Chapter 4
1326 Words
The Moon's Cruel Gift
The gates slammed shut behind me and I turned around.
“Open them!”
Nobody moved and the guards stood beside the gates and their faces were tensed.
Magnus walked toward the elders.
“What is happening?”
“The Moon Rite has begun,” the Moon Priest said.
“Why was I not informed?”
“Because the Moon Goddess did not give us a choice.”
Magnus’s eyes narrowed.
“And Evelina?”
The priest looked at me.
“She must attend.”
My heart sank.
“Me?”
“Yes.”
I shook my head.
“I am leaving.”
The priest stepped toward me.
“You cannot.”
“Why?”
He looked at the sky.
“Because the Moon has called you.”
A strange fear moved through me and I looked at Magnus.
He was staring at me too and for one second, our eyes met but then I looked away first.
I could not stand another moment of hoping for something that would never happen.
The elders led us toward the sacred forest and I walked behind everyone.
My suitcase was still in my hand and nobody told me where to put it, nobody asked if I was all right but I followed because I had no choice.
….
The forest was silent when we arrived, hundreds of wolves stood inside the sacred circle and the Moon Priest walked to the center.
“Tonight, the Moon Goddess will reveal what has been hidden.”
Murmurs spread through the crowd and Magnus stood near the front. Lyra stayed beside him and I stayed at the back.
I told myself not to look at him but I did.
He was already looking at me and his face gave nothing away.
I quickly turned my eyes toward the moon, it was huge and red, it was almost frightening.
The priest then raised his hands.
“Let the Moon speak.”
The wind suddenly changed and everybody froze.
A strange scent filled the air, it was warm, sweet and familiar.
My wolf suddenly woke and I gasped.
“No.”
My heart started beating faster and my wolf pushed against me.
Mate.
I closed my eyes.
“Stop.”
The scent became stronger and then I looked across the circle.
Magnus was frozen and his eyes were wide and his wolf was fighting to come out.
“Magnus?” someone whispered but he did not answer.
I stared at him and then I felt it.
A pull, a powerful force connected us and my breath caught.
The Moon Priest dropped his staff and everyone became silent.
His eyes moved between Magnus and me.
“No…”
My lips parted.
“What is happening?”
The priest did not answer and an elder stepped forward.
“Say it.”
The priest looked terrified.
“The bond…”
His voice shook.
“The mate bond has awakened.”
A gasp traveled through the crowd and I stopped breathing and then someone whispered, “Impossible.”
Another says, “They are already married.”
Another voice answered, “They were never true mates before.”
My eyes were filled with tears and then I looked at Magnus.
He was staring at me and my heart began to hope again.
After everything, after the divorce, after all the pain…
Maybe the Moon had given us another chance, maybe Magnus did not know, maybe that was why he could never love me properly, maybe his wolf was waiting.
I then took one step toward him.
“Magnus…”
He did not move and I took another.
“Did you feel it?”
His jaw tightened.
“Stay where you are.”
My heart dropped.
“Why?”
“Do not come closer.”
“But you are my mate.”
The words left my mouth before I could stop them and the crowd erupted.
“My mate,” I whispered again and tears ran down my face.
“I knew there was a reason.”
Magnus looked at me and for one second, I saw something in his eyes. Fear, and then anger replaced it.
He stepped forward.
“Do not call me that.”
I stopped.
“Why?”
“I said do not call me that.”
The Moon Priest looked between us.
“Alpha, you cannot deny the bond.”
Magnus turned toward him.
“I can.”
“You should not.”
“I said I can.”
His voice shook the clearing and I stared at him.
“Magnus…”
He looked at me and I saw the man I love.
The man who held me last night, the man who told me I was his wife, the man who made me believe I finally mattered.
I moved closer.
“Please.”
His face hardened.
“Do not make this harder.”
“For who?”
He said nothing.
“For you?”
There was silence.
“Or for me?”
His eyes flickered and I stepped closer.
“You divorced me this morning.”
“I did.”
“And now the Moon says we are mates.”
“Yes.”
My tears fell faster.
“Then why are you looking at me like I have done something wrong?”
He looked away but I reached for his hand and then he pulled it back.
The rejection in that small movement hurt more than words.
“Magnus…”
His wolf growled and the sound made everyone step back and the Moon Priest raised his staff.
“Alpha, think carefully.”
Magnus turned toward him.
“I have already decided.”
“Do not do this.”
“I refuse.”
My heart stopped and Magnus looked directly at me and his eyes were hard and then he said the words that destroyed everything.
“I reject you.”
The world went silent and I stared at him.
“What?”
“I reject you as my mate.”
My legs shook.
“No.”
“I refuse this bond.”
“Magnus, please…”
“I refuse the Moon Goddess’s mistake.”
My chest suddenly burned and I fell to my knees and then a scream tore from my throat and pain raced through every part of me.
It felt like something inside my chest was being ripped apart and I pressed both hands against my heart.
“Please!”
Nobody came to me.
“Magnus!”
He turned away.
“Please look at me!”
He did not and the bond snaps and then I screamed.
The forest spinned and I fell onto the ground.
Someone laughed and then another and I heard whispers.
“The rejected bride.”
“She thought the Alpha would want her.”
“How embarrassing.”
I squeezed my eyes shut, I wish I could disappear but when I opened them again, I saw Lyra.
She was standing beside Magnus and she looked at me and then smiled.
It was not a kind smile, it was a victorious one.
She leaned closer to Magnus, and he let her.
My heart broke again and I looked at the Moon.
“Why?”
No answer came and the Moonlight fell across my face and then my body shook.
I could not breathe properly and the Moon Priest suddenly rushed toward me and his eyes were fixed on my chest.
His face lost all color.
“What?”
An elder grabbed his arm.
“What did you see?”
The priest did not answer, he just looked at Magnus and then at me, then at the moon and his lips began to tremble.
I heard him whisper.
“It shouldn’t be possible…”
Everyone turned toward him.
“What?” Magnus asked and the priest took one step back and his eyes widened with fear.
“The Moon has rejected the wrong wolf.”
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