The Council chamber was tense, the air thick with authority and unspoken rules. Kael sat at the head of the table, his piercing eyes scanning each Alpha present. Even without Saphira there, his intent was clear.
"I am here to declare that Saphira Silverlight is my mate," Kael said, voice steady, echoing through the stone chamber.
A ripple of surprise passed among the Alphas, but none dared speak immediately. At the far end, Roderick's jaw clenched. His daughter was not present, yet her fate was being spoken aloud in a chamber filled with neutral observers.
"You dare claim my daughter without her presence?" Roderick's voice cut through the silence like steel.
Kael met his gaze unflinchingly. "The bond chooses. I claim her as mine, in accordance with the will of the Moon Goddess. She does not need to be present for the truth to be spoken."
Roderick's fists tightened at his sides. "I will not allow this. You know nothing of the Silverlight Pack, nor what this bond entails. To declare it before her… it is reckless!"
Kael's eyes softened slightly, though the alpha strength in his stance did not waver. "It is not reckless. It is inevitable. The bond is real, and it is mine to honor. Resistance will not change it."
The Council murmured, some uneasy, some impressed by his confidence. Roderick's gaze never left Kael, his mind racing—anger, fear, and an unspoken recognition of destiny clashing within him.
After the Meeting: Roderick Confronts Saphira
The ride home was silent. Snowflakes drifted against the windows, catching the moonlight. Roderick's face was unreadable, though his jaw remained tight.
Once inside the Silverlight estate, he called Saphira into his study. She entered hesitantly, sensing the tension radiating from her father.
"Have you… found your mate?" he asked finally, voice low, steady, though laced with barely-contained emotion.
Saphira's breath caught. Her wolf stirred inside her, sensing the pull of Kael even from miles away. Hesitant, she met her father's eyes. "I… I think I have," she admitted softly. "My mate… is Alpha Kael of Redmoon."
Roderick's eyes widened slightly, and he sank into his chair, a hand pressed against his forehead. His mind raced—conflicted, torn between the Moon Goddess's will, the bond's undeniable truth, and the Redmoon Pack's history.
"Kael of Redmoon…" he murmured. "The same pack… responsible for—" He stopped abruptly, swallowing. His emotions churned. Protection, anger, distrust, and a reluctant acknowledgment of destiny battled within him.
Saphira stepped closer, gently, trying to bridge the gap. "Father… I didn't choose this. But it feels… right. I can feel it in my heart—and my wolf."
Roderick's gaze softened momentarily, but the tension remained. "This… this will not be easy," he said finally, voice heavy. "We must tread carefully, Saphira. There is power here, and danger. Both in Kael… and in the Council."
The room seemed colder now, the snow outside falling silently. Saphira's wolf pulsed beneath her skin, a reminder that the bond—and the trials to come—would not wait for consent.