Chapter 6
When King Devon saw how carefully I tucked the crown away, he nodded approvingly.
“I can tell just by looking at you, you were born with blessings. You’re destined for a good life. From now on, I’m your grandfather. And
I give you my word: no one in the royals will ever mistreat you.”
My eyes burned, my throat tightening. “Thank you, King Devon.”
At once he grew flustered.
“No, no, don’t cry. It’s a joyous day. Tears don’t belong here.”
The others quickly jumped in with jokes to lighten the mood, and before I knew it, laughter spilled out of me.
Griffin’s parents chimed in, praising me for looking like a fairy, and soon the rest of the family joined in, each offering gifts of staggering value. Every gesture brimmed with respect and warmth.
The royals weren’t as untouchable or terrifying as I had once imagined.
Even though the bond–sealing deal had already been signed, no one forced me to stay and learn noble etiquette. Instead, they allow me to go home until the bonding ceremony was held, giving me space to slowly build a relationship with Griffin
“You and Griffin already have a room prepared,” King Devon said kindly. “But the wolf castle is large. It’s up to you to choose where you live. We won’t interfere. There’s only one thing: treat Griffin well. The two of you must build a good life together.”
I nodded. “I understand. I’ll get along with Griffin. You have my word.”
After I left the royals, preparations for the bonding ceremony began immediately. Servants bustled day and night. My mother and I pored over every detall, from dresses to decorations, from vows to rituals,
Leaving the Bloodstone Pack had weighed heavily on me at first, but now my mind was consumed by choosing gowns and finalizing ceremony arrangements. Busy days left no time to dwell on the past.
Until one afternoon, as I selected the ceremony dress in a bridal boutique, my phone rang. Alpha Victor’s name lit the screen. “Willow,” his voice carried unease, “Xander and Lucas found out about your mate bond. They’re insistent on seeing you. I couldn’t stop those two brats. They should be arriving any minute. Just ignore them and focus on your own life.”
Hearing their names, familiar yet distant, my heart stumbled.
Before I could answer, I saw Xander and Lucas through the glass doors. Their eyes locked on me, brimming with emotions I couldn’t untangle
Shock. Awe. Regret. And something that looked a lot like sorrow.
“Willow, are you really going to seal the mate bond with someone else?” Xander’s voice shook, almost the same as that first time he had nervously confessed his feelings to me.
Back then, he told me in the same shaking voice. “Willow, I want to spend my life with you. I’ll prove my feelings with time, no matter how long it takes.”
But time had slipped away, and our hearts had never truly aligned.
Lucas’s words were harsher. “This isn’t real, is it? You can’t possibly be marrying some stranger Alpha. Your bonding ceremony must be a sham. And besides, who would want you? You’re just burden. Apart from us, no one ever valued you. Certainly not the royals. This Is just some twisted way to get our attention, isn’t it? I won’t fall for it.”
But even as he sneered, tears welled in his eyes.
Memories flickered. When we were children, the three of us often played pretend bond–sealing ceremony. I’d don oversized dresses as the bride, while the twins fought over who got to be the groom. Lucas always lost, always cried, much like now.
In some ways, nothing had changed. And yet everything had become unrecognizable.
Chapter 6
Talk & TAKSİ
