"Meredith, the other three heads are all here. Keelin, Gyrod and Ryne, and they've agreed to give you the marks. We still have time. You don't have to do this," Arlan said again.

I shook my head, "I... I'm sorry, Arlan but, I won't complete the marks."

"Is it because you'll be a queen someday? You don't have to worry about it. My father's in the Council. And soon we'll be too. No harm will come to you from swearing allegiance to it. Besides, all of us are under its protection anyway and I trust de enough to know that you'll be fine."

"I have personally convinced so many humans to be a part of the Circle. I wouldn't do it if I didn't have full faith in this system, Ditty. And, you are a part of it too, right?" Arlan tightened his grip on my shoulder and looked at me with pleading eyes.

"Mark collection is only a punishment if you intend to betray the Council," Ryne said without looking at me. He then got up and put his hands in his pockets.

The moon seemed to be playing a prank on me for his form lit up in a halo of sorts and his energy throbbed, making me want to gravitate towards him. My heart rode a roller-coaster and my core ached for reasons I wasn't very happy about. I then remembered what he said and got so mad that I wanted to chew his head off and then mine for being so weak in the face of god-like beauty.

"I don't want to put my trust in a ti-eglor who confuses a minor transgression with a capital offence," I said curtly.

He turned to look at me and the surprise on his face made it evident that he hadn't expected me to respond that way.

"I don't want my life to be in the hands of another person. Who knows when you'll decide that I'm not important enough to exist? If I were to complete the marks, all you would have to do is declare that I have committed a second offence. The marks on my body would force me to take my own life. Do you think I don't know that?" I asked, glaring at him.

"So you're scared you'll die?" Ryne let out an amused laugh.

Tears prickled in my eyes. As an accursed royal, I had lived with that fear all my life. Someone like him would never understand me, "Yes, I am very scared of death. Is it so wrong to want to live?"

He was taken aback by the truth in my voice. The silence was deafening until we heard loud cheers from behind us. I swallowed my emotions and looked away from him.

"What if I promise that I will never do so?" his voice softened and he paused for a second too long. He then looked at Arlan and said, "Arlan is very dear to me. I would never do that to," he cleared his throat, "to his fiancé."

I looked up at Arlan and then at him, "I would rather get this over with."

Ryne's eyes hardened, "So bloody stubborn," he said through gritted teeth.

Gyrod got up, grabbed Arlan's arm and pulled him away to a seat. Placing his arm across Arlan's shoulder, he tilted his head and looked up at me as if he were issuing a challenge. In a second however, his expression went back to being the usual uninterested one. I could only frown in confusion at his actions and turn towards the fight. 

The muscular boy with long blonde hair yelled haughtily at the crowd after throwing his opponent down. He then pointed his finger at me and banged his chest. As if that weren't enough, he thrust his hips forward lewdly, stuck his tongue out and guffawed. Bile rose from my throat and I looked away from him, disgusted.

I caught the eyes of Ryne who raised his brow before sitting back down. "The ball is in your court," he said, resting his arms on his knees.

"And I'll stick by my decision," I replied.

"Even if it means having to deal with him?" he asked, nodding at the contender who was currently winning.

"It doesn't matter to me. And it's not over yet," I said before taking a seat next to Keelin.

Almost as if I had jinxed it, a girl went up and announced that the blonde werewolf had won. The thunderous cheers of the crowd could not muffle the drumming of my heart. It was over. This was it. My brain melted into a pot of panic. I looked at the werewolf on the platform who removed his pants and arrogantly threw it at the horde. I couldn't help the shudder that ran down my body.

"If you are that determined to suffer, go ahead. I only tried to help as Arlan's friend. This is supposed to be your punishment anyway," Ryne said getting up. He turned to Arlan, "My intervention ends here, unless," he folded his arms across his chest and said, "Your fiancé begs me to help her out."

I clenched my fists in anger and shot up. Right then, the victor called out to me and the crowd roared. My blood turned to ice but the rage I felt at everything melted it back instantly. Fixing my eyes on Ryne, I began unbuttoning my cardigan.

'Beg him? Not even when hell freezes over,' I resolved.