Seraphine's POV
The air in the council chamber was heavy. I stood beside Darius, his hand reacting to my every movement, attuned to the tension in the room.
The High Councilor leaned forward. “Your Majesty, Lady Seraphine. Everyone at court is speaking of it. The pack wants confirmation. They need their Luna.”
Darius exhaled slowly. “I believe we’ve made it clear already—it hasn’t happened.”
“Rumor has it you returned together from the clearing,” a younger member insisted. “The scent of the bond is stronger. The people already see her as their Luna.”
“The people’s belief is not law,” Darius said coolly. “And my decision is not a command upon her body.”
A female councilor interjected, “If the marking does not take place soon, uncertainty will spread. The bond is there—everyone feels i
