Marked by Midnight

Chapter 4

Three Names

The hall was so quiet that I could hear my own breathing.

I stood beside Seraphine, staring at the silver light above the platform. I didn't understand what was happening. Everyone else had their heads bowed, but I couldn't bring myself to look away.

The light seemed to be pulling at something inside me.

“Elena,” Seraphine whispered.

I looked at her. “What?”

“Your eyes.”

“What about them?”

She stared at me for another second before shaking her head.

“Nothing.”

Before I could ask what she meant, a voice filled the hall.

“Children of the Moon, raise your heads.”

Everyone looked up. The silver light above the platform grew brighter.

Then a woman appeared in the middle of it.

She didn't look like an ordinary person. Her long silver dress seemed to blend into the light around her, and her presence alone made the entire hall feel different.

The Moon Goddess.

I had heard stories about her since I arrived at Moonridge, but I had never seen her before. She looked around the hall before speaking.

“Tonight, some of you will meet the person whose soul has been tied to yours.”

A few students smiled.

Seraphine squeezed my hand. I could feel how excited she was. I wasn't. Instead, I felt nervous. I didn't know why.

The Moon Goddess continued speaking, explaining the ceremony and reminding everyone that a mate bond was not something to be treated like a game.

I listened quietly. Then she raised her hand.

“The first group will come forward.”

One by one, students were called. Some found their mates immediately. Others didn't.

Whenever two people were matched, the room filled with cheers.

Seraphine kept leaning towards me.

“I hope I'm next.”

“You've said that about five times.”

“Because I'm hoping the Goddess hears me.”

I laughed.

Then a name was called.

“Seraphine Vale.”

Her eyes widened.

“Oh my God.”

“You're up.”

She looked terrified for half a second before smiling.

“Wish me luck.”

“Good luck.”

She walked towards the platform. I watched her nervously. The Moon Goddess smiled at her.

“Do not fear what is meant for you.”

Seraphine stood still. A few seconds passed.

Then the light around the Goddess shifted.

A young man from the other side of the hall stepped forward.

The moment they saw each other, their expressions changed. The crowd erupted. Seraphine covered her mouth.

I smiled. At least she got what she wanted.

After the ceremony continued for a while, I started relaxing. Maybe my worries had been unnecessary.

Maybe I won't find a mate tonight. And honestly, I wasn't sure how I felt about that.

Then the Moon Goddess looked directly at me.

“Elena Morgan.”

My smile disappeared. I stopped breathing for a second.

Seraphine turned towards me.

“That's you.”

“I know.”

I walked forward.

Every step felt heavier than the last.

When I reached the platform, the silver light became brighter.

The Moon Goddess stared at me. Not like she was looking at an ordinary student. It felt like she was searching for something.

“Come closer, child.”

I obeyed.

She reached out her hand. The moment her fingers touched mine, something rushed through me.

I pulled my hand back. A sharp gasp escaped my mouth.

Images flashed through my mind. Trees. A man's voice. Olivia. Alaric. A house I didn't recognise. Then another image appeared, a little girl standing beside me, Ravina.

I opened my eyes. I was back in the hall. The Moon Goddess was still staring at me.

“What was that?” I asked.

She didn't answer.

Instead, she turned her attention towards the crowd.

“Three.”

A murmur went through the hall. I frowned.

“Three what?”

She looked at me again.

“Three bonds answer your call.”

The hall became completely silent. I didn't understand.

Then the three men I had noticed earlier stepped forward. My stomach dropped.

Kyle Draven, Damon Ravencroft and Lucian Vayna.

All three were looking at me.

Kyle was the first to react. His expression changed almost immediately. He looked confused. Then he glanced at Damon and Lucian as though trying to figure out if they were feeling the same thing.

Damon looked annoyed. Actually, annoyed was an understatement. He crossed his arms.

“This has to be wrong.”

A few people gasped.

The Moon Goddess remained calm.

“The bond does not make mistakes.”

Damon looked at me. I could tell from his expression that he wasn't impressed.

“She's human.”

The word travelled through the hall.

Human.

I had heard it before.

People at Moonridge had always assumed I was human because I didn't shift like the others and I didn't show any obvious supernatural abilities. I had learned to ignore it. But hearing it from him felt different.

Kyle spoke before I could respond.

“Damon.”

“What?”

“Watch your mouth.”

Damon gave him a look.

“I'm only saying what everyone else is thinking.”

Kyle looked at me again. There was something different in his eyes. Not attraction. Not acceptance. More like confusion.

He took a step towards me.

“Are you okay?”

I nodded. “I'm fine.”

“You don't look fine.”

“I said I'm fine.”

He didn't argue. Instead, he stepped slightly to the side, almost as if he wanted to make sure no one came too close to me. I noticed it. So did Damon.

“You're already protecting her?”

Kyle's jaw tightened. “I'm making sure she isn't overwhelmed.”

Damon laughed. “Whatever helps you sleep at night.”

I looked between them.

“Can someone explain what is happening?”

Neither answered immediately.

Then Lucian finally spoke.

“She’s our mate.”

His voice was quiet. Almost too quiet for a room this large. But everyone heard him.

My heart dropped.

“Our?”

I looked at him. He didn't look away.

“Yes.”

I stared at the three of them. Three mates. That wasn't normal. At least, I had never heard of anything like it.

Damon shook his head.

“No.”

The Moon Goddess looked at him.

“You deny the bond?”

“I don't accept it.”

A few people whispered. Damon didn't seem bothered.

He looked directly at me.

“I don't know who you are, and I'm not going to pretend this makes sense.”

I felt my stomach twist. I looked at Kyle. He was silent.

Then I looked at Lucian. He was still watching me. I didn't know what any of them were thinking.

The Moon Goddess looked at the three men.

“The bond has chosen.”

Kyle finally spoke.

“I know what the bond says.”

He paused.

“But I cannot accept her as my mate.”

My heart sank. He looked at me.

There was no cruelty in his expression. If anything, he looked like he was trying to convince himself as much as he was convincing me.

“You're human, Elena. I have responsibilities. I can't ignore what everyone already knows.”

I swallowed.

“So you're rejecting me?”

Kyle's eyes dropped for a second.

“Yes.”

The word was quiet. But I heard it clearly.

I nodded.

“Okay.”

Damon looked at Kyle, then back at me. He gave a small shake of his head.

“This is ridiculous.”

I turned towards him.

“What?”

He shrugged.

“I'm not accepting it either.”

I stared at him.

“You haven't even been asked.”

“I don't need to be.”

His tone was blunt.

“I reject the bond.”

There was no hesitation. No apology. Nothing. For some reason, that angered me more than Kyle's rejection.

“Fine.”

Damon raised an eyebrow.

“Fine?”

“Yes. Fine.”

I folded my arms.

“If you don't want it, I don't want it either.”

A few people around us went silent. Damon looked at me for a moment.

Then a small smile appeared on his face.

“You've got some attitude.”

“And you've got a problem.”

Someone in the crowd laughed.

Damon's smile disappeared. He looked at me again.

“You're human. I'm not going to accept a mate who can't even survive in my world.”

I felt my cheeks burn.

“I didn't ask you to accept me.”

“Good.”

He turned away.

Then there was Lucian. He hadn't said anything.

I looked at him.

“And you?”

His eyes met mine.

For a moment, I thought he might say something different.

Instead, he spoke quietly.

“I reject the bond too.”

I felt something inside me sink.

“Why?”

Lucian didn't look away.

“I don't trust what I don't understand.”

“What don't you understand?”

“You.”

I frowned.

“I've done nothing to you.”

“I know.”

“Then why reject me?”

He was silent for a few seconds.

“Because something about this doesn't make sense.”

That was all he gave me. No insult. No anger. Just uncertainty.

I nodded slowly.

“Then we're done.”

Lucian's expression changed slightly, but he said nothing.

The Moon Goddess watched the three of them.

“You may reject the bond, but you cannot erase what has already been awakened.”

I didn't understand what she meant. Neither did the others but before anyone could ask, the silver light around her began to fade. Then she disappeared.

The hall immediately filled with whispers.

I stood there for a moment, feeling like everyone was looking at me. Three mates. Three rejections. All in one night.

Seraphine rushed towards me.

“Elena.”

I forced a smile.

“Let's go.”

She didn't argue.

We walked out of the hall together. The moment the doors closed behind us, I finally let out the breath I'd been holding.

Seraphine looked at me.

“You don't have to pretend you're okay.”

“I know.”

“Are you?”

I thought about lying. Instead, I shrugged.

“I don't know.”

She squeezed my hand.

“They're idiots.”

I laughed despite myself.

“Seraphine.”

“What? They are.”

“They probably have their reasons.”

She stopped walking.

“Elena, they rejected you because they think you're human.”

“I know.”

“And that isn't fair.”

I looked away.

“I don't want anyone feeling sorry for me.”

“I don't.”

She gave me a small smile.

“I just don't like them.”

That made me laugh again.

We continued walking.

For the first time since the ceremony started, I felt like I could breathe. I thought about what had happened.

Maybe the Moon Goddess had made a mistake. Maybe there was something I didn't understand. Maybe those three men were right.

I was human.

At least, that was what everyone believed.

But as I reached the dormitory, something strange happened. The lights in the hallway flickered. I stopped.

Seraphine looked around.

“Did you see that?”

I nodded.

The lights flickered again. Then every candle along the hallway went out at once.

Seraphine grabbed my arm.

“Elena…”

“I don't know.”

A cold feeling moved through me. I looked down at my hands. For a second, I thought I saw something beneath my skin.

A faint silver glow.

I blinked.

It disappeared.

“Did you see that?” I asked.

“See what?”

I looked at my hands again.

Nothing.

“Nothing.”

Maybe I had imagined it. Maybe tonight had simply been too much. I went into my room and closed the door behind me. I leaned against it and closed my eyes.

Three men had rejected me tonight. Honestly, I didn't know whether I was more embarrassed or angry.

But one thing bothered me. The Moon Goddess had looked at me differently. She hadn't looked nfused.

She hadn't looked surprised. She looked like she knew something. Something about me. Something nobody had told me.

I walked towards the mirror and stared at my reflection.

For a moment, everything looked normal. Then my eyes seemed to change. Just for a second.

Silver.

I stepped closer.

“What is happening to me?”

There was no answer. But somewhere deep inside me, I felt that strange pull again. The same feeling I'd had when the Moon Goddess touched my hand. And this time, it didn't feel like a warning. It felt like something was waking up.