Chapter 29: A Guard’s True Loyalty
Chapter 29: A Guard’s True Loyalty
(Celeste’s POV)
Scarlett’s emerald eyes narrowed, glinting with a frustration that she barely managed to
contain. Her carefully controlled mask of sweetness began to c***k around the edges, and a
sharp edge crept into her sugary tone.
“Why won’t you say anything?” she demanded, folding her arms tightly across her chest. There
was no attempt now to hide the venom dripping from her words. “Are you enjoying this? Watching Mother suffer because you refuse to speak?”
Her voice rose slightly, the faux concern clashing with the accusation in her tone.
I held her gaze calmly, keeping my posture as steady as I could manage. Years of enduring harsher words and cruelties had made silence my shield. My wolf stayed quiet, weary and
uninterested in engaging with Scarlett’s provocation.
C
But of course, she wasn’t done. Scarlett never stopped until she had a reaction, a c***k in the
armor she could exploit. She angled her head slightly, her auburn curls falling delicately over
her shoulders, giving her the appearance of vulnerability that she wielded with precision.
“You think I don’t see what you’re doing?” she asked, her lips twisting into a mockery of a
smile. “Using Mother’s guilt to gain sympathy from the pack? Making her feel responsible for
the miserable state you’re always in?”
My chest tightened, though I hid it behind an expressionless face.
She stepped closer, her voice dropping into a whisper laced with false compassion. “It’s
working, you know. All her tears, her constant worrying… Everyone is talking about it. They pity
you now, Celeste. Is that what you wanted?”
Her words cut deep, but not in the way she intended. They weren’t true–not entirely–but they still struck something raw, something unspoken.
Before I could gather a reply, Nina stepped forward, blocking Scarlett’s path with a calm and
deliberate movement. Her silver–gray wolf was sharp and alert under the surface.
“Apologies, My Lady,” Nina began, her voice polite but with an underlying firmness that demanded attention. “But perhaps your… delicate condition after the moon pool incident is
affecting your judgment.”
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Chapter 29: A Guard’s True Loya…
Scarlett froze, her emerald eyes widening at Nina’s interruption. Shock flickered in her gaze, and her wolf’s energy briefly faltered.
Nina tilted her head slightly, her tone still laced with courteous pretense. “It’s understandable, of course,” she continued. “The stress of such an incident can linger. Especially after being rescued so selflessly by someone you clearly hold in such high regard.”
I had to bite the inside of my cheek to suppress a smile.
Scarlett’s face turned red, her composure threatening to shatter completely. “How dare you
suggest-”
“Only concern for your wellbeing, My Lady,” Nina interjected smoothly, her sharp gray eyes fixed on Scarlett. “Should I fetch the pack healer? You appear… distressed.”
The deliberate jab landed precisely where Nina intended. Scarlett’s jaw clenched, her entire body stiffening as she struggled to maintain her usual façade of delicate grace.
Her gaze darted between Nina and me for several moments. Finally, she huffed softly, the
sound heavy with frustration.
“This isn’t over,” she hissed under her breath, her glare now directed squarely at Nina. Her emerald eyes burned with barely contained anger before she turned sharply on her heel and
stormed out.
We stood in silence for several beats after Scarlett disappeared from view. Then, I turned to Nina, my concern clear in my voice. “You shouldn’t have provoked her like that.”
Nina crossed her arms, her expression unapologetic. “She needed to be reminded that she doesn’t have authority over everyone. Especially not you.”
Her wolf simmered quietly beneath the surface, its protective energy warm but unwavering.
I sighed softly, shaking my head. “Lucas won’t like this. You know how he is about Scarlett. He might not forgive you for standing up to her.”
Nina’s lips curled into a faint smile that was both stubborn and resolute. “Even Lucas can’t punish someone for showing ‘concern,” she replied pointedly, her words dripping with mock innocence. “I simply followed the example his sister sets so often.”
Her confidence was unshaken, but her loyalty shone through in her directness. It was strange, after years of betrayal, to have someone as fiercely protective as Nina on my side.
“Just… be careful,” I said, the edge in my voice softening. “I appreciate what you’re doing, but this pack doesn’t forgive easily. Especially when it comes to Scarlett.”
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Chapter 29: A Guard’s True Loya…
Nina’s gray eyes softened slightly, but her wolf bristled with renewed determination. “You don’t
need to protect me, My Lady. That’s my role–to protect you. And I’ll do it, no matter what.”
Her words lingered, filling the space between us with a quiet, unspoken understanding.
I gave her a small nod of gratitude before changing the subject. The last thing I wanted was to
dwell on Scarlett, or the inevitable backlash that would follow her temper tantrum.
“Come on,” I said quietly. “We should prepare for the Temple ceremony.”
Nina fell into step beside me, her watchful presence a steady comfort as we made our way out of the pack house and toward the Sacred Moon Temple.
The stones of the ancient Temple glistened, faintly under the soft afternoon light. They seemed to pulse with their own energy, a quiet reminder of the connection they held to the
Moon Goddess.
Young wolves crowded the Temple steps, their excitement buzzing in the air. The Blood Moon’s eighth phase had drawn them in droves, each one hoping to strengthen their bond with their wolves or find guidance for the paths ahead.
“More wolves than usual,” Nina observed, her sharp gaze sweeping over the gathering. Her voice was low, measured as always.
I nodded, keeping my violet eyes fixed ahead. “The Blood Moon always brings more to the Temple. It’s said to enhance the blessings.”
Nina’s lips quirked slightly, though her gaze remained alert. “And to strengthen mate bonds,” she added casually.
The comment landed with quiet significance. My wolf curled inward, a low whimper echoing faintly through my soul at the thought of Marcus’s claim.
I quickly forced the thought away, focusing instead on the figure of the Temple rising before us. This wasn’t about Marcus, or me, or anyone else. My prayers today were for Eleanor.
The young wolves barely noticed as Nina and I made our way through the crowd. Most were too preoccupied, their eager chatter filling the air in bursts of excitement and nervous energy.
I caught snippets of whispered conversations as we passed:
“I heard the blessing ceremony can boost a wolf’s strength for a whole month…”
“They say the Moon’s pull is stronger during the eighth phase, that it’s easier to hear her whispers…”
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Chapter 29: A Guard’s True Loya…
“Maybe the blessing will help with our mate bond. It’s been strained lately…”
The words barely registered, blending into a dull haze of noise. None of it mattered. None of it
could.
Nina stayed close by my side, her posture straight and ready for action. Her presence
reminded me that I wasn’t facing this alone, even if it often felt like I was.
As the murmurs of the crowd grew louder, I lifted my head slightly, forcing my spine to align. A
façade of composure I’d perfected over the years took hold.
The anxious gazes and whispered judgments of the pack could not touch me here.
The only thing that mattered was Eleanor. Protecting her, praying for her strength, ensuring she held on–these were the only thoughts that could penetrate the carefully constructed walls
around me.
The Temple doors loomed closer, their worn carvings etched with ancient runes that seemed
to glow faintly in the shifting light. Each step I took carried me further into the heartbeat of the
sacred ground, the energy thick and heady in the air.
It was said the Moon Goddess could hear us more clearly here. That prayers offered under the Temple’s roof reached her ears undistorted.
I clung to that belief now, as tightly as I’d ever clung to anything.
My grandmother’s face appeared in my mind, her golden eyes soft and warm despite the pain etched into her frail body.
For her, I would endure this.
Even as unwelcome eyes followed me, even as whispers of judgment brushed faintly against my ears, I would endure.
I had to.
