Chapter 9

ELIZA’S POV Finally the D-Day that I had been waiting for had arrived. It was the day that Derek, Maya and I were to appear before the Lycan king for the annulment ceremony. The day that I was ready to make my own when I triumphed over Derek. Well, at night, seeing that the moon was already high up in the sky. It seemed unreal at the moment but I couldn't help but smile when I walked up the stairs of the castle, ready to get my victory. As I walked in, the walls and ambience of the castle still drew me in, not changed at all from how it was the last time I came here. Regardless of my excitement, the palace halls seemed to close in around me, each step echoing with the weight of months of betrayal and frustration. Betrayal carried out by the man I called my husband. I shook my head, my blood warming up when I heard that shrill voice of the people I hated most in this world. “I see you made it." Derek’s voice cut through the awkward silence as we came to a stop in front of the doors of the throne room. Maya and Derek flanked me, their smug confidence practically oozing out of their pores. I could feel their anticipation, their belief that they were about to triumph over me. Little did they know. Maya paid me no mind, her nose upturned at me like I was some rat scurrying beneath her feet. I scowled without giving an answer but didn't let their words or actions bother me. After all, I was here to get what was rightfully mine, not to play house. Just then the doors to the throne room were opened by the guards who stood watch, giving us entrance and an audience with King Kyle. The Lycan King's throne room was like before, imposing, powerful and gleaming paired with marble surfaces that reflected the harsh light of judgment that came from the moon beaming down through the starlight in the ceiling. And above it all sat the Lycan king, his face stoic and his eyes trained on us, ready for the task at hand. As we approached the throne, I kept my spine straight, my chin lifted. I would not give them the satisfaction of seeing me break. Not like they could anyway. “Praise be." We greeted in unison with our heads bowed before the meeting commenced but before any of us could say a word, Maya jumped forward, her face a mixture of anger and impatience. "Your Majesty, we demand justice!" She said, her breathing hard like I had tried to commit murder. I almost laughed. Justice? For these two? After what they did to me? The irony was almost too much. The Lycan king shot Maya a look, one that warned her not to speak out of turn ever again when she was in his presence. The look alone shut her up and she stepped back, using Derek as a shield between the king's imposing power and herself. Once she was tamed, the Lycan king responded but it wasn't what any of us expected. His deep voice cut through the room like a sharp blade, keeping the three of us on our feet. "Your timing is fortuitous," he declared, his gaze sweeping over us. "We are here to finalize the bond dissolution ceremony." I saw Maya and Derek exchange a quick, triumphant glance, thinking that they had me cornered. Thinking that they had won the battle. I fought the urge to laugh. The pedestal that they say on was about to come crashing down soon enough. "If you apologize," Maya said, turning to me with a condescending smile, not bothered about being in the presence of the king anymore, "we might consider giving you a share of the assets. Not much but enough for you to get by before you get back on your feet." She hissed at me, twirling her hair and smirking my way. The absolute audacity. I felt a surge of anger, my wolf stirring within me, wanting to beat her face to a pulp but I was able to control her. As much as I wanted to, Maya needed to be untouched especially when we were in the castle. "I'll do no such thing," I retorted, my voice sharp. The Lycan King's stern reprimand came swiftly, his voice sounding tired of our bickering. "The dissolution ceremony is proceeding at Eliza's request," he informed Maya and Derek, his tone leaving room for no argument. "The division of assets will be handled by my appointed financial adjudicator. Any claims by Derek are nullified and the assets will be divided accordingly." I saw the color drain from Derek's face. This was not the scenario he had imagined. He thought that he was going to get it all. Tough luck. The king continued, ignoring Derek's move for a complaint. “Now that that's settled. The annulment ceremony shall begin." He declared and with a snap of his fingers, the large doors to the throne room opened and three men clothed in regalia of white and blue walked into the room. They walked past us and stood at the door of the throne, their backs to us, each of them holding a bag in hand. The king gave them a nod to which they acknowledged before they turned to us. “Begin." The king commanded. One of the men stood in the middle with the others by the side. They gestured for Derek and I to take our positions with Maya being pushed off to the side. Derek and I exchanged looks of hatred and yet relief to be freed from one another before we took our stand. Derek to the left and I to the right with the middle man being the officiator. “With these men and the Lycan king as witnesses we are gathered here today to annul the marriage between Alpha Derek and Luna Eliza of the Silver Moon pack." He announced it for formality. “Do you both agree to this?" He asked Derek and I. “Yes, I do." We both chorused, neither of us wanting to be bound to the other for another second. The man nodded and continued. “Very well.” The officiator said before he waved his hands over the gold inscribed floor. White light shone upwards, enveloping us in its warmth, the runes on the ground pulsing with power and protection. He brought out his tools and began. At the center of the circle, he placed a bowl filled with moonwater, collected from the sacred spring no doubt, and a bundle of sage, tied with a red thread. “Luna Eliza,” His voice was gentle but firm, “step into the circle and face the moon.” I took a deep breath and stepped into the circle, somehow feeling the coolness of the tiles beneath my feet through my shoes. I did as I was told and raised my eyes to the moon, its light bathing me in a silvery glow. The officiator lit the sage, and its fragrant smoke curled around me, purifying the space. “Repeat after me,” He instructed, his voice resonating with ancient power. “By the light of the moon and the strength of the earth, I call upon the spirits of my ancestors. I seek to sever the bond that ties me to Derek, to free my heart and soul from this bond.” I repeated the words without hesitation and as I spoke, the officiator dipped his fingers into the moonwater and sprinkled it over me, the droplets shimmering like stars. “With this water, I cleanse you of the past,” He intoned. “With this sage, I purify your spirit. And with this circle, I protect you from harm.” The air around us seemed to hum with energy, and I felt a warmth spreading through my chest. It felt amazing. The man handed me a small, silver knife, its blade etched with runes. “To complete the ritual, you must make a small cut on your palm and let a few drops of your blood fall into the bowl. This symbolizes the release of your bond. And you do the same Alpha Derek but your blood must drop on the rune in front of you.” I took the knife, my hand steady before I made a small cut on my palm, watching as my blood mingled with the moon water, turning it a deep crimson with Derek doing the same, his own colliding with one of the runes turning it blood red. The moment the first drop hit the water, I felt a sudden release, as if a weight had been lifted from her heart. I felt light. I felt free. “It is done,” He said softly. “The bond is broken.” I stepped out of the circle, feeling a sense of peace that I hadn’t known in months but of course, Derek couldn't let me have that. He couldn't contain his bitterness even after he had gotten the divorce he wanted. As the final words were spoken, he leaned close, his voice a cruel whisper. "No one will want you now," he sneered. "You're leaving with nothing. You're nobody with not even a title to your name." I met his gaze, my response quick and biting. "I'm leaving with my dignity which is far more valuable than anything you could ever offer or have." The look of shock on his face was utterly satisfying. He was about to speak up again when something surprising happened. The doors of the throne room were pushed open and a man walked in. His eyes were bright and his hair dark as he walked across the room. I had no idea who this man was or why he was barging in without permission but I knew one thing, he wasn't here to joke around. The mystery man didn't hesitate, didn't read the room or calculate his words. He simply looked at me, those intense eyes holding a promise of something different. With quick steps he approached me, watched me for a moment before getting on one knee and holding my right hand in his. An act that put me off guard. Then he said, “Eliza of the Silver Moon Pack, will you marry me?"