Chapter 27

Silence. No one breathes, no one speaks, no one moves.

The only sound I can hear is the thumping of my own heart in my ears.

I lower my head to the floor, my hair cascading over my face.

Behind me, I hear Lucian testing the whip on the floor. The sound makes me flinch.

I’m going to be okay, I’m doing this for Roman.

I repeat the words to myself like a mantra.

The moment the whip strikes my back, I throw my head back, screaming in agony.

Behind me, I hear Roman grunt, the bond between us transmitting his pain too. I feel blood trickling down my back.

I’ve never been able to burn myself because of my magic, but if I could, this is what it would feel like.

Before I can adjust to the searing pain on my back, the whip strikes me again.

Tears pour down my face as I let out a scream that I can’t seem to contain. Everything hurts.

The pain radiates from my back to my legs and I almost collapse.

My breath comes out in gasps, my teeth clenched tightly together.

At the third strike, my scream is silent.

The chains rattle as my arms instinctively try to move away from the danger.

My vision, blurred by tears, is speckled with black spots as I feel my body trying to slip into unconsciousness.

I brace myself for the next strike.

“STOP! My name is Alan Moon and I’m responsible for the attack on this pack.”

I try to turn my head, but the slight movement seems to tear open my wounds even more.

My fire flares on my arms, heating the chains so intensely that with some pulling they break. Screams fill my ears from people in the room.

An arm supports me at my waist, sending tingles through my body that make the pain more bearable.

I give Roman a weak smile, his face stained with tears looking back at me.

“Take him.” The king’s voice echoes through the room, silencing most of the pack members. Sounds of struggle now replace the screams.

With my legs shaking, Roman helps me as I try to turn around. Some of the pack warriors are surrounding my father, but they can’t seem to get through.

“Don’t hurt him.” My voice is dry and hoarse. My father’s eyes meet mine. His face a mix of worry and anger as they scan over my body. I must look awful.

“What have they done to you?” His voice is barely a whisper but I hear the words clearly. I shake my head, my throat too sore from screaming to respond. I look at Roman with pleading eyes.

“She has taken my place for the punishment I received for taking the warriors on a trip when you kidnapped her. This is your fault!”

My dad’s eyes widen.

I lean more into Roman, squeezing his arm in protest.

I keep shaking my head. Am I in shock? Do people in shock realize they’re in shock?

I close my eyes, focusing on my heartbeat and my magic.

I whisper the words of a protection spell, and the wounds on my back slowly start to hurt less.

My legs become steadier, so I lean away from Roman to stand up straight.

“Father, what are you doing here?”

Before he can answer me, Lucian lunges at him, only to be thrown back by an unseen force.

I watch him crash into a bench, breaking it with his large body.

The king has slowly backed away from his chair, creating distance between my father and him.

“I received a call that you were in danger. That you’d be labeled a traitor if you didn’t turn me in. I didn’t want you to have to make that decision. Imagine my surprise when I found out you were already being hurt.”

With his last sentence, his eyes shift to the king. I take a step closer to my father, but Roman keeps his grip on my wrist.

“I chose this. It wasn’t their fault. I took the punishment from Roman because I can withstand wolfsbane. It’s one of the first things mom... my aunt taught me.” I give my father a weak smile.

“I’m okay, I’m alright. You didn’t have to come here. They’ll kill you if you turn yourself in.” My father starts walking towards me. The invisible shield around him pushes the warriors away.

“They won’t hurt either of us.” His voice is stern, as if he’s scolding me. My brows furrow in confusion. “I, Alan Moon, challenge the King Alpha to a duel for the throne.”

This can’t be happening!

How could he? What a disgrace!

Will the king defeat him? How?

“QUIET.” The king’s dominance radiates off him in waves. The wolves closest to the king whimper and show their necks in submission. Next to me, I feel Roman tense up.

“The law states one Alpha can challenge another Alpha for his territory, my king. Do you accept my challenge?” I try to get closer to my father, but Roman keeps me in place.

“Dad, you can’t do this. He’s the king!”

“I accept your challenge, Alan Moon. The battle will be in three days.”

With those words, the king turns around and walks away. The pack descends into chaos again.

I glare at my father’s back, but he doesn’t look back at me.

Roman releases my grip and looks down at me. I feel his emotions flowing through our bond.

Worry and guilt?

He shakes his head and walks out of the room. Wolves are starting to back away now, quickly leaving for their own homes.

Lucian glares at me in anger, now standing next to the bench that broke under his weight. This is your fault he mouths to me.

I look at my father in desperation. “This is the only way, princess.”

I shake my head, searching my mind for a different solution.

Roman would never run with me; he is the Prince.

They will hang my father and my mother if I turn them in, or they will hang me if I don’t.

Even if we manage to hide, which is highly unlikely, being without my mate will make me depressed and eventually it’ll kill me.

Tears well up in my eyes as I come to the same realization my father has.

This is the only way.

Either my father dies in battle or Roman’s father does.