Moonlit Fever

The fire crackled in the temple hearth; the embers pulsing alongside the frustration burning in my chest.

I sat there, staring into the flames, my hands clenched into fists. I should have told him. I should have been honest with Nate from the start. But how was I supposed to just say it?

Hey, by the way, you're a royal wolf.

I exhaled sharply, running a hand through my hair. Lying to Nate had been necessary at first. He wasn't ready to learn the truth. Hell, I wasn't ready. 

But now? Now, I'd driven a wedge between us. The one person I needed most, and I kept pushing him away.

But I couldn't help but think of what I saw behind the blue door, of the future I saw. Seeing Nate becoming that monster because of me was devastating.

I shook my head and stood up abruptly.

This wasn't helping.

I had to take my mind off things. I need to act like an alpha so that one day I would become the Alpha Prime and prevent the future I saw from happening. 

It couldn't be set in stone. I didn't believe it. I would make sure of it.

First things first, I needed to return to my pack. I'd been neglecting them too much these past couple of days. Too busy focusing on Nate, I'd forgotten my duties as the alpha, and it wasn't fair on my pack.

For now, I would leave Nate to think over everything and let him come to peace with the fact that he was a royal wolf. I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. I really shouldn't have omitted that detail when I told him about his past life. I just didn't know how to tell him.

I sighed again. I would wait and let Nate come to me when he's ready to see me again.

With a heavy heart of regret, I picked up my jacket and left the temple ruins.

As I reached the entrance of the pack house, the door swung open before I could touch the handle. Xavier stood within the frame, his arms crossed over his chest, as he eyed me up and down.

"Where the hell have you been?"

I sighed, side-stepping past him as I made my way inside. "Not right now, Xavier."

Xavier scoffed as he slammed the doors shut behind me.

"Lucius, the pack is about to lose its alliance with the Crescent Moon Pack. You need to find another Luna to marry and soon before—"

"Cara has not been dead a week and you are already trying to marry me off to someone else!" I shouted, turning back around. "At least wait until after her funeral!"

"The funeral is not for another week, and we don't have time to wait around."

"Time for what, Xavier?!" I shouted, clenching my jaw, as I squared up to him. "Before I find my fated mate, who will shatter my destiny as the Alpha Prime, and betray me for the Wolf King."

Xavier froze, looking rather taken aback as his face burned red.

"I know you've been meeting with Elder Thaddeus," I started. "The pair of you trying to find me suitable lunas to marry before I have time to find my mate and fulfill the prophecy. But it's too late. I've already found my mate!" I could feel my face burn. "I'm the alpha of the Black Wood Pack. I get to decide who I marry. Understood?"

Xavier's expression was carefully neutral, but I could see the way his muscles tensed. He knew he had crossed a line, but he wasn't backing down.

"I'm not an idiot," Xavier cooly said. "I know the other day Nate was here with you, not Isabella. And I know that if you stay near him, the prophecy will—"