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. 

family. He could make her happy. All he needed was a

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

finally, their eyes met again. He saw the determination in hers, and it made

It was

pulled the princess into his arms to crush his lips into

entrance with his tongue, which was granted easily. It was the sweet submission

his

now. Now, he could kiss her whenever he

them with their roars and clanking of

strongest with his mate by his side. The Northern Lycan twins were

commenting from time to time into

Bjorn finally broke the kiss, he had the biggest grin on his face. It was a grin of a victor, the man who had

and addressed his warriors present

Queen is ready to join me and help me make the Northern and the Western Lycan kingdoms whole. We were once the same

is high time to bring the lands back together!”

hard not to display any emotions on her face. She took a little step

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

quirked his brow up at her and whispered.

not?” She gave him a dazzling

now is the time,” he taunted, to which she lifted her hand with the magical bracelet,

sneered at her, crossing his arms over his chest.

at her in the middle of his long empowering speech, growling at his divine ally slightly. Savannah smiled back

curled as she playfully pushed her index finger

Queen now.” 

bears distracted them, and Bjorn wrapped his arm around her waist, bringing her closer. The Princess was happy because no

begin nine and Savannah’s marking ceremony,” he declared loudly and another wave of approving roars rippled through the room. Everyone was happy for

raised his hand, and every person in the hall grew quiet.

going to say any vows to the gods,” the White Bear King threw a quick glance at the Serpent as if daring him to protest.” There is no need for that! Our bond will be

blessings other than the ones we already have. So, let’s begin.”

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 both looked at her as if they were worried sick. Especially Petra.

on the verge of crying.

which made Petra’s eyes go wide in

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.

asked dryly in

and touched the bare skin on his arm, drawing circles on it with her fingers. She knew that he was feeling the tingles that she wasn’t. She realised it when he kissed her for the first time. His whole body told her about this. The way he shuddered, the

her to stay focused. While Bjorn stared at her like a love sick teddy bear, all she saw were Kai’s eyes closing while she held

you like. I

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

to bite his main artery off, it wouldn’t

wanted her canines to sink into his flesh, making him hers forever. He wasn’t going to question

palm over his

with her warm fingers. Only the fabric of his traditional

in his mind, but Savannah’s little fingers went for the buttons of his shirt, undoing the two upper ones and then removing

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

was going to be all right. It was going to be excellent. She was going to become his Queen, and they were going to live a long, happy life together. He would bring this woman the moon if

going to fix him. That most important, 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 in his soul, glueing the broken pieces together the way people

was blurry because of all the tingles he was experiencing from her touch. Her breath was already on

mate commented, remarking on his scent. He closed his eye because, at that moment, he chose to trust her, he chose to love her unconditionally, he chose to

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

3/5 

in his ear, and it took him a few seconds to realise what he

pain 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, and he recognised

A divine weapon… 

the same time, the guests he’d welcomed into his house today because of Savannah started turning into wolves one by