Chapter 79: The Ceremony of Servitude — Point of no return

Malachi rose, the scrape of obsidian beneath his boots echoing through the Moon Cave, and not a single voice dared interrupt it.

Every Alpha watched him ascend the carved steps leading toward the dais, his black ceremonial robes trailing behind him like a shadow as moonlight spilled across his broad shoulders and onto the lower part of his face, exposing his lips.

Della lay exactly where the guards had left her, every iron restraint biting into wrists already rubbed raw, her ankles secured so tightly that angry red marks had already begun to bloom beneath the metal. Her breathing came shallow, uneven, each inhale sounding like another battle she wasn’t certain she could win.

Yet when she sensed him drawing close...she opened her eyes, and they found his immediately.

For one unbearable heartbeat, the entire cave seemed to disappear until there was only the two of them beneath the full moon.

She was in too much pain to even strain her face and give him some kind of facial expression. She’d probably exhausted all her emotions, cursing and muttering in that dark cell of hers.

Malachi’s fingers twitched once at his side, watching her like that. Her eyes carried so much sadness and hurt that he had to look away.

Had to remind himself how she had gotten herself into this situation.

Had to remind himself that this was exactly what she deserved for planting Moonfire that night, and for sabotaging the banner.

Nothing more... nothing less.

Yet, still, it was still maddening to see her like this in flesh. He’d avoided going to see how she was doing in her cell for two days, and being unable to stay in that room that carried her obsessive scent, he’d locked himself in his study.

God, she looked so...

He crushed the feeling before it could show on his face.

Duty.

Duty.

Duty.

That was all that remained.

An attendant approached carrying a silver tray upon which rested a strip of black silk and a leather gag decorated with ancient runes.

Malachi dismissed the attendant with a single glance and lifted both himself.

His hands remained impossibly steady, and Della watched every movement.

She had a thousand things to say to him at this very moment, but she would be damned if it would change a single thing. She would be damned if the reeking cold in his eyes would suddenly change, and he would unchain her from this misery.

"You...," He almost didn’t hear her, and when he heard it, something inside his chest splintered, "...broke your promise,"

His fingers tightened around the silk until the fabric creased.

He wanted to say something.

Anything. That he had tried. That every choice had carved another wound into him.

He also wanted to look into her eyes, shove these annoying feelings down, and tell her straight to her face that she deserved this.

But he did not say a word to her.

He couldn’t even bear to look into her eyes anymore, scared whatever he saw in them would knock into him so hard that his body would jerk from the force and he would faint right there.

She stiffened immediately when she felt his hands on her clothing, and then he applied pressure that made her want to scream.

But she couldn’t. No air moved past her vocal cords. She could feel them constricting, trying to make a sound... but the sound was always caught off somewhere before it could be let out.

He tore off her clothes, stripped her of the little thing she still had on, till every part of her was bare...and being stabbed by the eyes of everyone present...highlighted by the silver glow of the Full Moon.

Slowly...

Very slowly...

Malachi stepped behind her head and unfolded the black silk.

His knuckles brushed her temple, and she closed her eyes completely, a lone tear slipping down her temple before he even covered them.

The blindfold settled across her face, and he tied the firm knot behind her head.

Even though he wouldn’t look at him, she had watched him all through.

His hand lingered for only the smallest fraction of a second against the back of her head.

Then it disappeared.

Next came the leather gag.

"If..." she whispered before he could finish, her voice trembling, "If there is another life..."

He stopped breathing.

"...don’t choose me again. Reject me right there...on the altar,"

He almost did fall right there, forcing strength into his legs to keep them standing.

He slid the gag into place, then he fastened it and stepped back.

The woman who had once looked at him as though he were her entire world could no longer see him...or speak to him.

Perhaps that was mercy.

Perhaps it was punishment.

He turned without another word and descended from the dais. Only after reclaiming his throne did he finally raise his eyes to the gathered Alphas.

"The forgotten Law of Servitude," His powerful, deep voice rang through the mountain, cold enough to freeze blood, "exists for one purpose alone—to remind every territory that no one is above the Moon Goddess. Servitude grants remembrance as an old law, and it shall be served."

His gaze swept across the assembly.

"Adelaide Astridge stands condemned for conspiring against the Sovereign Moon Ceremony and for endangering every Alpha gathered beneath its blessing. I withdrew her sentence of being thrown into the Iron pits, making her my slave...and facing the Law of Servitude tonight!"

Not a flicker crossed his face.

"By decree of the Council of Elders...and by my authority as Alpha of Eclipse Crown..." He paused."...the Rite shall now begin."

Silence swallowed the whole room again.

Now that the ritual was now open, it meant an Alpha in the room whatsoever could stand up right now, climb up to the Dias and do as he pleased with the vulnerable women lying there, already beginning to tremble.

The innocence, fear and shame radiating off her burned through their veins, now like an invitation for their wandering eyes that kept on hungrily swallowing every bit of her nudity.

Beatrice looked at all the faces of the Alphas, and she could almost see herself jumping around in sheer happiness.

This was so much better than she had even expected herself.

These Alphas came tonight with one motive — to devour without care.

And judging from the carnal, primal look in their eyes, she just couldn’t wait.

Alas!

An Alpha finally stood up from his seat.

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