The Heir

~Dana~

(Six moons later)

Dana walked alongside Milan in the fields of the moon crest pack. The air was filled with earthly scents of different flowers. She halted suddenly, the patch of the yarrow plant drawing her attention, the familiar fern-like shape pulling her memories to the past.

Kneeling, she brushed her hands over the white -feathery plant, recalling the way Alden’s hand had carefully crushed the plant, making a poultice for her wound. The way he had maintained a focused expression while gently placing the poultice on her wound flooded her mind bringing her comfort in the moment.

“ Dana,” Milan's voice jolted her from her thoughts. “Are..you alright?.” Milan asked her voice calm and soft.

“ Yeah.. just admiring them. ” Dana replied, gesturing her hands to the Yarrow plant, a small smile on her face.

“ You know, My Father.”Milan smiled as Dana stood in concentration.

“ My Father used to use this plant too, When I was young after jumping around the fields and I scraped my knees, I would run to meet him, and he’d gathered thé yarrow plants in this field mixing them with other herbs and made a paste out of them to put on my cut.”

“ Really? …did it help?.” Dana asked.

“ Yeah..it did, Milan laughed lightly “ In no time I’d be ruining around the fields again. ” Milan and Dana laughed lightly.

“ I wish I could have just one more moment with him.” Milan faced down hope filled in her voice.

Silence fills the air for a moment, and then Milan’s voice cuts through.

“ Dana …what was it like in your pack, can you remember something now?.”

Dana buried her head, her heart racing. Can she trust Milan with her past? she thought. “ I don’t remember anything .” she lied, hoping her face did not show her unease.

Milan nodded pretending to agree.

Milan and Dana walked further out of the fields, as they approached the entrance of the field, the worker passed by slowly, her gaze locking with Dana’s, Dana altered her steps unable to look away.

Milan’s eyes looked between Dana and the worker “Do you know her?.” Milan's voice cuts through, Suspicion lying in her voice.

Dana shook her head, breaking the eye contact “No...no, not at all.”She said.

They went silent for a moment.

“ That girl… she was banished from her pack,” Milan said, her expression turning serious. ‘Silvercrest pack “she found out about a plot to kill their Luna and she was sent away after that, she paused.“ I found her days before I found you in the woods.”She said as her eyes glanced over to Dana.

Dana's breath fastened as the Image flooded her mind, the carriage ride, the hushed voice, “Take her far away where she will never find her way.” someone had said. Her heart raced as those words began to echo through her mind.

She placed her palm on her head“ I need to take a rest, I’m feeling a headache coming on.” she said as she and Milan walked away to the pack house.

***

~Alden~

Alden sat on his chair, his breath shallow, feeling a pain in his chest as he breathed in and out. His muscles were tightened and his legs that had carried him in a series of battles could not stand on their own without little effort, his eyes were hot and his temperature was beyond normal. How did it come to this? He thought. He had never felt so weak and powerless with something he couldn’t fight. The sickness has slowly drained his energy bit by bit.

His Beta stepped forward, his eyes filled with worries“You need to rest, my Alpha.”

Alden shook his head “Rest? …no, Rest isn’t something I need right now, we need to find a solution.” he said, clenching his teeth in pain.“ Rest won’t heal me .” he muttered.

His Beta glanced at the others, not sure of how to respond.

As they discussed the next step, Alden’s mind drifted back to when he had rejected his mate, Although it was very harsh, he felt he made the right decision because she cheated on him, but looking at the state of his condition right now, could it be that him rejecting his mate has something to do with this? He thought.

“We need to consult the moon goddess. ” his Beta’s voice cut through his thought. Alden nodded, staring at his Beta with fear in his eyes yet maintaining his authority.

***

The chamber was eerily quiet, Alden knelt before the Alter, his knees trembling even with the simple act of kneeling. The last time he had come here was when his mate was to be chosen, then the decision of the moon goddess was positive but later didn’t turn out well. This time, he hoped the moon goddess decision would yield a positive outcome.

His heart raced in anticipation of what the moon goddess will decide, a light shimmers before them with the moon goddess's ethereal figure filling the space. The members who accompanied Alden to the chamber all flinched back, covering their eyes from the light.

Her voice soft, yet powerful echoed through the air“An heir is needed. ”her words filled with certainty.Alden’s Heart raced and then came the next shock “ from your rejected mate, or else you will remain ill and lose leadership to your pack.”His eyes flew open, cold shivers ran down his spine, cold sweat formed in his palms, and the words crashing into his mind. His mate?, the one he had rejected moons ago?, How could she be the solution? He thought.

Alden’s mind raced, his heart pounding in his chest, trying to process what he had just heard. His rejected mate… how could she be the one to save him? He thought with the truth sinking in his mind. How will he find her? These thoughts ran through his mind as his heartbeat sped up faster.

He had rejected her and now she was the only one to save himself and his pack, what if it was already too late?