TWO

EIGHT MONTHS LATER.

That’s what I said but… what is this situation?!

My Father sits across from me on the massive dining table in our house. He’s slicing into a steak like he didn’t just shatter my heart with a few words seconds ago.

I grip my cutlery in both hands. Maybe I misheard. “Father, what did you just say?!”

“You heard me. Is there a point in repeating myself?” The person sitting across from me is the current head of the New Moon Pack. The same one that Fredrick stole from me in my past life. Alpha Eiran Maine. The only thing I had in common with this man was that our hair was the same silver color, though his was short and mine reached my butt. Other than that, we bore no similarities.

“Father, I’ve worked like a dog for the past eight months. I’ve made investments that greatly influenced our standing in Theria and you’re telling me that you’re securing a marriage partner for me to give it all to?” My blood boils, it was around this time in my past life when he recommended Fredrick to me too. I was hurt but since he turned out to be my mate, I was happy supporting him. He also let me do all the work which made me delude myself into thinking he couldn’t do without me. Now that I think about it, he was probably tangled up with Becca in our bed.

How did he make me think he was my mate though? The question lingers in my head but it wasn’t important right now.

“I don’t see what the problem is. You should be proud of yourself, you’ve accomplished a lot. It would show in the documents what a great Luna you will become even though you didn’t attend the school for future Lunas.” He spared me a glance.

“How convenient that while I was doing all this work, you left out the part where I will not become ruler of our people.”

“I didn’t leave it out. You never qualified.” He said in a flat tone like it was obvious from the start.

My face contorts into one of confusion, “The fuck?!”

“Watch your language.” A sharp look in my direction and I was fighting the pressure of his dominance. “You can not shift, you can’t even heal properly, talk less of using pack telepathy to address the subjects or deliver crucial information to the warriors if need be. You are weak, Eldora. The only thing you have for you is your face and your mind. If you weren’t my own, you think I’d spare something like you a second glance? Don’t be silly.” He placed his fork down. “The best I can do for you right now is letting you become Luna.”

At this point, my head hangs low, eyes fixed on the food on my plate. It takes everything in me to not cry but tears gather at the base of my eyes.

Then again… Father isn’t wrong. It was stupid of me to think that just elevating our status financially by creating successful businesses across the country to spread our influence would qualify me to be his Successor. I was delusional, there was never a chance for me.

But…

“I can’t give up…” I whisper, my voice breaking a little. “What was it all for if I can’t become the head? Is there nothing I can do?” I ask myself.

I hear my Father’s chair scrape against the floor as he rises to leave. “If you can prove none of the things that limit you are actually a limitation, maybe you’ll stand a chance.” His footsteps reach the door before stopping. “Overcome yourself.” He adds just before the doors close behind him, leaving me alone.

A dry laughter escapes my lips, forcing its way out of my throat.

-

“Miss…”

I don’t know how long I’ve been sitting here but this voice draws me back to reality. John, the butler, has a sympathetic look on his face.

“Do you need something?” I push the words out of my clogged throat, trying to be respectful to the older man.

“Miss Irene Thorne arrived while you were spaced out.” I feel as if life returns to my soul when I hear that name. John stumbles back two feet, alarmed by my sudden resurrection.

“Where is she?”

As I run through the mansion, my heart beats quicker and quicker. How long has it been since I last saw her? My past life and this one combined. The garden is just ahead.

How I’ve missed her.

I halt at the entrance to the garden.

There she was under the sun, wavy black hair bellowing in the wind. She is dressed in a flowing sun dress which ripples in the wind as she turns to face me.

My deceased mother’s twin sister, Irene Thorne. My symbol of love. “Aunty…” My eyes well up as I take slow steps towards her, scared that I’d wake up from my dream if I move too quickly but she has no such thoughts. She swiftly gathers me in her arms and squeezes.

“Oh my baby… I’ve missed you.”

-

After the waterworks finished, we returned to her room where we talked for hours on end. Then when Aunty started winding down about the stories she had from her trips around Parallax, I brought up my earlier conversation with Father.

“Eiran said what to you?!” She blew up. “That blockhead of a man must be crazy!” I think she is the only one who can insult my Father under his roof.

“Right?” I whisper, just in case his senses can pick this up. My senses were one of the first things I lost. Well, not lost per say but if normal werewolves are at 100 percent, I’m limited to 10 percent. The same thing goes for most of my other senses. I’m always nine steps behind in anything werewolves related. Father was right about my mind being my only asset.

“Don’t get me wrong, I’m only mad that he said it like that. He wasn’t wrong but he could be a bit softer.” She huffed, flipping her wavy hair out of her face. “No need to whisper, I heard him leave hours ago.”

“Here I thought, Father was just extremely hard to please and I actually stood a chance.”

“Baby,” She drew me in by my cheeks. “I understand that you want to be your Father’s successor but things are not looking up in your favor.”

“I know. Father says if I can overcome myself there will be an opportunity for me to be considered his successor. I cannot let this pack fall to someone else, especially not him!”

“Who?” She questions, searching her bag.

“Umm… whoever Father has in mind?” I clear my throat.

“Hmm. Well boys start off a little easier because they’re trained for it at the academy, but then the certificate is just 60 percent of the qualifications you’d need to be acknowledged as a true Alpha who can run a pack. They still have their own struggles.” She mentions, absentmindedly handing me a lollipop.

“But that certificate could change my destiny.” I add, peeling the lollipop.

“Yeah, right.” We both sigh then as if on cue, we both spring up.

Me with a demonic smile, her with a horrified expression. “Don’t even think about it!”