All Chapters of MATES: REMNANTS OF A BETRAYED BOND : Chapter 271 - Chapter 277

VALEN'S POVA sudden sweet aroma descended into the temple. A sandalwood - patchouli incense, rich and overwhelming, clung in the air as though the moon goddess had stepped into the nave and wrapped us in her presence.We made it.It’s not too late.The night must go on.I nodded at Devin and looked back at Raina, wiping the wetness from her face with my thumb. “Baby, you have something important to do, okay? You have to make your stand tonight at the farewell ceremony. Your wolves have missed you.”“Yeah,” Raina said breathlessly. “I can do it.”I smiled affectionately at her confidence, admiring her strength. “I’ll be right there with you. All the way.”“Aw, look at them all boo'ed up.” Theo gushed at his twin.Thaines smiled warmly.“Hey Raina,” Theo flicked his head at me, wiggling his eyebrows. “The poor guy's overdue for a belly rub.”“Mind your business.” Devin grabbed him into a headlock and gave him the roughest noogie I've ever seen.Theo sputtered in protest.“He's overdue

RAINA’S POVAzara tugged my hand, gently pulling me towards her as though we were sharing a secret. Her voice was light with laughter. “Don’t worry, Rai. After tonight, you’ve passed with flying colors. The moon goddess reacted to you. You've got an important purpose.”“We admire your strength. None of us expected this much game from you, but it's quite thrilling,” Theo appraised, his eyes glinting with admiration as his lips took on a sly smirk. “Our resilient little Luna has gotten stronger. You are a hell of a fighter.”“Well, it comes with age.” I flashed a playful grin, helping myself to one of the skewers in Venus’ hand. “Technically, I’m fifty years older than you.”Everyone laughed while feasting on their anticuchos. It was a good-natured sound.“Ha-ha. Eh-heh.” Theo’s laughter was the loudest. “All I see is a 5.0 upgraded version,” he mocked, holding his hands to his chest before flipping them open with theatrical flair. “Raina with a vintage soul.”My jaw hit the floor at his

RAINA'S POV“Oh, Raina, here’s the story that no one told you about. It’s in the Wolverson archives. The one where, every twenty years, the vicennial Alpha King’s reign comes with a curse. Sometimes it’s power. Other times it’s wealth, but this time, it’s his mate. You.” Mercedes’ tone darkened, too calm and rehearsed, like she’d been dying to tell me this. “The trend doesn’t lie.”My eyes drifted to her, narrowing with mistrust as I stewed over and then doubted her words. She wasn’t so unreadable.The moon’s silver light filtered through the tangled branches above Mercedes’ head. As they kept her pinned to the tree, the chilly wind shifted her hair from her eyes, revealing a cold, serpentine glint, as if the moon itself were exposing the liar she truly was.“I don’t know anything about that,” Venus muttered, folding her arms.“Believe it or not, right after Snow came to me, I studied it, and all the signs pointed to you.” Mercedes curled her lips bitterly. “The goddess’ will is clear

RAINA’S POVThe night held its breath, giving off a sharp edge of fear.A hum and a whiff of something ancient, something not of this world, wafted through the atmosphere.The grief-stricken Luna stood at the bedside, whispering Valen’s name in between soft sobs. Her hands hovered over him. One held an ancient, cracked handheld mirror, while the other hand, with fingers sprawled, disbursed glowing healing essence.The dark, olive-skinned witch sat in a runic circle of violet-incensed candles, chanting steadily, her voice low and resonant, muttering words in Greek, Gaelic, and Lykubian.Most heartbreakingly, the translucent ghost of the crown prince teetered on the edge of death. A ragged sob ripped from my chest, and I shook my head again and again. My mate laid as still as a corpse. No flesh. No breath. No life. Already gone.“His soul is faintly there.” Marlena, dressed in a black tunic and jeans, paused her craft as I staggered inside.Scattered around her were small relics, three