “He… he doesn't even—”

She raised a hand, silencing me. “Do not speak in doubt, Lucy. The mating cannot be delayed. You have a choice, yes, but it is time to act. But for the ritual to be accepted...to work...

..You must capture his heart on your own. No magic can force it. That is the law of the Lunar bond. Wolves are… difficult. Alphas are more difficult still. They mate only with those they are attracted to. Your mark will guide you, but the rest… must come from your will.”

I felt my knees weaken. My thoughts spiraled, memories of Adrian flashing in my mind—the coldness, the dominance, the way he had looked at me before leaving me. The Alpha of all wolves. My heart raced and I realized that tonight, it was my duty to face him. Not as a soldier or a general, but as the Luna. The thought made my chest tighten, and fear gripped me like icy fingers.

She walked closer, holding a small vial of perfume that glowed faintly in the morning light. The liquid inside shimmered with a golden hue. “This,” she said, holding it out to me, “will assist you. It will draw him closer, awaken curiosity and desire in his heart—but it is not enough to complete the bond. You must act, Lucy. Every step, every word, every glance… must be yours alone. Tonight, he will notice you. Tonight, you will make him yours—or fail.”

I hesitated, staring at the vial as though it held the key to my life and death. Could I do this? Could I seduce Adrian—the Alpha, the man whose power and pride could crush me in an instant—by myself? My chest tightened. I wanted to scream, but the words wouldn’t come.

“Are you… sure I can do this?” I asked, my voice trembling.

The witch’s gaze softened for a moment, almost maternal. “Yes. But it will not be easy. Remember this: magic can guide, but it cannot compel desire. Wolves are proud creatures. Alphas more so. You must ignite what already exists—or create it within yourself.”

I nodded slowly, my hands shaking as I accepted the vial. The perfume smelled faintly of wildflowers and moonlight, an intoxicating fragrance that immediately made my senses tingle. It seemed almost alive. Almost aware.

“Now,” the witch continued, “prepare yourself. Follow my instructions exactly, and the ritual will succeed. But one misstep… and there will be consequences you cannot imagine. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” I whispered, clutching the vial tightly. My entire body trembled, a mixture of anticipation, fear, and something else… something dangerous and exhilarating.

She nodded once, turning to leave. “Wait for me outside this chamber. I will signal when it is time to proceed. The ritual begins when the moon is highest, and the bond is strongest. Remember, Lucy—the Alpha’s heart is yours to capture, not mine. You must do this. Tonight, it begins.”

As she vanished, I sank back onto the cold stone floor, the sunlight bathing my newly tattooed back. I touched it again, the lines and curves almost humming under my fingers. I felt powerful and fragile at the same time, terrified and exhilarated. Everything was leading to tonight. Everything was set in motion.

I realized I had no choice. The bond, the ritual, the "fake" Luna mark, the Alpha… it all converged on me. And deep inside, a thought surfaced that I refused to admit: I wanted to do this. Not for the council. Not for my father. Not even for the witch. For him.

For Adrian.

My breath hitched at the thought. The Alpha who had never shown weakness, who had never considered me worthy, would now face me as the Luna. My heart pounded. My hands gripped the vial tighter. The tattoo burned again, and I knew in my bones that this was only the beginning.

Tonight, everything changed.

And for the first time, I understood the weight of the power I carried—not just for the pack, not just for my father, but for myself. I was no longer just Lucy. I was the "Luna". And tonight, I would claim what was mine.