Hadley's POV

Preparations had been made during the whole week for the ceremony today. Nolan had selected a dress for me and I had been poked and prodded to make sure that I was perfect. For days I had managed to convince Nolan that I was still under the witches spell. An obedient little wolf as he liked to put it.

The dress was a long gauzy deep red material that had a plunging v neck. A delicate belt sat on my waist made of golden vines. My hair had been arranged in a half up hair do with large curls, just as Nolan liked it. My blood red lip matched the dress perfectly. The wing eyeliner made my green grey eyes pop.

Cassia had helped me get ready. We barely had spoken over the last few days. She had not mentioned anything again after that day in the library. We had killed most of our time wandering through the gardens and the greenhouse. I arranged flowers filling the mansion with them. I did it with a pretty smile on my face telling Nolan I wanted to make our home as lovely as I felt.

Today was the day. I had perfected my plan. I would either be free. Back in my pack. Back with my mate... or dead I figured. I wouldn't allow myself to be someone's toy anymore than I already had.

Cassia was before me hemming the dress as I watched myself in the mirror. She finished hemming the dress as she slowly started to work her hands up my leg. I eyed her but she remained focused, scaling her way to my upper thigh. I felt the leather band being clipped around my thigh. Along with the weight of the dagger she was putting on me. When she had pulled that out I had totally missed.

"There. Now you're ready," She said calmly before leaving the room. I laid my hand over the dress feeling the dagger.

A few moments later there was a knock on the door. One of Nolan's pack members was telling me the party had begun and that I was expected downstairs. Many of the warriors had been kind to me in the house. I didn't understand how they could follow Nolan with such a blind faith.

I made my way down the stairs into the crowd of pack members greeting each of them as I passed with an eager smile. I spotted Nolan in the corner talking to the priestess. He had worn his usual all black apparel. Although this time he had a pocket square made of the same blood red gauzy material as my dress. He was preparing for the ceremony that would happen in only a few hours I assumed.

Nolan's pack was large. There were easily over 300 people crammed in the great hall. I made my way and mingled with some of the female pack members. I made simple pleasant talk only paying half attention. Nolan spotted me from the distance and gave me a smug look. So proud of himself for what he had done. What he had accomplished.

I excused myself from the women and made my way to the kitchen. Nolan found me a few minutes later leaned against the wall.

"Why are you hiding back here darling?" he asked closing the gap between us. Pushing his body on mine. I forced the bile down my throat as I gave him a soft gaze.

"I'm just not used to all this attention I guess. I just needed a second to gather myself," I forced my eyes to stare at Nolan's shoes. Let him think I was nervous.

"You need to get used to it," there was a sharpness to his tone. "You will be the luna of this pack. I need you to be able to handle standing by my side".

"Yes Nolan," I said, meeting his gaze. His dark eyes were hard as he scanned my face.

I was completely off guard as he pushed himself more into me and aggressively put his lips against mine. The kiss was rough and claiming. There was nothing romantic about it. He bit down on my lower lip hard. I yelped, pulling back. Nolan took his thumb and spread the blood over my already stained red lips.

"Perfect." He was completely mesmerized by the blood. "Let's go. There are a few people I want to introduce you to before the ceremony. I was still in a small state of shock and annoyance as my lip throbbed.

Nolan paraded me around the rest of the time. His hand gripped tightly around my waist. I was shown off like some trophy. The newly discovered daughter of a powerful alpha. A strong mate for the alpha of any pack. People praised the union between Nolan and I. Saying the goddess had truly gifted them with such a powerful couple as their leaders.

The priestess made her way slowly onto the stage. She wore a hooded dress of pure white that concealed almost her whole face. The room grew quiet as she made her way to the center raising her hands above her head. Nolan guided me towards the stage. Placing us in front of her. We stood across from one another before the entire pack. It was so similar to a mortal's wedding yet so different. A sort of energy filled the room that I could feel coming off of the priestess. Glasses of champagne were passed around to all the pack members. The final ones given to Nolan and I in large gold gauntlets, carved with the phases of the moon.

"Before we begin this ceremony of joining our luna to the Fenris Moon Pack we would like to honor the Goddess for pairing such a powerful union before us today," The priestess poured in her low sultry voice.

"To our Alpha Nolan and to the Goddess," The priestess raised her glass and we all followed suit. Nolan clanked his against mine before winking at me and gulping it down. I drank the entirety of my glass before handing it off to a warrior.

Nolan's pack cheered for us. Eagerly awaiting. Nolan's head was held high. The sinister grin spread wide across his face as he took it all in. Nolan's hands joined mine as the priestess began to continue the ceremony. I watched him carefully scanning him with curious eyes and that gentle smile. Nolan watched me. He seemed distracted though. His eyes made his way to the pack who also seemed confused. A low hush of whispers spread throughout them. I just watched them with that innocent smile on my face turning into something far more feral.

A knife was held before Nolan by the priestess. His focus was off as he gripped on tighter to my hands searching for a source of balance. The priestess repeated herself indicating that Nolan sliced his palm for the blood exchange. Nolan released my hands and did so. Dripping the blood from his knife into the silver engraved bowl the priestess now held onto. Nolan handed me the knife.

I took the blade holding it against my palm. Not breaking the skin though.

"Cut your palm Hadley," Nolan's voice slurred ever so slightly. I smiled wickedly at him slowly taking the knife off of my palm and holding at my side. I took that moment to really look at the pack. All were wobbling and the hushed whispers began to grow.

"Nolan what's going on," Someone from the pack yelled out. Nolan scanned the crowd and stared at his own hand. Slowly registering.

"You bitch," he hissed coming towards me. With my single pointer finger I pushed the center of his chest sending him stumbling backwards. Many of the pack members had fallen to the ground. Nolan was doing his best to stand up. The priestess had begun to slowly back away from us off of the stage.

"What did you do to me," Nolan snarled.

"Well Nolan it was almost too easy," I smiled wickedly while playing with the knife in my hands as I circled him like my prey. His pack warriors started making their way towards us, struggling to stay on their feet. I turned my body to them "No. No. Wait trust me you'll want to hear this I promise it's good," My voice was laced with venom. Nolan had fallen to his knees before me.

"Did you know that for my degree I had to take lab science. No of course you wouldn't have. You never bothered to ask. Well let me tell you, for my class I took botany," I smiled circling Nolan. "The first time I drugged you was a lesson. You got me on that one I'll give you that," the knife spun between my two fingers. "The problem last time was I hadn't anticipated you trying to take me or your warriors. I wouldn't make that mistake again. No this time I would eliminate all the other variables," I turned towards the pack of the crowd. The fear showed in their almost completely paralyzed eyes. "Don't worry the effects will only last a few hours. That wolf healing speeds up the process"

"How long?" Nolan asked me with a snarl.

I moved my face closer to his. "You thought you could control me. You thought you could take me away from my mate, my family. Kill people that I care for and I would just become your what Nolan? Your living doll?" I held the knife to his neck. His dark eyes dared me to take that final step.

I pulled the blade back. "Nolan. Nolan. Nolan. Always one step ahead. But you thought since I let you touch me let you fill my ears with your venom that I was blindly yours. You didn't even question when I read the books filled with the knowledge of what plants could render you paralyzed. Fill your gardens with that same plant. You didn't even question when I put those plants around the entire house. You left me alone at night to grind those plants into the fine dust that fully dissolved into your packs drinks tonight when I stepped in the kitchen. No you saw me for what you wanted. A pretty mouthed girl for you to take when and how you pleased" I growled in his ear. My voice was laced in ice as I let that cold killing calm grow. I stood over Nolan so he had to raise his head to see me. His body trembled as he fought the paralysis. His eyes raged with murder.

I grabbed his chin hard forcing those eyes to see me. To really see what I was. Who I could be.

"I will let your pack live. If anything tonight has shown me that the true evil lies in you. But for what you did to Cam. I can't make you the same promise," My eyes filled with calm rage. I shoved Nolan's body to the ground. He laid there those dark eyes never leaving me. I lifted my dress slowly pulling out the dagger. It was made of a heavy fine silver. I twirled it in my fingers feeling the weight of it. As I slowly raised the blade.

"Hadley".

I whipped my body around to the voice my whole being had craved. Tate was standing there watching me carefully. West, Devin, Jillian, Scott, and Braxton seemed shocked as they took me and the room in. They looked ready to strike.

"What took you guys so long," I smiled genuinely. I was barely able to contain the happiness as my voice broke seeing them all. I let the knife fall to the floor with a hard thud.

Tate ran up to me pulling me into his arms. He grabbed the sides of my face gently making sure I was alright before his mouth claimed mine. He tasted like home. I wrapped my arms around him afraid that if I let go I would awake from this reality.

He pulled back only slightly keeping his face close to mine, as his warm brown eyes looked at mine. "I love you," he said, kissing my face gently between his words.

"I love you too," I smiled.