Bound in Ash and Moonlight

PACK TERRITO

piercing Madeleine's heart. Her smile faltered, then crumbled

you saying?" she whispered

. Werewolves shifted uncomfortably, their

at her, and Madeleine saw something in his eyes that she'd never seen b

ed, his voice laced with cruelty. He let out a harsh, humour

vision. She couldn't understand. All the assurances, the whispered

pack members. Elders," he began, his voice ringing with authority. "I stand before yo

all her a member of our pack? Why do we call her a werewolf? Is it because s

ewolves could shift into their wolf forms, she couldn't. She was... flawed. Defective. She'd tried so hard to hide her shame, to prete

. Madeleine felt their eyes on her, their gazes filled with

e pleaded, her voice choked wi

g what should have been done a long time ago," he said, his voice drip

lable a hammer blow to her heart. She took a step back, her eyes wide with horror. "Wh

ove you? I don't even hate you. I'm just repulsed that a

is? I know you. You won't hurt me." She clung to that belief, to the memory of their shared m

, you'll know I feel nothing for you. You

in return, was standing before her, his eyes filled with repulsion, his words laced with cru

thundercloud. Madeleine turned to him, a flicker of hope igniting in her che

g death. Titus Blackwood stopped in front of the Oracle, his gaze filled with not

adeleine, his voice devoid of any warmt

to the coffin of her heart. Her father, the man who was supposed to love and protect her, had disowne

uthority. "I hand over the title of Alpha to Philip

d towards Philip, her eyes wide with terror. He would do with her

ooked around at the faces she'd known her whole life, faces that were now contorte

nightmare, a cruel and twisted dream from which she couldn't wake. She reached o

he whispered, her voi

, he struck her across the face. The force of the blow sent her sprawling into the dirt, pain register

ess. He turned away, his back to her, and walked towards the other pa

ut it all seemed distant, muffled, as if she were underwater. She felt numb, disconnected from reality. How

spoke. Her voice, though soft, carried an undeniable weight of power silencin

one with whom my wolf is most at peace," he declared, his voic

o stepped forward with a triumphant smil

, facing the Oracle, their bodies close, their eyes locked. The picture of perfect, destined love. A love

will bless the union," she said, h

done this cruelty? What about her? What about the bond that was supposed to exist be

onsummation?" the Oracle continued

o Madeleine's. "Madeleine Blackwood," she sai

ger. "After all this, you expect me to watch as he... as he...

is an order from your Alpha." He let his eyes shift to their golden yellow, hi

er body respond to the Alpha's command. She had no choice. She was bound by

marriage tent. She knew what was going to happen inside, and the thought of it made her stomach turn. She c

cca kiss Philip. She tried to turn away from the sight b

on Rebecca's neck, drawing bl

nd spiteful satisfaction. Rebecca locked her gaze with Madele

h, fighting off the pull of the Alpha's command. Philip turned

queezed, hindering her breathing. Madeleine felt

around her fading away with the moans from the consumma

dreams, gone. All because she was diff

d broken something deep within her. Someth