The Binding Oath

UnChapter 5: The Binding Oath.

Mireya's POV

"Alpftan was right." Damon’s voice echoed through the throne hall as he kept his back to me. "I should have been wary of your kind long ago."

"So you finally admit that I’m a rogue, and not a Nightfall spy?" I shot back, provocation slipping into my tone despite myself.

He spun around sharply, his gaze hard. "Here, I’m the one who asks the questions."

A heavy silence followed, before he continued in a steadier voice:

"But yes… I must admit it. About the cave and the tunnel leading to the base of the Lumen Cascade, you were right. Just as you were about the other weaknesses you pointed out on the map. My men confirmed your words this morning, after thorough checks. And as we speak, they’re working to seal or secure those breaches."

A smile broke free. My first since arriving in this place. "Then that means I’m part of the punitive expedition leaving tomorrow."

"I never said that," Damon snapped quickly. His eyes locked on mine, dark and difficult to read. "But it’s clear that your knowledge of the forest is valuable."

I stepped closer, the tension in the air at its pitch. "Valuable… and indispensable. If, of course, you allow me to put it at your service."

I don’t know what had come over me, but for a moment I found myself almost close enough to touch him, drawn forward as if by an invisible pull.

"Damon, the horses are ready for tomorrow. But why all this..."

Alanah’s voice cut through the hall as she burst inside. She stopped dead mid-sentence, her eyes narrowing the instant they landed on me.

"What is she doing here?" she snapped, her tone harsh.

A thick and tense silence dragged on. Damon didn’t move. He only turned his head toward her, his face giving nothing away.

She’s here because I want her here," he said simply, his voice steady, leaving no room for argument.

Alanah’s jaw tightened. Her eyes darted between us, suspicion and something fiercer burning in them. "You can’t be serious. After everything she’s done,.. after everything you said."

"Enough." Damon’s voice cracked through the hall like a whip. "I don’t answer to you, Alanah. Here, I'm the alpha. Don't forget it."

The words hurt her. She froze, but her eyes stayed on me, full of anger, like she wanted to burn through my skin.

For a second, I almost looked away. Almost. But instead, I lifted my chin, refusing to break her stare.

Alanah’s lips curled into something between a sneer and a smile. "This isn’t over," she hissed, before finally turning her attention back to Damon. "The men are waiting. Don’t keep them too long."

With that, she spun on her heel and stormed out, the echo of her footsteps fading into the stone corridors.

Only then did I realize I had been holding my breath. Damon’s eyes were still on me, piercing, as if searching for something he wasn’t sure he wanted to find.

His gaze stayed fixed for a moment. Then, without warning, his voice cut through the silence. "You’ll be part of the expedition."

The words struck me harder than I expected. For a heartbeat, I wasn’t sure if I had heard him right. My lips parted, but no answer came.

He took a step closer, his eyes still unreadable. "But only under one condition."

The faint relief rising in me halted. "And what condition is that?" I asked apprehensively, though my voice was quieter now.

"I don’t fully trust you," Damon said flatly. "You could try to use this chance to escape. I won’t risk it. That’s why we’ll undergo the Binding Oath."

The name were so foreign to me that it hung in the air. I didn’t know what it meant, but something in the way he said it scared me a little bit.

Before I could ask, Damon turned from me, already walking toward the doors. "It will be done before we leave. Be ready."

His footsteps faded, and My chest tightened from nerves.

The Binding Oath. I didn’t know the ritual, but one thing was clear: Damon had admitted it. Not out loud, not in the way I had once dreamed, but still enough.

To bind us… he had acknowledged what I was to him. His mate.

A small, defiant smile tugged at my lips. For once since my capture, I felt as if I had claimed a victory of my own, no matter how fragile.

··•·•·•··

Night had fallen when Damon led me to the healer’s dwelling. At the base of an ancient tree, a hollowed gallery glowed with the soft light of crystals and herbs.

"Lysandra," Damon called. The pack’s sorceress and healer stepped forward, her silver-streaked hair framing a soft and calm gaze.

"You’re here for the Binding Oath," she said. "Sit. I will guide you."

I knelt on the stone floor, Damon beside me. My pulse raced.

"The Binding Oath links mates," Lysandra explained. "You cannot stray far from each other. Try to break the bond, and the consequences are fatal. The ritual is both wolf and magic."

She gestured to a small bowl of shimmering blue water at the circle’s center. "Place your hands together in the water and speak your intentions aloud. The water carries the pack’s essence and will sense truth."

Damon's eyes met mine, his gaze strong and calm as he gave me a firm nod.

Lysandra started a low chant. The water in the bowl shimmered, and the runes on the floor glowed faintly, moving in soft patterns around us.

She looked at Damon first. "Damon… do you agree to bind your life with this mate? To share your heart and spirit, now and always?"

“I do, Damon said firmly.

Then Lysandra looked at me. Her eyes felt like they could see straight into me. "Mireya… do you accept this bond? Do you promise to stay close, knowing that if one strays, the cost could be deadly?"

"I do," I whispered with no hesitation, staring at Damon.

The water rippled, and a silver thread seemed to flow from our joined hands. Warmth spread through my arms. I felt Damon’s presence, mix with mine. The runes pulsed gently, like they were alive.

"Feel the bond," Lysandra said. "It ties your hearts and spirits. Lies will break it. Trust keeps it strong."

The glow faded a little, leaving a soft silver light over our hands. I could feel the bond. Damon and I were connected now, and I knew it would not break easily.

"It is done," Lysandra said. "The Binding Oath is complete. Respect it, or risk all. Tomorrow your journey begins. The bond will guide you and demand vigilance."

I exhaled as tension faded. Damon’s eyes softened briefly.

Tomorrow was the expedition. It wouldn’t be easy. I would be risking my life by his side.

Yet, for some reason I couldn’t explain, being near him made me feel like nothing was impossible.