146
~Belinda's POV
When I reached the center of the hall, the elders stopped me. With solemn faces, they spoke blessings, their voices rising together like a chant. Then, in a symbolic gesture, they took my hands and placed them into the hands of the Alphas: Rowan, Damon, and Kael. One after the other, they held me, strong and firm, as though promising never to let me go. The crowd cheered loudly, the sound vibrating through my chest. In that moment, I truly felt claimed, bound, theirs.
After the handing over, the music shifted, louder and livelier this time, drums thundering in rhythm while flutes and string instruments filled the air with bright notes. The once solemn atmosphere of the ritual broke into joy, into pure celebration.
