Chapter 67

My heart raced as I felt the cold blade against my neck, Delilah's erratic breathing loud in my ear. The entire temple was silent except for her harsh, broken cries and the murmurs of the Moon Goddess's priestesses at the edges of the hall. Everyone stood frozen, afraid to make a move.

"Stop the wedding!" Delilah's voice cracked as she shouted the words again. "If you don't, I swear I'll kill her!"

I swallowed hard, my throat scraping against the knife's edge. "Delilah," I said, my voice trembling but steady enough to catch her attention. "Why are you doing this?"

She stiffened, her grip tightening around me. "Why?" she hissed. "Because he left me. Because they all left me. And now he thinks he can just move on like I never existed? Like I didn't matter?"

Her voice broke at the end, and I felt her tears dampen my shoulder.

"You did matter," I said softly, carefully choosing my words. "You still matter. But this—this isn't the way to make them see that."

She laughed bitterly, the sound hollow. "What do you know about it? You're just a pawn in their game, like I was. You don't know what this people would do to you! They will suck the life out of you! Like bloodsucking monsters!" 

"You're right," I admitted, my voice shaking. "I am a pawn. But I'm not the one who abandoned you. Lucian was. He was the one who abandoned you." 

Her grip faltered slightly, and I took a shallow breath, hoping to steady her attention on me. "Tell me, Delilah," I said, trying to keep her talking. "What happened to you? What did Lucian do to you?"

Delilah's voice cracked as she started to speak. "He...he promised me everything. A life, a family. And then he cast me aside the moment things got hard. My parents turned their backs on me. His family didn't care. I was left with nothing. Because of him I have lost everything. 

I nodded, trying to keep her focused. "That wasn't fair to you," I said softly. "You didn't deserve that. But hurting me won't fix what he did. Killing me won't change what he did." 

Her hand trembled, the blade slipping slightly away from my neck. My heart pounded in my chest as I risked glancing toward Rowan. He stood tense and ready, his piercing gaze locked on Delilah.

"Delilah," I said again, keeping my voice calm. "Please, let me go. You're not like this. I can see it. You just want to be heard."

She hesitated, her breathing uneven. "Violence is the only language they will understand. They'll never listen," she whispered. "Not to me."

"They're listening now," I assured her. "They're watching you, and they see your pain. Everyone here sees your pain Delilah." 

Her grip slackened further, the knife slipping from my neck. It was all Rowan needed.

In an instant, he lunged forward, his movements swift and precise. He grabbed Delilah's wrist, twisting it just enough to make her cry out and drop the knife. Before she could react, Rowan had her pinned against the floor, the blade clattering away.

The temple erupted in chaos as guards swarmed in, pulling Delilah to her feet and binding her hands. She thrashed against them, screaming at the top of her lungs.

"Lucian!" she cried, her voice filled with anguish. "You did this to me! You destroyed me!"

Lucian stood frozen, his face pale and expressionless as he watched her struggle.

"You're a monster!" Delilah screamed. "And you'll ruin her too! Just like you ruined me!"

The guards dragged her out of the hall, her cries echoing long after she was gone.

I stood trembling, my legs barely able to hold me up. My hands clutched at my gown, wrinkling the fabric as I tried to steady myself. The room spun, and I felt like I might collapse.

"Arin," Rowan's voice broke through the haze. He was beside me in an instant, his strong hands gripping my shoulders. "Are you hurt?"

I shook my head, unable to form words. My throat burned, and tears pricked at my eyes, but I refused to let them fall.

Rowan's hand moved to the back of my neck, steadying me. "You're safe now," he murmured, his voice low and reassuring.

Lucian stepped forward, his jaw tight. "Let's continue the wedding," he said firmly, his voice echoing through the hall.

"What?" Rowan turned to him, disbelief flashing across his face. "You can't be serious."

"She's fine," Lucian said, gesturing toward me. "We can't let this ruin the day. Everything is prepared."

Rowan's expression darkened, and he stepped in front of me protectively. "She's not fine," he said sharply. "Look at her, Lucian. She's shaking, barely able to stand. And you want to drag her down the aisle like this?"

Lucian's jaw clenched. "We have no choice. The guests are here, the ceremony is ready—"

"I don't care," Rowan cut him off, his voice cold and commanding. "The wedding is postponed. Everyone will go home. That is an order."

Murmurs spread through the crowd, but no one dared to challenge him.

Lucian's eyes narrowed. "You're overstepping, your majesty." 

"No," Rowan said, his voice firm. "I'm protecting her. Something you should be doing instead of thinking about appearances."

Lucian's mouth opened as if to argue, but he said nothing. He turned on his heel and stalked away, his cape billowing behind him.

I let out a shaky breath, relief washing over me. My legs finally gave out, and I would have collapsed if Rowan hadn't caught me.

"Easy," he said softly, lifting me into his arms.

"Thank you," I whispered, my voice barely audible.

He didn't respond, but the look in his eyes said everything. He carried me out of the hall, away from the stares and whispers of the crowd, and for the first time that day, I felt like I could breathe again.

...........

I sat on the edge of my bed, my hands trembling as I gripped the blanket. My heart hadn't stopped racing since Delilah's outburst in the temple. Her screams, the knife at my throat, the chaos—it all kept playing in my mind on a cruel loop.

A soft knock at my door startled me. I quickly wiped my damp palms on my dress and tried to steady my breathing.

"Come in," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

The door opened, and Princess Blanca stepped inside. Her pale face was drawn with worry, her hands folded neatly in front of her belly. She closed the door behind her and walked toward me, her steps slow and deliberate.

"Lady Arin," she said gently, her voice soothing. "How are you holding up?"

I shook my head, unable to find the words.

Blanca sat beside me, her soft lavender gown brushing against mine. "It's all right," she said. "You don't have to say anything. I can see how shaken you are. We were all so shocked. What happened to you, it was so tragic!" 

I let out a shaky breath. "I—I thought she was going to kill me," I admitted, my voice cracking.

Blanca reached over and placed a comforting hand on mine. "Delilah is...broken," she said softly. "I never thought I'd see her like this. She was never like this, but when the mating bond is broken, I heard it does things to you. Horrible things." 

"She was so angry," I whispered. "So hurt. She blamed everyone—Lucian, Elana, your family..."

Blanca's lips pressed into a thin line. "She has every right to feel angry," she said. "Her life was torn apart. She lost her child, her place, her dignity. All because she loved the wrong person. All because of Lucian." 

I frowned, unsure what to say. "What happened between her and Lucian?"