bChapter 181 /b

    ra’s POV

    “What the hell?” The words slipped out before I could stop them, my mind reeling at the absurdity of Dorian’s proposal.

    A deep frown creased my brow, my stomach doing a nervous twist as I tried toprehend what he was asking. I expected something

    anything–about our bond, but this?

    Going to the Lycan’snd?

    I didn’t even know where that was. At least when I left for Grace Ruin, I had some idea where I was headed. But this? bThe /bLycans? bNo /bone knew where the hell they lived. It could be miles and miles away, in some godforsaken corner of the world.

    I couldn’t hold it back anymore.

    “Are you out of your mind?” Thorne’s voice pierced the air, and he was on his feet in an instant, fury radiating off him. “You can’t ask her bto /bbgo /bwith you. You have no right to tell her who she can and can’t see!”

    Dorian’s gaze slid over to Thorne, his eyes cold and unbothered. “I’m not asking for your opinionb,/b” he said, his tone smoothb, /balmost detached.

    “Asking or not, I’m telling you–she’s not going,” Thorne hissed, every inch of him tense.

    Even Kimberly jumped in, her voice trembling with concern. “ra, you can’t just go with the Lycans! Who knows what they’ll do to byou/bb?/bb” /b

    “Stay!” Jory’s voice rang out as he stepped forward, his hand tightening around the hilt of his sword. “We’ll protect you. All of us.”

    Dorian scanned the crowd, his amusement barely hidden. “Look, none of what you think matters. I’m taking ra with me, and no one here

    can stop me.”

    “Then what about my opinion?” I asked, my voice cutting through the tension.

    Dorian’s gaze snapped to me, his expression softening just a touch. “…Of course it matters.b” /b

    “Then I’m not going with you,” I said firmly, the words slipping out like a vow.

    The room seemed to hold its breath as I spoke. Thorne’s face lit up with relief, his shoulders rxing for the first time in what felt like forever. Dorian’s eyes narrowed, but there was something unreadable in them.

    “I’m not asking for much, ra,” he said, his voice calm, but there was a dangerous edge lurking there. “I’ve already spared your friends. The only thing I’m asking is for my mate toe home with me. Is that really so unreasonable?”

    I scoffed, crossing my arms over my chest. “And I don’t like being strong–armed.”

    I let out a shortb, /bcoldugh, the sound sharp and cutting. “Maybe I should just reject the mate bond right here and now. That’ll take the power out of your hands, won’t it?”

    The collective gasp from the crowd nearly deafened me. Rejecting a second chance mate? The idea was unthinkable bto /bmost–hell, it was almost insane. But for me? It was an option.

    Most people never got a second chance mate. And those that did? They clung to it like it was a treasure. But I wasn’t about bto /blet someone force me into something I didn’t want, no matter what the Moon Goddess had nned.

    Dorian’s face darkened, and I could see the anger flicker behind his cold exterior. His eyes were sharp as he stared bat /bbme/bb, /bbhis /bbmouth /bbtight /bbwith /bthe effort to control whatever emotions he was feeling.

    After a long, tense silence, he sighed, putting on a sad, almost pitying smile. “ra, I didn’t realize you felt this way. bTo /bwow that willing to reject our mate bond—it hurts.”

    “You pushed too hard,” I said, my voice steady but cold.

    He shifted, rubbing the back of his neck, as though the weight of this conversation was finally getting to him. “I just couldn’t live with the thought of losing you to someone else.”

    His gaze flickered briefly to Thorne, a small, barely noticeable shift that told me everything I needed to know. This wasn’t about just me. Th was about a fight for power, for control.

    “Okay, let’s forget about what I just asked,” Dorian said, shifting his tone as if trying to reset the entire conversation. “What will you do now ra? What’s your n?”

    The war had ended. Lance was dead. The rogues were under Jory’s control. The battle was over, and peace seemed within reach. But for me? I had no idea what the future held.

    “I’m going to Blood Moon Pack,” I said quietly, looking down at my hands, the weight of the decision sinking in. “Back to my family.”

    Dorian’s eyes lit up. “Great. I’ve always wanted to meet Alpha Cael. I’ming with you.”

    The crowd erupted in murmurs, some of them shocked, others clearly uneasy at the thought of the Lycans mixing with their own people.

    “We don’t want the Lycans

    on ournd!” Thorne snapped, his voice hard as iron.

    “The Blood Moon Pack doesn’t want you here either,” Jory shot back, his eyes narrowing at Dorian.

    Kimberly red at him, a fire in her eyes. “You haven’t even asked ra what she wants, have you?”

    Dorian raised his voice above the arguing crowd, his words sharp andmanding. “I would be honoured to be invited. ra, could you please consider that? I don’t want to be apart from you, not for a single day. Even if you haven’t fully epted our mate bond yet.”

    I sighed, exhaling sharply as I felt the weight of everyone’s eyes on me. “Fine. You cane with me.”

    The Lycans had been hiding from us for so long. Maybe it was time to get to the bottom of their secrets.

    Thorne’s voice was urgent, almost desperate. “Then I’ming with you too.”

    “You’re an Alpha, Thorne,” I said, rolling my eyes. “You have a pack to govern. The Blood Moon Pack isn’t your responsibility.”

    “The elders can handle it. I’ming,” he insisted, locking eyes with Dorian, a challenge in his gaze.

    And so, it was settled. Both of them woulde with me to Blood Moon Pack, whether I liked it or not.

    I could already feel the tension building between these two. It wasn’t going to be pretty. But there was nothing I could do about it now.

    Jory gave the orders to clear the courtyard and dispose of Lance’s body, his tone matter–of–fact as he began preparing for the aftermath of the war. There were things to be done, people to send back home. The evil had been eradicated. The war was over.

    Finally.

    The ballroom had survived the destruction, so they decided to throw a small party there to mark the end of it all. Ironically, bit /bhad once been the setting for Lance and Mi’s wedding, but now it would be a ce of celebration, a symbol of the new beginning.

    The soldiers cleared away the rubble, and soon a fire was crackling, its warm light a stark contrast bto /bthe cold winter air outsideb. /bbra’s /bbvoice /brang through the room as she invited the servants and maids back into the pce, those who hadn’t had bthe /bchance bto /bescape earlierb. /b

    b2/3 /b

    Wine flowed freely, and soonb, /btheughter of soldiers and civilians alike filled the room. The batmosphere /bblightened/b, the oppressive is finally easing as the sound of music and clinking sses took over.

    Kimberly poured me a ss of wine, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “You should try this. It’s the good stuff. Lance bnever /blet anyone touch) 1b. /b

    Iughedb, /braising my ss. “To victory.”

    “To burying the son of a bitch that everyone hated,” Kimberly added, and our sses clinked.

    1 sat there for a while, watching the chaos around me, before Kimberly leaned in close, her voice teasing. “So, which one bare /bbyou /bbgoing /bbto /bpick?”

    I raised an eyebrow. “Pick what?”

    “The Lycan King and the Werewolf King,” Kimberly giggled, her tone full of mischief. “Two of the greatest men alive, both fighting for you. You’ve got to choose one.”

    I looked across the room at the two men. Dorian was surrounded by a group of giggling maids, his charm effortlessly disarming them. Meanwhile, Thorne sat on the other side of the room, his cold and distant aura drawing the soldiers to him instead.

    “They’re like pr opposites,” Kimberly said, reading my thoughts. “One’s the charming yboy, and the other’s the cold, arrogant bbastard/bb./bb” /b

    Iughed, but it didn’t feel like humor. It felt like a weight pressing down on me.

    “You know they’re not going to stop until one of them wins, right?” Kimberly said, her voice low and serious now.

    “I know,” I sighed. “I just wish they’d stop.”

    “You better make the decision soon,” Kimberly warned. “Those two egos of theirs? They won’t stay in check for long.”

    I knew she was right. But for now, there was nothing I could do. The battle for my heart was just beginning.