CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & THIRTY SEVEN


    CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & THIRTY SEVEN


    Talia’s POV


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    The morning of the Sacrifice Ceremony arrived faster than I expected. I barely got any sleep as I couldn’t get the kiss with Nn out of my mind. De brought me coffee and had applied makeup to expertly hide the bags under my eyes.


    She stood behind me, adjusting the final curl in my hair. “Hold still,” she said as her tongue stuck out slightly as she


    concentrated.


    “You’ve been saying that for an hour,” I groaned.


    De red at me through the mirror. “That’s because you keep turning your head. I swear if you keep moving I will start over.”


    “You wouldn’t dare!”


    “Try me,” De said with a smirk. I stayedpletely still and after another ten minutes, De stepped back. “There. Done.”


    Before I could respond, there was a knock at the door.


    De went to open it. Leslie stood in the doorway wearing a red gown that stopped just above her knees. Her bright hair was tied into a high ponytail, and her usual carefree expression had been reced with a confident smile.


    “Well, don’t you look amazing,” I said honestly.


    Leslie smiled, twirled once, and said, “I try.”


    “Wow. Red suits you. I didn’t even know you owned a dress that didn’t have a pocket full of herbs,” De said.


    “Funny,” Leslie said with a grin. “I left them at the cabin. Figured I should look like a normal person for once.”


    I gestured toward the vanity. “Come in. We were just getting ready.”


    Leslie stepped inside, eyeing my gown with an approving nod. “So, you’re going with the ice blue one. Good choice. It makes you look radiant.”


    “Thank you,” I said. “You look like a femme fatale with that red on.”


    “I figured if I’m going to spend the evening watching wolves hook up with each other, I might as well look gorgeous while doing it,” Leslie exined.


    “You sure you didn’t dress like this to lure yourself a mate?” De teased.


    Leslie smiled mysteriously. “Maybe I am. I didn’t take my herbs today.”


    “You didn’t!” I gasped.


    She nodded. “That’s right. I thought it might be fun to see what happens if I let fate decide.”


    De gasped dramatically. “The great Healer Leslie willingly taking a chance on the mate bond? I thought I would’ve never seen. the day.”


    Leslieughed. “Don’t sound so surprised. I’m notpletely against the idea of a mate. I just don’t like the idea of being told what to feel.”


    “Oh, you say that now. But when you meet your mate, the bond will change everything. It always does,” De warned.


    “You sound like you’re speaking from experience,” Leslie said.


    De grinned. “Maybe I am. It took me a while to admit it, but the Moon Goddess knows what she’s doing. Sometimes you just have to let go and trust.”


    CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & THIRTY SEVEN


    +25 Bonus


    I nodded quietly. “That’s true. Not all bonds make sense right away.”


    Leslie looked at me and then smiled knowingly. “Seems like something happened to you.’


    I couldn’t help but blush. De quickly jumped in, much to my relief, and pivoted the attention away from me. “I’m telling you, Leslie, when it happens, you’ll be the same way.”


    Leslie chuckled. “We’ll see about that.”


    De turned back to me. She picked up a small velvet box from the table. “Now, for the final touch.”


    She opened it and lifted out the Rosecrest ne. The silver chain glimmered in the light, the small moonstone pendant catching faint hues of blue and gold. It was the same ne my mother had once worn during her own ceremony. (2)


    De sped it around my neck. “Perfect. Now you’re ready.”


    Leslie let out a low whistle before saying, “You’re not a Princess today. You’re a Goddess!”


    De nodded in agreement. “Absolutely. You’re going to have to beat the Alphas off you.”


    Iughed, shaking my head. “You two are ridiculous.” I almost believed them. The woman staring back at me looked calm andposed, nothing like the confused mess I’d been just days ago.


    There was another knock on the door.


    “Come in,” I called.


    Solon entered. He was dressed in a formal ck suit with a silver crest pinned to his jacket. He looked me over and gave a small approving smile. “You look beautiful, little sister. The ceremony’s starting soon. Father’s…”


    Solon stopped in midsentence. “Solon?” I asked as I turned to look at him.


    His mouth was agape. His eyes were on Leslie. His nose red and his eyes widened.


    I looked at Leslie, who also had a deer in the headlights expression before swearing under her breath. “Fucking hell.”


    “Mate…” Solon blurted out and walked towards Leslie. 1


    “You’ve got to be kidding me,” Leslie muttered as she put her hands out to stop Solon from getting closer to her. “I need air. Or maybe a cliff to jump off.”


    “Leslie, wait,” De said, reaching after her, but Leslie was already halfway out the door. The door closed behind her, leaving


    the rest of us in stunned silence.


    Solon looked at the door. I could tell he was fighting the urge to run after Leslie. “De, go check on Leslie. Make sure she’s okay,” I said.


    “Got it,” De said quickly. She grabbed her clutch and hurried out of the room.


    When she was gone, I ced a hand on Solon’s arm, breaking his focus on the door. He looked down at me, looking conflicted. I felt for him. I knew how it felt to have a mate that didn’t want the mate bond at first.


    “I know this is a lot right now, but we need to go,” I said gently. “The ceremony is about to start.”


    “This day just keeps getting longer,” he sighed.


    “Come on,” I said, linking my arm with his. “You can panic after the ceremony.”


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