Moonfire Bride: The One they all betrayed...till she awakened

Tiny silver particles clung beneath her nails.

Moonfire ash.

”She’s finished.” Someone said.

”She did it.”

”Execute her.”

”Execute her now.”

Della jerked violently against the guards, ”I FOUND IT! I found a piece of the banner! It was already damaged!”

Nobody listened.

Not one person.

Della then turned back to Cornelia, an eye twitching uncontrollably, ”Did Beatrice put you up to this?! Or was it Selene? Which one of them put you up to this??!”

A sharp sound tore through the gathering, and Della’s whole body was thrown to the side. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head, and she saw stars and tasted blood.

So much blood.

”How dare you accuse me?!” Selene was furious, ”Is it because I dragged you out here? Because I tried to clear the air regarding why the banner tore. Because I tried to clear up what could lead to war because of what you did? You wench!! Stinking Rotblood!!”

Della lay half-sprawled across the stone, blood dripping from the corner of her mouth. She could hear so many growls all around her, and they rolled through the ceremonial grounds like thunder from a distance.

”She should be publicly executed!!”

”Agreed!”

”On such a sacred night, she threatened to destroy centuries of alliance!”

The demands spread rapidly, and Della slowly pushed herself upright. The taste of iron filled her mouth, and she could see a tiny curve by the edge of Selene’s lips.

Everything must be unravelling just the way she wants.

Now, it was time for Malachi to say something. For one ridiculous moment, she hoped. But the emotions pouring through the bond were chaotic. There was pressure, confusion, rage, and she got a strange feeling this time.

They weren’t all directed at her.

Not directed entirely at anyone either.

But there was so much of it that she could barely breathe.

”Look at me.” He commanded.

Della did.

Moon Goddess! She almost wished she hadn’t.

His eyes were ice.

No. Worse. There was nothing in them.

There was no anger, no hatred, and no warmth.

Just that terrifying calm he always carried.

”Did you damage the banner?” He asked.

”No.” The answer came instantly.

”Did you enter the Workrooms today?”

”No.”

”Did you attempt to escape?”

A pressuring silence followed, and then she replied, ”...Yes.”

Murmurs exploded immediately, but Malachi never looked away from her.

”Why?” He lowered his voice, sounding almighty like he was...hurt.

No. No way.

”Because I wanted to leave.” She didn’t hesitate.

His jaw tightened, ”Why?”

”Because I hate this place!!”

Several nobles look scandalised.

”I hate this Pack!!”

The crowd erupted, and Della rolled her eyes. Why was that surprising when they had brought her here by force and wrapped a collar around her neck for everyone to trample on her?

”I hate being your slave!! I hate being your mate!!”

Even Rowan looked alarmed.

”And I hate you.”

The silence that followed was horrifying.

Absolute. Total. Silence.

Malachi stared at her for several long seconds, the mate bond pulsing violently. Della expected rage, but felt something worse instead.

Disappointment.

Malachi...was disappointed in her.

But why? Had he expected something from her in the first place?!

”You ARE supposed to hate me!” He stated, then leaned closer to her bruised face, ”You’re supposed to hate me till the moment you take your final breath, Adelaide Barrett. You’re supposed to scorn my existence, every miserable second of your life!!”

Della’s fists tightened, and tears stung her eyes, ”I should have left you there to die!! I should have thrown you into the wall and let the Moonfire burn you down to your lungs! When I had the chance, I should have run away and left you to suffer!!”

Malachi didn’t say anything, but simply kept looking at her. She glared at him, her brown eyes spitting out waves of heat like it came from the depths of hell.

”But you didn’t, Moonfire,” He arched a brow, and she watched as his lips curved into a smirk.

It appeared and disappeared so fast that she almost doubted what she saw.

Then, Malachi straightened once more and declared, ”The punishment for an act of this magnitude would normally be death.”

Several Alphas nodded immediately.

”Correct.”

”Execute her.”

”Immediately.”

”Make an example of her.”

Malachi raised a single hand, and silence returned. Then, he continued, ”But as I said to her the last time she was in this position,” His eyes darkened, ”Death is far too merciful,”

The crowd stirred, and even the Supremes looked interested.

”Effective immediately...” His eyes settled on her once more, ”She will be transferred to the Iron Pits.”

The entire gathering froze.

Every. Single. Person.

Even Selene, Beatrice and Rowan looked shocked.

Della blinked. Then blinked again.

The Iron Pits? She’s heard of it.

The world of torture and misery that lived beneath the kingdom. Not even the strongest wolf could survive down that place, and the only person that had ever escaped that hellish pit...was Alpha Malachi.

That was why he was deeply feared across all territories.

And now...he was going to throw her down there?!

Fear clawed up her throat so hard she felt like puking. She couldn’t even feel any pain in her leg or face anymore. Just...fear.

Fear of impending death in the most horrible way. Fear that she was going to die and leave Lian behind.

A deep laugh suddenly echoed across the ceremonial grounds, and the sound cut through the chaos so unexpectedly that dozens of heads turned.

Including Malachi’s.

It didn’t sound mocking or evil, but actually genuine.

A man stepped forward from among the gathered Supremes. He had broad shoulders, was as tall as Malachi and had this dangerous handsome masculinity that followed his every step.

His white hair fell loosely to his shoulders, streaked with silver despite a face that appeared far too young for it. A long midnight-blue cloak rested over his shoulders, fastened at the throat with an intricate silver wolf brooch. Beneath it, he wore a fitted black tunic embroidered with ancient silver thread that traced the symbols of his Pack along the sleeves and collar. A leather belt decorated with carved moonstones sat around his waist, while polished black boots disappeared beneath the hem of the tunic.

Unlike many of the Supremes adorned in ceremonial jewels and excessive gold, his appearance was deceptively simple. And unlike the other Supremes, he looked entirely relaxed. As though he were watching a particularly entertaining play.

His silver eyes settled on Della, and then another smile touched his face.

”It’s you again,” He said.

Della froze, instantly recognising the voice. He was the one sitting in the darkness and had spoken to her while she had been gazing at the ceremonial grounds from above.

The...man she had stuttered at, and run from.

”You,” He repeated.

The entire gathering looked confused, while Della looked horrified.

”No,” She whispered immediately.

The man laughed again, ”It is you.”

Moon Goddess.

No.

No no no.

Why did he remember?!

Several Alphas exchanged looks, and Alpha Roderic frowned, ”You know the slave?”

”Slave?” The Supreme repeated lazily, then his gaze swept over Della’s bruised face.

The blood.

The collar around her neck.

Then something dangerous flickered behind his eyes,

”I don’t know a slave, I only know a very strange servant.”

The crowd immediately quieted, and even Selene looked a bit uneasy as she also stared at the man. Maybe even... annoyed.

”I spoke to this servant first, and she turned and looked me in the eye...”

Looked him in the eye? Della wanted the ground to open and swallow her.

”...and then began speaking a language I’ve never heard before.”

A few people blinked, but Della’s face burned, ”That is not what happened!”

She just couldn’t keep her mouth shut.

”It absolutely happened.” The Supreme looked delighted.

”You said something about me, a servant, never, and then fled.”

Della closed her eyes tightly and looked away.

”Who are you?” Alpha Caelan demanded.

The man’s smile widened, and he looked directly at Caelan, ”I suppose introductions are overdue.”

He then straightened, and the atmosphere instantly changed. The easy amusement vanished, and power rolled off the man like a storm. It wasn’t like Malachi’s crushing brutality, but it felt very, very close to it.

He had to be the only Alpha that came close to matching Malachi’s aura.

”I am Alpha Cassian Vale.”

Several nobles and Alphas visibly stiffened.

Cassian Vale was the Alpha of the Nightveil pack. They were one of the oldest territories in existence, the wealthiest and the only other pack powerful enough to speak to Eclipse Crown as equals.

Cassian’s gaze returned to Della for a moment, then jumped to Malachi’s, ”Her sentence interests me.”

”It wasn’t a request,” Malachi said.

”I know.” Cassian smiled again, ”Which is why I’m interrupting.”

Murmurs spread immediately, but nobody’s voice was loud enough to interrupt any of them.

”Perhaps it’s just me...” Cassian said thoughtfully, ”But throwing a valuable suspect into the Iron Pits before discovering whether she’s guilty seems inefficient.”

Selene stepped forward immediately, ”Brother, the evidence is clear.”

Della’s eyes almost fell out of her socket.

Brother??!

”Is it?” Cassian looked at her, and somehow, Selene stopped talking.

The Supreme’s silver eyes swept across the gathering, ”A witness claims she entered the Workrooms.” He lifted one finger, ”A torn banner contains Moonfire ash.” He added another finger, ”Moonfire ash was found on her hands.” A third, ”She attempted to flee.”

He paused, then shrugged, ”Convincing,”

The crowd began to nod.

”Almost too convincing.”

Silence flooded the grounds.

Cassian casually folded his arms, and continued, ”The little servant I met was trying to escape before the banner failed, and she was carrying the sack.” His gaze dropped to it, ”The same sack.”

”Interesting,” Alpha Roderic said slowly.

”Very.” Cassian nodded.

Then his eyes landed on Della again, and she didn’t know why but she looked away again.

The amusement returned to his face, ”There is also another issue.”

”What issue?” Roderic asked.

”If she truly planned all this...” His silver eyes gleamed, ”...she is either the most brilliant criminal alive,”

A pause.

”Or the stupidest.”

He then pointed at her, ”Everyone take a good look at her,”

Everyone did.

Della wished they wouldn’t.

”She was staring down at the ceremonial grounds when I saw her. To be more specific, she was...gazing at her mate, and when I spoke, she nearly fainted.”

Malachi frowned, then blinked, then frowned again.

”She then attempted to run away.” Another pause, ”From a conversation.”

A few chuckles escaped the visiting nobles, and Cassian nodded, ”Not guards, not warriors and not danger...” The chuckles grew louder, ”A conversation.”

Even some of the Supremes looked amused now, and Della’s face turned crimson.

Then Cassian’s expression became serious once more,

”I am not saying she is innocent. What I am saying I dislike certainty when everyone suddenly agrees.”

The Alphas present understood what he meant. Crowds have always proved to be dangerous, because they often wanted someone to blame.

And right now everyone wanted Della.

Cassian looked directly at Malachi, his eyes tightly locked into his with zero fear, ”If you insist on punishment...” He paused again, and the entire gathering waited, ”...hand her over to Nightveil.”

The world stopped, and everyone just...stared.

Malachi’s eyes narrowed, but Cassian remained entirely serious, ”I’ll keep her.” he added, ”I’ll keep your mate safe and sound, at least until we discover whether your little Moonfire mate is truly a saboteur.”

The mate bond erupted once again, and a new kind of emotion seared through it.

Jealousy.

Malachi Astridge...was Jealous??