Chapter 45: Loyalty
Chapter 45: Loyalty
(Celeste’s POV)
I closed the door carefully behind me, leaning against it as the weight of the night pressed
down on my shoulders.
My entire body felt drained, every muscle screaming in protest, and the silver burns flared with an unrelenting fire under my thin clothing.
Despite the pain, a tiny flicker of relief warmed my chest–Eleanor didn’t know.
She didn’t know about the incident at the Sacred Moon Temple.
The thought eased some of the tension gripping my throat. For now, she was spared from the
burden of worry, and that was all that mattered.
I forced myself to stand upright and rubbed at the raw skin of my wrist absentmindedly before
I turned to face the room.
Nina was seated near my small moonstone lamp, perched stiffly on the edge of the chair like
she was ready to leap up at the slightest sound.
Her silver–gray wolf’s presence was faint, her energy clearly weakened from Lucas’s earlier attack. Even her determined posture couldn’t hide the visible strain on her body.
Her eyes flicked up at me the moment I walked in. “Lady Celeste.” She immediately stood,
almost losing her balance as her legs shook slightly. “You’re back.”
“Yes. Sit down.” My voice was firm as I stepped toward her.
She froze for a split second before slowly lowering herself back into the chair. Her wolf
bristled faintly, unhappy with the order but too exhausted to press further.
“You shouldn’t even be out of bed,” I added, my tone softening slightly as I crossed the room to
face her. “You’re still weak. Look at yourself, Nina.”
“I’m fine,” she shot back quickly, her jaw tightening. Her hands gripped the arms of the chair tightly, knuckles whitening. “My duty is to protect you, Lady Celeste. That hasn’t changed. It won’t change.”
“You’re not fine.” I matched her tone, gesturing firmly toward the pale sheen of her skin and the faint tremor in her movements. “You’re clearly still in so much pain. You don’t have to pretend
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with me, Nina. Let me help you.”
She blinked at me, gray eyes sharp with defiance. “I don’t need help. My job is to keep you
safe. And I’ll do it, even like this.”
I sighed, stepping back slightly. “What if you collapse, then?” I asked, trying to keep my
frustration from bubbling over. “Do you think that’s helping me?”
She stiffened and opened her mouth to argue, but I pressed on. “You’re hurt, Nina. You can’t
protect anyone like this. And if something happens to you-” My voice cracked, but I forced myself to continue. “Do you think I could forgive myself?”
Her lips parted slightly, a flicker of surprise breaking through her stern facade.
“I’m not dismissing you,” I added quickly, trying to soften the blow. “I’m not telling you to leave.
I just… I don’t want to see you hurt because of me.”
Something in her gaze shifted. For a moment, her wolf flickered weakly, the faintest whimper sounding in her chest. But it didn’t sound like submission–it sounded like resolve.
“I won’t leave,” she said finally, her voice calm but trembling with emotion. Her hands clenched
tightly around the chair’s edges. “I’d rather collapse than abandon you.”
“Nina, that’s not what I meant-‘
“You don’t understand.” Her voice rose slightly, cutting me off. “This isn’t just a job. This isn’t just duty–not anymore. I’m here because I choose to be here.” Her wolf surged faintly with her
words, a pained but unmistakable show of loyalty.
Before I could respond, she flinched, her breath catching sharply. She brought a hand to her
mouth, and when she pulled it away, a thin trail of blood streaked her palm.
“Nina!” I moved to her side instantly, my stomach dropping as I took in her pale face and
trembling form. “You’re bleeding again–your injuries haven’t healed-”
“I’m fine.” But her voice faltered as she said it, her wolf whimpering faintly beneath the weight
of Lucas’s earlier blow.
“You’re not fine,” I countered sharply, crouching beside her. My hands hovered uncertainly over
her shaking shoulders, unsure how to help without causing her more pain. “And if you keep pushing yourself like this, it’s going to get worse.”
Her eyes blazed with something defiant, something almost desperate. “I told you,” she said through clenched teeth. “I’m not leaving.”
Her conviction–her sheer stubbornness–stunned me into silence for a moment.
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“You don’t have to prove anything,” I said softly, my voice trembling. “Not to me. Not to anyone.
”
“I do,” she whispered, her gray eyes meeting mine. “Because if I don’t… who will? Who else is
going to protect you the way you need to be protected?”
My throat tightened at her words.
I leaned back slightly, running a hand through my already disheveled braid. “Fine,” I said finally,
my voice barely above a whisper. “If you’re staying… then I need you to be careful. No more pushing yourself past your limits. And no more bleeding in my room.”
She blinked, surprised by my attempt to lighten the mood.
A weak smile tugged at the corners of her lips, though the paleness in her face hadn’t faded.
Are you making a joke, Lady Celeste?”
I shrugged, though my heart ached as I watched her struggle to steady her breathing. “If it
keeps you from arguing with me, maybe.”
Nina’s wolf pressed faintly against mine, a soft and protective presence that warmed me
despite the heaviness of the room.
“Alright,” she murmured. “But you have to promise me something too.”
I arched a brow. “Oh? And what’s that?”
Her smile grew faintly sharper, though her exhaustion was clear. “Stop getting into so much
trouble.”
I snorted softly, shaking my head. “No promises.”
Her laugh was weak but genuine, and despite the tension in the air, I felt the faintest flicker of
hope between us.
The next morning, I woke to the sound of shuffling footsteps and the faint clink of trays being
set on the ground.
I rubbed my aching eyes, blinking against the dim light as an entire entourage of servants
filtered into the room.
My stomach churned as I took in the trays they carried–each overflowing with gifts far too extravagant to be anything but royal. Delicate silks, glittering jewels, and rare moonflowers lined the trays, the unmistakable crest of the royal family stamped on every single item.
One of the servants stepped forward, bowing low before me. “Lady Celeste,” she said formally,
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Chapter 45: Loyalty
her voice practiced and even. “Her Royal Highness Regina requests that you accept these offerings as a symbol of His Highness Marcus’s declared mate claim.”
My heart sank at her words, the weight of Regina’s manipulation pressing down on me.
But I kept my face neutral, unwilling to give anyone the satisfaction of seeing more weakness. “Tell Her Royal Highness… I accept.”
The servant nodded, her expression impassive, as she turned and bowed herself out of the
room.
I exhaled slowly, my hands fisting under the sheets. The sight of the lavish gifts made me
nauseous.
“Wow…” Scarlett’s voice broke the heavy silence.
I turned slightly to see her lingering in the doorway, her emerald eyes wide and sparkling as they darted over the overflowing trays.
“You’re so… lucky,” she said, stepping further into the room. There was something almost
reverent in her tone, though the undercurrent of envy twisted each word.
I raised a brow, watching as she reached out to touch one of the delicate moonflower stems.
“Lucky?” I echoed dryly, my voice flat.
She shot me a half–smile, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I mean… being mated to
Marcus… the Alpha King’s nephew…” She gestured broadly at the gifts. “It’s such an honor,
isn’t it?”
I stared at her for a long moment, biting back the sharp retort brewing in my chest. Instead, a bitter smile curved my lips.
“You think so?” I asked, my tone deceptively sweet. “Then maybe you should be the one to marry him.”
She blinked, startled by my words. Then her face paled so dramatically I thought she might
faint on the spot.
Her wolf recoiled sharply, trembling, as she took a small step back.
“No!” she stammered, her voice an octave higher. “I–I could never–I mean–my wolf would
never-”
“Never?” I tilted my head mockingly.
Her lips trembled as she grasped desperately for composure. “My wolf… only recognizes
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Alexander as my mate,” she said quickly, her words spilling over one another.
I arched a brow, studying her. The panic in her voice was genuine, but the words themselves
tasted like lies.
After a beat, she shot me the faintest, trembling smile before scurrying out of the room as
though her life depended on it.
The moment the door clicked shut behind her, I let out a snort of laughter that I didn’t bother
to hide.
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