THE MOON LYCAN'S WOLFLESS MATE

Chapter 12

C12: The Forbidden Ritual

Raine furrowed her brows as she sat up instantly.

“Where did this come from?” she whispered in confusion as she looked closely at the black petal in her palm.

The petal vanished from her hand. Unknown to her, a mark had appeared on her body.

Raine took her bath and stepped out, even though her leg still hurt. She was already late for breakfast, yet she did not see anyone at the dining table.

She asked one of the maids where everyone had gone. The omega glanced at her for a moment, considering whether to answer or not.

Eventually, she spoke.

“The Alpha and his Luna are in Miss Alice’s room right now,” she replied curtly before leaving.

Raine frowned in confusion when a young lady walked past her toward Alice’s room. Her steps were quick, her shoes clicking loudly against the floor.

The young woman carried a medicine box.

Feeling uneasy after what had happened the previous day, Raine went to her sister’s room. She knocked twice before entering the well-furnished space.

Her eyes moved around the room.

She saw her father sitting on a sofa, his palm pressed against his forehead, while her mother paced back and forth.

The young lady, who seemed to be a physician, was attending to Alice.

Raine walked further in and saw Alice clearly. Her eyes widened slightly,

Alice lay on the bed, her skin pale.

She could barely keep her eyes open.

Despite their differences, Alice’s condition made Raine feel sad.

“Mother, Father, what happened to her?” she asked, worried.

Instead of an answer, she received a hard slap from her mother.

The physician turned instantly, her eyes widening briefly before she returned to her work.

“You want to know? You ungrateful child. Why are you so heartless? Have I not endured enough of your bad luck? Now you want to bring it upon my daughter?” Luna Indira shouted as tears streamed down her face.

Alpha Elmore clenched his jaw before standing up quickly.

“Enough, Indira,” he said, but she did not stop.

“Why should I stop? She is the cause of all our problems. Your sister is in this state because of your selfishness. You refused to step aside for her mate,” she yelled.

“Look at her. What will happen if she is rejected? Will she survive it?” she continued, delivering another slap that sent Raine to the ground.

“Stop it, Indira,” Alpha Elmore said firmly.

Luna Indira turned to him in surprise.

“You are taking her side? After everything she has caused me?” she asked, shaking her head.

“You are thinking wrongly. What do you think will happen to Alice if she hears all this and knows the cause of her condition is here?” he replied.

Raine, who had briefly hoped he was defending her, felt that hope shatter.

“Alpha Elmore, she needs to be marked by her mate. She is fragile and cannot survive rejection,” the physician said calmly, though her tone was serious.

She pressed her lips together before continuing.

“I may be mistaken, but I do not think Alice is weak. I believe she has taken a dangerous step that is causing her current condition,” she added carefully.

Luna Indira narrowed her eyes.

“What dangerous step? My Alice does not take risks,” she said, confused and worried.

“The forbidden ritual,” the physician replied quietly.

Raine looked up instantly, her lips parting in shock.

Everyone knew about that ritual. It was used to force a specific person to become your mate, going against fate.

If that person rejected you, you would suffer severe pain, and your health would gradually decline until death.

Only desperate werewolves dared to attempt it, and only when they were certain they would not be rejected.

Raine did not understand why Alice would take such a risk. The guilt she had been feeling began to fade.

“Why would she do such a thing? It is all because of you. All because of you,” Luna Indira screamed as she lunged at Raine.

Her claws extended, aiming for Raine’s face.

Raine raised her hand to block the attack, but her hand was slashed instead.

She stared at her mother in disbelief, clutching her bleeding hand.

She could see nothing but hatred in her mother’s eyes.

“Mother?” she called softly, her voice breaking.

“Do not call me that again. You have been a curse to me since the day you were born,” Luna Indira snapped.

Alpha Elmore walked to his mate and guided her to a nearby chair, calming her.

“Get out. And you better pray that Alice recovers, or I will end your miserable life,” he said coldly without looking at Raine

.

Raine slowly stood, holding her injured hand. She left the room, her shoulders slumped.

As she walked away, she heard the physician call her name.

She stopped in the hallway, and the woman caught up with her.

“Let me treat your wound,” the physician said gently.

Raine looked at her cautiously but did not refuse. She nodded and led her to her room.

There was something about the woman that made Raine feel at ease.

The physician paused as she entered the room. The difference between the sisters’ rooms was clear. One looked like a noble’s chamber, while the other resembled a servant’s room.

She sighed and took out her equipment.

After bandaging Raine’s wound, she stood up.

“Thank you for treating my wound,” Raine said sincerely.

The physician smiled and nodded.

“I will take my leave now. Just remember, everything happens for a reason. Your sister took a dangerous step, and it will bring a change in your life,” she said before leaving.

Once she was alone, Raine thought about her words.

Her eyes drifted to her bandaged hand, and tears fell again.

She closed her eyes, exhausted from everything.

For a moment, she considered giving up.

But then Raphael’s gray eyes came to her mind, along with his reassuring words.

Strength returned to her.

She opened her eyes with determination.

She would not give up on the one she loved.