Fell for the Alpha-less Queen

Chapter 407 The Spring, The Bloodbond Ring

18 Pearls

Moonlight poured through the glass dome above them, spreading across the sacred spring in the center of the hall. The surface sparkled with silver light, and the faint scent of lilies floated in the air like a blessing.

Walter moved slowly toward her, staff in hand. He looked softer than usual, but beneath that warmth was gravity-a quiet power. The edge of his ceremonial robe whispered over the stone with each step.

"My Tessie," he said gently, "tonight you become an adult. In the name of Frostmoon Pack's former Alpha, I bestow upon you the rites of purification and blessing."

Tessa's chest lifted with a slow breath.

This is really happening.

Her pheromones sweetened the air around her like blooming lilies. She nodded through the blur of tears.

Walter lifted his staff and tapped it lightly against the spring. The pool stirred. A clear stream of water rose from its center, hovering right in front of her like magic come alive.

He began to chant, voice low and ancient, like pine trees humming in the wind. The springlight turned to mist, rising and swirling around her body-cool, clean, and holy.

Then it happened.

The silver ring on her finger flashed-black against the white mist.

The inscription on it-Forever Yours-shuddered with rage. The Bloodbound Sorcery inside it pulsed, reacting violently to the sanctified air.

It's fighting back...

The spell Nathan had slipped onto her five years ago when she was unconscious. His trap. His claim.

'Now it hissed like something alive, like a curse being scorched straight out of her veins.

Tessa felt it. A faint tremor from the ring on her finger.

Her breath caught.

No way...

even physical force. Nothing ever worked. That silver ring wouldn't come off. She couldn't break it. Couldn't sever the damn Bloodbound Sorcery

now... here, under the magic of the

Something's changing...

He felt it too. The dark energy

in

did they do

10:03 Wed, 4 Jun

Spring,

→ +8 Pearls

kind of twisted bastard forced something like this on you? This is forbidden sorcery. High-grade. Designed to

would mark you

time to chase down that

the moon and the power of the sacred spring-he had a chance to free her.

tip of his tongue without a word and let a drop of

could amplify the sanctum's power-just enough to

it would be

let her body go soft, surrendering to the spring. Her skin soaked in the sacred mist, and she followed its slow glide

and clean-scrubbing away the black residue in

it passed her

Wait...

shift. The Bloodbound Sorcery loosened ever so slightly under

path through her body and drifted away, the silver ring stayed right where it

change

means it can break. Maybe this spring isn't just symbolic... maybe

her once. Then again. Then a third time. Each loop was dimmer than the last. By the end, it was nothing

spring had left to

with regret. His shoulders sagged just slightly under

1. it.

his spirit at full strength, he couldn't force the

Not yet.

moment.

the final shimmer of mist on Tessa's skin gathered into delicate beads of dew, sliding down to the stone beneath her