A Union of Strength
*Celeste’s POV*
Kaelen’s message reached the council within hours: “I, Alpha King Kaelen Drazmir, will take Celeste Thorne as my mate. The union will be sealed in Mid Front Eldrun, at Thornciaw’s town hall, before all the Alphas and subordinates of Eldrun. Let it be known: Celeste Thorne is no longer the daughter of a disgraced Alpha. She is the Luna of the Shadow Keep.”
The words etched themselves into my mind as I read the scroll delivered by Kaelen’s Beta, Dorian. My fingers trembled slightly as I rolled the message closed, my heart pounding.
“What is he thinking?” I muttered to myself, pacing the small room where I had sought refuge.
“He’s reclaiming your dignity,” Usla, my wolf, murmured in my mind. “And reminding everyone who he is.”
I stopped pacing, staring at the window overlooking the ruins of Thornclaw. My home. My prison. My everything. The thought of standing in the same hall where my father once commanded, now as Kaelen’s bride, felt like a betrayal to the life I’d lost.
“Dignity?” I whispered to Usla. “Or control?”
Before Usla could respond, the door opened. Dorian stepped in, his green eyes sharp but kind. Behind him was a woman I didn’t recognize, her presence was quieter, but no less commanding.
“Irina,” Dorian introduced. “The Alpha King’s sister.”
Irina stepped forward, her waist–length black hair flowing like silk and her striking blue eyes meeting mine with surprising warmth.
“Celeste,” she greeted me, her voice soft but steady. “I’ve heard much about you. My brother rarely makes decisions lightly, and this one has far–reaching implications. I thought it best to lend my assistance.”
I studied her, unsure whether to trust her kindness. Her resemblance to Kaèlen was
undeniable, but where his presence was cold and sharp, hers was calming, almost soothing.
“I appreciate your… concern,” I replied cautiously.
Irina smiled faintly, the kind of smile that didn’t demand anything in return. “I know this isn’t easy for you. It’s not easy for him either, even if he’ll never admit it.”
Dorian cleared his throat. “The Alpha King expects your readiness.”
I crossed my arms, glaring at him. “Does he always expect people to obey without question?”
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Dorian smirked, but it was Irina who responded. “He’s used to being obeyed. But I don’t think you’ll let him get too comfortable with that.”
Dorian smirked, the corners of his mouth twitching. “He doesn’t expect it, Luna. He demands it. And they deliver.”
Her words disarmed me slightly, and I allowed myself a small nod before following them out.
The day of the bonding ceremony came too quickly. The entire town of Midfront Eldrun was alive with murmurs of the union. Word had spread far beyond the council’s reach, even to the rogue factions and crowned Alphas of other territories.
I stood before a mirror, my waist–length blond hair braided with silver threads, my gown a deep crimson to symbolize Thornclaw’s bloodline. The fabric clung to me like armor, heavier than it needed to be.
“You look like a queen,” Dorian said from the doorway, his tone unusually soft.
“She is a queen,Our soon to be Luna,” Irina corrected, stepping beside him. She studied me with an approving gaze. “Crimson suits you. It’s a color of strength. Let
them see that.”
Her words steadied me in a way I hadn’t expected.
The town hall was unrecognizable. Where once it had been filled with Thornclaw’s pack celebrating victories and life, now it was a spectacle for Kaelen’s arrival. The crowd was dense, wolves from every corner of Eldrun packed into the space. The air buzzed with energy, excitement, curiosity, and fear.
As I entered the hall, a hush fell over the crowd. Whispers followed me like ghosts.
“Is that her?”
“The disgraced Alpha’s daughter?”
“She’s marrying the ruthless Alpha Kaelen Drazmir? Why would he choose her?”
I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. The heat of humiliation crept up `my neck, but I forced my chin up.
“Keep your head high,” Usla urged. “They don’t matter. None of them do.”
And then he entered.
The heavy wooden doors of the town hall creaked open, and a hush swept over the crowd like a tidal wave. Every head turned as Alpha Kaelen Drazmir strode in, his presence radiating raw, unfiltered power. His towering frame seemed to darken the very room, his sharp gray eyes scanning the hall with the precision of a predator assessing its prey.
Whispers rippled through the gathered wolves, mostly from the women, their voices laced with awe and disbelief.
“He’s… stunning.”
A Union Of Strength
“I thought he’d look like a monster…”
“Look at those shoulders…”
“Is that really the Beast of Shadow Keep?”
Kaelen’s black hair was cropped short, emphasizing his strong jawline and high cheekbones, his features both severe and mesmerizing. He wore a dark, tailored coat adorned with silver accents, each piece of his clothing whispering authority. His walk was purposeful, each step sending waves of dominance rippling through the room.
But it wasn’t just his appearance that commanded attention. It was the power that rolled off him in waves–an invisible storm. His wolf, Vedmus, unleashed its presence with a ruthlessness that made even the strongest wolves lower their heads in submission. The room seemed colder, heavier, as if the very air bowed to him.
The weaker wolves in the crowd whimpered softly, their instinct to submit overwhelming. Some women gasped audibly, clutching at their chests, while others outright fainted, collapsing into the arms of those beside them.
“Alpha King Kaelen…” someone whispered in reverence.
“He’s terrifying…”
“And beautiful,” another added, her voice trembling.
Istood rooted in place, my fingers twitching at my sides as his piercing gaze landed
on me. My heart thundered in my chest, not from fear, but from the sheer intensity of his presence. Vedmus didn’t just announce Kaelen’s arrival, he declared dominance, a brutal reminder of why Shadow Keep was feared across Eldrun.
Usla stirred within me, her own instincts bristling at the challenge. “He’s formidable,”
she admitted.
Kaelen’s eyes locked onto mine, and for a moment, the room seemed to fade. All I could see was him, the beastly stories, the tales of his cruelty, the whispered fears of his enemies, none of it seemed to match the man standing before me.
He was terrifying, yes. But he was also magnificent. His gray eyes locked onto mine, cold and unyielding, yet there was a flicker of something else–approval, perhaps?
When he reached me, he extended his hand, his gaze never wavering. “Celeste,” he said, his voice sharp and clear, loud enough for everyone to hear. “Are you ready to claim your rightful place?”
Every eye in the room was on me. My heart pounded, my mouth dry. This was my moment. My chance to reclaim what was stolen from me.
“Yes,” I said, my voice steady despite the storm inside me.
Kaelen turned to face the crowd, his hand still holding mine. “Let it be known,” he announced, his voice a commanding roar, “that Celeste Thorne is no longer the daughter of disgrace. She is my Luna. She is Thornclaw’s rebirth. And she is mine.”
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The crowd erupted into cheers and murmurs, but not everyone celebrated. I caught
sight of Alpha Magnus Blackthorn, his expression dark and calculating. I knew his kind. -loyal only to power.
The ceremony itself was brief. Alpha Kaelen and I stood before the council, our hands clasped as an elder recited the ancient rites. The words felt heavy, binding, as though they were sealing a part of my soul.
Kaelen’s grip on my hand was firm as he led me to the heart of the council aisle, his piercing gray eyes focused solely on mine. The weight of his presence silenced the room, but my thoughts screamed louder. This should’ve been Alden… my first love, my supposed mate. How could he destroy me like this?
Kaelen’s voice broke through my turmoil, steady and commanding. “I, Alpha Kaelen Drazmir, ruler of Shadow Keep and the heart of Eldrun, take you, Celeste Thorne of Thornclaw, to be my mate, marked by will and bonded by the Goddess of Fate.”
Mother…father…Galen…I’m surely doing this for you not for my free will but to change the curse of the word, disgraced,
‘Celeste… it’s your turn, all eyes are on you please, say something,” My wolf, Usla, called in a hurry. This jolted me up from my thoughts immediately as I raised my head to see how dark Kaelen’s eyes had become. I bow slowly, clearing my throat before reciting
my vows.
My heart twisted as I repeated my vow, my voice trembling yet defiant. “I, Celeste Thorne, Daughter of the late Alpha of Thornclaw pack, accept you, Alpha Kaelen Drazmir, as my mate, bonded by the will of the Moon Goddess.”
In that moment, I buried the past and stepped into the unknown.
“By the bond of fated mates, by the will of the Moon Goddess, I declare you, Celeste Thorne, the Luna of Shadow Keep, grace mother and ruler of Eldrun,” the elder finished, his voice echoing through the hall.
Kaelen’s grip on my hand tightened as he leaned closer, his voice a low growl meant only for me. “It’s done. You belong to me now.’
Immediately, I felt a tingling sensation. My wolf bristled, but I swallowed the retort that burned on my tongue. This was not the time.
As the crowd dispersed, whispers of the union spread like wildfire. Even the rogues had heard the news.
Far from the town hall, Alden stood in a shadowed corner of a rogue camp, his indigo eyes narrowing as the report reached him.
“She married him?” he snarled, his hands clenched into fists.
Lucien Greythorn, his brutal rogue ally, chuckled darkly. “What did you expect, Alden? She’s smart. She’s using him to rebuild Thornclaw.”
Alden’s jaw tightened, his mind racing. “This isn’t over. She’s still mine.”
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Lucien smirked, his silver eyes gleaming. “Careful, Alden. You don’t want to provoke the Alpha King. Or do you?”
The night after the bonding ceremony, we rode by to Shadow keep, not that far because it’s in the heart of Eldrun. I stood on the balcony of what used to be my father‘ s territory. The air was cool, the stars scattered across the sky like a promise I could no longer trust.
“You were strong today,” Usla said quietly. “Stronger than I thought you’d be.”
“Was I?” I whispered back. “Or did I just survive?”
Kaelen’s presence was a storm behind me before he even spoke. “You did well today.”
I turned to face him, my arms crossed. “Did I have a choice?”
His gray eyes studied me, cold yet thoughtful. “You always have a choice, Celeste. You chose to take back your name.”
“And what about you?” I challenged myself. “Why did you choose this? Me?”
Kaelen stepped closer, the space between us crackling with tension. “Because power isn’t just strength or fear. It’s unity. Thornclaw was broken, but now it’s part of Shadow Keep. Together, we’re stronger.”
wanted to argue, to tell him I wasn’t just some tool for his plans. But his words struck something deep within me.
“What if I fail?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
“You won’t,” he said simply, trailing his hand on my jawline, his eyes piercing through my soul.
“How…How can you be so sure?” I stuttered, the feeling his cold, long fingers gave was not what I needed right now but it made my thigh sweaty for some reason and I could feel my vagina roar with desire.
I can’t do this. I haven’t even slept with anyone yet. Is he planning on having a night together? What if he’s too big for me? What if?
‘Calm down, Celeste, no matter how big you think it will be, we can absorb him in us, Usla said to me calmly, but I could feel her desire to get marked tonight.
His eyes softened, just for a moment. “Because I don’t fail. And neither will you.”
He turned to leave but paused, turning back to look at me. “Don’t be scared. We are
not marking you tonight. And I’m sure you both could absorb us very well,” He smirked before walking away leaving Usla and I in shock.
“How…How did he-”
“Vedmus! They can hear us,” Usla growls in amusement mixed with embarrassment.
As I lay in the unfamiliar bed that now belonged to the Luna of Shadow Keep, I stared
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at the ceiling, my mind racing.
Kaelen’s words echoed in my mind, but so did Alden’s. His betrayal, his smirk, the destruction he had brought to my family.
“I’ll make him pay,” I whispered into the darkness.
And for the first time, I felt like I could.
