Fate of the Lost Moon

Chapter 8

Cassandra’s POV

The night air was thick with the earthy scent of the forest as I crept through the shadows, carefully weaving my way to the edge of the pack border. After the rogue attack, I knew I should be more cautious, but the pull to see Remus was too strong to resist. My heart pounded as I reached the spot where we’d agreed to meet, an open glade surrounded by towering trees that seemed to stretch endlessly toward the night sky.

I felt a familiar tingling anticipation and looked around, a smile breaking out when I spotted him standing against a tree, his arms crossed, that knowing smirk of his already in place. He looked effortlessly handsome, his hair mussed from the wind, his jaw set in that confident way that had always drawn me to him.

“Couldn’t stay away, could you?” he teased, his voice low and rough in the silence.

I rolled my eyes, pretending to brush off his words, though my pulse quickened at his gaze. “You’re lucky I even agreed to meet you. After that close call with the rogues, I thought you might get cold feet,” I shot back.

He took a step toward me, his eyes narrowing playfully. “We both know I don’t scare that easily. Besides, I knew you’d come.”

I felt my chest warm, remembering how he’d always been there, waiting for me, even when I was away in Silverpine. The past two years of stolen moments and secret meetings had forged an unspoken connection between us, one we both knew was more than mere attraction. Each time we met, each message and glance shared, had woven a bond between us, something I held onto fiercely while away.

But just as I opened my mouth to tease him back, the air between us shifted. It was subtle at first, a faint spark that seemed to flicker in the space around us. I took a sharp breath, my heart thundering in my chest as the feeling intensified. Remus’s playful expression faded, replaced by a look of shock that mirrored my own. The air was charged, alive with something powerful and impossible to ignore.

Our eyes met, and in that instant, everything clicked into place. The scent I’d been vaguely aware of for months but had never quite understood was suddenly overwhelming, drawing me in. It was him—Remus. The bond snapped into place like a puzzle piece I hadn’t even realized was missing. My mate.

“Cass?” he whispered, his voice soft but filled with awe and disbelief.

“I…” My words caught in my throat, my mind spinning as the truth settled over me. My wolf, Lilith, stirred within me, her presence rising to the surface with an intensity I’d never felt before.

Lilith’s voice echoed through my mind, her excitement almost palpable. “It’s him. Our mate.”

I stared at Remus, barely able to believe it myself. “You… you’re my mate,” I said, the words slipping out like a revelation.

His expression shifted from shock to something deeper, something fierce and protective. “And you’re mine,” he replied, his voice raw with emotion. His hand reached for mine, his fingers brushing my skin as if he was afraid to let go.

As I stood there, rooted in place, his wolf, Calix, surfaced in his gaze—a flash of gold burning brightly. Calix’s voice rumbled in Remus’s mind, loud enough that I could almost hear it myself. “It’s her. She’s the one we’ve been waiting for.”

A smile broke out on Remus’s face, his eyes bright with excitement. “This changes everything,” he murmured, drawing me closer. “Cass, all this time—two years of sneaking around, keeping it hidden—” He chuckled, his voice full of joy. “I knew I couldn’t stay away from you, and now I know why.”

I let out a breathless laugh, my heart soaring as I realized how perfectly everything had fallen into place. It was as if the universe had known, all along, that we belonged together. Lilith was nearly dancing in my mind, her excitement filling me with an unfamiliar lightness.

The part of me that had always felt uncertain, that had wondered if I would ever find my mate, quieted. Here he was—my partner, my equal, my mate.

“Finally,” I whispered, the joy bubbling up inside me. “We don’t have to hide anymore.”

Remus pulled back slightly, his eyes searching mine. “What do we do now?”

I didn’t have an answer. Our world was complicated, our packs full of rules and expectations, but in that moment, none of it mattered. I only knew that I couldn’t let go of him

Certainly! Here’s the continuation of Chapter 8, carrying over into the next morning when Cassandra and Remus prepare to announce their mate bond to the alpha, beta, and gamma:

The next morning

The glade slowly filled with the first hints of dawn. Remus and I hadn’t been able to part all night, our quiet whispers stretching into early morning as we spoke of everything that lay ahead. The idea of returning to Ravenwood as a mated pair filled me with a heady excitement tempered by a small, lingering apprehension. Would they accept us together? Or would our families—particularly mine—see it as another complication?

But when Remus met my gaze with that steady, reassuring warmth, any doubts melted away. This bond was undeniable, and nothing could change that.

As sunlight finally broke through the trees, painting the forest in gold, Remus squeezed my hand. “We should head back. The sooner we tell my father, the sooner we can make this official.”

I nodded, taking a deep breath. My father’s reaction would be unpredictable, but at least Remus’s father, Alpha Marius, had always shown me a measure of respect. Still, we’d need to tell not just him, but also the pack’s beta and gamma.

We slipped through the pack grounds, moving from the forest toward the heart of Ravenwood. The main building stood tall and formidable, a structure that had always been both home and prison, depending on the day. The thought of walking into it with Remus by my side as my mate filled me with renewed strength. Lilith, my wolf, purred within me, eager to claim her place beside Calix, Remus’s wolf.

We approached the large doors of the pack’s main hall, and I felt Remus tense beside me. His calm confidence never wavered, but there was a subtle shift as his shoulders squared, preparing himself for whatever reaction lay ahead.

Inside, the alpha’s office door loomed ahead, and the sound of voices drifted toward us, low and purposeful. As if sensing our presence, Alpha Marius’s voice halted, replaced by a faint shuffling before the door opened.

“Remus, Cassandra,” the alpha said, his expression unreadable as he took us in. “We weren’t expecting you both so early.”

Standing beside Marius were, my father, and Lukas, the beta. The three men regarded us with curious but cautious expressions.

Remus inclined his head respectfully. “Father. We need to speak with you, all of you.”

My heart pounded as Marius led us inside, gesturing for us to sit. Remus and I exchanged a quick glance, and I could feel his silent reassurance, his thumb gently brushing over the back of my hand as he took my hand in his.

“We’ve come to tell you that… we’ve found our mates,” Remus said, his voice steady. “Cassandra is my mate.”

The silence that followed was heavy, each heartbeat echoing in the quiet room as they processed his words. Father’s expression grew tense, his eyes darting between us with a mixture of surprise and scrutiny, while Lukas simply watched, his brow furrowing thoughtfully.

Finally, Alpha Marius broke the silence, his voice carrying a tone of measured calm. “You’re certain?” His gaze was piercing, as if searching for any hint of doubt.

Remus nodded firmly. “We felt the bond last night. It’s undeniable.”

Dad’s brow knitted as he glanced between me and Remus, a flicker of something I couldn’t quite read passing over his face. “Cassandra’s birthday isn’t for a few weeks yet,” he muttered, more to himself than anyone else. “The bond shouldn’t… but, well, stranger things have happened.”

Ignoring my father’s apparent confusion, Alpha Marius gave a small nod, his lips pressing into a faint smile. “It seems fate has decided to surprise us.” His gaze softened as he looked at me, an expression that almost felt like approval. “Cassandra, you’re not just a mate; you’re now a part of our future, of this pack’s future.”

Warmth flooded through me at his words. I felt Lilith’s pride and excitement mirroring my own. Remus’s hand tightened around mine, and I saw a hint of relief in his eyes.

“Your bond will make this pack stronger,” the Alpha continued, his tone steady. “And I trust you’ll both carry this responsibility well.”

At his words, my father shifted beside him, his eyes narrowing as he looked at me. “Responsibility,” he echoed, his tone layered with something I couldn’t quite identify. “Cassandra, do you truly understand what this bond entails?”

I met my father’s gaze, my own resolve hardening. “Yes, Father. I do. And I’m ready to honor it.”

His gaze lingered on me for a moment before he gave a slight nod. I knew his acceptance was grudging, though perhaps inevitable. He couldn’t deny the strength of my bond with Remus. Whatever doubts he harbored, this was something beyond even him.

“Then it’s settled,” Lukas chimed in, his voice a low rumble as he looked at both Remus and me with a hint of pride. “You two are stronger together than apart.”

My future father-in-law stood, signaling the end of the meeting, and I felt a surge of relief. The weight of secrecy, of hiding our connection, was finally gone. We had a future to build, one that no one could take from us.

As we left the room, Remus wrapped an arm around my shoulders, pulling me close as we walked back toward the morning light. The path ahead felt like it held both challenges and triumphs, but we were ready for whatever came our way—together.