Defying the Rogue Alpha
Chapter 78: Ceremony

Chapter 78: Ceremony

The days leading up to the ceremony were a whirlwind of ancient rituals, whispered blessings, and a seemingly endless list of customs that Ava hadn’t even known existed. Lanaya had practically locked her away in one of the secluded rooms in the fortress, along with a handful of the pack’s most revered women.

Ava was subjected to purification baths with herbs that smelled both floral and alarmingly bitter, as the women scrubbed her skin raw, chanting softly under their breath. She had to drink some weirdly thick concoction that was supposed to "open her spirit" to the Moon Goddess. And worst of all, she wasn’t allowed to see Lucas.

At first, she thought she could handle it. After all, it was just a few days. But by the second night, she found herself pacing, fidgeting, and staring longingly at the door.

"This is ridiculous," she muttered after the fourth sleepless night.

Lanaya arched a brow. "Patience, child. The separation strengthens the bond."

Ava crossed her arms. "What bond? Lucas and I have already..."

The old woman smacked her lightly on the arm. "This is different. This is sacred. A union under the moon cannot be rushed."

Ava groaned, earning an amused chuckle from the women. But she endured. Because no matter how much she complained, she wanted this to be perfect.

And finally, after what felt like forever, the day arrived.

The ceremony was held just outside the fortress, under the vast open sky, with the Silver Pack gathered in full force.

Ava stood at the entrance, her heart hammering wildly as she took in the sight. The aisle was lined with glowing lanterns, and at the end of it stood Lucas waiting for her.

He looked breathtaking in his suit.

She inhaled sharply as she took her first step down the aisle, her dress flowing around her. She had never felt more radiant, more powerful.

The ceremony was beautiful. The elders spoke of fate and devotion, of strength and unity. And when it was time to say their vows, Ava didn’t hesitate.

"I choose you, Lucas Raventhorn," she said, her voice steady. "I have fought, bled, and endured for this moment, and I would do it a thousand times over if it meant standing beside you. You are my mate, my heart, my soul. And I will love you until my last breath."

Lucas’s jaw tightened, emotion flickering across his face. When he spoke, his voice was deep, firm, and absolute.

"You are my everything, Ava. My Luna, my equal, my love. I will stand by you, fight for you, protect you, worship you. You are mine, and I am yours."

The moment their lips met, a deafening howl erupted from the pack, sealing their union.

But the night was far from over.

After the vows, Ava was once again whisked away to prepare for the most sacred part of the night.

The mating ritual.

She had chosen the garden inside the fortress, where the moonlight bathed everything in an ethereal glow. A massive tent had been set up in the center, draped in white silks, with rose petals scattered across the soft bed at its center. It was romantic, intimate, and utterly perfect.

The women helped her into a sheer, delicate nightdress, one that barely left anything to the imagination. She had been with Lucas many times before, but tonight felt different.

Her fingers trembled slightly as she ran them over the smooth fabric.

"You look nervous," one of the women teased.

Ava let out a shaky laugh. "I am. But I’m also excited."

The women exchanged knowing smiles before filing out, leaving her alone in the tent, waiting.

Waiting for her mate.

The air inside the mating tent was thick with anticipation, but Ava barely noticed. She sat on the edge of the luxurious bed, her heart hammering in excitement and nerves. The night was to be a night of passion, of unity and of solidifying the bond they already had.

A soft shuffle outside the tent broke through her thoughts, and before she could react, a couple of thick documents were slipped under the entrance. Ava frowned, her stomach twisting with unease. Who would send her papers on her wedding night? Was it some sort of pack tradition she hadn’t been briefed on?

Curiosity, or perhaps an ominous sense of foreboding, pushed her to her feet. She bent down and picked up the documents, her fingers shaking slightly as she turned them over.

Then she read them.

And her entire world shattered.

The words blurred before her eyes as she took in the damning evidence; her father’s death certificate, stamped and signed by the late Alpha of Crimson Pack. But it was the attached report that made her breath hitch.

Alpha Lucas Raventhorn had truly killed her father.

Her heart pounded, a painful rhythm against her ribs as she continued reading, desperate for some loophole, some mistake.

It wasn’t a battle. It wasn’t an accident.

Her father had been defenseless.

Lucas had cut him down out of jealousy.

Ava felt the blood drain from her face. She blinked rapidly, trying to make sense of it, but the words wouldn’t change. They remained there, cold and unwavering.

Her mother. Her own mother had been Lucas’s fated mate. But she had rejected him for her father.

Ava felt like she was going to be sick.

Her mother had died under mysterious circumstances just a few months after rejecting Lucas. At the time, everyone assumed it was an accident. But Lucas had blamed her father for her mother’s death.

And he had made him pay the price.

Ava’s hands shook as she gripped the documents. Her world, her perfect, perfect little world was turned upside down in an instant.

She had fallen in love with her father’s murderer.

A man she had trusted.

A man she had thought had saved her.

A man she had given her heart, her soul, her body to.

Her knees wobbled, and she had to clutch the bedpost to steady herself. No. This has to be a lie. Another trick. Just like Selene had tried to deceive her on the battlefield. Just like Leon had insisted that their father had died in combat.

Had Leon known?

Had he lied to her all along? Or had he been just as blind to the truth as she was?

The tent suddenly felt suffocating. The air was too thick, pressing down on her lungs, making it impossible to breathe.

And then she heard footsteps.