Chapter 5

Serenity's POV

***************

"It's your right to reject the mate bond."

The older man acted like I had any idea what that meant. As if I really had a choice in the matter. The way I saw it if rejected this...mate bond thing, I was as good as dead. So were my friends. Maybe not Nat, though I wouldn't have really considered her a friend. Apparently, she was the mate—whatever that was—to the red-headed man standing by my...wolf?

Glancing back to the shirtless, raven-haired man who seemed to be defending us. I knew as soon as I saw him that he was my wolf, the one who'd been following us since last night, but...how? Here he was a man! An attractive man at that, though his body was littered with scars. The worst one of them ran jaggedly across his chest.

There was desperation on his face, his fists clenched at his sides. He wanted me to accept him. And the crazy thing? I wanted to accept him. But all I knew was his name and that he apparently...was a werewolf. Or a shapeshifter. Or some other cryptid. How would this ever work? My eyes drifted lower to the top of his pants, which hung low on his hips

How would that ever work?

"Serenity..." The older man behind me said my name like a warning. As if my time was limited. Which, maybe it was. Maybe if I didn't choose right now, they'd just kill us all where we stood.

Which would've been so easy, considering there were at least four guard-wolves towering over us like they were protecting the older man and his companions. Oh, yeah, and there were hundreds of other people watching, forming the circle we were at the center of.

"I'm sorry," I said, turning around to face the older man fully. Crossing my arms, I tried to seem stronger than I felt. "I think I need a moment to process."

"Let me talk to her in private, Cecil," Dagger—what kind of name was that?—pled from behind me. I would've been lying if I said his voice didn't just completely melt me. It was warm, deep like a good cup of coffee, and rumbled like thunder.

"You know I can't do that. I can't permit the humans to leave the circle without their decisions." There was cruelty that played at the edge of Cecil's lips. It seemed like he was enjoying Dagger's anxiety.

"Wait, I have a mate bond too, right?" Nat asked, drawing everyone's attention. She pushed wet, little ringlets of hair out of her face. "Don't I get to choose?"

This seemed to irritate Cecil, however, he kept his composure. He forced a smile and dipped his head. "Of course. Natalie, I presume?"

"Just Nat," she replied, sticking her chin out. I wished I could've taken an ounce of the courage she had.

"Of course. Natalie, do you accept Conri as your mate?" Cecil gestured to the red-headed man, who had now taken his spot beside Nat.

The tension was palpable as Nat eyed Conri up and down. He was smaller than Dagger, but not by much. Besides, when standing beside Nat, he completely dwarfed her in size which was saying something, since she had to be close to five-eight. Unlike Dagger, though, Conri didn't have his muscles on display. Rather, they were threatening to burst out of his button-up shirt. And from Nat's expression, she seemed satisfied.

"I accept him," Nat finally answered.

"Conri, you understand that you have to mark her before the next full moon, correct?" Cecil narrowed his eyes at Conri.

"Mark me?" The tone of Nat's voice really was making Cecil's control waver.

"To seal the bond," Cecil nodded, scratching at his jaw.

"We only get a month? We don't even know our...our..." I couldn't bring myself to say the word mates. This was all so bizarre. And terrifying. One minute I was living a normal life and suddenly I was forced to choose between accepting someone I barely knew and living or rejecting him and probably being killed.

"Two full moons from now, Cecil," Dagger growled from behind me still. My heart skipped a beat at the sound, but nearly stopped when I peeked over my shoulder at him. Dagger's eyes met mine, and I quickly looked away.

Okay, so he was really freaking attractive. Scars and all, I wanted him. Bad. And I felt so shallow for wanting him because it was all physical! Was he absolutely ripped? Yes. Was I in love with his eyes—not him, just his eyes? Yes. But just because I was attracted to him—really, really attracted to him—didn't mean I wanted to jump into bed with him right now.

Well, maybe I did a little bit...but last night, I thought I was ready to jump into bed with Tank. Was I really the in any state to make that kind of decision right now?

"You get a month, Dagger. One month," Cecil snapped, finally losing the battle to keep his cool. Laughing bitterly, he began to pace. "And even this is breaking the rules. One human mate, sure. But two? We risk our entire species. You know what they'll do as soon as the news gets out—which it will. We've been persecuted before."

"Two months, Cecil." At least Dagger seemed to understand my conundrum. I needed a month alone to process what the frick was happening. Forget trying to seal the bond or whatever Cecil had said before within a month.

"Little brother, are you really fighting the Elder Council on this?" A new man joined us all at the center of the circle. He looked like Dagger, but leaner. Maybe even an inch or two taller. But they had the same raven hair and gray eyes. Once he reached us all in the middle, the new man's eyes flickered over me.

"This does not concern you, Bane," Dagger's tone was deadly.

"This concerns all of us, little brother. Your actions have been not much worse than a pest's, but this?" Bane gestured to me. "This brings danger to all of our doorsteps."

One of the women on the council behind Cecil tried to speak, "Cecil, perhaps—"

"Octavia, hush." Cecil pinched the bridge of his nose. I almost felt sorry for the man. If he hadn't threatened our lives ten minutes ago, I probably would've felt bad for him. After a moment, Cecil reopened his eyes and nodded. "Fine. Fine. The human mates may have an extra month. But the other humans die."

"No!" I quickly covered my mouth, knowing my outburst probably wasn't helping anything. Especially when Cecil seemed to be teetering on the edge of really losing his mind.

"Wait! Wait!" An elderly, wobbling voice called from the crowd around us. Turning towards the voice, I watched as an old man hobbled on his cane through the group. His face was scarred, both eyes casualties of the grotesque wound. However, he didn't seem the least bit troubled by it.

"Benaiah," Cecil sighed. "You know the—"

"Rules, yes, I know, and I take full responsibility for all of the humans." Benaiah continued to shuffle toward our group. "I can trade my life for theirs. Should they betray our secrets, my life is forfeit, left in the hands of the Elder Council and the Moon Goddess."

"This will be blood binding, Benaiah. You understand that, right?" Cecil asked as the old man came to a stop in front of him.

"Of course I know it's blood binding." Benaiah rolled up his sleeve, holding his wrist out to the council. "Let's get it over with, shall we? I'd like to go home and sleep."

The council circled around the old man, blocking him from our view. Their guard-wolves growled at us, forcing us backward a few steps. Once we were moved, chanting hummed from the circle. Something about a moon goddess and oaths.

"What the fuck is happening right now?" Tank leaned over, whispering in my ear. I nearly jumped out of my skin, forgetting that he was even beside me.

"I think we're getting...saved?" I whispered back, trying to ignore the dark, broody aura that was now right behind me. Given that I knew that my wolf was Dagger and that I was Dagger's mate, I had no doubt he was furious with Tank being so close. So, trying to put a little distance between us, I scooched closer to Macie.

But apparently, that wasn't enough. No, instead, Dagger squeezed his way in between Tank and me. Up close, he was even more attractive...and warm. Like really warm. Jesus, he even smelled good. I was getting drunk off his presence, so I tried to focus on the huddle in front of us all.

Except, Bane was starting to pace. Every now and then, he'd look at the huddle, but he just kept pacing. Murmurs started to spread through the crowd forming the circle. And I had no doubt that what Bane had said earlier was starting to sink in.

"This...isn't how I imagined us meeting," Dagger's breath was hot against my cheek, tickling my ear as he whispered in his husky voice. A shiver ran down my back as he brushed a wet strand of hair away from my neck.

"Well, can't say I imagined this either," I glanced up at him, admiring that his eyes shimmered iridescently in the moonlight. As we stared at each other, I got scared. Terrified actually, because I was feeling things I hadn't felt in a long time. On top of that, I'd just met him!

"You don't have to accept me, but you do have to answer Cecil tonight," Dagger's hand brushed against mine, and his gaze flickered to where our pinkies were touching.

There was one question burning to get out. But the words just didn't sound right. "What happens if you don't...if we don't...I don't even..."

"Marking?" He hooked his pinky around my mind. It was adorable in an endearing sort of way, like he wanted to hold my hand but was afraid to. So I didn't pull away from him. Not that I wanted to anyway.

His eyes met mine again when I didn't answer right away. "You're asking about marking?"

"Yes..." My voice was barely a whisper.

"It's seen as a bond rejection if I don't mark you after the given time by the Elders. Rejection is...not pleasant, from what I'm told," he replied. "But the rejection ritual can only happen on a full moon...same with the bonding ceremony."

"Bonding ceremony?"

A deep chuckle left Dagger like he just realized how messed up this all was. Or at least how confusing it was to me. With a nod, Dagger glanced at the huddle that was beginning to disperse. Our little moment was almost up, and he seemed to know it too. Great...more unanswered questions.

With a red-stained cloth tied to his wrist, Benaiah hobbled from the middle of the circle and rejoined the onlookers. The council composed themselves and Cecil stepped forward again. He glanced at Conri and Nat, waving them toward the council.

"Let us begin the bonding ceremony."

This seemed to excite the crowd. Well, except for Bane, who had stopped his pacing. He turned towards Dagger and stalked towards us. Stopping just in front of us, he glared at his brother.

"If any wolf dies because of this abomination...the blood is on your hands." That was all Bane said before shoving passed Dagger and disappearing through the crowd.

"Your brother's not very nice," I whispered, peeking up at Dagger. He wasn't looking at me, though.

"You caught him on a good day." A smile played at the corner of his lips, but I didn't think it was really a joke. Leaving it alone, I looked back to the center where Nat and Conri had joined the council.

In front of us, Cecil had Nat and Conri stand in front of him while one of the council members walked towards an old, over-grown stump. Her back was towards us the whole time, so it wasn't until she turned back around that we saw what she was getting. A small, golden box was held in her hands as she walked back to Cecil. Honestly, it looked like a mock wedding with Cecil as the officiator and the council splitting evenly between Nat's side and Conri's side.

"The Moon Goddess has seen fit to tie these two souls together and they both have accepted each other. As the Elder Prime, it is my duty to bind their physical beings as well. The Ribbon of Fate, if you please, Dahlia." Cecil held his hand out to the side, waiting as the woman with the box opened it and fished out a red ribbon.

Once the ribbon was in his grasp, Cecil wound it around Nat's hand, then around Conri's, and joined them together. Almost instantly, the ribbon began to glow and Cecil cleared his throat, beginning to speak again.

"The Moon Goddess is with us tonight, as she is with us always, but tonight, she blesses this union.

"Natalie, born human, the Moon Goddess has chosen you for Conri not to cause further pain, but rather to show you the love and happiness you deserve. Your family neglected you, your lovers betrayed you...the Moon Goddess shows me these things, hoping that you'll find peace with your mate she has chosen for you.

"Conri, born wolf, the Moon Goddess has chosen Natalie for you not to gift you with a submissive mate, but the opposite. Your entire life, you have faced little adversity and no challenge. You grow weak because of it...the Moon Goddess shows me these things, hoping that you will be strengthened by the mate she has chosen for you."

Captivating didn't even begin to describe the scene. I could tell from Nat's tears that everything Cecil said was true. And the way Conri looked at her? Not even Macie's parents held that much love for each other.

"Given the unusual circumstances of tonight's ceremony, your mark from the Moon Goddess will last two months or until you provide each other with a mark of your own." Cecil placed his hands over the ribbon, his knuckles turning white as he squeezed. "As time goes on, the mark will fade. Let it fade completely, at your mate bond will be rejected."

And then it was done, and the ribbon was removed. But Conri and Nat? They had matching, red marks where the ribbon had been. Nat stared at her hand, her eyes still full of tears. Conri, however, cupped her face and forced her to look him in the eye. Whatever he was saying to her was just barely loud enough for her to hear. And whatever it was, made her cry harder before burying her face in his chest.

"I feel like...we shouldn't be here," Macie grumbled.

"Well...we're not. They wanted to kill us, remember?" Chels replied, twisting a tendril of wet hair around her finger. "But I think it was sweet. Wayyy better than any stupid wedding I have to attend this summer."

"Serenity..." Cecil's voice brought my attention back to the council, Nat and Conri nowhere to be seen now. However, where they were was the last thing on my mind because I knew what was coming. "Serenity, do you accept Dagger as your mate?"

"I..." Indecision paralyzed me. To be fair, I'd never been good at making decisions. Especially life-altering ones. Deciding to accept Harvard's full-ride scholarship had been hard enough, but this? I had no idea what it meant either way.

If I rejected him, was that it? No second soulmate? And what if I accepted him? I still had a year of college, and I wasn't sure I wanted to bring my...whatever he was with me. Not because I was planning on sleeping around or anything, but because we'd have to find somewhere to live off-campus. Was I really ready for that kind of commitment? Again?

"Serenity, I do not mean to rush you. I can see this is a hard decision for you, but we do have other matters to attend to before the moon leaves the sky," Cecil peeked at the sky, frowning.

Well, I'd have two months. If things didn't work out, oh...well? Dagger doesn't seem worried about it... Finally, with a quick nod, I said, "I accept Dagger as my mate."

Just like he had with Nat and Conri, Cecil waved us forward. Dagger started walking towards Cecil, putting his hand on the small of my back to guide me where the council waited. My heartbeat pounded in my ears, and I could feel myself on the edge of a panic attack. It only got worse once we were in front of Cecil and he started his speech as he had with Nat and Conri.

The difference, though? He had pulled out a different ribbon from the box in addition to the red ribbon. A black ribbon. Dagger stiffened at the sight of it, but he still let Cecil wrap them around his hand. Then, taking my hand, Cecil joined Dagger's and my bound hands. The ribbons began to glow, and suddenly, it was like I had a window straight into Dagger's most inner thoughts.

Not just ones he was currently having, but ones he'd had. I saw everything from when he was just a kid, to when he first shifted, to when he was cast out of his pack. It overwhelmed me, and I could see why Nat had cried. If Conri's past was even half as awful as Dagger's, it would've been more than depressing enough. Not to mention it was going through years of memories in a split second.

Everything he felt, I felt. Everything he'd been through, I went through. All in the breath it took for Cecil to begin the second part of the ceremony.

"Serenity, born human, the Moon Goddess has chosen you for Dagger not because she wishes you to stay in the shadows, but rather she wants you to come into the light. You see yourself as weak, a doe waiting to be slaughtered. Our Moon Goddess, however, sees a Luna with you, a natural-born leader who never thought herself worthy. All your life you have lived for others, but it is time you lived for yourself...the Moon Goddess shows me these things, hoping that you will find your courage within your mate."

Before I could stop them, the tears were running. Reaching up with his other hand, Dagger cupped the side of my face to wipe my tears away with his thumb. I leaned into his touch, knowing it broke his heart to see me cry. I was overcome with the depth of Dagger's love for me. It was unconditional and unwavering...but it was terrifying because I didn't know if I could return the sentiment. Not when I had just met him.

The disconnect between rational and emotional thinking was making this so much harder for me. Yes, I knew Dagger's past, thanks to this ceremony. But did I really know him? Could you actually know someone within fifteen minutes of meeting them?

However, Cecil continued with the ceremony, as if nothing was passing between Dagger and me.

"Dagger, born wolf, the Moon Goddess has chosen you for Serenity not because she needs your protection, but rather because you need hers. A storm brews inside you. Years of hatred and resentment have made you cruel, and callous. This is not the way. This is not who you are...the Moon Goddess shows me these things, hoping that you will right the wrongs of the past alongside your mate."

"Like Natalie and Conri, your marks from the Moon Goddess will last two months or until you provide each other with a mark of your own." Cecil placed his hands over our ribbons, his knuckles turning white as he squeezed. "As time goes on, the marks will fade. Let them fade completely, at your mate bond will be rejected."

Once the ribbons were taken off, the window I had into Dagger's mind sealed up. It was both comforting and disconcerting. But even more concerning than Dagger's absence in my mind were the marks that now marred my hand. A not-so-subtle red line twisted with a black line around my hand where the ribbons had been. How am I going to explain this to Dad?

"I feel that I should explain the—"

Whatever Cecil had been about to say was silenced by Dagger clearing his throat, shooting the Elder a glare. Frowning, I was really mad that I couldn't see Dagger's thoughts now. It was made all the worse by the fact that Dagger refused to look at me. Are we really starting of our...whatever this is with secrets?

"Right...well, please move to the circle so we can conduct the rest of our meeting." Cecil gestured towards the circle. "I'm sure we have rejection ceremonies to get through, maybe a few more bonding ceremonies. Not to mention pack business."

Without another word, Dagger took my hand in his and pulled me towards the circle. However, we didn't go back to where my friends were. Instead, he pulled me through the crowd. People—shapeshifters? Werewolves? Whatever they were—shuffled out of our way until we had reached the edge.

Oh good. There were more shifted wolves here too! Freaking guard dogs...

"We can't leave the circle yet, but I needed out of there." Dagger released my hand, raking his hand down his face. The tension in his shoulders told me all I needed to know.

"What did Cecil want to explain to me?" I crossed my arms. "I think it's only fair that you don't keep secrets from me."

"Believe me. It's better if you don't know."

"Secrets hardly seem the start to a healthy relationship. And I would know."

"I know." Dagger winced, bracing his hands on his hips as he looked down at me. God, he was really freaking tall. His stare made me squirm. "I know what you went through with your ex."

"So you saw my life too?" I shifted my feet. It seemed logical that it had been a two-way street, but I didn't really want the confirmation.

"Yes." Pinching my chin between his thumb and forefinger, his eyes lowered. "I would never hurt you, Serenity. I would rather die than guilt, coerce, or force you into anything. That's why I won't tell you what Cecil was going to explain. You don't need to know. Trust me."

A hysterical laugh left my lips. Did he even realize how ridiculous that sounded? Trust him? I just met him! And considering everything I'd seen in his mind, I wasn't sure if I really could trust him. Not only were there tragedies, but he was also the cause of so much pain. His hands were not clean by any means. Too much blood stained them.

And then there were the women. Oh my god, the women. Pulling my chin from his grasp, I turned my back on him and tried to push the thought of my ex away. It had been years, but this was all too much. I wanted to throw up. I wanted to cry. Scream. But instead, I squatted down and wrapped my arms around myself.

What the heck did I just accept?