Chapter 20: A Predator’s Proposal
Chapter 20: A Predator’s Proposal
(Celeste’s POV)
The towering gates of Regina Blackwood’s private territory loomed ahead, casting long
shadows under the dim light.
My muscles tensed involuntarily, and my wolf curled deep within me, refusing to stir. The
weight of this place was unbearable, suffocating–it reeked of power, dominance, and the kind
of danger I had spent years trying to avoid.
Victoria walked beside me, her movements graceful and purposeful. The lines of satisfaction
etched into her face were subtle, but I caught them all.
She said nothing as the guards opened the gates without hesitation. The symmetry of their
motion, the uniformity of their bows, only made the sting worse. Not even wolves of the
highest rank questioned her authority here.
As soon as we entered, the air grew heavier. It wasn’t just the oppressive chill of the Northern
winds–it was the dominance lurking within every corner of this fortress–like domain.
My heart thudded dully against my ribcage, steady yet loud enough to remind me just how
fragile I was in this place.
It felt eerily similar to Moon Shadow Prison.
Every step further into the courtyard made my wolf whimper louder inside me. Memories
clawed their way to the surface–silver chains, cold floors, Marcus Blackwood’s distant smirk
as a whip slashed across my back.
And now? Now he awaited me, not as a tormenter, but as something infinitely worse.
Victoria’s pace quickened, her confident gait in stark contrast to my cautious one. “Keep your head high,” she murmured softly, her tone filled with rehearsed encouragement.
Head high? My lips parted into the smallest bitter smile. How ironic, given that she was walking me into another snare, one she had meticulously crafted beneath the guise of
concern.
The grand hall was no less intimidating than the territory itself. Every inch radiated with an aura of regal superiority.
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Chapter 20: A Predator’s Proposal
The high ceilings, the moonstone–encrusted chandeliers, and the finely woven banners bearing the Blackwood insignia all screamed power.
And there, seated at the head of a long, polished table, was Regina Blackwood,
Regina radiated authority. She was striking–her long black hair streaked with natural silver,
her violet eyes sharp enough to slice through stone.
Everything about her said she was a ruler. It wasn’t her brother, the Alpha King, I feared most-
it was her.
“Celeste,” she greeted warmly, but her tone carried an edge I couldn’t ignore. “Welcome to
Blackwood grounds.”
Her smile didn’t reach her eyes.
Victoria inclined her head politely. “Regina.” Her tone was light, but the glance she flicked at me was not. It bordered on encouragement–a silent push to behave as instructed.
Regina’s gaze never wavered from mine, even as she motioned gracefully toward the figure
beside her. My pulse quickened instinctively.
Marcus Blackwood stood there, perfectly groomed and‘ poised like a prince in the moonlight. He wore his tailored black suit like it was battle armor, his dark hair swept perfectly to the side, the royal violet of his eyes gleaming under the light.
If Regina’s aura commanded respect through intelligence and composure, Marcus’s aura did so through sheer, unrelenting malice cloaked in charm.
His smile widened as I stepped forward, but it didn’t reach his eyes either. “Celeste,” he murmured, his voice slick, polished, but so clearly a lie. “It’s been far too long.”
The surge of nausea rolled through me before I could stop it. My wolf whimpered again, but I forced my head to incline faintly. Anything else would’ve been taken as defiance.
Regina’s scrutiny was relentless as the formalities passed. She gestured toward Marcus with the grace of someone mapping out a game board.
“My son thought it only fitting to welcome you himself,” she said, her eyes glinting with calculated intent. “He remembers you quite fondly.”
Fondly.
My nails dug faintly into the sides of my palms. Images of silver whips biting into my skin flashed briefly in my head: Did fondness shine through such cruelty?
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Chapter 20: A Predator’s Proposal
Marcus bowed ever so slightly, his gaze locked firmly on mine.
“Your visit here,” he started smoothly, “is an honor, Celeste. My mother and I wish to ensure
you receive the welcome you deserve.”
Liar. His tone was practiced. His every gesture orchestrated. My wolf didn’t need to warn me–l
already felt the trap tightening with every word.
A pause spilled out between us before Regina spoke up again, her tone light but commanding.
“Marcus, why don’t you show Celeste the Sacred Moon Grove? Let the two of you… reacquaint
yourselves.”
The question was rhetorical–the words carried subtle dominance, leaving no room for refusal.
Marcus extended his hand slightly, gesturing for me to walk ahead. His smile was polite, charming even, but my wolf recoiled from the predator beneath it.
Behind me, Victoria’s expression shifted briefly–not a smirk, not outright glee, but approval.
She had already won her game.
The Sacred Moon Grove was silent except for the crunch of leaves beneath our feet.
We walked side by side, though Marcus made no attempt to stand too close or bridge the
unbearable silence.
It was measured. Calculated.
When we reached the ancient moonflower tree at the center of the grove, his pace slowed. His
eyes softened with feigned familiarity, reaching up‘ to pluck one of the scattered flowers from
its branches.
“They always reminded me of you,” he said softly, holding the bloom out toward me.
Unwilling and numb, I took it, my fingers brushing against its cool petals. The tiny act burned
with so many implications.
“Moonflowers don’t bloom for everyone,” he added, his voice dipping. “They’re rare. Powerful.
Much like you, Celeste.”
I struggled to keep my expression neutral, though bile coated the back of my tongue. He was playing the romantic–soft–spoken, attentive, thoughtful. But everything was wrong.
My silence stretched too long.
Then came the shift–the subtle change in his tone. He let the act slip, just slightly, as he stepped closer.
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Chapter 20: A Predator’s Proposal
“Did you know,” he started, letting his voice dip into something deeper, “I’ve already planned to
mark you as mine?”
My heart stilled.
“Three moons from now,” he continued conversationally, stepping closer still.
“We’ll have the formal ceremony. And after that…” He smiled, his voice filled with hunger,
“You’ll come with me to the Northern Ranges.”
My breathing faltered briefly, but I managed to hold my ground. I knew this was where the path led, long before stepping into Regina’s territory, but hearing his claim solidified every fear
I hadn’t yet voiced.
“No,” I whispered, forcing steadiness into my voice. “Why would you…?” My voice caught
faintly. “Why would someone like you choose me?”
He laughed softly, and it wasn’t warm. It was cold, cruel, amused. “Because my mother has a particular fondness for you.”
He motioned vaguely toward the distant manor. “She sees potential in you, even if the Winters
pack doesn’t.”
The Winters pack.
The words tasted like venom. Regina’s approval wasn’t fondness–it was pity at best, leverage
at worst.
His proximity was unshakable now. His aura, stronger and darker than Lucas’s had ever been,
suffocated my weakened wolf.
“You don’t have to be afraid,” Marcus murmured, his voice dropping into a growl as his violet
eyes glinted.
“I’ll take care of you. The Northern climate will ease your scarring. You’ll…” He paused, narrowing the impossible distance between us. “Thrive under my care.”
–
My lips parted faintly, more to draw in air than to speak. His dominance pressed down on me like a mountain, making my head lower instinctively.
My wolf, whimpering louder now, ‘begged me not to challenge him.
“You’ll learn to trust me,” he rasped, his voice brushing against my ear like a threat.
Suddenly, another voice broke the tension like shattered glass.
“Marcus.”
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Chapter 20: A Predator’s Proposal
I turned sharply toward the source.
For the first time that day, my chest felt something akin to relief and tension all at once.
Alexander stepped through the grove’s entrance, his powerful frame emanating authority even without his wolf fully surfacing.
His ice–blue eyes moved between Marcus and me, assessing everything with cold precision. Then his expression hardened into stern but formal calmness.
“Beta Alexander,” Marcus greeted smoothly, adopting his earlier charm as he stepped back from me. But his eyes gleamed faintly, knowing the moment he left behind.
Alexander’s greeting was colder, sharper. “Marcus.”
His focus shifted briefly to me. Though his face betrayed no emotion, his wolf’s energy- steady and protective–brushed faintly against mine.
It didn’t erase the tension Marcus had left in his wake, but it did something unforeseen.
It pulled me back from the edge Marcus had been forcing me toward.
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