Chapter 2 002

The moment the word mate was shouted, the crowd went wild. Growls, shouts, and curses filled the hall. Nobody wanted her tied to the three brothers. The guards dragged her inside before the people tore her apart, but even as the doors slammed shut, the noise outside did not stop.

The three alphas retreated into the courtroom, leaving the guards to hold the restless pack back. For a while, none of them spoke. Each brother looked furious, but the truth was clear, they were shaken.

Silas broke the silence first. His voice was filled with rage.

“She can’t stay alive. This is some sort of a trick, there is no way that she is our mate.”

“Come on Silas, you felt it just the way I did, the yearning for her. Do you think there is a way anyone can take something like that?”

Lucien asked as Silas shrugged, he lowered his head knowing that was not possible.

“Still, it doesn't add up, why would the Moon goddess pair us with her, we killed her father”

“He was a traitor!” Silas groaned, almost before Lucien had finished speaking.

“Even if she is our mate, it doesn't change anything, we murdered her father. We have to kill her else she might come for revenge”

Dante spoke calmly, his eyes staring blankly at the wall.

Lucien turned to him, eyes cold. “You’re forgetting the bond. The moment she was revealed as our mate, the rules changed. If we kill her now, it won’t just be her blood on the ground. It will be ours too.”

Silas slammed his fist on the table. “So what, we just keep her alive like some prize?”

Dante leaned forward. His tone was calm but firm. “Silas, Lucien is right. We don’t know what happens if we try to kill her. The bond could destroy us before it destroys her. We can’t risk it.”

The room grew tense again. They were trapped between rage and instinct, and none of them knew which side would win.

Finally, Lucien said, “Then we wait. She stays alive until we find a way. That’s the only choice.”

“For how long?”

“We don't know, but our Alpha ceremony is tomorrow and the last thing I want is for anything or anyone to ruin it”

Dante insisted and they all nodded their head.

“Guess you are right. We lock her up until we fully take up the Alpha title.”

There finally seemed to be an agreement between them as they all walked out of there.

---

They made their way to the cell where She was kept. The guards stepped aside quickly, lowering their heads. Inside the cell, she sat on the bench, chains on her wrists, but her eyes were steady. She didn’t look like a woman who had just escaped death.

When the brothers entered, she smiled faintly, revealing the bruises on her face.

“Look who we have here, our Alphas!” A smirk on her lips but they remained calm as they stood before her.

“Let me guess, you want to severe the mate bond, don't bother because it will be a waste of time”

“And why do you think so!” Lucien narrowed his gaze, curious to dig in more about what she knew.

“Your Father was the Alpha, but why does it seem like the three of you know nothing. There is no way that you can severe such bond so easily, with three Alphas, daughter of a powerful Beta, don't you realize how strong the bloodline is?”

She asked as she made a disapproving sound with her tongue. The three brothers exchanged a quick glance with each other before Dante cracked his throat.

“What do you know about it?”

“Everything,” she answered without hesitation. “And I know this. you can’t sever it. Not on your own. You could try killing me, but it would tear you apart before I even hit the ground.”

The three brothers exchanged quick glances.

“But I,” she continued, leaning forward so that her voice carried, “I know how to sever it.”

Dante narrowed his eyes. “And why would you tell us that?”

Her lips curved slightly. “You think that I would go ahead and tell you, all for nothing”

“Then I am guessing you want something in return?”

“Yes I do!” Her voice came through very bold.

Silas laughed harshly. “Of course you do. What is it? Your freedom? Gold? A way out of this cell?”

Her voice didn’t waver. “None of those. I want marriage. I want Luna's crown. Make me your wife for one year. For that year, I rule at your side. When the year ends, I’ll give you what you want, the bond broken, and me gone from your lives forever.”

The brothers stared at her as if she had lost her mind before a soft chuckled escape their lips.

“You expect us to agree to that?” Silas barked.

“You really are joking!” Dante chipped in with a hint of disgust on his face.

“You don’t have a choice,” she replied. “Every day you fight the bond, it will eat you alive. One year. That’s all I ask.”

Lucien’s jaw tightened. He hated the truth in her words. She was already their mate. Denying it didn’t make it vanish. The more they tried to fight it, the stronger it would get.

Dante finally spoke, his eyes never leaving hers. “And if we refuse?”

She leaned back against the wall. “Then you suffer until one of you breaks. And believe me, you will break.”

The silence that followed was heavy. Lucien turned to his brothers, as if seeking their opinion.

‘What do we do?’ Lucien asked through the mind link that was only open to the three of them.

‘we killed her father before everyone. If we make her the Luna, I am not sure what would happen’

Silas responded and even while they were staring at her, she could tell that they were having a conversation.

‘how about we torture her and force her to give our the means to break the mate bond’ the idea had struck Lucien but it felt sore to his mouth soon as it escaped his lips.

‘she is our mate, we feel the same pain she feels if we go ahead to torture her, that is not an option’

‘then it's simple, we accept her offer, keep an idea on her and restrict her movement, once a year is gone, then we can severe the bond and slaughter her before everyone’

They all seemed to have agreed on that before he turned around to her.

Lucien gave a sharp nod. “One year. But don’t think for a second this makes you safe.”

Her smile widened, slow and steady. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

She smiled calmly as she watched them walk out of there. She had just been given a second chance by the moon goddess to get revenge and she wasn't ready to make any mistakes.