Bound By Bloodlines

The Mating Ritual Begins

The sharp knock on the door woke me up from the little sleep I’d gotten. I blinked against the soft moonlight slipping through the small window. My heart pounded. I had been thinking about the ceremony all day—the fear, the uncertainty—it kept swirling in my head like a storm. I couldn’t calm down.

“Lady Irwin,” a deep voice called from outside. “It’s time.”

Those words hit me hard. It’s time. The ceremony. The binding. The event that would tie me to Dorian—the man who barely looked at me—and this pack that already hated me.

I sat up slowly, rubbing my eyes. I felt like the weight of everything was pressing down on me. There was no running away from it now. I didn’t have a choice.

The door creaked open. Two guards walked in, serious as always. Behind them came two servants. They gave small bows before speaking.

“Lady Irwin, we’re here to help you prepare,” said one of the servants, a young woman with brown hair tied neatly. Her voice was soft. “The ceremony is about to begin.”

I nodded, feeling numb. My legs shook as I slid out of bed. “I don’t need help,” I mumbled. But they didn’t care. They just kept moving around me, quietly picking up the ceremonial dress that had been laid out last night.

“You’ll want to look your best, my lady,” one of the guards said. His tone was flat but respectful.

“Why?” I muttered under my breath, but the servants didn’t react. They just kept working.

One of them helped me into the ceremonial robe. It was heavy silver and black fabric that made me feel even more trapped. Each layer they added felt like a new chain, dragging me deeper into this life I didn’t choose.

As one servant braided my long, dark hair, the other one said quietly, “It won’t be so bad, Lady Irwin.”

I gave her a weak smile. I knew she was trying to be kind, but nothing could take away the weight sitting on my chest.

“I hope you’re right,” I whispered.

When they were done, I stood in front of the mirror. The girl staring back didn’t look like me. My bright blue eyes looked dull now, my skin pale against the dark robe. I barely recognized myself.

A guard cleared his throat from the door. “It’s time, my lady.”

My stomach twisted. I forced myself to step forward. The guards walked behind me, and the servants followed. We walked down the cold, long corridors, and my heart beat faster with each step.

We finally reached the great hall. The big wooden doors were wide open. This was where it would all happen. Inside, the air felt heavy and cold, just like it had been when I first came to this place. I could feel their eyes—wolves everywhere—watching me. Whispering about me. Judging.

And at the far end of the room, I saw him.

Dorian.

He stood tall, wearing the same ceremonial robes. He looked powerful and cold. His arms were crossed over his chest. His face didn’t show anything—no emotion at all.

He looks as indifferent as ever, I thought bitterly. Does he even care about any of this? About me?

An elder raised his hand and the room went silent. His voice echoed clearly. “We gather here to witness the binding of Irwin and Dorian, a union that will join our pack with forces beyond our understanding.”

I moved to stand beside Dorian. My hands were shaking, but I tried to hide it. I looked at him from the side, hoping he’d glance at me, but he didn’t. His eyes stayed straight ahead. His jaw was tight.

He was right next to me, but he felt so far away.

The elder kept talking, but I couldn’t focus. I felt like I couldn’t breathe. The pressure. The cold silence from Dorian. It was all too much.

“You’re nervous,” Dorian whispered suddenly. His voice was low, soft, just for me to hear.

My heart jumped. He hadn’t said a word to me since I entered the hall. I turned my head just a little and replied, my voice just as low but sharper, “I’m not nervous. I just don’t know what to expect from this… arrangement.”

He stayed quiet for a second, still looking ahead. “Neither do I.”

Those words shook me. I expected him to stay cold, but something in his voice… it was different. Guarded.

“You don’t seem nervous at all,” I whispered again, my tone full of sarcasm. “It must be nice to be so unaffected.”

His eyes flicked toward me for the briefest second, and then his face hardened even more. “This isn’t about feelings, Irwin. It’s about duty.”

His words hit like a slap. Duty. That’s all I was to him—a responsibility. My chest tightened, but I forced myself not to show it. I looked back toward the elder, trying to focus on the words.

“Join hands.”

The elder’s voice rang out in the room. My body tensed. I knew what was next. My palms were sweaty as I slowly lifted them toward Dorian.

And for the first time, he looked right at me. His eyes locked with mine, and I saw something there—something deeper than the cold mask he wore. But it disappeared so fast, I couldn’t even figure out what it was.

Then he took my hand.

The moment our skin touched, it was like lightning struck.