I Left Before He Learned My Worth novel Chapter 45

**I Left Before He Learned My Worth**
**Chapter 45**

**ARIA**

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This was the moment I had been both eagerly awaiting and deeply fearing. The physical mark that would not only seal our bond but also make it visible to the world—a declaration that I belonged to Kael, and he belonged to me.

As Kael stepped closer, I felt a rush of warmth wash over me. His free hand lifted, cradling my face with an unexpected tenderness that made my heart flutter. “This might hurt,” he warned softly, his voice low and soothing, almost like a whisper meant just for me. “But I promise to be as gentle as possible.”

I tilted my head slightly, instinctively exposing my neck in a gesture of submission and trust, a silent promise that I was ready for whatever came next. “I trust you,” I replied, my voice steady, though my heart raced in anticipation.

His eyes glimmered with a golden hue, the wolf within him surfacing even in his human form. Then, without warning, I felt the sharpness of his teeth at my throat. The bite was sudden, a piercing pain lancing through me as his canines broke the skin. But almost instantly, a wave of pleasure surged through me, overwhelming the pain—a rush of sensation that made my knees tremble and my breath hitch in my throat. The bond between us exploded into existence, solidifying into something permanent, something unbreakable.

*Mine,* I heard echo through our connection, Kael’s mental voice resonating with a fierce possessiveness that sent shivers down my spine. *My mate. My Luna.*

When he finally pulled back, I caught sight of blood on his lips—my blood—and there was something primal in his expression that ignited a fire deep within me. But this was only the beginning.

“Your turn,” he urged, his voice rough and filled with urgency. “Mark me, Aria. Make me yours.”

With a surge of confidence from my wolf, I felt strength and sharpness coursing through me as my teeth elongated slightly. I reached up, pulling him down to my level, and bit into the sensitive junction where his neck met his shoulder. The taste of his blood filled my mouth—hot, metallic, and somehow right. Through the bond, I sensed his pleasure, his relief, and an overwhelming joy at finally being claimed by someone who had chosen him willingly.

*Mine,* I thought fiercely, my heart swelling with emotion. *My mate. My Alpha.*

As I released him, we stood there for a heartbeat, our blood mingling on our lips, the bond between us thrumming with newfound life and power. Around us, I could hear the pack beginning to cheer, a cacophony of voices rising in celebration, at least among those who acknowledged the completed bond.

Elder Marcus raised his hands high, commanding attention. “Behold, Alpha Kael and Luna Aria, bonded beneath the blood moon! Let all witness and honor their eternal union!”

The cheers grew louder, reverberating through the clearing, though I noticed not everyone joined in. Still, enough wolves were celebrating to make it feel tangible, to make me believe that maybe we had done something right.

Kael enveloped me in his embrace, careful of our fresh marks, and through our bond, I felt his happiness radiate toward me, a warm glow of relief and gratitude that we had made it this far despite all the obstacles in our path.

“We did it,” he murmured softly against my hair, his breath warm and comforting. “You’re mine now. My Luna. My mate. Mine.”

“Liar!” Damon’s voice erupted like thunder, full of rage. “You set up two different ceremony sites! You decorated both of them! And you led me to the wrong one on purpose, buying them time to complete the bond!”

A wave of understanding crashed over me, a realization that knocked the breath from my lungs. Ivory hadn’t been absent from the ceremony out of bitterness or resentment over not being chosen. No, she had sacrificed herself, acting as a decoy, deliberately intercepting Damon and his wolves, leading them astray to give Kael and me those precious moments we needed to seal our bond.

She had put herself in harm’s way to protect me. To protect us.

“Let her go!” Kael’s voice rang out, pure alpha command resonating with a power that made several of Damon’s wolves flinch and lower their heads involuntarily.

But Damon was beyond reason, consumed by rage. “She betrayed me! Promised to help me stop this farce of a bonding and then deliberately sabotaged everything!”

With a sickening crack, his fist connected with Ivory’s face. She flew backward, crashing into the buffet table that had been set up near the edge of the clearing. Food and dishes exploded everywhere as she crumpled amidst the wreckage, blood streaming from her nose and mouth, painting the ground crimson.

Screams erupted from the crowd, a wave of panic sweeping through the onlookers. Wolves scattered, some rushing to help Ivory, while others formed protective barriers around the children and the elderly. I felt Nina suddenly at my side, her hand gripping my arm, trying to pull me away from the platform.

But I couldn’t move. I couldn’t process what was happening. Ivory—who I had once envied, who had been the source of my resentment—had willingly put herself in danger to protect my bonding ceremony. She had led Damon astray, knowing full well the fury he would unleash upon realizing her deception.

Guards surged forward, weapons drawn, forming a protective barrier between Damon’s wolves and our pack. But Damon’s attention was now fixed solely on Kael, his expression twisted with rage and an unsettling semblance of betrayal.