29 Chapter 29: A Concubine’s Triumph, A Father’s Sin
The dawn light crept through my window, pushing back the shadows of night but not the darkness in my thoughts. I’d barely slept. Every time I closed my eyes, images of Kaelen’s hands on my body flashed behind my lids, followed closely by memories of Orion’s heated touch days before. O
A soft knock interrupted my brooding.
“Come in,” I called, already knowing who it would be.
Lyra and Elina entered, their expressions grim. They exchanged a loaded glance before Lyra spoke.
“It’s time, Luna. The ceremony begins in an hour.”
My stomach twisted. The concubine ceremony. Where I would watch the triplets officially claim
Lilith as theirs.
“Do I have to be there?” I asked, knowing the answer but hoping anyway.
“I’m afraid so,” Elina said softly. “The Luna’s presence is required. Alpha Kaelen was very clear
about it.”
Of course he was. Why miss an opportunity to humiliate me further?
“He even sent this for you to wear,” Lyra added, holding up a garment bag.
Inside was a plain gray dress. Not white for the Luna, not black for mourning, but gray – the color of insignificance. A deliberate statement about my place in the pack hierarchy today.
“How thoughtful,” I muttered, taking the dress.
As I slipped it on, Elina whispered, “It’s just a ceremony, Luna. It doesn’t change anything.”
t
But it did. Every public display of their preference for Lilith was another nail in the coffin of my dignity. Every tender moment between them was a reminder of what I’d never had.
“Let’s get this over with,” I said, squaring my shoulders.
The pack hall buzzed with excited chatter. Wolves from every rank had gathered to witness the official claiming of the triplets‘ concubine. As I entered, the crowd parted, conversations halting momentarily as all eyes turned to me – the unwanted Luna forced to watch her mates choose
another woman.
I kept my chin high, refusing to show weakness as I made my way to the front row seat reserved
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29 Chapter 29: A Concubine’s Triumph, A Father’s Sin
for me. Not the center stage where I should stand as Luna, but off to the side, a reluctant spectator rather than a participant.
The hall was decorated lavishly with white flowers and silver ribbons. Far more elaborate than my own mating ceremony, which had been conducted with clinical efficiency, like ripping off a bandage.
Lady Isolde caught my eye from across the room, offering a sympathetic smile. At least someone acknowledged the cruelty of making me attend this spectacle.
A hush fell over the crowd as the pack officiant took his place at the ceremonial altar. Moments later, Lilith entered from a side door, escorted by her father, Beta Malachi Thorne.
My breath caught in my throat. Lilith looked stunning in a flowing white gown that hugged her curves perfectly. Her dark hair was arranged in an elaborate updo adorned with tiny crystal flowers. She practically glowed with triumph, her eyes sweeping the room until they found mine. The smirk that crossed her face was subtle but unmistakable.
The triplets entered next, all three dressed in formal black suits that accentuated their powerful builds. They moved with the fluid grace of predators, commanding the attention of everyone present.
My heart clenched painfully at the sight of them. Despite everything, despite their cruelty and my hatred, they were breathtaking. Kaelen’s jaw was tight, his green eyes focused straight ahead. Ronan looked surprisingly solemn, none of his usual charm visible, And Orion… Orion’s gaze briefly caught mine, something unreadable flickering across his face before he looked
away.
“We gather today to witness the formal claiming of a concubine,” the officiant began. “A sacred tradition dating back centuries within wolf society.”
Sacred. As if there was anything sacred about this mockery.
The ceremony itself was mercifully brief. Each Alpha would mark Lilith with a bite to signify her place as their concubine – not a mate, but a cherished companion nonetheless.
Kaelen stepped forward first, as was his right as eldest, He took Lilith’s hand in his, drawing her close.
“Lilith Thorne,” he said, his voice carrying clearly across the silent hall, “I accept you as my concubine, to honor and protect.”
Then he leaned down, pressing his lips tenderly to her neck before sinking his teeth into her flesh. Lilith’s eyes fluttered closed, a soft gasp escaping her lips.
My fingernails dug crescents into my palms. The gentle kiss, the careful bite- such contrast to my own marking, where Kaelen had roughly yanked my head aside and bitten down without
29 Chapter 29: A Concubine’s Triumph, A Father’s Sin
warning, leaving a jagged scar rather than the neat marks a proper claiming would produce.
Ronan stepped up next. His usual playful demeanor was subdued as he repeated the ritual words. His marking was placed on her cheek, his lips brushing her skin softly before his teeth pressed down. Once again, there was care in his touch that had been conspicuously absent during my marking.
Finally, Orion approached. My breath hitched as he stood before Lilith, his expression inscrutable. I remembered his hands on my body, the heat of his mouth just days ago, and something like jealousy twisted in my gut.
“Lilith Thorne,” he said, his voice lower than his brothers‘, “I accept you as my concubine, to honor and protect.”
Then he captured her lips in a deep kiss that made the audience collectively hold their breath. When he finally pulled back, Lilith was flushed and breathless. Orion’s bite went to the spot where her neck met her shoulder, a particularly intimate location.
Each tender touch felt like a knife twisting in my chest. They had marked me like animals claiming territory, nothing more. But Lilith they treated like a treasure.
“The claiming is complete,” the officiant announced. “Let us celebrate the union of our Alphas with their chosen concubine.”
The hall erupted in cheers and applause. Servants appeared carrying trays of champagne and delicacies. Music began to play, and people surged forward to congratulate the new quartet.
I remained seated, feeling invisible and hollow. No one approached me or acknowledged my presence. The Luna, forgotten in the shadow of the concubine.
After what felt like an eternity of torture, I stood to leave. I’d done my duty by attending. Surely no one could fault me for not staying to watch the celebration.
“Leaving so soon, Luna?”
Lilith’s voice, honeyed with false concern, stopped me in my tracks, I turned slowly to face her, her newly acquired marks still pink and fresh against her skin.
“Congratulations,” I said stiffly. “You got what you wanted.”
Her smile widened, revealing perfect teeth. “Not quite everything. Yet.” She stepped closer, lowering her voice. “But soon. The Alphas already prefer me in their beds. It won’t be long before they recognize I should be Luna as well.”
I forced myself to meet her gaze steadily. “You can never be Luna. You’re not their mate.”
“A technicality, she dismissed with a wave of her manicured hand. “Mates can be rejected. And you, my dear, were rejected the moment they discovered what you were”
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“And what exactly am I, Lilith?” I asked, tired of her games.
Her smile turned cruel. “The daughter of a traitor. A thief. A disgrace to this pack.” She leaned in, her breath hot against my ear. “And soon, you’ll be nothing but a memory. I’ll take you out of the way just like my father did to yours.”
The world seemed to stop spinning. Blood rushed in my ears, drowning out the music and
chatter around us.
“What did you just say?” I whispered, staring at her in shock.
Lilith’s eyes widened slightly, as if she hadn’t meant to reveal so much. For a split second, something like fear crossed her face. Then her mask of cruelty slipped back into place.
“You heard me,” she hissed. “And if you’re smart, you’ll remember what happened to him when you you decide how much you want to fight me.”
Before I could respond, she turned on her heel and glided back to the triplets‘ side, slipping her arm through Kaelen’s as if she belonged there.
I stood frozen, her words echoing in my mind.
*I’ll take you out of the way just like my father did to yours.
*
What did Malachi Thorne have to do with my father’s disgrace? With his death?
The ground beneath me seemed to shift as years of accepted truth suddenly came into
question. If Lilith wasn’t just taunting me–if there was truth behind her threat–then everything I thought I knew about my family’s fall from grace might be a lie.
I looked across the room to where Beta Malachi Thorne stood smiling proudly at his daughter. Our eyes met, and something in his expression hardened. He raised his glass slightly, a mocking toast that sent chills down my spine.
In that moment, I knew with bone–deep certainty that Lilith’s words weren’t just a cruel jab. They were a confession.
And everything had just changed.
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