Chapter 597 Bound by Blood

    Finished

    bTessa /blooked into Landon’s eyes and saw her reflection there. She thought of her grandfather’s dying bwish/bb, /band of the storms they had weathered together. Slowly, she nodded. “I do.”

    Landon gently lifted her hand and slid the silver ring onto her finger.

    In wolf tradition, once the bonding ring was worn, it connected the couple’s auras. As their fingertips touched, a faint current seemed to spark between them–that was the resonance of blood recognizing blood.

    Darren, watching the scene unfold, turned to Yardley and said, “ording to tradition, after the bonding vow, we pay respects at the memorial hall.”

    Yardley nodded quickly, his eyes crinkling with a smile he couldn’t contain.

    Only L sat in the corner, staring at that silver ring like it was blinding. This daughter she had never taken seriously had grown into someone she could never reach.

    At the memorial hall, Yardley lit a ceremonial cigarette and handed it to Landon and Tessa.

    Together, they stood before Walter’s urn in solemn silence.

    In the drifting smoke, Tessa could almost see her grandfather nodding with a gentle smile. Her vision blurred with sudden heat.

    After they offered incense, Landon took her hand. “Let’s go. To the Sanctuary.”

    The Sanctuary of the Nightshade Pack was the final stage of the bonding ritual, where the blood seal would bepleted under the witness of elders and kin.

    It had already been prepared. The ancient stone walls were inscribed with sacred wolf runes, and torches bathed the space in a warm, reverent glow.

    Hudson, Cameron, Nathaniel, and the other core members stood along both sides. Darren and the Thorne family were seated up front. Michael and Samuel were there too, as well as Tessa’s other friends–members of the Avery Band, Camille, Lina, and more.

    Even the three most respected elders of the Nightshade Pack hade in person.

    As Tessa and Landon stepped into the sanctuary, the room fell silent.

    The eldest of the elders, his hair snowy white, rose to his feet, holding a bronze tray. Upon ity two bone tokens etched with intricate wolf patterns.

    “By ancestralw, the bond must be sealed with blood,” he said, his voice aged but unwavering. “Blood as witness, the contract as proof.”

    Landon stepped forward first. With a quick slice of his fingertip, a drop of blood fell onto the token and melted into the carved wolf sigil.

    Tessa followed. As her blood touched the second token, a silvery glow shimmered across it, intertwining with the inky ck of Landon’s mark.

    “Blood united. Fates aligned,” the elder dered, stroking his beard with solemn breverence/bb. /bbThe /bNightshade Pack recognizes Tessa bas /bthe future Luna. From this day forward, she and Landon bshall /blead bthe /b

    Chapter 597 Bound by Blood

    pack as one!”

    Finished

    Apuse thundered through the sanctuary. Ysabel jumped up, pping excitedly. Samuel and Michael exchanged proud smiles. E

    Darren couldn’t help but let a rare, satisfied smile crease his bface/bb. /b

    Landon sped Tessa’s hand, leaning close to whisper in her car. “From now on, you’re never alone.

    Tessa looked up at him, the torchlight flickering in his eyes. Her heart burned with warmth.

    Outside the sanctuary, Nathan stood hidden in the shadows like a statue carved from stone.

    He knew exactly what was happening inside–Tessa and Landon’s bonding ceremony.

    That was why he hade, against all reason or restraint. The girl who lived in the depths of his heart was about to bind herself to someone else. And he could do nothing but watch.

    In the car, Grant sat in a panic.

    He knew how dangerous this moment was. But their alpha remained rooted in ce, refusing to move. There was nothing Grant could do.

    The longer they waited, the greater the risk. If anyone inside came out and spotted them, the consequences would be dire.

    Despite his fear of Nathan, Grant gritted his teeth and got out of the car.

    “Alpha, it’s time. We need to go,” he said, stepping up beside him, voice tight with nerves. “They’re almost done inside. You can’t let them see you here.”

    Nathan didn’t move.

    “Alpha, let’s return,” Grant urged, swallowing hard. “You’ve already made preparations, haven’t you? This bond… it might not hold. Tessa will be yours in the end.”

    It was only a bonding, not a true bloodmate contract. Even if they sealed the bond, there were ways to undo it. Now wasn’t the time to act rashly.

    Only then did Nathan slowly turn around, his eyes swirling with fury and bitter darkness. His voice was low and cold. “Make sure everything’s ready. On the day of their true bond, I’ll make Tessa leave with me– willingly.”

    “Yes, Alpha!”