Chapter 9
1061words
The Great Hall buzzed with tension. Representatives from every major Pack had gathered, their faces grave with the weight of unprecedented events.
I sat in the accused's chair, flanked by Damon on one side and Maya on the other. Across the circular chamber, Ethan stood with Cassandra beside him, her face carefully composed despite the strain of the ongoing investigation.
Elder Whitehawk's voice cut through the murmur.
"We are here to address the findings of our investigation into the Recognition Ceremony incident."
He raised an ancient scroll, its parchment yellowed with age.
"The detection runes revealed evidence of corrupted magic, but as we suspected, the source and intent remain... disputed. The investigation has raised more questions than answers."
Ethan stepped forward, his jaw set with determination.
"I don't care what the runes showed," he declared, his voice carrying to every corner of the hall. "I know what I feel. Cassandra saved my life. She is my fated mate."
Gasps rippled through the assembly.
"Therefore," Ethan continued, never taking his eyes off mine, "I formally renounce the political alliance between Shadowfang and Moonlight Packs. I will not marry Sienna Sterling."
The hall erupted into chaos.
"The alliance has stood for fifty years!"
"This is madness!"
"What about the territorial agreements?"
Elder Whitehawk slammed his staff against the stone floor, the sound echoing like thunder.
"Silence!"
When quiet returned, all eyes turned to me.
This was it. The moment I had been waiting for.
I rose slowly, my movements deliberate and graceful. When I spoke, my voice was calm as winter ice.
"I accept."
The simple words hit the assembly like a physical blow.
Ethan's face showed surprise. He had expected me to fight, to plead, to cling to our arranged future.
Instead, I smiled.
"In fact," I continued, letting my gaze sweep across the stunned faces, "I formally dissolve our engagement myself. Effective immediately."
The silence was deafening.
"Furthermore," I began, but before I could continue, Damon stepped forward.
His movement was fluid, graceful, drawing every eye in the hall. When he spoke, his voice carried a warmth I had never heard before.
"If I may," he said, his gaze finding mine across the crowded chamber. "There is something I need to say."
The hall fell silent, sensing the weight of the moment.
Damon walked toward me, each step deliberate, until he stood close enough that I could see the sincerity in his dark eyes.
"If the Council will permit," he said, his voice carrying clearly through the ancient stones, "I would like to propose an alternative that preserves the alliance."
My breath caught. This wasn't part of any plan we had discussed.
He reached out slowly, his fingers brushing mine. The mate bond hummed between us, warm and real.
"Sienna Sterling," he continued, his eyes never leaving mine. "Will you accept me as your mate? Not as Ethan's replacement, but as your choice?"
The directness of the proposal sent gasps through the assembly.
I felt our bond strengthen at his words—not the desperate confession of hidden love, but the confident proposal of a partner who knew his worth.
"Yes," I said clearly, letting my voice carry to every corner of the hall. "I choose Damon Blackwood."
The explosion of voices was immediate and chaotic.
"A half-brother replacement?"
"The cursed one?"
"This is unprecedented!"
But Elder Whitehawk raised his hand for silence, his ancient eyes studying us both with newfound interest—and what looked suspiciously like approval.
"You would accept this arrangement, Damon Blackwood?" he asked formally.
Damon's smile was radiant as sunlight.
"I would be honored beyond measure," he said, his hand still holding mine. "Though I should note—this isn't about preserving alliances or political convenience. This is about love."
Ethan's face twisted with fury and something that looked like jealousy.
"How touching," he snarled, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "A convenient love confession just when you need a political solution. How very... calculating."
Damon's expression didn't change, but I felt his hand tighten protectively around mine.
"You would know about calculated relationships, brother," Damon replied quietly. "The difference is, mine is real."
The tension between them crackled like electricity.
Elder Whitehawk studied the scroll in his hands, then looked up at the assembly.
"Young Blackwood has shown wisdom in this matter," he said simply. "And the alliance between our Packs has always been valuable."
He paused, letting the weight of his words settle.
"I see no reason why this arrangement cannot proceed. The alliance will be preserved, the territorial agreements will remain in place, and both Packs will benefit from a... more suitable partnership."
The dismissal in his tone when he glanced at Ethan was subtle but unmistakable.
"However," Elder Whitehawk continued, "there remains the unresolved matter of the corrupted magic detected during the ceremony."
All eyes turned to Cassandra, who had remained silent throughout the proceedings. Her face was pale, her hands trembling slightly.
"While no definitive source has been identified," Elder Whitehawk announced, "the investigation will continue. All parties involved should remain available for further questioning."
It was a diplomatic way of saying everyone was still under suspicion without directly accusing anyone.
Cassandra's relief was visible, though Ethan's protective stance never wavered.
But Ethan's attention was fixed on me, his expression a mixture of anger and something that looked almost like regret.
"This isn't over, Sienna," he said quietly.
I met his gaze steadily.
"No," I agreed. "It's not."
As the assembly began to disperse, Damon's hand found mine. The mate bond hummed between us, warm and reassuring.
"Well," he said quietly, "that went better than expected."
I looked back at Ethan, who was arguing heatedly with the guards about Cassandra's treatment.
"Did it?" I asked.
Damon followed my gaze, understanding immediately.
"He still believes she's innocent."
"The blood bond runs deeper than we thought," I agreed. "But that's exactly what I was counting on."
Maya appeared at my other side, her face worried.
"Sienna, are you sure about this? Publicly choosing Damon over Ethan..."
"Will send exactly the message I intended," I finished. "That I'm not the weak, biddable girl everyone thought they knew."
As we walked out of the Great Hall together, I felt the weight of hundreds of stares following us.
The real game was just beginning.
And this time, I held all the cards.
