Bound to the Alpha King

43 - Accepting the Bonds

Ivy's POV

Seles.

I heard her. She's still with me.

I'm still in shock, staring blankly ahead, solely focused on the fact that I still have my companion, my wolven partner. "Ivy." I snap my attention to Nate who looks at me with a smile. "They're off." I scrunch my face in confusion, but it dawns on me.

The cuffs!

I look down to see my bare skin where there once used to be silver. I raise them up in front of my face inspecting my jewelry free arms. I see some scarring along the borders of where the silver used to sit, but it's not too noticeable.

"Oh my god." I say out loud in disbelief, and I catch Althea's proud gaze between my arms. I lower them and look at her, tears falling freely.

"Thank you, Althea. Thank you so much for this."

"My pleasure, Luna Queen." She turns her attention to Nate.

"Did you still want to do a bond acceptance with your mate Alpha King? Or did you want to wait and see if her wolf resurfaces?"

He looks to me. "What do you think, baby?"

"I want to accept them. If Seles awakens again, then I can just mark you after that. Right? That won't interfere with anything?" He shakes his head. "No, it won't. I guess we will do an acceptance as well, Althea."

"Understood. I'll need you both to stand, facing each other."

I rise to my feet as Nate does the same and we stand facing together, eyes locked.

"Arms to your sides, palms outward." I comply with Althea and wince slightly as she nicks my palm with her knife and does the same to Nate, placing our palms together. We entwine our fingers together and I feel warmth radiate from where our hands are connected.

I glance down and see Althea tying knots in small ropes around our connected hands before standing back to attention.

"Alpha King, repeat after me - Ex solis ad occasum, ego sum tenetur ad vos aeternum."

He repeats the phrase effortlessly and I feel a shock come from our hands and a more intense feeling of warmth.

"Luna Queen, repeat after me - Ex solis ad occasum, ego sum tenetur ad vos aeternum."

(From sunrise to sunset, I am bound to you for eternity)

I repeat the phrase, surprised at my ability to say it. The warmth moves up my arms and all over my body and I see Nate's eyes change to his wolven yellow and I can't help but admire them, knowing his wolf is present. Althea chants around us and the wind picks up, blowing intensely around Nate and I before settling back down again.

"You both are now bound in the eyes of the moon goddess. Once Seles awakens Luna Queen, you and Nate can go ahead with a regular marking, but your bonds are accepted as of today." She removes the knotted ropes, allowing Nate and I to move more comfortably and stand side my side.

"You think she will awaken again?" I ask as I hold onto Nate's arm, and she smiles. "I do believe so. A strong wolf like her will not be held down for long. She survived you being bound with silver for six years, which shows her resilience and connection to you. Be patient. I'm sure she will return. I will leave you now to retire for the evening. Don't hesitate to come find me if there's any questions or issues."

With that final statement, she packs up her items quickly and leaves Nate and I in the training field.

"Do you feel our bond, songbird?" Nate asks quietly and now that we're alone, I realize I can feel us connected. I nod and he embraces me with a tight hug followed by a sweet peck on my lips, leaving tingles wherever he touches. "The tingling... I never thought I would feel this ever in my life."