Zoya’s POV
“I have seen a few cases where a person had more than two mates, but our case is different,” I admitted, my gaze sweeping across the expectant faces before me. “In those cases, the mates were twins or triplets, their bond naturally intertwined by blood. But Xavier and Oliver… they aren’t like that.”
A sigh slipped past my lips as uncertainty gnawed at me. Even I don’t understand… why a human mate? Who can not even protect herself? How can we expect her to protect her pack? Besides she also lacks knowledge about our kind.
The Moon Goddess’s will is beyond my comprehension. I should ask her about it when I see her next time.
“For now, I don’t have a solution,” I finally said, keeping my voice composed despite the unease swirling inside me. “But once I return to my temple, I’ll search the library for answers. Until then, let’s call it a day and head home.”
Disappointment flickered across their faces, the weight of uncertainty settling over them like a heavy mist. No one argued, though; they simply nodded in reluctant acceptance.
Without another word, they turned toward their cars, the silence thick with unspoken worries. There were no answers tonight. Only questions that loomed like shadows.
Staying close seemed like the only logical choice, so we decided to crash at Oliver’s pack house-it was the closest to the meadow, offering a temporary refuge while we waited for the answers we so desperately needed.
The tension from earlier still clung to us as we drove back to the pack, thick and suffocating. Even as I stepped into Oliver’s pack house, the uncertainty in their eyes haunted me.
I excused myself to one of the guest rooms, needing a moment of peace. I removed my robe and changed into a simple nightgown, my arms lingering over the cloth. My mind refused to let go. The weight of expectation, of finding answers, pressed against my chest.
I sat on the brink of the mattress, gazing moon outside the window. My thoughts are full of questions all revolving around Elena. Why the Moon Goddess would allow one of these bonds-why a human mate? What function did she have in all of this? How did we show the bond between the three of them?
I said a quick prayer before slipping onto the mattress. A sigh slipped beyond my lips as exhaustion in the end crept in. Lying back against the pillows, I closed my eyes, willing sleep to take me.
The moment I opened my eyes, the familiar sight of the meadow greeted me. The silver moonlight bathed the land in an ethereal glow, and a soft breeze carried the scent of blooming moonflowers. This sacred place-the one where the Moon Goddess always summoned me-had never failed to fill me with reverence.
Steadying myself, I took a deep breath and bowed my head.
“I offer my regards to the Goddess of the Moon, guardian of the night and protector of the wild,” I murmured, my voice carrying through the still air.
As I lifted my gaze, the radiant figure of the Moon Goddess stood before me, her silver eyes holding the wisdom of centuries. Despite her divine presence, tonight, unease coiled in my chest. There was too much at stake.
“You have done well, Zoya,” she spoke, her voice carrying the wisdom of eternity. “Handling the council was no easy task, yet you held your ground and guided them through their doubts.”
A sigh of relief threatened to escape me, but I swallowed it down. Praise meant little when we were still trapped in uncertainty.
“My goddess,” I lowered my head in respect before meeting her gaze again. “I come seeking your guidance. The council-they doubt the bond between Oliver, Xavier, and Elena. And frankly… even I don’t understand it.”
Her gaze softened, but she said nothing, allowing me to continue.
“In the past, those who had more than one mate were twins, triplets. There was a natural connection that made sense. But Oliver and Xavier… they are neither kin nor bound by any shared lineage. And Elena? A human? A human mate with two alphas?” I shook my head, frustration creeping in. “There is no precedent for this.”
The Moon Goddess remained silent, and for a moment, I feared my words had offended her. But then, she smiled.
“You seek answers, yet you forget-divine bonds are not meant to be understood so easily. Time will reveal its purpose, just as the moon never rushes to complete its cycle.”
I pressed my lips together. “Then… how do we prove their bond to the council? How do we convince them?”
She tilted her head slightly as if pondering the very question I had spent all day worrying over. “That… will take time. But trust in me, Zoya. The answer will come when it is meant to.”
My lips parted, a question lingering on the tip of my tongue. But doubt curled around my words like a serpent, tightening until I swallowed them back down. Uncertainty flickered across my face, betraying my inner turmoil, yet I pressed my mouth shut. I had no right to question her. And yet…
The Moon Goddess studied me in silence, her luminous eyes unwavering. I knew she could not peer into my thoughts, but I wondered if she could feel them-the storm brewing beneath my skin, the unrest stirring in my chest. Her presence was calm, ethereal, like moonlight on still waters, yet I could not silence the discord within me.
“I see something is bothering you, my child,” she finally said, her voice soft yet carrying an unspoken authority. “What is it?”
I hesitated, lowering my gaze. To question the Moon Goddess was an act of defiance few would dare. But the doubt gnawed at me, refusing to be silenced.
Taking a slow, measured breath, I lifted my head. “Forgive me for questioning your decision, my goddess,” I said carefully, lacing my tone with the respect she deserved. “But why Elena? Why not a she-wolf who understands our kind-one stronger, more capable? Someone who can lead without hesitation?”
The words hung between us like a fragile thread, daring to be severed.
The Moon Goddess did not react with anger or impatience. Instead, a knowing, almost bittersweet smile graced her lips, as if she had expected this doubt.
“Balance, Zoya. That is why I chose her.”
I frowned. “Balance?”
She stepped forward, her gaze steady, her voice calm yet commanding.
“Xavier and Oliver are two powerful forces-equal, yet different. Their instincts, their strength, their dominance… a werewolf mate would only tip the scales, ruled by the same primitive urges that drive them. But a human?” She tilted her head slightly. “A human is untouched by those instincts. She is the bridge between them. The force that steadies them when their wolves rage against each other.”
My fingers curled into fists at my sides. The explanation made sense, but it did not settle the unease inside me.
“You question her weakness, yet strength is not only measured in battle. She will gain her wolf when the time is right. But unlike others, she will not be ruled by instinct. She will be both-wolf and human. Power and restraint. That is why I chose her.”
I swallowed hard. But knowledge? Leadership? She knows nothing of our world, our laws. How can she lead two of the strongest packs when she doesn’t even know what it means to be one of us?
As if sensing my thoughts, the Moon Goddess’ voice softened. “You fear she lacks the wisdom of our kind, but knowledge comes with time, Zoya. Experience will shape her. Leadership is not something one is born with-it is something one earns.”
Silence stretched between us, heavy with unspoken doubt. I lowered my head, my jaw tightening. Her words carried wisdom, yet they did not dispel my concerns. Had she truly explained it, or had she simply given me an answer I was meant to accept?
A human mate for two of the strongest alphas… Could a choice like that truly be right?
“I know you still have many doubts in your mind, my child.” Her voice was gentle, not chastising. “But in time, all answers will come. Until then, keep an eye on them for me. You will find your answers-not through words, but through their actions. When I discover a way to prove their bond, I will summon you again.”
Before I could respond before I could press further, she vanished, and with her, the sacred scenery faded.
I was alone, left only with my questions and the growing unease in my heart.