“I am not tricking Aiden.”
“Then let’s tell him.”
I didn’t have the words to respond to that. Am I ready? But I feel I am not. I’m far from ready because a part of me knew that Aiden will be furious. And I don’t know what will happen to me once he knew what I am.
It gave me chills just to think of the worst-case scenario.
“See my point? Well, I’m not in the mood to wreck my Alpha’s world. Males like me who lost their mates were out there to find you. Some rogues even look for a stealer like you to feel alive again. But for me, I can keep to myself what I found out tonight.”
I looked at Seth when he catches my gaze.
‘Is it that bad for Aiden to know?’ he asked. ‘You don’t need to owe anyone.’
‘I’m not sure yet.’
“I’ll give you my word if you’ll give the favor back, Luna.”
“My Luna won’t do whatever your filthy mouth says.” Seth snarled at him. I placed my hand on his arm without breaking eye contact with Titus.
“She is your Luna but not mine. At least not yet. I’m not sure if she is.”
His words pricked my heart and I can feel the bitterness from it. One of my mate’s wolf just rejected me as their Luna. Another of my fears just came true.
“What do you want?” I decided to finish this once and for all.
“I won’t say a word to my Alpha about this. I’ll even offer you more knowledge about stealers if you’ll agree to my terms.”
My heart is thumping and beating loud in my chest. Am I doing the right thing? I had the urge to just say what I am to Aiden. My wolf even assures me that he will understand. That his wolf and she loves each other truly. But in the end, I didn’t listen. I decided to hear what Titus wanted.
“What do you want in return?” I said in almost a whisper. Seth hissed on my side as he leaned against the chair. He’s not happy with the turnouts.
“Convince Alpha Aiden to let me keep my position as the guard’s head.”
Seth hissed hastily again and gawked at Titus
“You greedy dog!” Seth growled at Titus before snapping his head to me. “He is just using you! Don’t listen to him and his selfishness! We’re telling Aiden about your case and he’ll understand.”
“You’re not sure he will, right?” Titus said to me, not giving any attention to Seth at all. “Hear me out. I’m not doing this out of greed. I lost my mate and losing my position would just give me free time to mourn over her. I’m not interested in stealing you from my Alpha, I’m not crazy to do that. All I wanted is to keep my place, even just for a few months. To get busy. I… I can’t live without Sharma while having nothing to do at all.”
I watched his face and his voice is sincere.
‘Don’t believe him!’ Seth said.
‘We can’t tell Aiden that I’m a stealer. I have no choice.’ I replied.
He frowned at me and snorted. ‘At least give it some thought. Let’s talk this through first.’
What he suggests is reasonable. That is better than making rapid decisions.
“Let me think it through.” I said. Seth shifted on his seat, not comfortable with the situation. I am, too but I tried to calm my mind at least.
“For how long? In two days, I’ll be out of the council. I don’t have the time.” He said calmly.
I examined his reaction, no sign of deception can be traced in his face. I am hesitating but what more can I do? Any minute now, Aiden and Nick might be finished with their meeting. If I don’t have enough time to think, Titus doesn’t have enough time to wait, too.
“I’ll try to talk it out with Aiden tonight. You’ll have the news tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow is your introduction ceremony, Luna.” Seth raised her brows as he reminded me of tomorrow’s event.
Damn. I forgot.
‘You can’t fight with Aiden tonight. He will be furious if you proposed to consider this dog.’ I can hear Seth hissing as he mind linked me. I gaped at him, trying to think this through. He is right though I can’t see any ways to do.
If I won’t help Titus with his proposition, then he’ll tell Aiden about my abnormality. The worse might come for me so either way, Aiden and I will still end up fighting later.
I am just choosing the easiest way which-at the moment-is agreeing with Titus. I ignored Seth and looked at Titus who’s waiting for my reply.
“I’ll give you news tomorrow. But what if I can’t convince Aiden?”
“Then I’m sorry but I needed to tell him what I found out tonight.”
A cold shiver runs down my spine with his words. I suddenly felt pressured in convincing Aiden if I wanted to survive the day.
The chance to respond to him was impossible now because Aiden just walked out of a door which was Titus’s office.
‘Keep your word.’ I said to Seth as I looked at Aiden’s glinting eyes though his face was kept serious and strict.
‘We need to talk about this later.’ He replied and I heard him sigh.
I turned to Titus and stood up, ready to go. “I’m so sorry for your loss.” I said and gave him a fake short smile. I looked at Seth, sending him a message that we both need to head out first. He stood up and looked at Titus then to Aiden.
“We’ll be outside.” I said to Aiden before he could even come near me. He frowned but nodded anyway.
Once outside the house, Seth and I almost run back to the car. I slide up to the backseat while he sat back to where he was seated, beside the driver’s seat.
“What the hell? Are you a stealer?!” he exclaimed as soon as the car’s door was closed. His voice is low but with emphasis.
“Yes, yes, I am. God! What should I do!?” I put my hands on my head and closed my eyes.
“How can I be sure you are not…” He didn’t continue his phrase but I already knew what he meant.
“Of course not. I just found out about my abnormality when I undergo the mapping. Aiden is the one who found me, too. Not the other way around. I’m not tricking him or trying to steal him. I’m his true mate.” I scowled at the last words. Getting irritated by explaining myself when I never did anything wrong.
“Fine! But why didn’t you tell him? He should be the first to know.”
“I found out about his past. What do you expect? The war started because some stealer decided to trick his uncle Zeuracious. I feared he would think the same.”
Seth silenced for a while. He seems to be thinking about it.
“Okay. But what are you? I mean, you really can steal mates?”
“I don’t know more about my case aside from the fact that yes, I can make a wolf believe I’m their mate but I would never do that. I don’t even know how to do that.”
“I never doubted you. I just wanna be sure.”
“That’s the same as doubting.” I rolled my eyes and huffed, resting my back on the seat.
“Well, I don’t doubt you now,” he said and gave me a half-smile. “So your, uh, abnormality can only be sensed by who? By wolves who lost their mates?” I can see the curiosity in his reaction. This felt new to talk about being a stealer and to think that I’m having this conversation with Seth somehow raise threat in me.