Chapter 6

Willow’s POV

He had almost said 'my Luna'. I saw his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed the word.

"Willow, you will wear something decent," my mother said, her eyes sweeping over my black gown with disgust. "If you show up to the ceremony like that, the entire North will be laughing at our Luna."

"I have no shortage of clothes in my wardrobe," I said, my tone flat.

"None of them are suitable," she retorted. "Tomorrow, you will accompany me to the pack tailor to select something appropriate."

"I am going to the infirmary tomorrow to be with Aunt Maeve."

My mother's face darkened. "Willow, that woman has one foot in the grave. Your being there will not change anything. But your sister has been blessed, and you should be by her side."

That woman. She would not even say 'adoptive mother'. She just called her 'that woman'.

"If you will excuse me," I said, pushing back my chair and standing up straight. "I am not feeling well. I am going to my room to rest."

"Willow, sit down," Rowan commanded, using his Alpha aura.

"No."

"That is an order!"

"I said no," I said, looking him straight in the eye. "I came, dressed in my formal wear. I listened to your 'good news'. Now I am going to my room."

I did not wait for a response. I turned and walked out of the dining room.

Behind me, I heard Isolde's whiny, manufactured sobs. "She just cannot stand me, Mother."

"Do not take it to heart, my sweet girl," my mother soothed. "At least her bloodline was good for something. Thanks to her, the Moon Goddess has finally blessed you..." Her voice dropped to a whisper, thinking I was already out of earshot.

I held my breath at the turn of the staircase.

They knew. My own parents had known from the beginning.

About Rowan sacrificing my three pups, the dark magic, the bastard in Isolde's womb.

And they had approved of it all.

I walked up the stairs on heavy feet and locked my bedroom door.

I lay on my back, staring at the carved ceiling. The sound of raucous laughter, the clear clinking of glasses, and cheerful music drifted up from downstairs.

They were feasting on my pain, and enjoying every moment.

But soon, they would not be able to drink anything at all.

Late in the night, the clamor of the banquet finally died down. My parents were shown to a guest room in the east wing, and Isolde was in the west wing.

And Rowan, I knew all too well which door he would be slipping through tonight.

My throat was as dry as if I had swallowed sand. I wanted to go downstairs for water, but I forced myself to wait another half hour.

I quietly slipped out of bed, masking my scent and presence as I crept downstairs, intending to get a glass of water from the kitchen.

Just then, I heard Rowan's low voice drifting from his study.

"I do not care what dose of wolfsbane it takes. Just make sure she never wakes up."

I froze, the cup halfway to my lips.

"No, she must not wake up," he said coldly. "I have paid the Pack Medical Council enough gold. There should not be any problems with this."

My heart hammered against my ribs, threatening to break through.

"Her wolf's healing is fighting it? So what? Increase the dosage. I want her unconscious until she stops breathing."

I set the cup down silently on the counter and moved noiselessly toward the study. The door was ajar.

"You fools do not understand," Rowan let out a frustrated growl. "Aunt Maeve is a ticking time bomb. If she wakes up, the entire pack will be in chaos."

A pause.

"Yes, I know it violates the ancient healer's oath. That is why I am paying you triple."

Another pause.

"Because she saw us," he hissed. "A few days ago, behind the altar, she saw me with Isolde. She threatened to tell Willow, so I dealt with her."

My hands flew to my mouth to stifle a gasp.

"I arranged the rogue attack in the borderlands."

"I hired three rogues who had fled from the North and had them 'run into' her on the path while she was gathering herbs. She should have died on the spot, but the old woman is tough. Now she is lying there half-dead, and I need you to completely cut off her medical treatments."

No. It could not be. This was not real.

"If she wakes up and tells Willow what she saw, the full moon ceremony is ruined. She must remain in a coma until after the ceremony. And after... let her go 'naturally'. Leave no trace."

The call ended. I heard a chair scrape against the stone floor.

I turned and ran.

I burst into my bedroom, slamming the door shut just as Rowan's footsteps approached in the hall. I sagged against the wood, my body trembling.

Rowan wanted to kill Aunt Maeve.

He had been secretly ordering them to inject her with wolfsbane.

He was going to let her die "naturally" in that infirmary bed.

With shaking hands, I pulled out my encrypted phone and dialed Lucian's number.

It rang only once before he answered.

"Luna Cross. The moon is well past its zenith."

"I need your help," my voice was shattered.

"Please. Aunt Maeve is the only family I have. A few weeks ago, Rowan faked an attack to kill her because she caught him with Isolde. Now he has bribed the healers, and they have been giving her lethal doses of wolfsbane. Her inner wolf was just starting to recover, and he... he just ordered them to get rid of her immediately."

"I am begging you," I pleaded, choking back sobs. "I have to get her to your territory. I do not have anyone I can trust. Rowan's eyes are everywhere in the medical wing."

"Where is she?"

"The central pack infirmary. The ICU on the third floor."

"My Shadow Guards will have her across the border before sunrise," Lucian's voice was calm and steady. "I give you my word, she will be unharmed."

I almost cried out in relief. "Thank you..."

"But you know what this means, Willow," he interrupted.

I closed my eyes. "I know."

"Say it."

"I accept your terms," I whispered. "When Rowan falls, I will break the mate bond with him. I will go with you. I will be your Luna."

"The pact is sealed. You have four days to prepare."

The connection went dead.

I collapsed in the suffocating darkness, the hot device clutched in my hand.

I had just agreed to be the mate of a man I had never met. The man my Alpha feared most.

And Rowan was still lost in his supposedly flawless plan. He had no idea that from this night on, every step he took would be into a pit I had dug for him.

I could not sleep. Rowan's conversation in the study replayed in my mind.