Seraphina POV
"Everyone out. Now."
My father's Alpha command cut through the chaos in the throne room. The warriors—both Silvercrest and Shadowfang—filed out reluctantly, shooting suspicious glances at Corvus and me.
When the door closed, leaving just my father, Corvus, Kael, and Rowan, the silence was deafening.
My father turned to me, his face unreadable. "Explain. From the beginning."
I opened my mouth. Closed it. Where did I even start? Hi Dad, remember when I ran into enemy territory after catching Thorne cheating? Well, I accidentally slept with their Alpha and now we're divinely blessed mates.
Yeah, that would go over great.
"It was my fault," Corvus said before I could speak. "That night Seraphina crossed the border, I found her. I should have escorted her back immediately. Instead, I..." He met my father's eyes without flinching. "I kept her with me. One night. That's when the bond formed."
"You KEPT her?" My father's voice rose dangerously. "My daughter was vulnerable, running from trauma, and you took advantage—"
"He didn't take advantage!" I stepped between them. "Dad, I wanted to be there. I chose to stay. Corvus didn't even know who I was."
"And that makes it better?" My father's eyes blazed. "You slept with the enemy, Seraphina!"
"I didn't know he was the enemy! I thought he was just... someone who understood pain." Tears burned my eyes. "Someone who made me feel like I mattered for one night. Is that so wrong?"
My father's expression softened slightly, but his jaw stayed clenched. "The Moon Goddess blessed this bond. I can't fight that. But understand—this complicates everything. Our packs have been enemies for three generations. There's blood between us. Deep hatred."
"I know," Corvus said quietly. "Which is why we need to figure out how to make this work. Together."
Kael laughed bitterly. "Make it work? Alpha, our pack is already fracturing. Half the warriors think you've betrayed them. The other half are confused and angry. You saw Marcus—he was ready to challenge you for leadership."
"Let him try."
"Corvus, you're not hearing me. If you push this, if you force the pack to accept her, you'll lose them. And a pack without loyalty is—"
"Nothing," Corvus finished. "I know. But what's the alternative? Reject my fated mate? Live half-alive for the rest of my life? Watch her be forced to mate someone else?"
The thought of mating anyone but Corvus made my wolf snarl viciously.
My father rubbed his temples. "The Moon Blessing changes things. Cassia was right—to reject a blessed bond would be blasphemy. But that doesn't mean our packs will accept this peacefully." He looked at me. "Seraphina, you'll be hated by half of Shadowfang. Seen as a traitor by half of Silvercrest. Your life will be constant conflict."
"I can handle conflict."
"Can you handle watching Corvus lose his pack because of you?" My father's question was brutal but fair. "Because that's what might happen. Wolves follow strength. If they see him as weak or compromised, they'll turn on him."
I looked at Corvus. Really looked at him. He stood tall and confident, every inch the powerful Alpha. But through our bond, I felt his fear. His uncertainty. His terror that he'd have to choose between me and his people.
"Maybe..." I swallowed hard. "Maybe we should wait. Keep the bond private until both packs accept the peace treaty. Once they see we can work together, once the hatred fades a little, then we reveal—"
"No." Corvus's voice was steel. "I'm not hiding you. Not anymore."
"But if it saves your pack—"
"My pack serves ME. Not the other way around." His golden eyes blazed. "I'm their Alpha. I've led them through wars, famines, rogue attacks. I've bled for them, killed for them, made impossible choices to keep them safe. And now I'm making another choice—I'm choosing my mate. If they can't respect that, they're free to leave."
"Corvus, be reasonable—" Kael started.
"I AM being reasonable!" Corvus rounded on his Beta. "The Moon Goddess herself blessed this bond! That's not a suggestion or a request—it's a divine mandate. Any wolf who opposes it is opposing the Goddess. Let them try."
Rowan, who'd been silent this whole time, finally spoke up. "But Elder Cassia said you'd face tests. Trials. What did she mean?"
The question hung in the air.
Before anyone could answer, the door burst open. Elder Cassia herself stood there, breathing hard like she'd run the whole way back.
"It's started," she gasped.
"What's started?" My father demanded.
"The Trial of the Moon." Cassia's ancient eyes were wide with fear. "I felt it the moment I left. The Goddess has invoked the ancient law."
My blood turned to ice. "What's the Trial of the Moon?"
"An old law from before the Great War," Cassia explained, leaning heavily on her cane. "When the Moon Goddess blesses a controversial bond—usually between enemies or forbidden pairs—she tests them. Three trials to prove their bond is strong enough to overcome the obstacles."
"What kind of trials?" Corvus asked carefully.
"Physical, mental, and spiritual challenges that push mates to their absolute limits. Most couples don't survive." Cassia's voice was grim. "The last Moon Blessed pair who faced the trials? Three hundred years ago. They both died in the third challenge."
The room went silent.
"So we're just supposed to... wait for these trials to start?" I asked, my voice shaking.
"They've already started." Cassia pointed at me. "Look at your arm."
I glanced down. My right forearm was glowing with silver light. Ancient symbols were appearing on my skin, like tattoos made of moonlight.
"What is that?" I whispered.
Corvus gasped. I looked at him. His left forearm bore identical marks, but his glowed gold instead of silver.
"The Trial Marks," Cassia breathed. "They appear when the Goddess chooses her champions. Each symbol represents a challenge you must face."
I counted the marks on my arm. Three symbols, just like Cassia said.
The first symbol looked like two wolves circling each other—the physical trial.
The second showed a broken chain—the mental trial.
The third was a heart split down the middle, bleeding—the spiritual trial.
"When do they start?" Corvus demanded.
"The first trial begins at the next full moon. Three days from now." Cassia's expression was grave. "And you must face it together. If either of you fails, both of you die."
"Die?" My father looked horrified. "Cassia, there has to be another way. They're just kids—"
"The Moon Goddess doesn't negotiate, Magnus." Cassia's voice was sad but firm. "This is the price of a blessed bond between enemies. Seraphina and Corvus must prove their love is stronger than the hatred between your packs. If they succeed, the Goddess will unite your peoples. If they fail..."
She didn't need to finish that sentence.
Corvus reached for my hand. Our marked arms touched, and the symbols flared brightly. Through the bond, I felt his determination. His absolute certainty that we'd survive this.
I wished I felt the same.
"What's the first trial?" I asked quietly.
Cassia hesitated. "Combat. You'll fight enemies together—but not normal enemies. The Goddess will summon shadow wolves. Manifestations of your pack's hatred given form. They'll be strong, vicious, and numerous. You must survive until dawn."
"That doesn't sound too bad," Rowan offered hopefully. "They're both good fighters—"
"There's a catch," Cassia interrupted. "Shadow wolves feed on doubt and fear. Every time you doubt your bond, every time you hesitate or question whether you made the right choice, they grow stronger. If your faith in each other wavers even once..." She met our eyes. "The shadows will tear you apart."
My stomach dropped. Three days. We had three days to prepare for a trial that would literally feed on our insecurities.
And I was full of insecurities.
What if Corvus regretted choosing me? What if his pack turned on him and he blamed me? What if I wasn't strong enough, good enough, worthy enough to be his mate?
The marks on my arm flared hot. Painful.
"Stop," Corvus said urgently. "Seraphina, stop doubting. The trial hasn't even started and you're already feeding the shadows."
"How do you know—"
"Because mine burned too when you started spiraling." He pulled me close, his hand over my marked arm. "We do this together. No doubt. No fear. Just trust."
"Easier said than done," I whispered.
"I know. But we don't have a choice." His golden eyes held mine. "Three days. Then we fight for our right to be together. And Seraphina? We're going to win."
I wanted to believe him. Desperately.
But as I looked around the room at our fathers' worried faces, at Kael's skepticism, at Rowan's fear, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were about to face something that would destroy us.
The first mark on my arm—the circling wolves—began to pulse.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
Counting down to the trial.
Counting down to the moment when Corvus and I would either prove our love was real, or die trying.
Elder Cassia cleared her throat. "There's one more thing you should know."
"Of course there is," I muttered.
"The trials don't just test you. They test your packs too." Cassia's eyes were sad. "Every member of Silvercrest and Shadowfang will experience nightmares during your trials. Visions of what will happen if you fail. The Goddess is forcing them to confront the possibility of losing both their leaders' children. It's... not pleasant."
"So our entire packs will hate us even more," Kael said flatly.
"Most likely, yes."
Perfect. Just perfect.
My father stepped forward. "Then we have three days to prepare them. To help them understand why this bond matters." He looked at Corvus. "You and I need to talk. Alpha to Alpha. Figure out how to keep our wolves from panicking."
Corvus nodded.
As they moved toward the door, the temperature in the room suddenly dropped. My breath came out in visible puffs.
Everyone froze.
"What's happening?" Rowan whispered.
The shadows in the corners of the room began to move. To shift. To take form.
A low growl echoed from the darkness.
Then another. And another.
"No," Cassia breathed. "That's impossible. The trial isn't supposed to start for three more days—"
A massive shadow wolf stepped out of the darkness. Its eyes glowed red. Its teeth were like daggers. And it was staring directly at me and Corvus.
Behind it, dozens more emerged.
The marks on my arm blazed with heat.
"The trial has begun early," Cassia said, her voice shaking. "The Goddess changed the rules. Everyone GET OUT! NOW!"
But the shadow wolves moved faster. They blocked the doors. Surrounded us.
Corvus shifted into his massive black wolf. I shifted into my silver one. We stood back-to-back as the shadows circled, growling.
Together, Corvus sent through our bond. We fight together.
Together, I agreed.
The shadow wolves attacked.
And our trial by fire began.