Raven's POV

The room went silent after Jaxon’s words. Every pair of eyes fixed on us, scrutinizing us, almost tearing us apart. My father’s gaze was the hardest of them all. I could see the disbelief in his face, the thin line of his mouth tightening even more as he looked between Jaxon and me.

“You choose Raven?” His voice was flat and cold.

“Yes,” Jaxon replied, his voice steady. “Raven is my mate. It is only natural that I accept her."

A murmur went through the crowd, hushed whispers that felt like tiny knives scraping over my skin. Yara’s face turned pale. She looked like she might break right...