Chapter 10

Evander

I feel her fingers brush against mine and I can’t help the small smile tugging at the corner of my lips. 

She holds on, and my wolf stirs in ways I don’t understand, yearning for her in a way that should make no sense.

She is the maiden of Eclipse after all, meant to be slaughtered to save my sister and the rest of my pack. Yet, I can't help but wonder, what's so special about her? Why do I feel so drawn to her?

The annoying part is that she kinda smells so much like that girl from two years ago. Yet I know she can't be her. She can't be my fated mate. I killed her years ago, with the hopes of mating with Seraphina Moondance one day.

Now, what should I make out of this? Seraphina is dead and I find myself drawn to a woman I'm supposed to sacrifice. Is this the moon goddess’s way of punishing me for killing my own fated mate?

Isn't cursing my pack not enough?

Gently, I shift her hands, placing them properly over her belly.

I walk back to my study, keeping my movements quiet. My fingers trace the familiar lock on the shelf. It opens, revealing what I’ve been keeping hidden.

I wouldn't want anyone to see how I've been piling up every single publication Seraphina made ever since she was ten. For seven years now, I think.

My hands linger over the spines, brushing over the pages as if I could absorb a part of her life through touch alone.

It still doesn't make sense how that beast, Raze Duskbane announced her death. Something is quite off. I know I have a lot on me right now but I will find out what exactly killed her and should it be unjust, she will be avenged.

*****

Miss Kenna had already gone to her room to prepare for the wedding whilst I remained here with my sister, Ann.

Morning light spills through the windows, shadowing over my black tailored suit. 

Ann is adjusting my tie, her fingers deftly knotting the silk. She clearly has a lot to say, I just hope she doesn't bother speaking.

“I know your obsession for Alpha Seraphina is the reason why you’re not comfortable bedding another woman,” she says quietly, as if it changes the fact that she has just opened up a weird conversation.

And what even makes her think I'm obsessed with Seraphina? Yes, she sees me reading her publications, so bloody what?

“What's that supposed to mean?” I ask, wrapping my hands around her wrist and pulling it out of my tie.

“Ever since you were a child, you were obsessed with her,” she extracts herself from my grip. “Despite the fact that you didn’t even know what she looked like…. I can never understand why.”

“Of course you can never understand why,” I snap, stepping back. “You’re not the one the moon goddess messes with his head…”

“What do you mean?”

I look at her, unsure if she would ever get it. I doubt she would.

I shake my head. “Just… get out.”

Her eyes narrow and she takes a step forward. “You and I are all we have left now,” she says softly. “This is not the right time to push me away.”

She is actually right, to an extent. But I don't intend to blurt out my stupidity before my sister.

I was eight years old when I had a dream, the moon goddess had told me my fated mate had been born. When I woke up the next day,  the world was mourning Luna Melissa, Seraphina's mother.

As a child, I nurtured her in my thoughts. Pictured what she would look like as we grew older. Imagine my surprise when I met another woman, two years ago. Same age as her, and clearly my fated mate.

The moon goddess obviously made a fool out of me and somehow expects me to accept such predicament. 

Well I can’t erase all those assumptions of mine and neither can I admit any of this to my baby sister.

“What do you want me to say,” I adjust my tie properly and walk to the mirror.

“You said the moon goddess messed with your head..how?” she gestures her hands around. 

“Leave me be..”  I turn away to stare out the window.

“May I at least remind you…” she says, taking another step forward. 

I raise my right hand, signalling her to leave. From the corner of my eyes, I see her bow and leave.

I run a hand through my hair, taking a deep breath. Shortly after, I adjust my suit and wink at my reflection. It's really going to be a long day.

My phone rings. I deep my hand into my blazer, pulling it out. I scoff, seeing the caller. My brother, Alpha William.

Shaking my head, I toss the phone to the table before me. The last thing I need is my brother finding out my pack is cursed. He always believed he was the one who should have inherited both my father’s and my mother’s pack.

I can't prove him right. That's the only reason I never wrote to him, asking for his blood to complete the other ingredients needed for the ritual.

The phone rings again. I stare at his name for a while then swipe the damn thing, putting it on speaker.

“Hello brother,” he says, sounding excited.

“William… if you have anything to say… just say it.”

“I had a chat with Raze Duskbane,”

Raze Duskbane? My heart drops. I should never have asked Raze for help. That Bastard!