Get Back The Abandoned Luna (Scarlett and Alexander) novel Chapter 124

Chapter 124

Scarlett’s POV

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“Step forward,” Lucien gave the order, and the hall echoed with his voice as his gaze ran along the ranks of figures lined up from the Crescent Moon.

I watched a tall, thin man with broad shoulders, likely in his late thirties, move first. His hand trembled at his side, though his jaw was set. He bowed his head politely.

Lucien’s eyes locked on him. “State your name.”

“Darian,” the man answered hoarsely.

“You were from Crescent Moon,” Lucien said. “You know what that means.”

A moment of pain flickered across Darian’s face like a shadow, but as soon as it passed, certainty replaced it. “Yes, Alpha.”

“Do you renounce that allegiance?” Lucien asked, his voice dropping, his eyes sharp.

His aura filled the entire hall, making some tremble and not daring to even breathe loudly.

Darian’s throat bobbed. “I… I do.”

Lucien raised his hand, palm turned outward, and one of the priests came forward–an old man called Orrin, holding a carved wooden bowl of water. The surface shimmered faintly in the torchlight, as though the moon itself bore witness.

“Then speak the Oath.”

Orrin began the words, his tone steady, and Darian repeated after him.

“I renounce Crescent Moon and its Alpha. I renounce the blood that tied me to them, and the vows that bound me. I give myself freely to Nightshade, to its Alpha, and to its Luna. My loyalty is theirs. My strength is theirs. My life is theirs. From this day forward, I am Nightshade.”

The words carried weight, and I was sure that they all realized it themselves, yet they did it–not out of debt to us, nor simply because they wanted shelter and Nightshade happened to take them in.

Rather, they had thought it over and truly wanted to become part of us.

When Darian finished his oath, Orrin dipped a blade into the bowl of water, then drew it lightly across Darian’s palm. Blood welled, a single crimson drop falling into the water. The bowl was passed back to Lucien.

Lucien raised it high, his voice resonating. “The old is washed away. By blood and oath, Darian is reborn as Nightshade.”

The room rang with the wolves‘ answering growl, low and unified.

Relief and fatigue poured into Darian as his shoulders dropped.

One by one, I watched the ceremony repeated.

A woman with haunted eyes whispered her renunciation with trembling lips. A pair of brothers, still bruised, spoke with fierce conviction, their jaws clenched in determination. Even the youngest–the boy, none other than Caleb–lifted his chin and spoke the words, though his voice cracked halfway through.

With each oath, their blood was added to the bowl. The water grew dark;

was no longer water but crimson–streaked,

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Chapter 124

glowing unnaturally in the firelight.

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It was a solemn binding rite. I could smell it in the air–how the energy of the pack shifted as I seemed to hear those vows threading into the heart of Nightshade.

And through it all, Lucien never faltered. His eyes bored into each of them, never cruel.

When the last oath was spoken, and the final drop of blood fell into the bowl, Orrin lifted it and carried it back to Lucien.

Lucien held it before the gathered wolves. “This is our covenant. By oath and blood, they are part of Nightshade. Any who deny it, deny me.”

The growl of agreement rolled through the chamber like thunder.

This was the first time I had ever witnessed such a solemn ritual. The moment those words left their lips and they swore their loyalty, they ceased to be Crescent Moon.

They belonged here now.

I glanced at the survivors. Some looked dazed, unable to believe the sudden changes in their lives—just recently, they had been ready to quietly disappear as wandering rogues, and now, they had a pack that accepted them wholeheartedly. Some were relieved, while others were in tears as if a heavy stone had been lifted from their hearts.

I happened to see Kathleen sitting among the wolves, grinning from ear to ear as she winked at me.

I was just about to ask what she was grinning about when Lucien’s voice rose again.

“Nightshade,” he said, “tonight is not only a night to solemnly pledge loyalty to Nightshade. Tonight, you will witness the binding of your Luna. The Luna of Nightshade.”

My breath caught.

Kathleen’s shriek of excitement barely registered in my ears.

What? What does he mean by that? What is he going to do?

Every head turned. All their eyes landed on me.

I could hear my blood pounding in my ears and watched as Lucien walked toward me, his eyes locked on mine. He reached out, gripped my hand, and pulled me toward him, across the center of the hall.

Wait. I had no idea about this, nor did I have any time to prepare.

I didn’t even have my best outfit–I was still wearing the same black fitted clothes we’d used to infiltrate Alexander’s territory!

I stumbled, my heart pounding, and stared up at Lucien in disbelief. “Lucien, wait-”

But his eyes burned onto mine, filled with certainty. I knew that he was determined to declare me as his Luna today.

And he wanted it to be today–this moment, this chance, with everyone present.

“Don’t be afraid,” his voice soothed, but it wasn’t enough to calm my heart pounding as if it wanted to burst from my chest.

The air in the hall thickened, so heavy it felt as though my lungs forgot how to breathe. My hand was trapped in Lucien’s; his grip was strong, his presence unrelenting. He was pulling me forward—not forcefully, but with the confidence of a man wanting everyone to know I was his, and he was mine.

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Chapter 124

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The council members shifted. The warriors lining the chambers straightened, their eyes shining, wide smiles breaking over their faces. When they caught me looking at them, it was as if they could hardly contain their excitement and wanted to shout their acceptance of me as their Luna right away, but held back when Lucien glanced their way.

I could feel their anticipation–the same anticipation that Lucien and I felt. We had all been waiting for this.

“Tonight,” Lucien’s voice rang out, carrying to the farthest corners of the hall, “you have witnessed new blood sworn to Nightshade. By their vows, they have become ours.”

He paused, his gaze sweeping the room, and his grip on my hand tightened a little as if trying to calm the turmoil inside me. “But Nightshade cannot stand on oath alone. An Alpha must have his Luna. I need my Luna.”

Every wolf was silent. A current rippled through them, murmurs beginning and quickly dying, as if no one dared speak too loudly.

My stomach twisted. My tongue felt dry, and I couldn’t help licking my lips.

“Lucien,” I whispered, tugging at his hand, “you didn’t warn me-”

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