Finding out
Lydia's POV
My fingers trembled as the double doors to the royal hall opened. The chattering in the hall stopped and every judging eyes watched as I made my way to the foot of my parent's throne.
The smile on my mother's face turned to a frown.
"Here she is again, the goddess athena's curse" My mother reclined in her throne, rubbing her temple like the very sight of me irritated her.
In that moment, all I could think about was how I had spent the last twenty two years waiting for my magic to awaken, but it never did.
Year after year, my mother ensured my continued participation in the coming of age ritual– her hope slowly turning to annoyance and disdain with every failed attempt.
She could not come to term with the fact that the only daughter born with the Sacred white hair of Gladen witches could not even weild enough power to light the ceremonial candles.
And worse, she had named me after her Great grandmother– the greatest Gladen witch.
"Why do you have that?" She asked nodding at the candle i was holding, irritation clear in her voice.
"I...I received a letter of p...arcitipation. I thought you wanted me to participate i..n this year's ritual" I stuttered
For a moment, silence reigned then loud rounds of laughter followed. My mother's laughter was the loudest while my sister, Ria held my stare with a smirk on her face.
She turned to her chief maid, Raina "Did i not tell you to exempt her from this year's participation?. What good will her being here do?. She cannot even light the ceremonial candle"
Everyone laughed again, making my cheeks burn red from embarrassment. The candle in my hand suddenly felt too hot.
"I apologise my lady, it must have skipped my mind" Raina curtsied low before walking up to me and snatching the candle from my hand.
"You are not here to keep embarrassing my name" My mum said in a calm, slow tone as she got off her throne and walked to where I stood.
Her fingers traced the outline of my jaw, then she took my hands and inspected them before saying something under her breath– something I could not make out.
The embarrassment was now gone, replaced by a feeling of dread. My mother inspecting me could mean the absolute worse, maybe she was planning to sell me?.
"A marriage sedan will be here by tomorrow for you" She finally spoke after a long moment of silence "You shall be prepared accordingly"
I frowned, confused at her words. A marriage sedan?, Alpha kilan missed every binding ritual held for us– the binding had to happen before the sedan.
"But mother... the binding ceremony, Alpha kilan never showed up for any" I said in a small voice, too careful to annoy her.
Instead, she laughed, genuinely amused "You expect Alpha Kilan to bind himself to a powerless witch?"
"Mother I.."
"You are of no use to the Gladen witch tribe, so why do you think you would be useful to Alpha Kilan?"
I could not bring myself to believe that. Alpha Kilan had promised to marry me no matter what, he even gave me his ancestral bracelet as a token.
"He is not like that" I shook my head in denial, tears blurring my vision as I stared down at the bracelet.
All the letters?, the gifts?, he said he had just been too occupied with pack affairs to attend the binding rituals. I refused to believe he felt that way about me.
She continued "You will be getting married to the Alpha of the Redlin pack"
My eyes widened and I gasped, slapping my palm over my mouth to muffle my screams. My eyes moved from my mother to my father who had been sitting quietly the whole time.
They wanted me to marry Alpha Darwin of the Redlin pack?. A man who could not even control his beast, a man who had killed three of his previous mates.
I looked at the people around me, no one was as surprised as I was. They had all known or maybe they had planned it.
"I apologise mother, i cannot marry into the Redline pack" My voice wavered but I forced myself to stay calm "I decline the proposal"
I expected my mother to be annoyed but instead, she smirked "Well if you decline that marriage proposal, that Redline beastly Alpha will unleash his wolves on us. And from what I know, our defences are stretched thin"
"Mother, anything is better than marrying into the Redlin pack." I tried to argue but she shut me off with a wave of her hands.
The Alpha of the Redlin clan was famous for his inability to control his beast– He had been married three times before, shredding all three of his wives with his own hands.
"Do one good thing for your people Lydia. Be useful for once in your life. Take a look around you, how will these people survive a war that can easily be avoided"
I laughed, a sad sound. Not that I was amused in any way, she wanted me to sacrifice myself for people that spat where I walked....
"I am still betrothed to Alpha Kilan" I raised the bracelet for everyone to see, just in case they had forgotten "If Redlin needs a bride, send Ria."
The anger on my mother's face came instantly.
Before I could finish my sentence, my mother was already in front of me, delivering a hard slap that sent me tumbling to the side.
"How dare you mention Ria's name!" She gritted her teeth "you think you can defy me?"
With a flick of her wrist, she lifted me then slammed me into the pillar causing the entire building to rattle.
I gasped, air knocked out of me from the impact. The sound of ribs cracking echoed through the now quiet hall and pain exploded through my body.
I tried to push myself off the floor, the pain leaving my vision blurred. I felt her magic swirling around me again and my body lifting.... then she halted.
"Stop!" A familiar baritone spoke, drawing everybody's attention away from me.
Tears rolled down my cheeks as the people parted way for Alpha Kilan. He was here to save me, to claim me in front of everyone, like he promised.
His jaw clenched as he crouched to my level, I could feel the smoke rolling off him, while his eyes darkened as he held my hand.
"I...I knew you would c..come for me" I whispered through tears.
"I am sorry for keep you waiting Lydia. I should have done this a long time ago" His pale blue eyes locked onto mine, leaving me enchanted even while in pain.
Then I felt it, the bracelet sliding off my wrist.
"W..what are you doing?" I tried to snatch the bracelet back but he was already away from my reach.
He bowed slightly in my mother's direction and held up the bracelet "I would like to officially cut my ties with Lydia Glades. I want to ask for Ria's hand instead"
