Page 99 of Moon Cursed

“I must agree, Cygnus,” Liliya broke in. “Calm down and remember what we’re here for. It’s for the good of all the alphas, Mrs. Clarke included, and she will come to see that eventually even if she doesn’t now.

“The traitors are captured. The high priestess is willing, and her fated mates are compliant. No more examples need to be made, so please...” She gestured to his throne. “Let us begin.”

Cygnus snapped back and forth among all the eyes staring at him, and finally noticed approval was held in none of them. “Uh, yes,” he said, straightening. “Well said, Councilwoman, and forgive me for forgetting myself. I can be overzealous in my devotion to Luame’s will.”

“As can we all. Let us begin,” she repeated more forcefully, finally acting to get that psychopath away from a female alpha from her clan.

“Gagging her will suffice. Daffyd, if you please.”

Mrs. Clarke’s shouting was quickly gagged and muffled.

“Let’s begin.” Cygnus claimed my throne. He flicked a finger at Paxton. “Paxton Clarke, mate with your chosen.”

Paxton didn’t move.

It took a second for him to put it together. “Blasted woman.” Cygnus flapped a hand. “Sunella, if you please.”

Sunella flicked to me, and the burning eyes glaring back at her. “Paxton Clarke, gently and lovingly mate with—”

“You think that’s going to make a difference? I will scream,” I rasped, making her wince. “I’ll fight, and kick, and make the whole world see exactly what you all are!”

“Daciana, please,” she cried. “There is no need for you to behave this way, or take it so personally. This must be done. You’ve known this your whole life. Simply stop making it difficult.”

“I stopped making it difficult when I agreed to mate with one of them at the end of every semester. Do you hear me out there?” I called, raising my voice at the cameras. “I agreed to fulfill Luame’s glorious purpose weeks ago! But they’re so determined to control and dominate me, they’re going back on the deal for no reason!”

“There is reason,” Elijah, the moon councilman, sliced in. “Wenever agreed to any deal. You made these plans with Sunella and Sunella only, and you did sobeforeyou unjustly attacked and maimed Councilman Cygnus,beforeyou bribed, threatened, and slandered the clan leaders, andbeforeyou incited riots in omega communities all over Wolf Nation.”

Green eyes glittered behind thin, wire-framed glasses. “Don’t you dare question our integrity, Daciana. If any party broke the terms of this supposed deal, it was you.”

“But—”

“Your father was a friend of mine. I cared for him as I care for you, but Cygnus is right. You are not well. After you’ve completed your duty, you’ll receive the help you need, I promise you. But there’ll be no more of you running around unchecked—breaking every law under the sun.” He stared down his long, hooked nose. “You wanted an end to special treatment. Your wish is granted.”

“Listen to—!”

“Sunella,” Elijah barked.

“Paxton Clarke, gently and lovingly mate with Daciana.”

Paxton rose, his soul vanishing behind his eyes, and his chains fell away.

Miriam’s muffled screams rose louder and more urgent—as did my tears.

All of this was for nothing. They had no idea that the bonds didn’t need to be completed because the power had already been passed on to the next generation. Broken bond or not, the drought power they were salivating over was in Hope, and it’d soon be within the thousands of werewolf babies waiting to be born.

The babies they were waiting to sacrifice.

No part of this horrible, wretched ceremony had to happen, but if I came right out and said that, what would happen to all of us? If they found out step one was complete, it wouldn’t save us. They’d just move right to step two: extract sperm from my fates, kill them, inject me with fertility drugs, and breed me.

I gazed at Edric and Nyx, screams leaking through my teeth as I fought every urge within me to phase through the chains, and bite Cygnus’s fucking head off. I’d never make it in time to stop him ordering the deaths of Nia, Idalia, Miriam, my friends or, gods forbid, those poor little boys.

I wouldn’t be saving us by attacking. I wouldn’t save them by admitting we didn’t need to mate anymore. All I’d be doing was bringing them one step closer to death, and myself a step closer to hell on earth.

I sobbed as Paxton’s shadow fell over me. No, nothing would be accomplished by forcing Paxton to complete a broken bond... nothing except ensuring it’d stay broken forever.

My head thrashed from side to side, releasing my screams to echo through Wolf Nation. For what a compelled Paxton was about to do, I screamed. For what he was about to destroy beyond repair... I screamed.

I didn’t know what it took to repair a broken bond, but I knew deep in my heart, this would destroy any chance of it happening.

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