CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
The morning light streaming through our chambers feels different somehow—warmer, more hopeful than it has in days.
Knox sits on the edge of the bed, still wearing the clothes from last night's forest rescue, his dark hair mussed and his green eyes soft with the kind of tenderness I thought I'd lost forever.
"There's something we need to discuss," he says, his voice carrying that careful formality he uses when royal duty intrudes on personal moments. "The wedding arrangements."
My stomach clenches, but not with the dread I'd expect. After last night—after he followed me into that corrupted grove, after he offered a truce instead of demands—something has shifted between us. The walls I've built feel less essential, less protective than they once did.
"The ceremony will take place in ten days," Knox continues, watching my face carefully for any signs of panic. "The timing is important because the Awakening Ritual happens three days before that. As my Luna, you'll need to prepare for both ceremonies, but the ritual takes precedence."
"Ten days," I repeat, the words feeling strange on my tongue. Such a short time to reconcile everything I've believed with everything I'm beginning to feel.
Knox's hand finds mine, his fingers warm and steady. "I know it seems rushed, but the ritual can only happen during specific lunar alignments. We can't delay it any longer."
A soft knock interrupts us before I can respond. Knox calls for entry, and a servant appears with that peculiar mix of excitement and nervousness that's become common whenever anyone mentions our upcoming nuptials.
"Your Highness, Elder Lina has arrived and requests an audience with Lady Aubrey at your earliest convenience."
My blood turns to ice at the name. Jax's warnings echo in my mind like alarm bells: Stay away from Lina. She may not be a witch, but she learned enough before her rescue to perform some magic. She can see through lies, detect deception. She's dangerous to our cause.
Knox notices my sudden tension immediately. "Aubrey? You look pale."
I force my expression back to neutral, cursing myself for the reaction. "I'm fine. Who is Elder Lina exactly?"
"She's... complicated to explain," Knox says, his brow furrowing slightly.
"Lina was captured by a dark witch coven when she was young, held for years, and forced to learn their magic.
When we finally rescued her, she'd absorbed enough knowledge to be useful but chose to dedicate her life to fighting against the darkness she'd been exposed to. "
My stomach drops further. Someone who learned dark magic, who can detect lies—exactly the kind of person who could unravel everything I've built.
"She helps with sacred ceremonies," Knox continues, oblivious to my growing panic. "Her unique background makes her invaluable for detecting magical threats or interference. She'll be assisting with both the Awakening Ritual and our wedding preparations."
Of course, she will.
"I should probably meet with her," I say, forcing enthusiasm into my voice. "If she's helping with the ceremonies, we should discuss what's expected of me."
Knox's smile could power the entire castle. "She'll love you. Lina has strong opinions about fate and destiny—she'll probably have fascinating insights about silver wolves."
The comment catches me off guard. "Silver wolves?"
"Your wolf form," Knox explains, his eyes taking on that soft wonder I noticed last night. "Silver wolves are extraordinarily rare, Aubrey."
"My mother had a white wolf," I find myself saying, the memory surfacing unbidden. "She used to joke that she and I were a matched set—silver and white, like the moon and stars."
Knox's expression grows tender. "She sounds like she was a remarkable woman."
"She was," I whisper, tears pricking at my eyes. The grief feels fresh again, raw in a way that catches me off guard. "She would have loved this—seeing me find my mate, planning a wedding. She always said the Moon Goddess had special plans for our family."
If only she could have known those plans would involve so much pain.
Three hours later, I'm surrounded by more silk and lace than I've seen in my entire life.
Iris has taken charge of the wedding preparations with characteristic enthusiasm, transforming Knox's sitting room into a makeshift bridal salon.
Fabric samples in every shade of white and cream cover every available surface, while sketches of dress designs flutter from chairs and tables.
"This one," Iris declares, holding up a design that looks like something from a fairy tale. "It's perfect for you—elegant but not overly formal, traditional but with modern touches."
Queen Grace examines the sketch with the critical eye of someone who's planned countless royal ceremonies. "Beautiful choice, dear. The cut will complement Aubrey's figure perfectly, and the design honors our traditions while reflecting her unique spirit."
Their genuine excitement makes guilt twist in my stomach like a knife. Here they are, planning what should be the happiest day of my life, completely unaware that I'm harboring secrets that could destroy everything they hold dear.
"Aubrey?" Iris's voice pulls me from my dark thoughts. "You're awfully quiet. Are you nervous about the ceremony?"
Before I can respond, a presence fills the doorway. I look up to see an elderly woman with silver hair braided with small bones and strange trinkets, her dark eyes seeming to see straight through to my soul.
Elder Lina.
My breath catches in my throat as those ancient eyes lock onto mine. There's knowledge there, wisdom earned through suffering, and something else that makes my skin prickle with unease.
"Lady Aubrey," she says, her voice carrying an accent I can't place. "I have been waiting to meet you for a very long time. Even before Prince Knox ever considered taking a mate, the spirits whispered of your coming."
The words send ice through my veins. How could she have known about me before Knox and I even met? Unless... unless she really can see things others can't.
Grace and Iris rise to greet Lina with respectful affection, clearly comfortable with the mysterious elder. But when Lina approaches me, her steps seem to echo with significance.
"The fate of the werewolf kingdom depends greatly on the choices you make in the coming days," she says, her dark gaze never leaving mine. "I hope you will consider carefully what you truly want, rather than what others believe you should want."
My mouth goes dry. She knows. Somehow, this woman can see the conflict raging inside me, can sense the impossible choice Jax has forced upon me.
"I... I'm not sure what you mean," I stammer, but Lina's knowing smile tells me the deflection is useless.
"Oh, but I think you do," she says gently, reaching into her robes to produce a delicate diamond bracelet. It gleams with an inner light that seems almost alive. "Your destiny is your own to shape, child. You can choose to be used by others, or you can choose to wield your own power."
She takes my hand, and the moment her fingers touch mine, warmth floods through my entire body. The bracelet slides over my wrist with surprising weight, settling against my skin like it belongs there.
"Make the choice you already know in your heart," Lina says, releasing my hand as she steps back.
With that cryptic warning, she glides from the room as quietly as she'd entered, leaving me staring at the silver bracelet that seems to pulse with its own heartbeat.
Grace and Iris continue their planning, but their voices fade to background noise as Lina's words echo in my mind. Make the choice you already know in your heart.
I touch the warm metal at my wrist, and for the first time since this nightmare began, I know exactly what I have to do.