Logan’s POV
It wasn’t that I never desired a long-term relationship. Deep down, I believed my fated mate was out there somewhere-the one chosen by the Moon Goddess to complement me perfectly and become the finest Luna Blood Moon could ever hope for. But the truth was, I wasn’t ready to find her or settle down.
No one around me seemed to grasp my hesitation.
“Logan, I just don’t understand why you’re avoiding your mate,” my mother would often chide. “Why waste your time with shallow encounters when you could have a soulmate who loves you unconditionally and strengthens you as a leader?”
“That’s what I have Liam for, Mom,” I teased, hoping to deflect her persistent prodding. “The two of us are strong enough without a Luna. Back me up here, Dads.”
“If you’re looking for support, you’ve come to the wrong place,” Dad Caleb replied.
“Finding our Luna was the best thing that ever happened to me,” Dad Caden added, unwilling to risk my mother’s wrath.
“Cowards,” I muttered, rolling my eyes as they chuckled. But I knew the truth. My mother’s true motive was my happiness. She thought my string of meaningless flings stemmed from loneliness and that finding my mate would set my world right. The whole “better Alpha with a Luna” argument was just her way of using reverse psychology.
“Some might say the same about you,” Dad Caleb said, suddenly serious.
“Okay, I’ll bite. What do you mean?” I asked, genuinely curious.
“Relationships are hard work. With your flings, there’s no fear of failure, no risk of them seeing the real you and deciding you’re not enough. True bravery means risking failure. Anything less is cowardice.”
I scoffed. “And here I thought Mom cornered the market on reverse psychology.” Outwardly, I brushed off his words, but they struck a nerve.
I told myself that my mate would be some uptight, boring woman who wouldn’t let me do the things I desired. But in truth, I feared she’d reject me. My past with women was extensive and messy. What if she couldn’t accept that? My ego couldn’t handle the rejection.
So, I gravitated toward women who were the opposite of what a Luna should be, hoping the Moon Goddess wouldn’t pair me with someone from that crowd.
Then, there was the ‘identical twins sharing a mate’ debacle. I still remembered the day our dads dropped that bomb on us.
“Boys, we need to talk,” Dad Caleb said, stepping into our room on our seventeenth birthday as we prepared for a party.
“Can it wait? We’re kind of in a hurry,” Liam tried to dodge him.
“Your party can wait. This is important. Sit down.”
Reluctantly, we obeyed. Dad explained that identical twins shared the same soul and DNA, which meant we would likely share the same mate. Just like they did with Mom.
“Are you kidding me?” I was the first to speak, while Liam sat there, dumbfounded.
“I’m afraid not. We wanted to tell you now so you have a year to come to terms with it before you find her on your eighteenth birthday.”
A year wasn’t enough. Six years later, I was still struggling. I’d never shared a woman with my brother before. Why would I start now? How would that even work?
“It might not be that bad,” Liam finally said.
“Not that bad? We’re wolves, Liam! Animals, for Goddess’ sake. We’re the human equivalent of nymphomaniacs. Do you really want me there when you’re with your mate? Because I sure as hell don’t want you there! And I won’t let you touch what’s mine!”
Liam looked hurt, but Dad Caden interjected before he could respond.
“That’s enough! Nothing has to be decided today. You won’t know until you find her. Take time to consider the possibility.”
That night was a blur. I drowned my confusion in alcohol. And six years later, I still couldn’t wrap my head around it. What if she liked Liam more? What if she rejected me? Was that even possible?
I knew I needed to talk to Liam. He’d been trying to corner me for a while, but I kept avoiding him. I cringed at the memory of the last attempt.
“I know you’re leaving for the Summit, but can we talk first?” he asked as I loaded my bag into my truck.
“Sorry, little brother. Teaching you to be a sexpert would take more time than I have. I’m on a schedule,” I taunted before driving off. I felt a pang of guilt when I saw his dejected expression in the rearview mirror, but I kept driving.
Now, drowning in guilt and self-reflection, I realized we had tough choices ahead. For better or worse, this was our Goddess-given destiny. Maybe it was time I grew up and became the brother he deserved. I couldn’t change the past, nor could I guarantee his happily-ever-after, but I could try.
Fucking hell.