The tears poured down from my eyes as we kissed. I whimpered against my mate’s lips, overwhelmed by a rush of emotions. I was happy, yet the disbelief lingered-I had almost lost him.
It was true that we never truly valued our loved ones until we almost lost them. I had experienced both hell and heaven in those few moments when my mate lay lifeless on my lap, and then he breathed again. I knew better after almost losing him what he was to me, and I would never ignore him over anything. He was everything I needed to live, breathe, and feel alive.
“Why are you crying, my mate?” Zander’s brow furrowed in concern as he gently took my face in his large hand. His touch was tender, and his eyes searched mine with a depth of love and worry. I shook my head, trying to smile through my tears, but the emotions choked me, leaving me speechless.
I gazed at his beautiful face, the one I had feared I might never see again, and took a deep breath before finding my voice.
Tears streamed down my face as I tried to speak through my sobs. “I was so scared when… when you…” My voice broke, and I couldn’t finish, the crying turning harder, punctuated by hiccups. “I thought I had lost you forever. In that moment, everything became so clear. You are my everything.”
Zander’s grip on my face tightened slightly as he leaned in, his eyes peering deep into mine. “I’m here, baby, and I’m not going anywhere,” he murmured, his breath warm against my skin. “You are my life, my heart. Without you, I am nothing.”
I closed my eyes, letting his words wash over me. The fear, the pain, and the relief all mixed into a potent cocktail of emotions.
“Promise me,” I said, my voice barely audible. “Promise me you’ll never leave.”
He pecked my lips so tenderly before he whispered, “I promise. No matter what happens, I will always come back to you.”
Suddenly as if he realized something his expression shifted, a frown creasing his forehead and he seemed lost in deep thought. “But there’s something I don’t understand,” he said slowly, confusion lacing his voice. “I was cursed and couldn’t have a mate. So how can I feel it now? Lyon and I both recognized you as my mate, my Luna?” His eyes searched mine, puzzled and yearning for answers.
My mother, the high priestess, stepped forward before I could reply to him.
“Alpha king, when you died, Selena sacrificed her mate bond to bring you back. The curse given by a deity can only be broken by a divine sacrifice. No other power could have freed your mate bond from the curse the warlock god had put on you,” she explained, her voice steady and soothing.
I looked up at Zander, seeing the shock and realization dawn in his eyes.
“You brought me back, mate!” he exclaimed, his eyes now brimming with love and appreciation as they gazed upon me.
“How could I have let you leave me alone here, my alpha?” I said, my voice lighter now. I punched his chest playfully, a small smile breaking through my tears.
He chuckled softly, the sound a balm to my aching heart. “You are my strength, my Luna,” he whispered, pressing his forehead against mine.
“So now you believe me that Damon is not your mate?!” Zander said sullenly, his voice a low rumble that echoed through the room.
I rolled my eyes at my alpha mate. Here we were, discussing matters of grave importance, but all he cared about was proving himself right.
“Yes, and I’m sorry. I didn’t trust you,” I whispered, knowing my admission would inflate his already mountainous ego even more.
A triumphant gleam sparkled in his eyes.
“I found you back, my mate, and now I won’t let you go away ever again, no matter what the circumstances.” His large hand cupped my face, his touch warm and possessive. He stared at me with such intensity, his eyes never leaving mine, as if I would disappear if he blinked.
“No more running away and no more misunderstanding, Zander. I have found you, my mate, and have waited for this moment for centuries,” I murmured, feeling a flood of emotions overwhelm me. Without hesitation, I threw myself into his strong arms, finding solace in his embrace.
His wounds had healed completely, and he looked fit and fine, a powerful figure of the Alpha king of the werewolves.
His mood shifted swiftly, and a growl of anger escaped his lips. “I won’t leave Damon,” Zander declared. “He has to pay for what he did to us in the past and in this life.”
I could feel the weight of his words and the depth of his rage as the desire for revenge flowed through my veins as well.
‘Yes, Zander, we will deal with him,’ I agreed, a steely resolve hardening within me.
Just then, we heard the commotion and the loud thumping of footsteps-a hundred footsteps. Despite the noise, Arena didn’t feel danger. The pack warriors, led by Maddox and Blair, emerged from the forest.
I glanced back at Mother and the Moon Goddess, but they had vanished. I hadn’t realized when they departed before the others could see them. Being a goddess wasn’t easy, and I understood very well why I had been chosen to bear some of her responsibilities as her descendant.
“Zander, Selena!” Maddox’s voice rang out, laden with concern. “I’m sorry I tried to come as soon as possible,” he said, his worried eyes scanning us. “Are you okay?”
“Yes, Maddox, we’re fine. Everything is under control,” I assured him.
“Zander, the seer said you…” Blair’s voice broke as she sobbed. “I was so scared about the prophecy. It’s your 30th birthday in a few days,” she choked on her tears.
“The tragedy was averted as the prophecy was fulfilled, and now Zander is invincible. No one can harm him,” I announced, smiling and looking at my mate with pride.
“That’s true, Luna. No harm can come to him when you are with him,” a voice said softly. The seer had appeared, her presence serene under the moonlight streaming through the roof of the ancient temple.