Ethan
My head feels like it's been hit by an anvil. In reality, I feel totally sore; every inch of my body aches. I'm a wolf, and by the Goddess, I'm an Alpha... I shouldn't feel this. My wolf isn't responding; he's deep within my mind, which is why I'm not healing. Although, now that I think about it, I shouldn't need him—not for a human's rejection! I'm stronger than that.
Sissney is sleeping beside me. I hear her quiet breathing, though I can see traces of dried tears on her beautiful cheeks. Her scent envelops me: sweet, maternal, preparing the nest where the fruit of our love grows, the Moon Goddess's blessing for us. I try to move, and the pain pulls me back to bed. I'm weak, as if my strength has been drained. Something is definitely wrong. How long have I been out?
My love opens her eyes, those beautiful blue eyes that have always looked at me with devotion. She quickly wraps me in an embrace as her sobs grow louder. Her hug hurts, but at this moment, it doesn't matter; all that matters is the comfort I can give her.
"Ethan!" My name comes out as a whisper from her lips, and her body leans in to get closer to mine. Sighs escape her half-open lips, and I feel like the biggest idiot. How could I let the wolf I love go through this alone? I promised to always love her, to protect her; lately, I haven't done very well.
We promised we'd be together, no matter what, that we'd love each other our whole lives, that we'd share every moment until our death. That promise was made in childhood, and every day since then, we validated it with our love. We couldn't love anyone else, we knew; our love was real, even if the Luna had betrayed us. So when her body showed signs of pregnancy, it was easier to believe in the miracle, in the hope.
Our families know about our relationship. At fifteen, we were already sleeping together in my room. My mother, since Sissney was twelve, had already been training her as the future Luna. In their minds, there was never a possibility it would be anyone else. We were raised to be Alpha and Luna, and we won't be less than that.
My father pulled me from my thoughts. He wanted to see me in his office, and I knew this wasn't going to be easy.
The drive from the hospital to his office at the pack house took me twenty minutes. Upon arriving, I saw him sitting behind his oak desk. His gaze examined me, scrutinized me; it was strange to feel observed that way.
He pointed to the chair across his desk for me to sit. He picked up his phone and sent a message before speaking to me:
"Ethan," his voice, deep and firm, filled the office, "what the hell happened on that trip? And don't tell me 'nothing'; none of this is normal. It never is when ancestral rules are broken."
I was speechless. If I told him about Isla, he would never let me mark Sissney.
"Father, they were normal days, shopping, we went to the theater, for walks. We were together like on an early honeymoon, eager for the full moon and to confirm that we are mates. A couple of days ago, her body started to smell of fertility, with the sweetness of a pup. We thought it was the Moon Goddess's blessing, that we were the parents of the prophesied one."
My father gave me a look that said, "I know you're hiding something." I held his gaze; my face showed no emotion.
"What's wrong with your wolf?" his tone hardened. "Didn't he warn you that he felt no bond with the pup? It's extremely strange that we can't feel it. You passed out for three hours; what's happening, Ethan? I want the truth. Now."
I was lost. If I didn't find my explanation credible, an Alpha command would leave me no choice but to tell the truth. I couldn't expose myself to that, so I twisted the truth a little.
"Father, in the middle of our trip, we met a sorceress. She gave us a concoction as a gift to increase the chances of conception after the mark, but we drank it immediately. We spent two full days in pleasure. You must understand, it's hard for us to wait to mark each other until the full moon, that's why we did it. At the end of the two days, the wolf locked himself deep in my mind. When I can finally mark Sissney, everything will go back to normal. We consulted with the sorceress; she belongs to the Five Moons cluster. The wolf needs to recover from the effect of the concoction; it affected him because we took it prematurely."
When I mentioned the cluster the sorceress belonged to, he seemed to calm down, but with him, you never know.
"Ethan, that makes some sense, yes," his affirmation surprised me, though his voice didn't lose its authority. "You see, ultimately your strength depends on your destined mate. Once you mark her, your strength will double; that's why, in our bloodline, there are no chosen mates. If you mark a female wolf who is not your destined mate, you lose half the strength you were born with. The concoction must have made your body believe you had to share your strength, which is why your wolf's Alpha rank can't be felt, and he's tired. It also explains the hormonal imbalance in Sissney; without intending to, you possibly passed half of your strength to her, and her body transformed that excess power into fertility."
That revelation made my hands sweat. I had to get out of this office before the Alpha noticed anything strange.
"I need to go back to the hospital, Sissney must be about to wake up, and I want to be with her," I said, and without further ado, I headed for the door.
"I want to talk to the sorceress. I want to know what potion you took and how powerful it is; you know with witches, even if they are allies, you should never trust them completely."
"Yes, Father," I replied, and left instantly.
Now that I'm far enough from the pack house, I pull my car off the road. I didn't expect these revelations.
What happens if I reject my mate? Is it possible I've already lost half my strength? No, that's not possible. How could a simple human take half my strength? I need to find answers, and I can't get them from my parents. I must find my grandfather; I must go to the mountain to find the old wolf, and I must do it before the full moon.