28 Welcome Speech, Futile Rejection, and Fearsome Acceptance
With Ares, Damien, Azar, and Elio gone to carry out their part, leaving me alone, we had set the bait.
Now all that was left was for Rowen to take it.
My heart clenched as I thought, once again for the nth time, about the vision but still there was this certainty that things will surely be different this time around.
The werewolves soon had forgotten about me, and found life instead as they focused on absorbing the purity and power of the glistening blue new moon.
Ha, if I already had my transformation, I would be doing the same.
Anyway, it's just a matter of time before I do, and that was enough for me.
Where was this b-stard?
I just wanted to get this over with and go home. My real home. The Lycan Pack. Just the mere thought filled me up to rim with excitement and happiness.
Glancing around the hall with numerous wolves, I found some unknown ones looking at me intensely.
As I was about to get a little scared, I realized they were the same ones with whom Ares had talken to. There wasn't anything to worry about.
"Esteemed guests and friends, thank you for joining us on this remarkable evening." Rowen's horrible voice flowed in to my ear, and I focused all my attention on the podim in the very center of the hall.
There stood Rowen dressed to his utmost perfection, but his black clothing reminded me of someone..
Oh wait- did he..? Does he..?
PFFT! I controlled the laughter that threatened to escape my mouth and covered my face with my hand.
Did he try to look like Ares? This fool? Please, he could die and reincarnate a thousand million times, yet he wouldn't even be able to look like Ares' shadow.
Ha, even then the shadow would win by a margin.
Besides him, stood Aurelia. Looking at jer soured all my mood, as she stood there in a beautiful pink dress that matched her burnt orange hair nicely, with a look of triumph on her face. Only I knew what am ugly person she was in reality.
A bitter taste circulated my mouth, and I quickly gulped the wine sitting on the table.
Then her eyes met with mine, and her smirk and the malice in her eyes grew.
What a child. Don't worry, you will all know soon enough.
"As Alpha of our pack, it fills my heart with pride and gratitude to see each and every one of you gathered here tonight."
Oh so he was going to continue his bullshit.
"Tonight, as we break bread and share stories, let us remember the values that define us. Compassion, loyalty, and resilience have been our guiding principles, and they will continue to light our path as we move forward."
My eyes and entire face twitched. I couldn't be the only one who could feel just how fake and superficial that seemingly eloquent speech was, right?
"Together, we are a force to be reckoned with, a beacon of hope in a sometimes uncertain world."
He was for sure trying hard to make allies with the packs here.
"So, raise your glasses, my friends, and let us toast to the strength of our pack, the beauty of our unity, and the promise of a future filled with prosperity and shared victories. Thank you for being here, and may this banquet be a night to remember."
Oh, it will. Tension not. It will be a memorable night for sure.
"One last thing..." His eyes scanned across the room before landing on me, and his mouth fell open as he looked at me with wide eyes.
Clearing his throat, he recomposed himself and filled his eyes with hatred and an evil smirk spread all over his face.
What a pathetic attempt. They should learn from Ares how to really smirk. They looked like a joke.
My heart raced wildly as he walked over to me, to where I was sitting, and my palms became clammy and I quickly held on to napkin sitting on the plate.
This is it, Sera. You can do it. This is the last chain of oppression holding you down. After this, you will truly be free.
Without a word, he grabbed my forearm with a tight steel grip making me wince, as he yanked me up from my place before roughly dragging me to the center.
He pushed me with a great force, and I would have stumbled and fallen to my knees if not for the same werewolf, who was looking at me intensely earlier, breaking my fall, gently holding me by my arms.
I thanked him with eyes full of appreciation, and he subtly nodded his head.
Rowen's hand snaked to my wrist again that we was squeezing tightly, his eyes angry and alarmed.
"Sera, there's still time, say the word, and I will claim you right here and now." He whispered at me desperately and I couldn't help the growing smirk on my face.
"You can f-ck yourself." His face became void of all emotions as his grip on my wrist tightened, and my skin started to become a mix of purple and green.
"You have brought this upon yourself."
"Ahem, so as I was saying, it tears my heart apart to perform this rejection ceremony, but alas it's a necessary action that must be taken to rid our pack of this evil that stands before us." You didn't have any sort of hesitation begging this 'evil' just a second ago.
"I, Rowen Hilton, Alpha of the Hunter's Pack, reject Seraphina Lucasta as my mate and the Luna of this pack."
There was a pin drop silence in the hall as he proudly announced his rejection with a wide smile on his face.
Pfft, this fool.
His eyes quickly filled with confusion when I didn't fall to the ground, burning in the rejection pain.
Soon enough, loud gasps filled the tensed air, as the most powerful person in this entire banquet came up to stand behind me, and I instantly melted into a puddle, all my worries, tension, and anxiety washing away.
My protector, my mate was here. With me.
As his blank eyes glanced down to my purple hand still in Rowen's hand, they turned entirely black. Not a dark shade od grey but entirely pitch black.
Uh-oh.
His hand grasped Rowen's wrist and a loud crack resonated in the entire hall.
"ACKKKKK!" He screamed, kneeling in front of me, in pain as he clutched his broken wrist to his chest.
And I felt giddy at how satisfying everything was.
Ares' strong arms wrapped around my waist, and his face nestled in my neck.
Shivers ran down my spine as I softly caressed his face. His authoritative stance and murderous eyes made everyone gulp in fear and shake in anticipation.
Yes, that's how you should. Shaking and trembling like a leaf. Below us.
"Do you trust me?" He whispered lightly into my ear, and his hot breathe hitting my skin made me shiver wildly.
"Yes" My reply was instant without an ounce of hesitation.
"I, Ares Maximilian Dacre, the Lycan King, claim Seraphina Lucasta as my mate and promise to cherish and protect her, and to destroy anyone who dares to even look at her wrongly."
Serenity overwhelmed me whole, as I was engulfed by the most beautiful feeling as our souls, Ares and mine, combined together in harmony. I slumped in his arm in euphoria, and his strong arms kept me up, not letting me fall.
His intense deathly glare fell on Rowen, who trembled pathetically, and then sweeped across the room, making everyone bow their head down in an instant.
Oh how the tables turn!
