I Left Before He Learned My Worth novel Chapter 44

**Chapter 44**

“You clean up pretty well yourself,” I managed to say, attempting to inject a note of lightheartedness into the moment despite the flutter of nerves dancing in my stomach. “Human suits you.”

His smile was a bit crooked, a touch uncertain, yet there was something oddly charming about it. “I’d forgotten what it felt like. To stand like this. To hold someone’s hand like this.” His fingers tightened around mine, warm, solid, and undeniably real. “Thank you for choosing this. For choosing me.”

Before I could gather my thoughts to respond, Elder Marcus stepped forward, his presence commanding as he prepared to officiate the ceremony. He was one of the oldest members of the pack, his hair a striking white that contrasted sharply with the sharpness of his assessing gaze. Just earlier, I had heard his voice questioning my worthiness, but now his expression was carefully neutral as he began the ritual.

“We gather beneath the blood moon,” he intoned, his voice resonating through the clearing, “to witness the bonding of our Alpha Kael and Aria of Blackwood, who will become Luna of Shadowmere. This bond is sacred, eternal, binding these two souls together in service to the pack and to each other.”

The words washed over me, familiar from the countless rehearsals Nina had insisted upon. Yet, as I stood there with Kael’s hand enveloping mine and the weight of hundreds of eyes upon us, the words felt far more profound than any practice session could convey.

“Alpha Kael,” Elder Marcus continued, his tone steady and authoritative, “do you swear to protect your mate, to honor her as your equal, to lead your pack together with wisdom and strength?”

“I do,” Kael replied, his voice unwavering and resolute. “I swear by the Moon Goddess and the blood moon above us to protect Aria, to honor her, to stand by her side as we lead Shadowmere together. She is my chosen mate, my Luna, my partner in all things.”

The words were traditional and formal, precisely what the ceremony demanded. Yet, there was a sincerity in his tone that tightened my throat with emotion, a raw honesty that made the moment feel significant.

Elder Marcus then produced the ceremonial blade, its silver surface gleaming in the moonlight. “The blood bond,” he announced solemnly. “Let the mark of the Alpha and Luna be witnessed by pack and moon alike.”

Kael took the blade first, his hand steady as he made a small incision across his palm. The sight of his blood, rich and dark, sent a shiver through me. He then handed the blade to me, and I followed suit, trying to suppress a wince at the sharp sting. Our blood pooled, dark and viscous under the flickering torchlight, a symbol of our union.

We pressed our palms together, our blood mingling as the bond between us ignited with newfound intensity. I felt it surge through me—his strength, his determination, and the flicker of hope for what we could create together. Beneath it all, there was something deeper, an unnameable sensation that felt like the dawning of something significant.

“The marking,” Elder Marcus declared, his voice rising with authority. “Let the Alpha claim his Luna, and let the Luna claim her Alpha, binding them forever beneath the blood moon’s witness.”