The Night I Became The Forbidden Mate

The Ceremony Of Silence

POV: Kaelira

I awoke to no sound.

I did not move a few seconds. I lay there and stared at the strange wooden ceiling over my head with my mind blank and my body heavy. The warmth of the previous evening was gone, and in its place was an unaccountable stillness which distanced everything.

Then it started to come back.

Not in one piece, but bits.

The forest. The cabin. The man.

I gasped to myself and swung myself up, the heart racing. The room was empty.

He was gone.

A keen feeling of discomfort came to my heart.

I put my legs down on the bed, and felt a little pain as I did so, as the memories became clearer. My body throbbed in pains that did not require elaboration and that only made everything worse.No, I said to myself, putting my hand to my forehead.

“No…” I whispered under my breath, pressing my hand to my forehead.

I made myself rise, and looked around the room as though he were going to jump out. But he didn’t.

The fact of the thing started to sink in, oppressive and oppressive.

I spent the night with a stranger.

Some stranger whom I did not even know his name.

I felt my stomach tightening again as I heard another thought come to the fore, one I had been putting off since I got up.

I put my hand up to my neck, almost reluctantly.

I stopped as the second my fingers touched the skin.

It could not be mistaken.

The mark was there.

My hand fell at once, as though it would somehow have been truer to touch it again.No, no, no, I said, and my voice trembled.

“No…” I said again, this time louder, my voice unsteady. “No, this isn’t…”

But it was.

The fact did not alter the fact that I did not want to accept it.

He had not touched me.

He hadn’t just stayed.

He had marked me.

A mate mark.

I felt my chest tightening and the rush of panic came in, rapid and fierce.

This couldn’t be happening.

Not like this. Not to me.

I didn’t know who he was. I did not know whence he came. I knew nothing about him, except what had transpired between us--and that was too much.

Now I was his slave.

The strain of it bore me down, and I could scarcely think, scarcely breathe.

I couldn’t stay here.

I took the closest garment that I could get my hands on, and tugged it on with unsteady fingers. I used to move hastely, erratically, purely because I had to leave that cabin and as soon as possible as well as I could get out of it and away as far as possible.

The morning air was a shock to me by the time I went out.

It was colder than I supposed, the sun that was falling between the trees and making all things too ordinary, too quiet, in comparison with the tumult within me.

I lost no more time.

I ran.

The ride back to the palace seemed to be less than a night before, but my mind kept me as unoriented. Each of the steps took the reality nearer, colder, more difficult to disregard.

What had I done?

As I came up, guards looked at me, their faces changing a little upon seeing me. I didn’t stop to think about how I must look. I didn’t care.

I rushed inside.

The palace was worse than ever the night before. There was a clatter of footsteps in the halls, voices, and the atmosphere was filled with tension.

Something was wrong.

I halted the first servant I met. “What’s happening?” I asked quickly.

The girl hesitated a moment, and then responded. “The ceremony has been delayed.”

“Delayed?” I repeated.

The servant hesitated before she spoke. “Lady Serenya… she’s refusing to proceed without you.”

I stood and stared at her a moment.

“She what?”

The servant repeated. “She will not stand before the altar till you are there.”

I felt a combination of feelings at the same time confusion, disbelief and something that was even heavier than I wanted to say.

“Where is she?” I asked.

The servant responded, in her chambers.

I didn’t wait for anything else. I walked away, rushed along the halls as fast as I could, my head going round with all I had to say, all I had no idea how to say.

I was about to enter the rooms of Serenya, when I was prevented by another voice.

“Kaelira.”

I froze.

I slowly turned and faced Morlena.

Her eyes swept across me, incisive and critical, sweeping over all--my looks, my condition, all.

“You are disgraceful,” she said coldly.

I didn’t respond.

“Look,cthere is no time to argue,” she said. “Serenya has spoken out her mind. You will be at the ceremony.”

I gave a startled blink at the suddenness with which she said it.

“I believed I was not supposed to,” I said in an obedient way.

“No, you were not,” Morlena said. “But your sister has made up her mind. Go and make ready. And be sure not to disgrace this family any more.”

I gave a slight nod, though her words sunk in hardly.

It all seemed far away again.

I turned to my room, and shut the door after me, leaning against it a moment, attempting to compose myself.

I hurried to the bathroom, took a quick bath, and changed to an outfit befitting the ceremony. My hands trembled not once, and I needed to pause a few times in order to take a breath.

“Moon goddess.”I mumbled as I closed the door and left the room.

I had just arrived at the ceremonial hall when everything was already prepared.

The older people were close to the altar and were serious. The visitors crowded the room and their voices were low but agitated. It was solemn, anticipatory.

And in the midst of it all--

Serenya.

She was at the fore, and in the same silver dress, with her back straight and her face serene. When her gaze met mine, there was a softening in her look.

Relief.

She came out a little, as though to assure herself that I was there.

I had to make myself move, to walk to her, despite the heaviness of each step.

“You have come,” she said when I held her hand.

“I had to,” I said.

Her eyes lingered in mine a moment more than usual. “Are you alright?”

No, was what I should have said but I did not say that.

“I am fine.” I lied.

She did not seem to be convinced, but, just before she could say any more, something stirred by the entrance caused everybody to take notice.

The Alpha had come.

I swung round, without thought, without preparing--

And everything stopped.

The world didn’t slow down.

It didn’t blur.

It stopped.

Since the man who had walked to the alter, the one whom all were awaiting, the one my sister was going to be tied to--

Was him.

The cabin.

The night.

The mark.

Draeven Kaelrith.

I had to take my breath in very sharp.

No.

No, this wasn’t—

But it was.

His appearance was different. Not that he had changed, but that I was seeing him clearly, at first. Nothing here was in doubt about him. Nothing careless. His presence was so commanding that it required no effort to get attention and in a way that was commanding.

It was no man in a cabin.

This was an Alpha.

And I had—

My mind shattered into pieces.

His eyes swept over the room as he walked towards it, steady and composed, to a halt.

On me.

Something changed his expression a moment. Recognition.

Then it was gone.

As it had never been there.

As I had imagined it.

The pain was throbbing in my chest.

He knew.

Of course he knew.

But he made no reply.

He didn’t stop.

He didn’t react.

He passed by me like nothing had occurred.

As if I was nothing.

The ceremony began.

Words were spoken. Traditions were followed. The ritual was led by the elders in practiced accuracy, their voices even as they recited the vows that would unite them.

I heard everything.

And nothing.

As it was, I could only think about the fact that I was standing there, as I watched my sister being handed to the man who had marked me as his mate.

And I was not saying anything.

Serenya had come forward as she was asked, and her voice was clear as she uttered her vows.

Draeven came behind, his voice steady, repressed.

No hesitation ensued.

No sign of doubt.

No indication that anything was wrong.

It felt unreal.

As though I were looking at something that should not be there.

The last stage of the ceremony was reached, the moment which closed it all.

The bond.

The claim.

I could not turn my eyes.

I didn’t want to see it.

Nevertheless, I was unable to resist.

It was a good hall when it was done and the elders withdrew and the declaration was given.

Draeven Kaelrith was Alpha.

Serenya Viremont was next to him.

And I stood there, silent, with a truth that could destroy everything.

The ceremony ended.

People moved. Voices rose again. The world did not change, it just went on.

But everything had.

I remained where I was a little longer, my hands clenched together, at my sides, my thoughts at last settling into something more distinct.

I was not able to keep this a secret.

I could not feign that this had not occurred.

Serenya had a right to know.

Whatever the price it would be.

I gulp, and my voice shook only slightly when I finally made the decision.

I will tell her the truth, I said to myself. I cannot conceal this.