“Hmmm,” Sofia muttered. “Should we help her?”
“No!” Frankie was pushing her out of the courtyard. “We’re already late.”
Apparently, becoming the Alpha of New York was a big thing, and lots of people were coming to this party. She’d already met all of Lucas’s immediate family and some of his extended ones. As she walked through the crowd, she saw a few familiar faces—Jackson, Jordan, Noah, Astrid, and Zac. In the front row was Adrianna and her mate, Darius—whom she recognized as the silver-haired man outside the French restaurant. Next to them were Lucas’s two younger sisters—Julianna so serious and business-like, dressed in a dark suit and her hair chopped down to her chin; Isabella, wearing designer clothes from head to toe, her hair in glossy curls down her back and makeup applied to enhance her already perfect features. She had gotten to know the two younger women in the past month and liked them both immensely, despite the fact that they were so different from each other.
Frankie ushered her forward toward the dais set up in the courtyard in the middle of the Enclave. Lucas was already up there, as well as Grant. Five people stood across from them—the Lycan High Council—as she had been told. One of them was holding a large, mother-of-pearl inlaid box. Lucas was looking at her, and he was not happy.
Sorry, she mouthed at him.
He shook his head and then began to walk toward her, much to the confusion of the council members.
“I said I’m sorry,” she hissed. “What are you—”
“You’re late,” he said. “Very late.”
“I know! We can talk about this later. You have some very important people waiting for you.”
His frown turned into a smile. “I really wanted you here earlier because there’s something very important I need to ask you.”
“What is it?”
He glanced up on stage. “Usually, at ascension ceremonies, the future Lupa stands at her mate’s side.”
“Oh.” She glanced around. Everyone was looking at them, and she blushed.
“I really wanted to make it official before we went through with it, so,” he got down on one knee and then took something out of his pocket. “Sofia Selinofoto, will you marry me?”
She didn’t know what to say so she let out a loud gasp. The beautiful solitaire diamond winked up at her. “I … yes!” He slipped it on her finger.
Lucas whooped happily, then got up. Everyone was clapping and cheering as he took Sofia by the hand and pulled her up to the dais with him.
She watched by his side as he went through the ceremony, her chest bursting with pride. She did feel squeamish about him gripping the dagger with his hand and cutting himself so he could seal the vows with blood, but she expected it and understood it was part of tradition. When he said the final words and was declared Alpha, he turned to her immediately and mouthed the words, I love you. She mouthed them back as she beamed at him, feeling pride surge in her.
Everyone was still cheering and clapping, but a loud crack of thunder stunned them into silence. The atmosphere instantly changed, and she felt something dark and foreboding in the air.
“Lucas?”
His eyes glowed. “Danger.”
There was a gasp and someone said, “Up there!”
Sofia looked up, and she too let out a gasp. A glass dome-like structure appeared right above them, glowing with a strange yellow light.
“The protection spell,” Lucas whispered.
Another crack of thunder struck, this one so strong that the ground shook. There was a loud crash, and the dome shimmered, then began to fade away.
“Fuck!” Grant cursed. “Get everyone to safety.” He stopped, then turned to Lucas. “Alpha …”
Lucas nodded with understanding. He was Alpha now. “Into the basement shelters.” His hand sought Sofia’s. “You need to go with my mother. She’ll keep you safe.”
“I won’t leave you! I—”
A strange ripple in the air made the hairs on her arms raise. She blinked, not sure if she was seeing things, because two figures appeared in front of them.
“No one move or she dies.”
A tall, thin man wearing a dark red robe held a young woman against him, his deathly-pale fingers wrapped around her neck. Her electric blue eyes were frozen in fear and her face was drained of color.
A mage.
“Elise!” someone shouted. When Sofia looked to the source, she realized it was Lara Henney. She rushed forward, her hands raised. Her eyes burned with determination as wind swirled around her body, whipping her skirt and hair.
Sofia inhaled a sharp breath. Lucas had told her about a witch who could control air currents, but she didn’t realize it was Lara.
“I said don’t move!” he tightened his grip and the woman—Elise—choked and sputtered. Lara dropped her hands to her side, her face twisted in agony.
With the mage distracted, two figures dashed onto the dais—Cross Jonasson and Julianna—putting themselves between the mage and Lucas and Sofia.
“Don’t hurt her,” Lucas said in a calm voice. “What do you want, mage?”
The mage laughed. “I want that.” His gaze was directed on the ceremonial dagger Lucas still held, his blood flowing down the blade.
“You can have it.” Slowly, he held it up in his hands. “Just let her go.”
“You!” the mage sneered at Julianna. “Bring it here.”
Lucas nodded at his sister, who took the bloody dagger and then held it up toward the mage.
The mage snatched it up with glee. “You stupid dogs! Using the dagger in your idiotic rituals. You have no idea what you’ve had all this time.”
“Elise,” Cross said in a calm voice. “Elise, do it.”
The young woman’s eyes widened. “No. Please, Cross, don’t make me.”
The mage’s demeanor suddenly shifted, and his attention turned to the young woman he held.
“Do it,” Cross shouted. “Elise, NOW.”
A scream ripped from the mage’s mouth as what seemed like white hot currents of electricity burst across his body. He let go of Elise, the threads of current still crackling between them and keeping them connected. Julianna and Cross leapt toward them at the same time, then all of a
