Maria.

I watched their faces pale instantly the moment my words settled properly in their heads.

For a few seconds, none of them spoke.

They simply stared at me as though I had just declared the cruelest punishment imaginable.

Honestly, the silence was beginning to drag on for too long, and my patience was already wearing thin.

Davian was still unconscious on the floor bleeding, yet the three of them looked more shaken by my proposed oath than by the condition of their own brother.

It was almost unbelievable.

"Well," I finally said coldly after waiting long enough, "I will take your silence as a yes."

I decided to take the initiative myself before they started creating more unnecessary drama.

Immediately, all three of them reacted.

"What is the oath about?" they asked in unison.

Their synchronized voices would have almost been amusing if the situation wasn’t so serious.

I folded my arms slowly beneath my chest before taking in a deep breath.

"It’s simple," I replied firmly while staring directly at each of them one after another.

I wanted them to understand that I was completely serious.

"You all are going to take an oath not to cause any disaster or destroy my wedding with Noah," I declared slowly, making sure every word sank deeply into their minds.

The moment I mentioned the wedding, their expressions darkened immediately.

But I ignored it and continued speaking anyway.

"And after we are married," I added coldly, "you all will stay far away from me."

The atmosphere instantly turned tense.

Before any of them could react further, Noah immediately wrapped his arms possessively around my waist from behind.

The warmth of his embrace calmed me slightly. Then he leaned closer and pressed a soft kiss against my ear affectionately.

The action alone visibly irritated the Quadruplets further.

"What?" Damien suddenly yelled loudly, completely losing his composure.

His voice echoed through the hallway harshly.

"Of all things, why that, Maria?" he demanded, staring at me like I had betrayed him.

I scoffed openly at his question.

Honestly, his response should have simply been agreement if Davian’s life truly mattered that much to them.

Instead, they were acting as though I had demanded something impossible.

"How do you expect us to watch you marry someone else?" Adrien asked through clenched teeth.

His eyes had already turned red from emotions he was obviously struggling to control.

And honestly, that alone confirmed something important to me.

I was right.

They truly had plans to ruin the wedding somehow. Well, whatever ridiculous ideas they had in mind would have to end now.

"Maria..." Aidan suddenly spoke this time, his breathing uneven as his chest rose and fell rapidly. "You are our mate."

There was desperation in his voice now.

"This oath..." he paused briefly before continuing weakly, "...this oath will be the end of us."

I remained expressionless despite the strange ache twisting faintly inside my chest again.

"How do you expect us to live without you?" he finally asked quietly.

For a brief second, silence settled heavily around us once more.

The healer avoided speaking. The apprentice remained frozen nervously nearby. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

And even Noah’s arms around me tightened slightly as though waiting for my response.

But honestly, I was already exhausted by all of this.

Completely exhausted.

They spoke as though they were the only ones hurting. As though I had not suffered because of them too.

I rolled my eyes immediately as Aidan’s words echoed in my head again. Honestly, I am really growing exhausted from the endless emotional drama surrounding the Quadruplets.

"Are you in or not?" I asked coldly once again.

And Davian did not seem to have much time left either.

His breathing had become weaker while the blood loss only continued worsening. Even the healer’s expression had turned increasingly grim with every passing second.

Then suddenly, Davian’s body jerked violently against the floor.

The movement startled everyone instantly.

"The patient needs to be treated immediately," the healer said urgently while kneeling beside him again.

He quickly examined the wound once more before his face darkened further.

"I didn’t notice earlier..." he muttered with a visible alarm. "The blade was poisoned."

The atmosphere froze instantly.

The remaining Quadruplets turned pale immediately.

"What?" Damien asked loudly, his voice filled with disbelief and panic.

Even Adrien staggered slightly backward while Aidan clenched his fists so tightly the veins in his arms became visible.

But honestly, I could not afford to waste more time watching them panic.

"Are you in or not?" I asked again loudly.

This time, urgency slipped slightly into my tone despite my efforts to hide it.

Because no matter how much I denied it, seeing Davian’s condition worsening unsettled me deeply.

"We are!" they all echoed together instantly this time.

’Finally.’ I breathed out softly in relief.

"Take him to my room now," I ordered immediately.

Without wasting another second, Adrien and Aidan quickly bent down and carried Davian up carefully between them.

His unconscious body looked disturbingly pale now.

The healer immediately followed behind them while his apprentice hurried after him carrying the medical supplies nervously.

Noah tightened his hold around me protectively before guiding me inside my room as well.

The moment everyone entered, the door was shut firmly behind us.

The tension inside the room became even heavier afterward.

Davian was laid carefully on my bed while the healer began preparing several herbs quickly nearby.

But before anything else happened, I folded my arms firmly beneath my chest and spoke again.

"Now take the oath."

The room fell silent.

Reluctantly, Aidan stepped forward first.

I watched as one of his fingers slowly shifted into a sharp wolf claw.

Without hesitation, he sliced across his own palm.

Blood immediately dripped onto the floor beneath him.

Adrien followed next silently.

Then Damien.

Finally, I stepped forward and did the same.

A strange feeling settled heavily inside my chest the moment my blood touched the ground together with theirs.

Then all three of them spoke together.

"We take an oath today and vow never to interfere with or destroy the wedding between Noah Alfred and Maria Moon."

Their voices echoed firmly through the room.

The moment the oath sealed itself, I finally breathed out properly as relief washed over me instantly.

At least now, there would be peace, but just as I slowly lifted my head again, my breath caught unexpectedly.

I froze.

Adrien was crying.

So was Damien.

And Aidan too.

Tears slipped silently down each of their faces despite how hard they seemed to fight it.

The sight genuinely shocked me.

These were proud Alpha males.

Men who once carried themselves with overwhelming arrogance and confidence. Yet now they stood before me looking completely broken.

As though the oath had shattered something deep inside them.

And honestly...I did not understand why seeing them like that suddenly made my chest ache faintly again.