StartNovel191 Blood rights...
Nathan
The door of the room slammed shut echoing through my chest like a gunshot.
Lyla’s tear-streaked face was etched into my mind. | moved to go after her, but | had barely taken a step when a
shadow blocked my path. When | looked up it was Luna Vanessa's brother, the Alpha Gab of Shadow Moon Pack.
“We haven't finished, Alpha Nathan,” he announced quietly.
“I don’t have tfor this,” | retorted, wishing more than anything but to drive my fist into his face that was
currently squeezed in a smirk. “Get out of my way.”
“That's no way to treat guests, Alpha Nathan,” he continued ignoring my warning. “We cdown here and you
won't even listen to us? C'mon... sit for a minute while we talk.”
“Sit for a minute?” | scoffed, turning to stare at all the Alphas from the Southern region avoiding my gaze. “You
all would seriously sit and do nothing while this is happening to me? Today is supposed to be a major highlight
forand no one is saying anything.”
“What do you want them to say?” Luna Vanessa chuckled. “You want them to fight the truth? C'mon, Nathan.
The world will not work the way you want it. Sit for a while because until we settle this matter, I'm afraid we
cannot let you leave.”
“So you're going to holdhostage?” | challenged walking up to Luna Vanessa. “I know you've always been
against my appointment as Alpha and | was willing to drop it... drop everything and walk away but with the way
all of you in this room act...” | turned and pointed my fingers at each of them “I think I'm going to hold on to it
for a while... maybe a long while.”
Luna Vanessa met my gaze without flinching. | started for the door again when Alpha Gab blockedagain.
“Move, | growled, trying to restrain Ragnar who was bristling at the surface. He wanted to go after Lyla so badly
that he wasn't listening to me. He was reaching his breaking point.
Alpha Gab merely huffed, exchanging looks with his brother. “We can make this quick and simple. All you need to
do is cto an agreement with us.”
“What agreement?” | snapped turning to my father. “And you too, Dad. Is that how much you hate, Lyla? All of
you sit here with smiles and evil in your heart. Lyla is
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191 Blood nights.
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innocent of everything. She doesn’t even know what is going on and you had to break it to her like that?”
“She had to know eventually,” Luna Vanessa's second brother shrugged. “She’s an adult and a grown woman.”
“Just reach the agreement with us, Nathan,” Luna Vanessa piqued. “I'm not in the mood to banter words with
you or anyone.”
“What agreement?” | spat facing her. “What more could you possibly want to take from
her?”
“Think of it as an opportunity,” Alpha Gab grunted, spreading his hands in a gesture that was anything but
generous. “An opportunity to save Lyla’s life.”
My heart stopped. “What do you mean?”
“It’s a simple solution really. Take Clarissa as your mate. We'll continue with the joining ceremony as planned and
every accusation against Lyla, every single case and paperwork against her disappears. No trials. No
punishments. She'll be free.”
My heart plummeted.
“Clarissa?” | scoffed. “So, this is why you wantedto marry your daughter?” | turned to Luna Vanessa again.
“I'm sorry but | cannot. | do not even like her, let alone love. |
cannot be with her.”
“She's a perfect match for you, Nathan. An Alpha’s daughter, powerful, beautiful and far more suitable than Lyla.
Take her and the entire ordeal is over.”
My stomach churned with disgust as | stared at him. “And if | refuse?”
Luna Vanessa laughed and addressed her first brother. “Gab, | told you he wouldn't agree. He's always been like
this towards her. Despite all my advice to him and constant. reminders that he’s not invincible he never listens.”
Alpha Gab’s eyes glittered with cruel satisfaction. “Don’t worry, sis. If he refuses then Lyla
would be escorted to the Alpha council in the west and be tried in the court there. Not just that, she would be
tried as an adult as well.” He paused for a minute and shrugged. “Who knows if she'll survive their judgement?
Sfates are worse than death.”
My knees buckled and | gripped the edge of the table to steady myself. “She’s innocent,” | said my voice
crackling. “You all know that.”
“That doesn’t matter,” Alpha Gab replied coldly. “This is about killing an Alpha Heir,
sunidina nunichment all thana voare and nat kaoning ta vaur ans of the harmain I'm
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sure the Southern Packs can’t afford a scandal like this, Nathan. What will the people think when they hear this?
You've put not just us but Alphas in your region in at
precarious position.”
My gaze darted around the room, seeking support but none of the Alphas met my eyes. Except Luna Vanessa
who had a chilly expression on her face.
“Please,” my voice cracked, the rage | was feeling earlier on had crumbled into desperation. “You can’t do this to
me. “I love her, please. She's my true mate...
Alpha Gab sighed, feigning sympathy. “Love is a fleeting emotion, Nathan. In time, you'll
see this is for the best.”
“Besides,” the second brother added. “In a few months, you'll thank us for letting your marry Clarissa and when
the babies start coming, you'll see the advantage. She comes from a strong bloodline. Sometimes you might
think you know what's best for you, but it might turn out not to be.”
My chest heaved and my mind raced. On one side, Lyla’s life hung in the balance. On the other, my happiness
and future was slipping through my fingers.
| clenched my fists, trembling with anger. I've never been so helpless in my life than today. How could they force
| ran my trembling hands through my hair. “Givestto think...”
Alpha Gab laughed derisively. “There is no tto think, Nathan. We cannot let the preparations go to waste.
Decide now.”
The room seemed to close in aroundas | stood there, trapped between impossible choices. My chest felt like
it was being crushed in a vice. Every fibre of my being rejected the idea of giving up Lyla, but the thought of her
being hurt or worse - made
For a full minute, I just stood there frozen, my vision blurring with unshed tears. | felt as if the ground was
crumbling beneath me. | turned my gaze to all the Southern Alphas, hoping someone would pityand speak
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmon my behalf.
But they still couldn't meet my eyes. They all looked away, as if ashamed of their part in this coercion but
unwilling to stop it.”
Then, that familiar dark voice filtered into my mind, the one that had been hauntingfor weeks.
“Do you regret it now?” the voice taunted. “You should have joinedwhen you had
191 Bloodnights
the chance. | would have given you Lyla without hesitation. But instead, you're standing here, a desperate,
pathetic fool, begging these old, withered men. Not just that, Lyla hates you. The way | see it, this is a perfect
opportunity for her to run back to Ramsey. Or maybe that Paul from her workplace...
| gritted my teeth, shaking my head to banish the voice in my head. My eyes swept the room one last time,
lingering on Luna Vanessa's face. She, at least, had the decency to look atwith pity.
Alpha Gab finally raised an eyebrow. “What is it going to be, Nathan?”
Drawing in a deep breath, | squared my shoulders. | looked at the Alphas again and Luna Vanessa's two brothers.
They thought they hadcornered, powerless. But they are
Wrong.
Straightening. | met Alpha Gab’s gaze. We stared at each other for a few seconds before | nodded. “Fine. I'll do
ie.”
| saw my father exhale in relief. But | wasn’t finished.
“But | continued before the smirks could fully form on their faces. “I have a condition of my own.”
Luna Vanessa exchanged wary glances with her brothers before Alpha Gab turned towith a frown on his face.
“What condition?”
My gaze hardened as | rehearsed what | wanted to say in my head knowing that everything - my future, Lyla’s
safety and the very fabric of our world - hung on what | was about to say next.
Since they were not going after my position it meant that | hold more power here. These past few months as
Alpha, I've been able to create a bridge between Packs on this side of the sea with packs across the sea.
Was
Many of the contracts and agreements all the packs have been entering recently and the boost in their economy
my doing. They cannot harm me, neither would they try to usurp me. So, | was going to capitalize on that.
“I will marry Clarissa,” | said quietly. “But in exchange, | want blood rights.”
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