The hall smelled of roasted meat and fresh bread, but the scent did little to calm my nerves. I moved carefully, balancing plates as my father and brother watched from the long dining table. Every gesture, every movement was scrutinized, and one misstep could draw scorn, punishment, or worse.
I had already spilled a drop of wine when I reached for the next plate. My hands shook just slightly, enough for the liquid to stain the edge of the tablecloth.
"Clumsy girl," my father muttered, eyes narrowing. "Do you always make such mistakes?"
My brother leaned forward, a sneer tugging at his lips. "Pathetic. I would expect better from—"
"Stop."
The voice wasn't raised, but it carried through the hall like thunder. I froze. All eyes turned toward him. The King stood at the head of the room, commanding even without moving a muscle. His presence filled the space, and something low and powerful stirred within him—Kai, his wolf, alert and coiled.
He stepped closer. "She is my mate."
The words slammed into the hall like a physical blow. My father's face went pale. My brother's jaw dropped. Every elder and pack member froze.
I stumbled, the plates rattling, and my cheeks burned. Mate? Mine?
Levi's eyes—sharp, unwavering—met mine, though I could not speak yet. Snow twitched inside me, heart hammering. Finally. Recognition. Safety.
"You will not touch her," Levi continued, voice low and steady, leaving no room for argument. "She is my mate. Any punishment, any humiliation directed at her, stops now."
The room was silent, the power of his declaration pressing down on every heart present. Even my father's anger faltered under it.
I lowered my gaze, unsure how to react. Mate. The word echoed inside me, resonating deep in Snow. It was terrifying, overwhelming… and strangely relieving.
Levi's presence was calm but undeniable. The thread of connection tugged at me, faint but insistent. He had claimed me, not just by instinct, but by choice—and that meant everything had changed.
No one argued further. My father and brother sat stiff, silent, while Levi's gaze remained on me, protective and possessive. My heart raced, caught between fear, disbelief, and the faintest flicker of something else—a thread of trust that had only just begun.
Snow shifted inside me, curling tighter, coiled and ready. Kai's presence pulsed inside Levi, steady and aware. The mate bond had been recognized, and nothing—not my cruel family, not the pack—could deny it now.