Nyxara's POV
After Velara left, I went back into my room. I slumped onto the bed, staring at the ceiling. My head was still buzzing with her words.
I turned onto my side, hugging my pillow. That was when I felt something stiff beneath it. Frowning, I pulled it out and froze.
A letter.
"Who put this here?" I whispered, glancing around my empty room. "How did this even get here?"
My first thought was Velara.
She had just been here, maybe she slid it under my pillow before leaving but why would she be so sneaky about it? My stomach twisted as I slowly unfolded the paper, my eyes scanning the handwriting.
Lucian.
I almost dropped it. My hands trembled as I clutched the paper tighter and began to read.
Meet me tonight by the river at sundown, I have something to tell you. I'll be waiting.
That was all it said, signed with his name at the bottom.
I sat there for a long while, the words burning into my head.
He wanted to see me, he wanted me to meet him, and it wasn't just anywhere-he chose my favorite spot. The river was where I used to hide when I couldn't handle the whispers anymore. People didn't usually come to the river often so it was quiet there... Like my sanctuary.
My heart raced fast and best so loud I could almost hear it. I pressed my palm against my chest as an attempt to calm it down.
"Why... Why does he want to see me?" I muttered but deep down, I think I already knew.
The rest of the day was torture. I couldn't sit still. I paced my room, chewed my nails until they were almost gone and checked the letter again like it might disappear if I looked away too long.
I felt like the sun was setting too slow.
Velara came by in the afternoon, but I couldn't bring myself to tell her. She would've asked a hundred questions, and this felt... too private. Too important.
But she delivered the letter, what if she doesn't know the content?
Different thoughts reeled through my mind.
She noticed I was distracted.
"What's wrong with you?" she asked, squinting at me while we sat outside my door.
"Nothing," I said quickly. "Just tired."
She frowned. "You're lying."
I shrugged, pretending to yawn. "Then let me sleep."
She rolled her eyes and let it go, thankfully. The moment she left, I pulled the letter out again, tracing Lucian's name with my thumb.
By evening, I couldn't take it anymore. I changed my clothes three times before finally settling on a simple dress that wasn't too flashy but wasn't plain either.
My hands wouldn't stop fidgeting.
When my father came home, he noticed immediately.
"Why are you dressed like that?" he asked, raising a brow as he dropped his cloak on the chair.
Heat rushed to my face.
"Hmmm, I-I'm going to see Lucian," I muttered.
He froze. "Lucian? At this hour?"
"Yes. He asked me to come. I wouldn't go otherwise," I replied.
His face softened a little, but I saw the worry in his eyes. He had always been protective of me, maybe too protective.
"You be careful, Nyx," he said firmly. "Don't stay out too late and if anything feels wrong, you come home immediately, you hear me?"
"Yes, Dad," I said, smiling to reassure him. "I'll be fine."
I hurried out before he could ask more questions, my heart leaping with each step. The night was cool, the moon hanging high above as I made my way to the river.
Every crunch of leaves under my shoes made me more anxious.
When I finally reached the river, he was already there. Lucian leaned against the tree, his arms crossed, his eyes stared at the moonlight.
He looked like something out of a dream-tall, sharp-jawed, with that confident way he always carried himself.
"You came," he said, smiling as he walked toward me.
"Of course," I whispered, clutching my hands together. "You sent me a letter."
"I wasn't sure if you'd actually show," he teased lightly, his voice low.
"I almost didn't," I lied, trying to hide the way my cheeks burned.
"Good thing you did." He reached into his pocket, pulling out a small box. My eyes widened as he flipped it open. Inside was a silver ring.
I gasped.
"What... what is this?" I asked.
He took my hand gently, sliding the ring onto my finger.
"It's a promise," he said. "Nyxara, I don't care what anyone says about you. I don't care that people think you're weak or wolfless. You've always been the one for me."
"Lucian..." I mumbled my eyes teary.
He squeezed my hand, looking into my eyes so seriously I almost couldn't breathe.
"The mating ceremony is coming and even if fate doesn't tie us together, I'll still choose you. I'll marry you, Nyxara. You have my word," he promised.
I covered my mouth, tears dripping down before I could stop them. "You mean that?"
"Yes." His voice was firm, steady. "I mean it with everything I am. You're mine and I'm yours."
I threw my arms around him, holding on tightly like if I let go, my world would fall apart.
"I thought... I thought maybe life would never give me anything good. But this-this is everything, Lucian.. you are everything."
He kissed the top of my head.
"Then stop doubting. You don't need to listen to them anymore.They don't matter. Only us do."
I looked at the ring on my finger, the way it shined faintly under the moonlight, and I felt something I hadn't felt in years.
Hope.
Maybe my life wasn't as cruel as I thought.
Maybe, just maybe, everything was finally going to be okay.
