Chapter 5 : The Nightshade Territory

LUNA'S POV**

The Nightshade Pack territory was nothing like I expected.

As we drove through the gates, I saw rolling hills covered in dark pine trees, with a massive stone mansion sitting at the center of it all. The pack house was enormous—bigger than Raven's, more imposing, more dangerous somehow. It looked like a fortress.

"Welcome to your new home," Kai said from beside me. He had ridden with me for the last hour of the journey, and his presence was both comforting and terrifying.

Pack members appeared as we pulled up to the mansion. They all looked strong, all looked dangerous. They bowed slightly as Kai exited the car, and I realized that this Alpha inspired fear in his pack. True, genuine fear.

A woman with silver hair approached us, her face stern. "Alpha, the preparations are complete. The ceremony can be performed tonight."

"Tonight?" I turned to Kai in shock. "That's only a few hours away!"

"Time is not our friend," Kai said coolly. "Once the pack knows you're here, word will spread to other packs. Including to your ex-husband. We need to bind you to me before Raven decides to cause problems."

I wanted to ask what kind of problems Raven could cause, but something told me that Kai already knew. That he had planned for every possibility.

The woman—who introduced herself as Margot, Kai's head warrior—led me to a set of rooms on the third floor of the mansion. They were beautiful, decorated in shades of silver and black. But I felt like a prisoner, even though I wasn't locked in.

"The ceremony will be at sunset," Margot said. "Kai has asked me to ensure you have everything you need. There is clothing in the wardrobe. The dress for the ceremony is on the bed."

After she left, I sat on the edge of the massive four-poster bed and let myself shake. What had I done? I had come to the Capital broken-hearted, and now I was about to marry a stranger. A dark, dangerous stranger who admitted he didn't love me.

But he was also honest. And he had promised to protect me.

My phone buzzed. It was Maya, finally getting through to me.

**"WHERE ARE YOU?! RAVEN IS LOOKING FOR YOU EVERYWHERE! HE'S LOSING IT!"**

I stared at the message for a long moment, then turned off my phone. Raven's loss was not my concern anymore.

The dress they had laid out for me was stunning—a white gown that hugged my curves perfectly, made of silk and lace. It looked expensive, expensive enough that I was afraid to put it on. But a servant helped me into it, doing my hair and makeup with practiced efficiency.

When I looked in the mirror, I barely recognized myself. The woman looking back at me was elegant, powerful, beautiful. She didn't look broken. She didn't look like someone who had been rejected and thrown away.

As the sun began to set, Margot came to fetch me. She led me through the pack house to a clearing in the forest behind the mansion. Pack members lined the area, their eyes on me as I walked toward Kai.

He stood in the center of the clearing, dressed in a dark suit that made him look even more dangerous than before. When he saw me, something flickered across his face—surprise, maybe, or appreciation. But it was gone too quickly to be sure.

The mating ceremony was brief. The pack's shaman performed the ritual, binding our energies together. It wasn't romantic. It wasn't sweet. But it was powerful. I could feel something shift inside me as our pack bonds intertwined, as my wolf recognized a new Alpha to serve.

When it was over, Kai took my hand and raised it so the entire pack could see.

"This is your new Luna," he announced, his voice carrying across the clearing. "She comes from a strong bloodline. She will help lead us. And anyone who disrespects her will answer to me."

The pack howled in acceptance.

As we walked back to the mansion, Kai leaned close to my ear. "You did well. The pack needs to see strength from their Luna, and you showed them strength."

"I was terrified," I admitted.

"Good. Fear keeps you sharp." He led me to his private chambers—a massive room with dark wood furniture and a bed that was even bigger than the one in my room. "You'll sleep here. My wolf needs to feel you nearby. But I have business to attend to tonight, so you'll have the bed to yourself."

He left before I could respond, leaving me alone in the dark Alpha's chambers.

As I lay in his bed, surrounded by his scent—something like pine and smoke—I realized that my old life was truly over. I was no longer Raven's wife. I was no longer the woman he had rejected.

**I was Luna of the Nightshade Pack now. I was bound to an Alpha who terrified me. And as I drifted off to sleep, I couldn't shake the feeling that my life was about to become far more complicated than I had ever imagined.**