PROPHESY

CAEL

I stood in the center of the moonlit grove, watching him play with Ayla and the newborn pups. The moon blazed crimson, a reflection of the prophecy of the King, while the sun hovered beside it like a rare solar eclipse. The universe seemed to shift around them, the wind whispered northward, fires flickered like sulfur and brimstone in the distance, and I felt the pulse of something ancient and powerful.

We ran. In my desperate attempt to protect the pups and guide the alpha to safety, the earth trembled beneath my feet. I lost my footing as a strange chant filled the air, instructing me to join. Fear clenched my chest, but I followed the chant. The quakes ceased, and an eerie calm settled over the grove.

I woke with a start, my heart pounding, trying to gather my bearings. Blinking, I realized I was not alone.

“Mama? What are you doing here? Where am I?” I gasped.

“You’re in your mate’s room,” she said calmly.

“Don’t tell me you’ve brought me back to Jayden and the elder, Mum! I can’t… I won’t be mated to the pack’s male whore.”

“You’re not in Jayden’s care my love. We are at Lunavara,” she replied firmly.

I swallowed hard, confusion twisting in my stomach. “Then… how do I have a mate? This doesn’t make sense.”

“Calm down,” she said, but I shook my head.

“No! Don’t tell me to calm down! Where am I?”

“In my room, Cael. You’re safe.” I heard Thorne say from the door as he came into the room.

I froze. My heart skipped a beat. If I was in his room… could he truly be my mate?

“Alpha Thorne…” I whispered, my voice trembling.

For some reason, calmness washed over me. The lingering tension in my chest eased, replaced by that strange, familiar pull. Could it be… him? My mate?

“I… I don’t understand,” I admitted. “If I’m in your room, does that mean… am I your mate?”

“Yes,” he said, and the warmth in his tone made my knees weak. “Unlike Jayden, I am not rejecting you, sweetheart.”

The word “sweetheart” lingered in my mind. Did he just call me that? Did I really hear it? My heart raced.

“But… I’m not worthy of being your mate,” I confessed, my voice small. “I’ve been rejected before. I’m just a rogue omega, of no use to you, Alpha Thorne.”

He reached out, his hand brushing mine. “I understand your fears and insecurities, Cael. But I want you to give me a chance… with your mother’s permission, of course.”

“I… I don’t mind, but…”

“I don't mind, either” Mum interjected gently.

He looked at me, golden eyes burning with intensity. “Do you have any reservations about me, or about being mated, Cael?”

I swallowed, the truth heavy on my tongue. “You don’t deserve me, my King. You don’t deserve to be with an omega with no Wolf, no scent. What if we can’t produce pups?”

I avoided his gaze. I couldn’t tell him that what I truly feared was being hurt again, that all I wanted was a simple, safe life, free from heartbreak.

A whimper from Ayla pulled me back to reality. I looked up to find the King staring at me, his golden eyes piercing my soul. His presence was overwhelming, like the sun itself, scorching and magnificent.

He stood impossibly tall, well over six-foot-nine, his build honed from endless battles and training. I felt the weight of my tears and despair. I had found my true mate, yet I was too broken, too scared, to accept him. How could I ever be of use in a kingdom this vast? I didn’t know where to start.

“Can you at least eat something? It’s past lunch,” he said, his voice soft but commanding.

I nodded, allowing my growling stomach to guide me. “Okay.”

“I’ll leave for now,” he said. “You stay here. I’ll be in my study.”

“Could you… call Lyra for me?” I asked quietly.

“Of course,” he replied before leaving the room.

I sank onto the bed, my mind racing. How did Mum get here? What did she know? And what would she tell me about my mate, my future… and myself?

I was still trying to process everything when my mother spoke, her voice calm but urgent. As if reading my thoughts.

“I was at home when Lyra and her mate came to me, saying you were in terrible condition and no medication was working. You were attacked at Rose Pack, and the person I asked you to meet called me immediately to rush here.”

“Wait… who? Lyra has a mate? I thought she decided to stay with her dad. And who is this person I was supposed to meet?”

“She is Siora, a seer here at Lunavara,” my mother explained.

“Why was I supposed to meet her?”

“Remember your father’s death?”

I shivered, recalling the memory. I knew she never liked talking about it, so I braced myself.

“Yes…” I murmured, my voice tight.

She continued, “Your father was a friend to the former King of this kingdom. They made a pact that went sour, and as a curse, the King is to get mated and bear a pup so the kingdom does not fall to the Hollow Born Clan. The mating ritual must continue to keep our kind from extinction.”

“What does that have to do with me, Mum?”

“When the King died, I was due to deliver you. Then the prophecy came. You are the only hope for this kingdom’s redemption. You were the only child across the three kingdoms born without a scent.”

I blinked, trying to wrap my head around what she said.

“How does that affect my father, and what exactly does the prophecy say?” I asked, my mind racing.

She recited it:

“When scentless wind meets dying flame,

The forest weeps and calls his name,

Bound by blood but born of sky,

The lowest shall rise, the Alpha shall bow,

And Lunavara shall burn or bloom.”

I stared at her, uncertain if I should believe any of this because it sounds like I'm watching a telenovela.

“Your father, in his bid to protect us from the Hollow Born, was ambushed and killed along with your sisters,” she said gently.

Still, it didn’t fully make sense. But the fact that those who attacked me today could be from the Hollow Born made her story more believable.

“So… you’re saying the King is my mate, and I have to fulfill this prophecy?” I whispered, incredulous.

“Yes, hun,” she replied softly.

“Don’t worry,” Lyra’s voice cut through, warm and comforting. “I’ll be right here healing every infirmity.”

“After you accept the mate bond, you’ll need to go to Moon Heart Grove. There, Siora will guide you and answer all your questions,” Mum added.

I felt overwhelmed. “This is too much for me. What if the prophecy is wrong? What if I’m the wrong person? I can’t bear to be rejected again.”

At that moment, someone knocked on the door. Lyra appeared, carrying a tray of food.

“Here’s your meal, Cael. Please eat, and stop beating yourself up. Everything will sort itself out,” she said kindly.

“I know you’re scared. I was too when I found out your dad is my mate. But you don’t have to do this alone, you have me here, and Lyra too. Your mate is a trustworthy King, unlike Jayden. Consider this, okay? And whatever you decide is completely up to you. I need to leave now to update your dad about you, but I’m sure Lyra will take care of you.”

“I will, ma’am. You don’t need to worry,” I replied.

After she left, I ate quietly, the food warming both my stomach and my nerves. Finally, I looked up at Lyra.

“There’s something I need to tell you,” I said, my voice tense. “I apologize in advance if it offends you.”

“What is it?” she asked, curious.

“About my Wolf… I actually do have one. She’s female, and I’ve known since my nineteenth birthday.” I hurried through the words, afraid I’d lose the courage to speak.

“Wait, what? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t feel safe enough to tell anyone at Rose Pack.”

Lyra’s face softened. “I understand. But there’s nothing to fear now. The fact remains, you have a Wolf. I’m so happy for you.”

A small smile tugged at my lips. I finally felt some relief.

“Wait, Cael… have you shifted before?” she asked.

“Well… not really. That’s why I was hesitant to tell anyone at Rose Pack.”

“Oh, that makes more sense now. Anyway, finish your food.”

I nodded, then remembered that she had found her mate. I couldn’t help but congratulate her.

“Congrats, girl. I heard you found your mate. Do I know him?”

“Yes, you do. He’s your mate’s Delta,” she said, cheeks flushed.

I smiled faintly, happy that she had found someone and hopeful that it would bring her joy.

“You know my dad is not bad, right? You two can figure this out together. You don’t have to push him away,” she added, her tone gentle.

I sighed, reminded again that she was his adopted daughter. “I know. By the way, who are you rooting for?” I asked, continuing to eat my congee.

For a moment, there was just the quiet sound of me eating. For the first time since everything began, I felt a flicker of peace. I ate to my fill and finally let myself rest.

However the question still remains can I shoulder this responsibility?

what if Thorne eventually gets tired of me one day