*Zander*
My wolf, Lyon, was as restless as I was without our mate. It had been almost a week, and there was no word from Selena-no message, no news, nothing. The Lunar Realm was hidden from the eyes of other shifters, accessible only to immortals, which left me in unbearable uncertainty. Every day, I waited, hoping that tomorrow would bring some sign of her, some contact. But as the days passed, the unease in my heart only grew stronger, gnawing at me like an unstoppable storm.
Austin missed his mother terribly, his innocent questions piercing my resolve. There was no way Selena would willingly stay away from our son. She loved him too much. Whatever was keeping her away, I knew it wasn’t by her choice. A dark determination filled me-if anyone in the Lunar Realm had harmed her, I would destroy the entire realm myself to get her back.
But anger alone wouldn’t bring her home. The only way to find out what had happened to my mate was to reach out to the one person who might know something: the High Priestess. With that singular focus, I made my way to the Moon Goddess temple, hoping against hope that it would hold the answers I so desperately sought.
“High Priestess!” I shouted as I ascended the steps of the Moon Goddess temple, my voice echoing through the sacred halls.
“High Priestess!” Each call grew louder, my frustration boiling over.
I didn’t have to wait long. The High Priestess herself appeared, stepping out of the temple with a serene expression that only deepened my irritation. Her calm demeanor felt like mockery in the face of my turmoil.
“What’s wrong, Alpha King?” she asked softly, her tone feigning innocence.
It didn’t work on me.
“Where is my Luna?” I demanded, my voice laced with a threatening edge, daring her to challenge me.
“She is where she belongs,” she replied curtly, her calm response only adding fuel to my already burning fury.
“She is my mate, my Luna,” I growled, my tone heavy with authority. “My pack and my son need her. Bring her back, now.”
The air between us grew heavy as I glared at her, daring her to deny my demand.
The High Priestess bowed her head, a gesture of submission that was customary in the werewolf community when an Alpha King demanded something. Yet, her words didn’t align with her actions.
“I beg your pardon, Alpha King,” she began, her voice softer now, almost hesitant. “But Selena cannot return.”
Her response snapped the last thread of my patience. Fury coursed through my veins, and my tone turned deadly.
“Why? Did she forget us? Did she decide she didn’t want to return home? Why can’t she come back?”
The High Priestess straightened slightly.
“Because this is not her home,” she declared firmly. “The Lunar Realm is. Selena is happy among her people. She has chosen to stay there and start a new life. After all, she is the descendant of the Moon Goddess, and you are no match for her, Alpha King.”
No, I didn’t believe it. I didn’t believe any of her words. I knew my mate-she loved me, and there was no way she could be happy without me.
I took a menacing step forward and my voice turned low and dangerous. “I don’t care if she’s a descendant of the Moon Goddess or the Goddess herself. She is my mate. The Moon Goddess made that choice, not me, and certainly not Selena. No one gets to keep her away from me-not even her so-called duty.”
“Alpha King, please try to understand-she cannot live here,” the High Priestess said, her tone resolute yet pleading. “She must remain in the Lunar Realm to protect it for eternity. This,” she gestured with a sweep of her hand, indicating everything happening around us, “was decided long before the day she was born. I am her mother, but I had to leave her because she was destined to be the savior of the Lunar Realm. If she resides there, no one would dare to think of disturbing the realm, and its existence is crucial for maintaining harmony across all realms.”
Her explanation was firm, but I didn’t give a damn about any of it.
“If she can’t come back, then we’ll go to her,” I proposed without hesitation.
I would give up everything-my position as Alpha King, my throne, and hand over the pack’s responsibilities to my Beta, Maddox. Austin and I would move to the Lunar Realm to be with Selena if she couldn’t return to us.
“That’s also not possible,” she replied, her words slicing through my resolve like a blade. The fury building inside me nearly made me want to tear her apart.
“Selena must rule the Lunar Realm, and for that, she needs a god by her side. You have to forget her,” the High Priestess added with maddening composure.
What the fuck was that?!