Blood oath

The blood oath(part 2)

Axel's POV

The ballroom buzzes with a mix of anticipation and excitement as the elders begin their preparations for the ceremony. I stood at the head of the room. Today is supposed to be a day of triumph, of securing the future of the Winterclaw pack with my union to Elena. It was a carefully planned match, one that made sense for the pack's future, with her being the beta's first daughter. Yet, something deep inside me feels off, a gnawing unease that I can't shake.

Elena stands beside me, poised and beautiful, the perfect picture of a Luna. She had been by my side for years, our relationship defined by duty rather than passion. We both knew what was expected of us, and we had played our roles well. But as I gaze at her, ready to make the blood oath that would bind us together for life, I can't deny the emptiness that lingered in the back of my mind.

The elders chant the ancient words that had bound countless alphas and their Lunas before us. The blood oath, this is a powerful and symbolic ritual that goes beyond the standard of a marriage ceremony, it represents a deep mystical bond between the alpha and his mate, solidifying their union, not just socially or emotionally but also spiritually and supernaturally.

It is done during the wedding ceremony of pack leaders.

The alpha precisely cuts into his palm with a knife just enough to draw blood then he takes his soon to be Luna's hand and, with the knife, makes a similar cut across her palm. They clasp their hands together, palm to palm, allowing their blood to mingle. And the sacred vows are recited, sealing their union.

I extend my hand, the sharp blade gleaming under the candlelight as I slice into my palm. The pain is fast and sharp. Blood wells up from the cut, and I turn to Elena, ready to seal our fate.

But then, the door to the ballroom bursts open, and the crash of plates and glasses shatter the solemn atmosphere.

My head snaps toward the sound, and I see her. The sight of her brought everything to a standstill. The world around me blurs, and all I can focus on is her. Her wide, frightened eyes locks with mine, and in an instant, something primal awakens within me. A pull hits me with the force of a freight train, intense and undeniable, a surge of energy that ignites every cell in my body.

Mine.

The word echoed in my mind, a possessive growl comes from deep within my soul. I don't think—I move, driven by the instinct to claim what is rightfully mine. Elena's presence fades into the background, the blood oath momentarily forgotten as I cross the room to where she kneels amidst the broken shards.

She was struggling to pick up the pieces of the shattered glass, her hands trembling, blood dripping from fresh cuts on her palms. The sight of her injured sends a wave of protectiveness crashing over me, an emotion so fierce it takes me by surprise. I reach down and grabbed her bleeding hand, pulling her to her feet.

The moment our skins touch, the bond flares to life, sending a jolt of electricity through my entire being. Overwhelming—the scent of her, the warmth of her skin, the way her body fit perfectly against mine. My wolf howls in satisfaction. This woman is my mate, my other half, the one I was destined to spend the rest of my life with.

My gaze lock onto hers, and I see the same confusion, fear, and undeniable pull in her eyes. She is absolutely stunning, even more so up close. Her light brown hair was tied back, revealing her delicate features, and her eyes—god, those eyes— a mixture of deep emotion and uncertainty. I can feel her pulse quicken under my touch, her body reacting to mine in a way that is impossible to ignore.

The arousal hit me like a wave, an intense need that I have never felt before. My body responds to hers in a way that is both exhilarating and terrifying. I have always been in control, always able to suppress my emotions and desires when necessary, but now, with her, all of that control seems to be slipping through my fingers.

I tighten my grip on her hand, trying to anchor myself, but it only intensifies the connection between us. The scent of her blood fills the air, mingling with her natural scent, and it drives me wild. Every instinct I have is telling me to claim her right there, to mark her as mine in front of the entire pack.

But along with the overwhelming attraction, a darker emotion begins to surface—fear. Not fear of her, but fear of what this means. I have spent years building up walls around myself, protecting my heart from the pain of loss and abandonment. My relationships, even with Elena, had been carefully constructed to keep me safe from the vulnerability that came with deep emotional attachment.

But now, with her standing before me, I can feel those walls crumbling. The intensity of the mate bond scares me more than I care to admit at the moment. The way she makes me feel—exposed, raw, and utterly vulnerable—is something I am not prepared for. I can feel the eyes of the pack on us, their whispers growing louder as they realized what is happening.

This is not supposed to happen. I'm not supposed to be mated to someone like her, an omega was not the Luna I had envisioned. Yet, every fiber of my being screams that she is mine, that no one else can ever take her place.

"Axel, what are you doing?" Elena's voice cut through the haze, sharp and accusing.

For a moment, I am torn between duty and desire, between the life I had planned and the one that fate has now thrust upon me. But as I looked into her eyes, I knew that I couldn't walk away from this. Not now, not ever.

"MATE," I whisper, the word slipping out before I can stop it. It was a declaration, a vow, and a promise all at once.

The room falls into a stunned silence, there is no turning back. The blood oath is meaningless now. She is my mate, my true Luna, and there is nothing anyone can do to change that.

"By blood and moon, by earth and sky, we bind your souls and fates. Let your hearts beat as one, your strengths unite, and your bond endure through all trials and time" the elders say.

"All hail the Alpha and our new Luna" one of the elders say and the whole pack fall to their knees at our feet, except Elena.

She looks down at our intertwined hands, only now realizing that from the cuts she sustained from the broken glass and the cut on my palm from the beginning of the ceremony, our blood had mixed, completing the blood oath. I did not only find my true mate, but I married her five seconds later.

But the fear of losing her, of opening myself up to the possibility of pain and heartbreak, is almost paralyzing. I have never been vulnerable before, but now, I feel so vulnerable, maybe even weak and I can't afford that, not when the stakes are so high.

As much as I want to hold her, to keep her close and never let go, I know that I have to protect myself and prove to my pack that this changes nothing, that I am still my father's son and to do that, I have to find a way to keep my emotions in check, to shield my heart from the weakness that could come from loving someone.

I release her hand, stepping back to put some distance between us. "You're hurt," I say, my voice gruff, trying to regain some semblance of control.

"It's nothing," she replies, but I could see the tremble in her hands, the uncertainty in her eyes.

"Someone get a towel!" I bark, needing something to focus on other than the overwhelming urge to claim her. Elena's eyes narrow, her expression darkening with barely concealed anger. But I can't bring myself to care. All I can think about is how her palms are covered in cuts and blood, I tighten our now intertwined fingers in an attempt to be closer to her, defying my own self.

"What's your name?" I ask my mystery mate.

"M-Maya" she replies, a little more confident and less confused.

So perfect.

"Maya," I say, my tone harder than I intended. "Come with me."

She hesitates, and for a brief moment, I fear that she might refuse. But then she nods, and I feel a flicker of relief. Still, I can't let my guard down. Not yet. The last thing I need is to be seen as weak in front of my pack, to have them question my ability to lead.

"We'll talk later," I say, the words more of a command than a request. Then, without waiting for a response, I turned and stride out of the ballroom, needing to put some space between us to clear my head.

As I left her behind, I could feel the weight of my decision settling heavily on my shoulders. I had just made myself vulnerable in front of my entire pack, and I wasn't sure how to handle it. The fear of being hurt, of losing someone I cared about, gnawed at me like a relentless beast.

But I knew one thing for certain: Maya was my mate, and no matter how much I tried to distance myself, that bond would only grow stronger. The challenge would be finding a way to protect both of us—without losing myself in the process…