Zara’s POV
“Isn’t it magnificent?” Beta John’s low voice surprised me, causing me to gasp in fear. I turned around to see him standing a short distance behind us.
“Only a true royal can light up a temple like that!” Drawing nearer, he went on.
“I do not understand,” I murmured, cocking my head to the side and staring at him in confusion as he halted.
Is he completely insane?
I am not a member of the royal family.
Beta John’s behavior was increasingly deviating from my expectations, which alarmed me. I didn’t know what to do while I was in his presence.
My heart skipped a beat and then raced in my chest as Beta John smiled at me tenderly but honestly.
His smile was completely new to me. Despite his affection, I saw anguish in his eyes. It was unique, and it frightened the crap out of me, too.
Why was he acting this way?
Instead of responding, Beta John brushed his fingers on the wall, causing the symbols beneath them to illuminate and come to life.
Unbelievable, I let out a gasp and stood motionless.
I wasn’t the only one who could make the temple glow like that.
However, I initially believed that I might be experiencing heat-induced hallucinations.
“How are you doing that?” Nic inquired, taken aback.
“There’s nothing unusual going on, Alpha,” Beta John responded as he met my gaze. “It’s imprinted in our blood. The magic, that is…”
“Magic?” I muttered to myself, feeling foolish, while Beta John turned back to the wall and continued to run his palm over the symbols, causing them to glow.
“Yes,” Beta John replied and stopped. “The more potent the enchantment, the more radiant the light. Your father gave this temple to your mother as a wedding present.”
“This temple has been here for hundreds, if not thousands, of years.” Nic stepped in.
“This has nothing to do with Alpha Rick and Luna Rita,” Beta John clarified.
My pulse quickened, and an electric shock-like sensation coursed through my veins.
Was I prepared to learn Beta John’s secrets?
This was so unexpected, and I felt unprepared.
Who sent him here?
Was this what Levi was referring to?
“Who are you referring to then?” My voice quivered as I inquired.
“The Moon Goddess, of course,” Beta John answered, lifting a taunting eyebrow at me.
“He must know what Alpha Jack and Luke told you,” Kaya remarked.
“I suppose so,” I responded. “But how do you think he knows? Was he stalking me?”
“He literally couldn’t have,” Kaya remarked. “He wasn’t at the Nightingale Pack…”
Consequently, how is Beta John aware of this?
“With the blood of your parents, the Gemini Coven sealed the temple,” Beta John went on to say.
“Their blood?” I muttered, looking at Beta John as if he had grown horns on his forehead. “But, how…”
More and more, his smile widened as he said, “Can I make it glow?”
Suddenly, I felt like my throat was going dry, so I nodded.
Just who was he? Was he family? I immediately dismissed the idea. It seemed impossible and implausible.
“Allow me to demonstrate,” he remarked, gesturing toward the wall and reaching out to touch a sign.
The entire area came to life in an instant, with symbols and what seemed like a narrative projected onto the walls.
“What is this?” Nic inquired. I could see the perplexion in his eyes, and he remained silent for the most part.
“This is the past history of the Moon Goddess,” Beta John clarified, “and it’s a prophecy that both of you are interested in understanding.”
“How do you know?” When Beta John’s icy eyes shifted to mine, I froze. Once again, he appeared to be his usual self.
“Wow, he really irritates me,” Kaya chirped. While waiting for Beta John to reply, I paid her no mind.
“So you are looking for answers?” He asked.
I gave a nod.
“I know more than you think,” he replied, and the sadness in his eyes returned. “I know that Levi is just a decoy, pretending to be your mate, and that Alpha Nicolas is your true and fated mate.”
“Second chance mate,” Nic and I muttered in unison.
Beta John expressed his disapproval by shaking his head.
“That is where you two are wrong,” he responded. “You two are fated mates and have always been fated mates.”
A grin spread across Beta John’s face as his eyes moved to Nic.
“You called out to Zara as your mate at the age of five. This was when you first met her.”
“That-” Nic began to dispute, but Beta John put up his hand to silence him.
“Let me explain,” Beta John said. “You first laid eyes on Zara when she was a pup. While she was still in her crib, you presented her with a small gift. The one you personally selected. It’s a small brown teddy bear with soft fur.
“I have no memory of that,” Nic said. “How do I know that it is true?”
“I was under the impression that you wouldn’t recall,” Beta John bellowed. “That’s because of what your father did to you.”
Coldness spread across Nic’s face as he clenched his fists and lowered his eyes. I shuddered when I saw a look of apparent hatred in his eyes.
Was he aware of it?
“What did his father do?” I quickly asked.
As I followed John’s glance over his shoulder, I noticed a warm smile gracing his otherwise icy lips.
Standing casually and listening to our conversation was a small woman, maybe 5 feet 1 inch tall, with long, wavy black hair and gentle green eyes.
“Allow me to introduce you to a close friend of mine,” he announced, and then he waved the woman over.
“She’s a witch,” Kaya said as she stood up to examine her more closely. “And a very powerful one at that. I can sense the magic coursing through her very being.”
“This is Celia,” Beta John introduced us. “She is a Gemini witch, one of only a few still in existence.”
“How did…?” A look of sheer perplexion crossed Nic’s face, and he gulped down his remarks. His behavior is completely new to me. Was he frightened of her?
“I got one,” Beta John inquired, a mischievous grin forming on the edge of his mouth.
“Yes,” Nic responded. “According to my father, they disappeared years ago.”
“Despite the destruction of my coven, Beta John provided us with a sanctuary here,” Celia said.
“I don’t follow? Do you reside at the temple?” I asked.
“Well, sort of,” she replied, shifting her attention to Beta John.
“Celia and the rest of her coven use the temple as a… uhm…” Beta John struggled to find the right words as he shook his head. “Anchor.”
“It’s hard to explain,” Celia elaborated. “I would rather show you…”
“But first,” Beta John stated. “We need to explain to our visitors all of this.”
“Indeed,” Celia replied. “We have a lot to discuss.”
The next thing we saw was so incredible that I had a hard time understanding it.
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