Chapter 31 – A placeholder until mated

Ethan's expression softened, and I almost saw pity in his eyes but also a hint of sadness. I could see Ethan struggled after saying that, but alas, he took a deep breath and continued. “The bond…there’s no mistaking it for a wolf. But the thing is... you’re human. That’s not supposed to happen.”

I shook my head. “What do you mean it’s not supposed to happen?”

He sighed and rubbed his hands over his face like he was trying to find the right words. "Wolves have always paired up. The Lunar Goddess makes no mistakes. But... you're different. She somehow linked you, as a human, to Luca. And believe me, this doesn't happen every day.

I swallowed hard, feeling a knot form in my chest. "So, what?" Do I just have to accept it? That I am 'destined' to be with him because... of a goddess?

"Look, I realize this sounds crazy. I get it. But it's more than just a mate bond. You aren't just any human, Quinn. There is something about you that we do not understand yet. Luca has felt it, I have felt it, and, honestly, I believe you have as well...that pull and connection. We're still trying to figure out why," Ethan explained, leaning in closer.

I crossed my arms, feeling my heart pound faster. “And that’s why you’re going to see the Seer? To find out why this is happening?”

“Exactly,” Ethan said, nodding. “The Seer might have answers. We need to know why the Lunar Goddess paired you with Luca, why you’ve got this... power, and why the echo is always after you. Because whatever it is, it’s tied to all of this. And it’s not just about Luca anymore.”

I bit my lip, my mind racing from what he'd just told me. "So, what happens now? I just... wait for someone to explain why my life has been turned upside down?"

Ethan's expression softened, and I could see both pity and sadness in his eyes. "I understand this is a lot, Quinn. Believe me, I didn't want to drag you into this world, and I definitely didn't want you to be mated with my brother, but you're already there, whether we like it or not. And Luca... he’s not going to back down. That bond you two share? It’s unbreakable. He’ll do anything to protect you, even if you don’t want him to.”

I felt a lump rise in my throat, thinking about Luca—the anger, the confusion, and now this overwhelming sense of something else. Something deeper.

“But why didn’t you tell me any of this sooner?” I asked, my voice cracking a bit.

Ethan looked away for a second before meeting my gaze again. “I only found out earlier. It’s not exactly easy seeing someone you’re dating drawn to someone else.”

I let out a shaky breath. “No, it’s not.”

He nodded, his face softening as he spoke. “Look, Quinn, you’ve got a lot to process. But just know that Luca isn’t your enemy. As much as I can’t look at him right now, he’s fighting this bond just as hard as you are. He's keeping his distance because he doesn't want to make your life more difficult than it already is. But believe me when I say the pull you're feeling? It will only get stronger. And sooner or later, you'll have to confront it."

I stared at Ethan, as if the ground had suddenly shifted beneath me. Everything he said about the mate bond was swirling in my head, leaving me more confused than ever.

"But... we're going on dates, Ethan," I said quietly, my voice shaky. "What happens if you meet your mate?"

His eyes flickered with something—perhaps guilt or hesitation. He let out a long breath and scratched the back of his neck, not meeting my gaze right away. It felt like forever before he finally spoke.

“I—" He stopped, closed his eyes, then opened them again, more serious than I'd ever seen him. "I don’t know.”

My heart dropped. “What do you mean you don’t know?”

Ethan looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here, talking about this. “Look, Quinn, you’re amazing. You know that, right? I didn’t want to mess with your head or make things complicated, but this—what we’ve been doing—it’s not that simple for me.”

I swallowed hard, my chest tightening. "So... you're just waiting for the day you meet your 'real' mate and drop me like nothing after I just chose you over my ‘mate’?"

"No!" he shot back, stepping closer. “That’s not what I’m saying. I like you, Quinn. A lot. And I want to be with you. I wouldn’t have gone out with you if I didn’t mean that.”

I could hear my voice rising, but I couldn’t help it. “Am I just some... placeholder until the Lunar Goddess decides otherwise?”

Ethan winced, clearly hating where the conversation was going. He gently took my hand and placed it between his warm palms. "Listen, Quinn. In my entire life, I have never felt a mate bond, okay? Not once. Some wolves go their whole lives without finding a mate. There is no guarantee that it will ever happen to me."

"But if it does?" I asked, barely above a whisper.

His grip on my hand became tighter, and I could see the conflict in his eyes—as if he didn't want to admit the truth but knew he had to. "If it does, Quinn, I am not sure what I will do. Because of a mating bond? It is something you cannot resist. It's like breathing, but that doesn't mean what we have isn't special."

“So, I’m just supposed to wait around, knowing that any day, you could meet someone and be gone? How am I supposed to deal with that, Ethan?” I scoffed. I couldn’t believe this.

As he pulled up into my driveway, I didn’t even wait for the car to come to a stop when I opened the door and jumped out. He screeched his car to a halt and ran after me, grabbing my arm to turn to face him.

Once he had my attention, he sighed, running his hand through his hair, clearly frustrated with himself. “I know it’s not fair. I hate that this is how things are. But I’m being honest with you, Quinn. I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Well, you kind of just did,” I said, my voice cracking. I pulled my arm away, stepping back as the weight of his words hit me like a punch to the gut.

Ethan’s face fell, but since we started whatever this was, I always sensed he was going to regret it, and now those feelings were even stronger after what he just said. I could see how much it was tearing him apart too, but I chose to ignore what he was feeling right now. I just chose him, and he just threw it back in my face. He reached for me again, but I took another step back, unsure of how to process all of this.

“Quinn—”

“I need some time to think, Ethan,” I cut him off, trying to hold myself together. "I need to figure out what I want. Because I can’t just... sit around waiting for you to leave."

He nodded, his expression full of regret. “I get it. I’m sorry.”

I turned away, my mind spinning, my heart aching.

I went straight to my room, and I was too exhausted to change into a nightgown, so I just flopped onto my bed. As I lay in bed, my thoughts spinning with everything Ethan had told me, sleep felt impossible. My mind kept drifting back to Luca, to the bond, to Ethan’s words. But eventually, exhaustion took over, and I slipped into a deep, uneasy sleep.