Chapter 5 The Last Ribbon

Serena

"I dislike repeating myself, Miss Blackwood." Lord Alaric spoke resting both hands on the silver head of his cane.

Neither did I.

But I also didn't have money I didn't own.

Slowly, I lowered my eyes and opened my bag.

My fingers brushed the soft edge of Father's ribbon.

I stopped.

A lump settled in my throat.

I'm sorry, Dad.

My hand moved deeper picking the small leather pouch.

I held it tightly for a moment.

It suddenly felt heavier than it ever had before.

Not because of the coins.

Because of everything they were supposed to become.

Every coin I'd earned.

Every hour in the gardens.

Every skipped meal.

Gone.

I placed the pouch into Lord Alaric's waiting hand.

He untied the pouch with practiced ease spilling the coins into his palm and counted each coin slowly...deliberately.

As though he wanted me to hear every single one leaving my life.

When he finished, he looked at me.

A polite smile touched his lips.

"Not much."

My fingers curled into my palms.

"It was everything I had."

His smile didn't change.

"Today's interest."

For a second, I thought I'd misheard him.

"...Interest?"

He nodded once.

"The debt remains."

The words landed like stones.

Everything.

Every coin I'd earned.

Every hour in the gardens.

Every skipped meal.

Gone.

And it hadn't changed anything.

He poured the coins back into the pouch and slipped it neatly into his coat pocket.

"I'll return tomorrow."

Tomorrow?

My heart lurched.

"So soon?"

"The amount grows every day."

His voice stayed calm.

Almost pleasant.

"As does my patience."

I stared at him.

The evening breeze stirred the trees around us.

None of the wolves moved.

Neither did I.

Then Lord Alaric looked at me again.

His eyes raking my body making my skin crawl.

"If your mother still hasn't paid..."

He smiled.

"...I'll collect another way."

The words give me goosebumps.

My breath caught.

I wanted to ask what he meant.

I wasn't sure I wanted to know the answer.

Lord Alaric tipped his head politely.

"Good evening, Miss Blackwood."

He turned away.

The wolves followed him into the trees.

Only then did I realize I was shaking.

Lyra pressed close inside my mind.

I hate him.

A shaky breath escaped my lips.

"So do I."

I barely remembered the walk home. By the time our cottage came into view, the last light had disappeared behind the trees.

I pushed open the front door.

Silence greeted me.

The house felt...Too empty.

Mother wasn't home yet.

I closed the door gently behind me and set my bag on the table.

For a long moment, I simply stood there, then slowly unpacked everything.

I took out Father's ribbon.

My chest tightened.

The dried mud stained one corner.

The tear looked worse than I remembered.

I swallowed.

"I'm sorry."

Lyra sat quietly inside my mind.

No jokes.

No teasing.

Just quiet company.

I fetched the sewing tin from the cupboard and mend the torn silver ribbon with careful fingers.

They trembled more than I wanted to admit.

Every stitch felt like an apology.

The room stayed except for the soft scrape of thread against cloth.

Halfway through, I had to stop.

Not because the ribbon was difficult to mend.

Because I couldn't see it anymore.

My eyes blurred.

I blinked quickly until my vision cleared.

"No crying," I whispered.

Lyra rested beside me.

He wouldn't care if it was torn.

"I do."

He loved you. Not the ribbon.

"I know."

The words came out small.

"But this was supposed to be perfect."

After a few more careful stitches, the tear was closed.

Still visible. Imperfect. But it'll serve the purpose.

Outside, darkness settled over Black Hollow.

Inside, I arranged Father's memorial one piece at a time.

Three surviving moon lilies.

Two white candles.

One silver candle.

Moon incense.

The cracked carved wooden wolf.

The repaired ribbon.

I stepped back.

Then adjusted the ribbon one last time.

Father always teased me for worrying too much.

I knelt before the memorial.

My fingertips rested lightly on the ribbon.

"You waited seven years."

The words caught in my throat.

"I made you wait."

I closed my eyes.

"I'm sorry."

Only silence answer but somehow...

it didn't feel lonely.

Just familiar.

"I hope tonight..."

I swallowed.

"...you finally find peace beyond the Veil."

Even Lyra stayed quiet.

She knew this wasn't the time for words.

I opened my eyes and looked at the old clock hanging above the fireplace.

Just after eight.

Still early.

Mother would be home soon.

She promised.

I smiled to myself.

"We still have time."

I left the memorial untouched.

We always lit the candles together.

Father would wait a little longer.

Instead, I walked into the tiny kitchen.

A pot of water soon bubbled over the fire.

I added noodles.

A few herbs from the garden.

The last of yesterday's vegetables.

Nothing fancy.

Just enough.

Steam drifted through the cottage, carrying the familiar smell of home.

I filled two bowls.

One for me.

One for Mother.

I placed hers where she always sat.

Steam slowly faded from both bowls.

Nine o'clock became ten.

Ten became eleven.

By half past eleven, even the noodles had gone cold.

I stared at the front door.

Another minute passed.

Then...the door flew open.

Cold night air rushed into the cottage.

"Serena!"

Mother hurried inside, breathless.

Her black hair had come loose from its braid, spilling over her shoulders in tangled waves. Her cheeks were flushed pink from the cold...or excitement. Her green eyes, sparkled brighter than I'd ever seen them.

She looked...

Alive.

Happier than she been on months.

She didn't even stop to take off her coat.

Her gaze skimmed over me.

Over the bowls of cold noodles.

Over Father's memorial waiting quietly beneath the window.

I smiled anyway.

"You made it."

She laughed under her breath, walking to the sofa.

"I did."

Relief loosened something inside my chest.

I glanced at the clock.

"We still have time."

Only thirty minutes until midnight.

I reached for the box of matches beside the candles.

"I'll light the candles."

My fingers closed around the small wooden box.

"I need to tell you something too."

Mother was already crossing the room.

"Lord Alaric...."

She waved a hand without looking at me.

"Later."

The word stopped me.

She dropped onto the old sofa, still breathing hard.

A laugh escaped her.

Then another.

Not cruel.

Not nervous.

Joyful.

Almost disbelieving.

I frowned.

Something felt... wrong.

Not dangerous. Just... wrong.

Mother grabbed the television remote with shaking hands.

"You have to see this."

I stood beside Father's memorial.

The matches still rested in my hand.

The television flickered to life.

The royal crest appeared across the screen.

A woman wearing a silver blazer smiled into the camera.

"Breaking News."

My stomach tightened.

The reporter continued.

"Following today's Sacred Mating Selection..."

Mother clasped both hands together so tightly her knuckles turned white.

"...Alpha Marcus Silverstone has officially announced his chosen mate."

I looked away from the screen.

Toward Mother.

She was smiling.

No.

She was glowing.

As though she already knew what came next.

The image changed.

A portrait appeared.

I stopped breathing.

Mother.

Vivian Blackwood.

Her photograph filled the entire screen.

The reporter smiled.

"Congratulations to Vivian Blackwood, who has been chosen as the future Luna of Moonstone."

Silence.

For one impossible heartbeat...

the world stopped.

Then...

Mother squealed.

Actually squealed.

"I did it!"

She jumped to her feet laughing.

"I actually did it!"

Tears filled her eyes.

"I beat Lady Isolde!"

She turned toward me, her entire face shining with happiness.

"Alpha Marcus chose me!"

I couldn't answer.

My eyes drifted away from the television.

Away from Mother's smile.

Toward Father's memorial.

Everything was arranged.

Tonight was supposed to be Father's night.

Seven years.

I'd spent six months preparing for tonight.

Every flower.

Every candle.

Every coin.

Every promise.

And now...

none of it mattered.

Mother was still talking.

Words spilled from her faster than I could follow.

"We're moving to Moonstone."

"The palace."

She laughed again.

"No one can belittle us now."

She grabbed my hands.

"You'll love it there."

"You'll have everything you ever wanted."

I looked at her.

Except the one thing I wanted tonight.

I wanted to be happy.

I really did.

This was her dream.

She had chased it for years.

She had finally reached it.

So why did it feel like I was losing something instead?

Then one sentence finally reached me.

"The princes are going to be so excited to meet you."

My heartbeat stumbled.

The Royal heirs. Replaying the todays incident.

Anyone but them.

Mother was still smiling, completely unaware.

"They're wonderful boys."

I almost laughed.

Wonderful?

I'd seen enough in one afternoon to know otherwise.

Three arrogant Alpha heirs.

The same boys who couldn't spare one glance for Father's ribbon.

The same boys I had prayed never to see again.

Fate, apparently...

had other plans.

Mother squeezed my hands again.

"You won't be alone anymore."

"You'll have three stepbrothers."

The word echoed inside my head.

Stepbrothers.

I slowly turned back toward Father's memorial.

Midnight was only minutes away.

Father had waited seven years for this night.

Now... even this night no longer belonged to him.

Rhys.

Callum.

Dominic.

They weren't just the future Alpha heirs anymore.

They were about to become...

My stepbrothers.

I stared at Father's untouched ribbon.

Impossible.