The Luna Trials by Marissa Gilbert

62. Taking What Is Owed 

She walked between the rows of tables as if the whole world was under her feet, the dark red fabric of her dress flowing befand her 

whispering in the silence of the room. No one dared to speak before the King, and Bjorn, himself, was speechless. He did not expert her 

to come here tonight, and now that she was here, he couldn’t take his eyes off of her. 

Savannah was a vision. Everything about her was perfect. Queenly. A perfect woman for a King, and Bjorn couldn’t believe that she 

had made the decision to join him tonight. 

They both knew what it meant, and the bear inside him was already fighting to release his claws to mark her the moment she 

reached them, to claim that woman in front of everyone and be done with it. 

Bjorn could give her more time before he took her and put a child inside her womb. He could give her more time to accept their 

bond and admit it out loud. He could wait for many years to hear that she loved him from her luscious lips. He wanted to do that for her. 

But the desire to make the bond unbreakable by marking her was immense. It was something that plagued his mind, something his bear 

was insisting on forcefully. 

Because it was wise. The moment his claws made the marks, Savannah would be his forever. 

Everyone would know this and no one would be able to stake their claim on her. Not anymore. Not ever. 

He wanted to secure that claim, and luckily, he would do this tonight. He couldn’t believe his own luck because, although deep 

inside he hoped for this, his rational mind told him that it wasn’t possible. He’d hurt Savannah too much, and it would take him years to 

earn her forgiveness and, eventually, her love. 

That thought sobered him up. Why was she doing it? Was she really ready? 

A treacherous idea of it being her plan to humiliate him publicly or get some kind of revenge circled in the back of his mind. He hated thinking about it, but even he had to admit the possibility of it happening. 

However, just one glance at the princess’s wrist and he saw the bracelet still shining brightly on it, the guarantee of his safety. Whatever Savannah did, she wouldn’t be able to do him much harm as long as she wore it. She wouldn’t be able to shift even to her second form, so it was unlikely she would be able to do much damage. If she decided to humiliate him, he’d have to punish her. Somehow, that thought alone brought a smile to his face. He tried to be gentle with her, but if she gave him more reason to be personally mad at her, his punishing her would be justified. 

The Princess chose a red dress. This wasn’t what people wore for marking ceremonies in the North. Bjorn himself was wearing a blue shirt tonight simply for the occasion. A lot of the dresses he sent to her were in shades of blue as well because of this. But then he remembered that she’d already worn a blue dress. She even rode on top of his back and no one ever would be able to take that away from him. 

She was already standing at the bottom of the stairs and their eyes locked as she waited for his permission to take her place by his side. 

“Join me, my Queen,” his lips curled into a smile as he gestured to the empty chair next to him. He had been prepared. 

Savannah went up, her eyes downcast and cheeks flushed slightly. Although that last part could be the product of his imagination. He wished he could get into her pretty little head and find out what she was really thinking now. Was she imagining his claws digging into her skin too? He knew then and there that as soon as the marking was done, he would make her turn to face him and lick every drop of blood on her soft skin. His manhood reacted to that thought, and it got only worse when she was finally beside him. Her intoxicating bluebell scent had made him close his eyes just for a moment and enjoy it. He envisioned how, after everything was finished here, he would take her to their chambers and rip that dress off her, learning every inch of her with his tongue. If she let him, of course. But she would, after she’d been marked. This was the whole point. The mark would unlock their bond for her and heal her soul after the previous unsuccessful experience. She’d want him just the way he wanted her. She would come around. 

“My King,” her sweet voice brought him out of his daze. It was a greeting, and he couldn’t help himself from taking her hand and 

bringing it to his lips, placing a wet kiss on her fingers. 

Her skin tasted divine, and Bjorn wanted to cut the ceremony short now. Anything to speed the process up. 

“My Queen,” pride was lacing every word, his voice loud, so that everyone heard him, but then he added quieter, “I hoped you would come.” 

“And here I am,” she replied, her red lips trembling. This was an unusual look for her, but he liked it. He loved it. He loved everything 

about her. 

“Are you sure?” He asked her the silent question of whether or not she wanted to be marked today. Her presence alone was the 

reply, but he wanted to show her how caring he could be. He wanted her to know that he wasn’t the monster she believed him to be. 

could make her happy. All he needed was

hand stretched to her on an impulse, and she shyly placed her palm into his.

He saw

It was really happening.

pulled the princess into his arms to crush his lips into hers. Bringing

It was the sweet submission that he needed and

the second time today, enjoying all of the sensations kissing his mate could bring. She chose to come tonight, she agreed

he could

for them with their roars and clanking of their glasses. They enjoyed the sight before

knew that their king would be the strongest with his mate by his side. The Northern Lycan twins were filming the whole

time to time into a microphone about the events.

grin on his face. It was a grin

He distanced himself slightly from Savannah and addressed his warriors present in the room. “As you can see,

join me and help me make the Northern and the

to bring the lands

speech, and Savvy tried really hard not to display any emotions

one of her arms on Bjorn’s shoulder to make him and everyone else believe

Joran quirked his brow up at her and whispered. “I thought

am not?” She gave him a dazzling smile, and he looked at

which she lifted her hand with the magical bracelet,

her, crossing his arms over his chest.

he chuckled while she took a few steps in his direction, still touching Bjorn, who glanced at her in the middle of his long empowering speech, growling at his divine ally slightly. Savannah smiled back at him, and

she playfully pushed her index finger of the hand with the bracelet into

Queen now.” 

waist, bringing her closer.

marking ceremony,” he declared loudly and another wave of approving roars rippled through the room. Everyone was happy

hand, and every person in the hall grew quiet. No one dared to disrupt

the White Bear King threw a quick glance at the Serpent as if daring him to protest.” There is

the ones we already

familiar faces in the crowd. She wasn’t wrong about Ash, Riannon’s close friend, and she was surprised to see Petra sitting right next to him. They

the verge of

Petra’s eyes

don’t mind,” the Princess looked at the White Bear King, who was already devouring her with his healthy eye. It was obvious that he was impatient, but her request made him suspicious. It was only natural that he

He asked dryly in a quieter tone.

whole body told her about this. The way he shuddered, the way his breathing got ragged so fast… it shouldn’t have been that way even if he really really wanted her. It was something else… and that

name of the true King of the North helped her to stay focused. While Bjorn stared at her like a love sick teddy bear, all she saw were Kai’s eyes

me if you like. I would take it

I mark you first?” she fluttered her lashes innocently, but then looked away. “You don’t

if she wanted to bite his main artery off, it wouldn’t harm him. Physically, he was indestructible. Savvy

sink into his flesh,

his palm over his cheek.

when she touched his chest with her warm fingers. Only

as she walked around him and stood behind his back. There were doubts in his mind, but Savannah’s little fingers went for the buttons of his shirt, undoing the two upper ones and then removing the fabric aside. Smirks appeared on his men’s faces. She teased him, and he lost his mind because of this. The thrill of what she was about to do next made him growl

going to mark him. She was going to mark him. She was going to

Queen, and they were going to live a long, happy life together. He would bring this woman the moon if she wanted it, he would put any Kingdom

broken, damaged part of him was going to be healed with this woman’s love. She would complete him. She would make him whole. Her perfection would fill the cracks

the people before him, everything was blurry because of all the tingles he was experiencing from her touch. Her breath was already on his neck, and

because, at that moment, he chose to trust her, he chose to

of his neck, and for a moment, he thought it was the bracelet he put on her. He would take this bracelet off her tonight

3/5 

wintergreen,” Savannah hissed in his ear, and it took him a few seconds to realise what he was hearing. “Almost as much

made him open his eye again, and he saw his warriors jumping on their feet. It took time for him to process what was happening, but soon he realised that some kind of a dagger pierced him to the hilt. Savannah’s fingers unclenched,

A divine weapon… 

the guests he’d welcomed into his house today because of Savannah started turning into wolves one by one and forming a protective line in front of the