Accepting Fate (Moonlight Trials Series #3)

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Nathan’s POV



3 days… 3 bloody days we had been back, and they had left Freybelle in lockdown in the house. She was doing fine, reading books I brought her from the library, cooking and just chilling out after her ordeal but it wasn’t fair. Id asked what was happening and all Jack could tell me was that Luna Sylvia wasn’t feeling well. Id been back to my usual tasks the last two days, training the youngsters, keeping on top of the already trained warriors, sorting out rotas for border control and finally checking on the omega’s. I knew I should go and see the Alpha, but he had annoyed me a little with his attitude towards Freybelle.

You treat her the same. Blaze growled in my mind, and I had to ignore him or Id snap at him. He wasn’t wrong though which is why I was probably feeling worse about the ordeal. I headed home in the early evening, hoping Freybelle had been ok. I walked into the house, and it smelt amazing. I could smell beef of some sorts and red wine as well as baked apples. I was literally salivating when I walked into the kitchen to find her humming along to the music, I had loaded her onto the laptop which was open on the table.

“That sells amazing.” I said, startling her.

“Goddess Nathan, you scared me!” She laughed before turning to turn the music off. “I’m making steak in red wine sauce, potatoes and roast vegetables with baked apples, with toffee sauce for dessert.” She said, turning ack to the stove and stirring what I assumed was the sauce. I was over come with the urge to hug her from behind as she cooked but I wasn’t sure what to do. We’d not really spoken about the kiss we had shared and Freybelle hadn’t spoken to me about anything she might have found regarding our growing bond.

“Well, I cannot wait. Anything you want me to do?” I asked instead, trying to keep my mind busy.

“Erm… you can read the notes I made on the table.” I eyed her questioningly but made my way to the table. I noticed a few books I had brought her about the mate bond and a few pages of notes. Goddess, even her handwriting was pretty.

“You found something?” I asked, starting to read the notes.

“Not as such, just general musings after what I read, plus a few questions… we haven’t really, you know, spoke about things after the other night.” She said and I saw her ears going red as she continued staring at the stove. I had to supress a chuckle.

“Yeah, youre right. This…” I waved my hand at everything. “has been a little weird. I honestly thought they would welcome the help, but I should have known they wouldn’t trust easily.” She nodded, agreeing with me.

“I understand, I really do but I am bored out of my mind.” She whined. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Sure, I was drawn to her but there were still little things that annoyed the heck out of me. I ignored her and started reading her notes. There were questions about things I was feeling in regards to the mate bond, she queried if I had had one previously and she had been chosen as a second chance mate but being a witch she couldn’t feel the bond. Then there were questions about witch related rituals.

“So… to answer a few questions.” I said as she began bringing plates of food to the table. “I am feeling the sparks, the pull and the urges already however they aren’t as strong as I have been told or seen others experience. It could be down to you being a human, but I doubt it. Ive heard of other wolves being drawn to humans just as strongly as a wolf and sometimes more because they need to prove themselves.” She nodded, sitting down across from me and pouring us both a glass of lemonade. I smiled a thanks at her. “I can also confirm that I have never had a mate. Ive looked around and been to may packs but never met them. Therefore, I don’t think you could be a second chance mate, unless my mate died before I met her obviously.” She sighed and looked pensive.

“Ok, well… ive been thinking about a few things I could do to get maybe a few answers. Ive never been able to force a vision, but my mother was able to communicate with the goddess… apparently. I’m a little scared to try but I want to get some answers. The second thing I can try is to see if anyone else has ever experienced this before. I can do something called scrying. It can show me images from the past. The problem is with scrying, unlike my visions, is that the magic that we use to do it can be very fickle and sometimes only show certain parts of a vision, meaning there are missing things that could spell danger or hurt…” I looked at her with clear worry. “Using magic always comes with risks.” She said, giving me a slanted smile.

“I understand that.” I said after finishing my mouthful of steak. “This is amazing by the way.” She smiled “But you’ve been through plenty. I don’t want you putting yourself in danger.” She shook her head.

“I wouldn’t be. I’m always cautious. I have scryed before, many times when it comes to my visions. They’ve led to some things… such as my family’s betrayal but I also know there’s something helping me too.” I frowned at her and I knew she could feel my unease, so I didn’t have to say anything. “I would make sure you were with me, and I wouldn’t chase any leads without back up. This would also be after I have helped your pack. I don’t intend on doing anything until after that.”

“Are you sure?” I asked, a little disappointed we wouldn’t get answers before. It was getting harder and harder to not pursue the pull.

“If I’m too hard to resist, I can start being annoying again.” She giggled. I gave her a growl and continued eating my food. “There is something bothering me though…”

“Huh?” I answered, my mouth full of potatoes, causing her to laugh again.

“If your pack was hurt by witches and you hated them, why would your goddess pair you with a witch? It seems a little cruel.”

“Now you mention it, I guess youre right. Mates are usually paired to make us whole. I don’t pretend to understand the goddess’s way and to be honest Ive never really been that into the unknown, but maybe she did it to stop our hate? Afterall, you are one of her children too, right?”

Freybelle’s POV

I carried on eating in silence, thinking about what Nathan had said. He wasn’t wrong. Our goddesses sounded very similar. Whilst theirs was called Selene and they only worshipped one, the moon goddess. Witches worshiped a few different ones though. I had been reading up on Selene and noticed the similarities to the goddess Artemis. She held power over the moon, and they seemed physically similar. I looked up at Nathan and noticed him staring at me, however, for the first time since I had met him, I couldn’t feel any emotions from him.

“Are you ok?” He asked.

“I... erm… yeah… are you ok?” I asked, feeling nervous despite knowing him. He had been an open book and that’s why I always felt safe around him.

“Sure am, just admiring the talented chef whilst she eats.” He said and I noticed a glint in his eyes as he smiled, but there was no hint of happiness or teasing or… anything from him. It made me extremely nervous.

“I… Nathan… I can’t feel you.” I said, not really sure how to explain it. He laughed, then held out his hand. I looked at him confused.

“You said you can’t feel me. So, here’s my hand to feel…” He laughed again and I knew he was teasing me despite not feeling it. After years of being able to feel emotions, this felt strange and a little scary.

“That’s not what I mean…” I said, biting my lip.

“I know…” He said, still holding his hand out and smiling. I sighed and took his hand then I was pulled into a vision.

***

“You think that might help?” Nathan asked a small mousy haired woman. I recognised her from the vision I had seen a few days earlier in the pack house. I hadn’t told Nathan about it as it had been a little s****l and I was extremely embarrassed.

“I think if there aren’t emotions when you touch then if she can still feel the sparks and you can too then you’ll know she is your mate.” She said. I was surprised this woman was giving advice about mates to him after the vision earlier. Part of me had wondered if that woman had been his mate who he lost, or they had fallen out but when he had said he didn’t have a mate I realised they had just found companionship in each other.

“I can try to mask my emotions, but I don’t know how.” I heard Nathan say.

“Meditation?” The woman said and I heard Nathan snort.

“Not a chance.”

“Ok well, maybe think of something else that dulls your emotions.” She said and I noticed her look away. I couldn’t sense her emotions as it was a vision, but I could swear she looked ashamed.

“Oh… yeah, I can do that. Thank you, Dawn.”

***

I was pulled back into the present and saw Nathan smiling sadly at me. I now realised he wanted me to take his hand so he could test the mate bond. I wasn’t sure why he didn’t want emotions present, but I would ask him that after. I took in a deep breath, cleared my mind and took his hand. Then I heard a happy laugh. I opened one of my eyes and Nathan was smiling, and then I could feel it, his happiness and even excitement.

“I’m so glad…” He said, stroking my hand. The sparks extremely present, shooting up my wrist into my arm.

“Why?” I asked, not really sure where to start.

“Dawn thought that because I was old that I might have been imagining the mate sparks. Its no secret Ive wanted to settle ow for a while now. As I told you before, most wolves meet their mates young. So, whilst I’m not old in actual years, I’m old for an unmated wolf. She thought that emotions might be driving my actions and because you can feel them that you might be heightening them.” It made sense in a weird way but everything I had read suggested the physical feelings couldn’t be faked except through magic, which I definitely wasn’t doing.

“Who is Dawn…” I asked, not really wanting the answer, but also needing it.

“Dawn is a friend.” He answered but I felt a little shame in his answer.

“She’s defiantly more than that…” I said quietly, getting up to put my plate in the sink. Part of me hoped he had heard but I also wasn’t bothered if he did. I was angry. I started cleaning my plate when I felt arms wrap around my shoulders. The warmth and tingles made me forget my anger momentarily.

“So, you did see something the other day.” Nathan asked. I pouted, annoyed he had noticed. “I saw your eyes turn silver. You only do that when youre getting a vision.” He said, his tone calm. I had to supress a smile that he had noticed but immediately pouted again, still annoyed at Dawn for some stupid reason. Nathan wasn’t mine and hadn’t been. Why was I jealous? “Look, Dawn and I have been intimate but only in the s****l way. We never felt anything for each other. I…” He put his head into my shoulder, and I felt him take a deep breath.

“You don’t have to explain.” I said, not wanting to know more.

“I don’t, but I want to. Dawn lost her mate in the battle for the Luna. I was torn up over Spencer and didn’t have anyone to lean on. We found comfort in each other as she is the Luna’s omega, like her handmaiden, we had always known each other. We slept together a few times but there were no feelings there. When Dawn got a little too attached, I cut her off as I still wanted to find my mate. I told her I have no feelings for her and that my emotions were reserved for my mate. She didn’t take that well but were still friends. I promise there’s nothing more there.” I sighed and turned around to face him.

“Honestly, I don’t know why I’m even feeling angry. We aren’t together and you owe me nothing. I am attracted to you, but I don’t even know what that means. Ive never liked a man, except George but that wasn’t romantic… so I guess it’s the same? I don’t know… Are you jealous of George?” I asked and I was surprised to feel another wave of shame.

“Yes, I was, even when you told me he had died, I still hated that he had kissed you.” I looked at him in surprise.

“I’m sorry if you saw anything bad yesterday.” I went red, remembering the vision that I had pulled myself out of. “Oh, god, what did you see?”

“Nothing much, I stopped it sharpish. But you were both very naked and well…” I didn’t know what else to say. “I know this is a lot to ask… but can I not meet Dawn without you with me…” He nodded ad I looked up at him. “Thank you.” There was an awkward silence between us as Nathan looked into my eyes. I don’t know why but I felt nervous giggles bubbling up in my throat. I tried to hold them back, but they bubbled over. I heard Nathan sigh before he stepped away from me and headed back to the table. I sighed too and headed to the oven to serve dessert.