Chapter 50: A Willing Sacrifice

Chapter 50: Chapter 50: A Willing Sacrifice Ezra returned to his seat in defeat. He remained silent as the smirk returned to the Alpha King’s face. “I’m sure you understand, Zayn?” Dace said calmly, “If she agreed to it freely, you have nothing to worry about. But if she speaks against you... There will be consequences.” Zayn met his eyes without flinching. “I’ve got nothing to hide.” The air in the room was tense until the door creaked open. “She’s here,” one of the guards announced. Lily stepped into the room, head hung low. Her shoulders were hunched like she wanted to disappear. The room felt huge and far too quiet. Her footsteps echoed on the stone floor as she walked forward slowly. She didn’t have to look up to feel their eyes on her. Watching, judging, and waiting. “Bring her to the center,” Dace said from the head of the table. One of the guards gave her a gentle push forward. Lily stopped in the middle of the room, her hands clenched at her sides. “Raise your head,” someone said. She hesitated, then slowly lifted her gaze, just enough to glance around. Her eyes scanned the faces until they landed on one. Zayn. He sat beside the Alpha King, leaning slightly forward, his eyes locked on hers. He didn’t say anything, didn’t move, but the intensity in his stare made her chest tighten. Without thinking, she took a small step toward him. A guard stepped in front of her, blocking her path. “Stay where you are.” Lily froze. Her heart pounded in her chest, and her hands were shaking. “You’re not in trouble, don’t worry,” Dace said, his voice flat. “This won’t take long.” Lily nodded, the motion was small and stiff. It was all she could manage. “You look nervous,” Dace said, his eyes fixed on her. She didn’t answer. Instead, she wrapped her arms around herself, trying to stop the shaking. “Do you know why you’re here?” he asked. She gave a small shake of her head. “You may not have a voice,” the Alpha King continued, looking her over, “but you understand me, don’t you?” Lily nodded slowly. “Good. Then I’ll get straight to it.” His tone sharpened. “Did you agree to be Zayn’s Luna? Willingly?” Her eyes darted to Zayn immediately. And every Alpha in the room noticed. She wrapped her hands tighter. She wanted to ask him what to do. Just a sign, anything, but nothing came. Whispers broke out. “She’s looking at him.” “She didn’t have a choice.” “She looks scared.” Dace slammed his hand on the table. All the whispering dissipated, leaving behind silence.“Enough. Let her answer.” Lily’s gaze returned to him. Her chest was tight. Her hands dropped, then opened and closed as if unsure what to do. Still, she stood doing nothing as if waiting for a signal on what to say. The Alpha King stared harder. “I asked you a question.” She looked back at Zayn. She couldn’t help it. “Well?” Dace said, his voice low and sharp. “Did you agree to become his Luna?” Lily flinched. Her hands tightened into fists. “No one will harm you here, Lily, “ Dace added, voice dropping, “So no matter what other people have told you to do, I only want the truth. If you lie, I will know. There will be consequences, Lily, not just for you but for everyone involved too.” Lily swallowed hard. Her eyes met Zayn’s. Then slowly and nervously, she nodded. The room reacted at once. “She’s lying.” “She was pressured.” “There’s no way this is real.” The Alpha King raised a hand, and silence fell again. Then Lily took a step forward. With trembling fingers, she reached up and pulled her collar aside. There it was. The mark. A deep hush swept across the chamber. Zayn sat still, his jaw clenched, but his eyes didn’t leave her. Dace’s brows lifted slightly, but he said nothing. “That’s a mate mark,” Alpha Moren said in disbelief. “He actually marked her?” “Why would she allow it? They hate each other.” “This has to be staged. She’s just a pawn.” Zayn finally spoke. His voice was quiet, firm. “No one forced her.” Alpha Revin scoffed. “And we’re supposed to believe that?” “Enough,” Dace snapped. The word cut through everything. “She made her choice. And the mark proves it.” He leaned back in his chair, studying Lily for a long moment. "Whether we understand it or not, somehow the bond exists. She didn’t have to show us the mark, but she chose to. That’s good enough for me." Zayn let out a slow breath, tension easing from his shoulders, but his mind was still troubled. His eyes stayed on Lily. She stood alone, fragile under the weight of the room’s scrutiny. She could’ve ended everything with a shake of her head. But she didn’t. She chose him. Why? Even after the chains. The silence. The wounds. Even after everything he’d done. He didn’t deserve it. She should’ve walked away. She had every reason to. And yet, she stood here and saved him. He felt his chest tighten, guilt was a lump in his throat. Why did she do what she did? Just then, Lily raised her hand slowly. The Alpha King arched a brow. “You wish to speak?” Lily signaled for a pen and paper. One of the guards stepped forward with some and handed it to her. Lily didn’t hesitate. Her hands shook a little, but she wrote fast and steady. Then she turned the paper around and held it up so everyone could see. Zayn’s eyes narrowed slightly as he leaned forward to read it. A few of the other Alphas did too, murmuring under their breath. The words were simple. “Peace between both packs is what matters most. As an Alpha’s daughter, this is the sacrifice I’m choosing to make.” Silence fell over the room. The Alpha King watched her closely. There was a flicker of something in his eyes. Was it a surprise? Respect? Or maybe suspicion. Still, he nodded slowly. "That’s a noble stance. Not something I’d expect from someone who had suffered so much." Dace turned his attention back to Zayn. "Very well. For now, your union stands. But I’ll be watching closely." Zayn inclined his head respectfully. But the King wasn’t finished. "One more thing," he said, tone casual but eyes sharp. "Your mistress, Victoria. Where does she fit into all this?" Zayn didn’t answer right away. Dace shifted his attention to Lily, eyes narrowing slightly. He noticed the way her knuckles turned white around the paper she was still holding. He smiled faintly. “I see.” Lily looked down quickly, heart racing, but didn’t let anything show on her face. He chuckled. "Hmm. Just curious." Zayn didn’t say a word. But inside, he was seething. “For a moment, I thought Victoria would have been your chosen Luna. But it seems like you have made a different choice. I assume there wouldn’t be any issues with regards to that?” Dace asked plainly, shifting his gaze between Lily and Zayn. He was watching for a reaction from both of them. He had mentioned it on purpose for this very moment. The trump card up his sleeve. "Let’s not pretend she’s some hidden secret," the Alpha King continued, voice smooth. "You’ve had a mistress for years, haven’t you? That girl, Victoria?" Zayn exhaled. He could feel all eyes were on him. It was his turn to speak. None of their stares mattered to him. But for some reason, Lily’s mattered. It was as if she was staring straight into his heart. He looked directly at the Alpha King as he responded, “Yes, Victoria is my mistress. She’s aware of the situation and her position. Lily is my Luna, there’s no question about that. She bears my mark, she’s my choice. Nothing will change that.” The Alpha King leaned back, studying them both. "Is that so?" he asked mildly. "And this mistress of yours...she’ll step aside without issue?" Zayn’s jaw clenched. "Yes. She has no say in this." Lily kept her face blank, but her hands trembled. Zayn’s words replayed in her mind. She didn’t care for the part where he said Victoria had no say in it. She was focused on what he said earlier. ‘She bears my mark, she’s my choice.’ But both of them bore Zayn’s mark. What did that meant? The Alpha King looked amused. "Then I suppose we’re settled. For now." Zayn narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean?" “Rebuilding a pack is no easy fit, especially when you have to integrate two packs into one. You have to prove yourself, Alpha Zayn,” Dace explained, “Three years. You have three years to prove to us that you are capable of rebuilding this pack.” “Oh, and one more thing,” the Alpha King said, shifting his gaze toward Lily. “To seal the bond between the old bloodline and the new, you two must produce an heir within the year.” Lily’s head snapped up. Zayn’s breath caught in his throat. “What?” Ezra muttered behind him. “An heir,” the Alpha King repeated. “You’ve marked her. She’s your Luna. Let the bloodlines merge into one.” Lily’s chest tightened. Her mouth went dry as the weight of every stare in the room settled on her. Zayn didn’t move. His jaw was clenched, eyes on Dace. “You want your claim to stand, Zayn?” the King said, taking a step forward. “Then prove it. Or I will look for someone who can.”