The Moon Goddess' mistake

9.Decisions

9.Decisions 

The silence in the office was deafening. We didn’t need to speak to know that we all felt helpless and doomed. The world’s survival was in our hands and in order to save it we had to sacrifice our happiness, our souls and love.

“We don’t really have much of a choice. Nate must be the Alpha with Cary by his side. She is the only one I trust to love him and care for him and would be the best Luna of the pack.” Gabriella said to the room, not meeting my eyes. I could feel her heartache through the mate bond. I was shocked. She gave me away so easily and my heart broke in pieces. I know I was wrong thinking that way but my feelings were stronger than rational thinking at that moment.

“How is it so easy for you to give up on us?” I asked. My voice is breaking but I don’t care.

 Gabriella took my face in her hands and made me look into her eyes. Her face looked so sad, her eyes red from crying and her tears kept leaking down her face.

“I will never stop loving you, Nate. You are the reason my heart beats, mate bond or not. I fell in love with you the moment I saw you. You are my world but if we don’t do this there will be no world to live in. There will be no world where our souls will meet after we die. We don’t have a choice” Gabriella said to me softly and I felt her emotions through the mate bond. Her desperation, her depression, her broken heart. 

I know she is right and I know that we have no other choice. My own depression overpowered my anger, my wolf was depressed even. He was curled up in a ball whimpering and mourning. I know Atlas and Calypso already said their goodbye in the meadow. They knew what had to be done.

“What if Cary takes the Luna position but Gaby stays by Nate’s side? Could this work? You would still have to mark Cary but you don’t need to complete the marking ritual?” Danny suggested. I feel like he is the only one thinking of other solutions right now.

“She would never be a complete Luna without a completed mating ritual. She can never have her full powers and I believe that won’t work.” Gabriella said quietly.

Cary suddenly bolted and ran out of the room. Gabriella looked at me, kissed my lips softly and went after her.

Gabriella’s POV

I ran after Cary. I know that this is a lot of pressure for her too. That would mean she would never meet her mate and even if she did, she couldn’t be with him. I found her in her room, laying in bed - a sobbing mess.

I layed next to her and we both sobbed for I don’t know how long. When we calmed down a bit I looked deep into her eyes and told her:

“I know this is a lot for you, Cary. It is a lot for us. You will be an awesome Lune, I have no doubt about it. But you will never be able to meet your mate or be with him. At least I had the chance to be with Nate for a little bit. You can say no. No one will judge you, Cary. I only suggested you because you are the only person I can trust him with. You are my sister and I know you care about Nate and you will be good to him” I tried to reassure her

“I can’t be with Nate” she said quietly

“I understand, Cary. As I said you can say “no”.” I said but then a thought crossed my mind. “Did you meet your mate?”

“No… it’s not that, Ella” she cried and hid her face in her hands. “I’m a horrible friend, Ella. You would hate me if you knew…”

“I know you, Cary. I can never hate you, please talk to me. Tell me what’s wrong” I tried to console her and hug her but she pushed me away.

“I don’t deserve a friend like you.” she sobbed. 

“Before you came… I had a crush on Nate. He never knew but I was praying to the Moon Goddess that he will be my mate. Then you came and I hated you for the way he looked at you. But then I got to know you and my fake friendship turned into a real one. I swear I love you and I truly was happy for the both of you when you turned out to be mates…” she couldn’t look into my eyes

“Cary, I already know this. I knew you had a crush on Nate and that at first you didn’t like me. I also know that it was only at the beginning of our friendship. And I would never hate you for that.”

“Ella, I cannot be Nate’s fake Luna or even a real Luna. This will feel like a betrayal to you. And I also could never take your place in his heart. He loves you too much and I know I sound selfish but I don’t think my heart can take mating with him knowing that he will never look at me that way.” she admitted

“Then we will ask Fates to erase our memories and you would be able to start at a clean slate. Don’t get me wrong, Cary. I don’t want to let Nate go but I must and if it’s you by his side I know he will be loved and this will make it easier for me.” I said and even though I meant what I said, my heart clenched painfully at the thought of my mate with someone else.

“You are going to give up on your most precious memories for the sake of me and the world and I am here being selfish and crying for a childhood crush.” she looked at me with resolve in her eyes. “I will accept this but I won’t let you rob yourself and Nate of those memories. We all have a role to play in this and I will do mine. No backing up.”

We went back to the office and told the boys that Cary agrees to be Luna. Nate was reluctant but didn’t say anything. We decided to spend some time together, remembering our happiest and funniest days. We really needed the distraction. We went to the kitchen and I cooked dinner for us and after we ate we went to bed. 

I laied in bed with Nate snuggled close in his arms. He was caressing my hair gently. We didn’t want to sleep. We wanted to spend our last moments as mates awake, feeling the last sparks of our mate bond.

“I don’t want to lose the memories of us. I know it is necessary to break the bond, but I need these memories of us. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me, my Gabriella and my heart will always beat for you only. I will never be anyone else’s” Nate whispered

“Nate, I want to keep my memories of us also.” I lifted my head from his chest to look into his eyes. “But I need you to try and move on. I know I will always take the biggest part of your heart, as you will for me but you need to make a little space for others too. For Cary and your future children” my voice gets quieter at the end.

“I will not mate with no one else” he growls

“Nate you will have to make her your Luna. And that requires completing the mating ceremony. I really don’t want to talk or think about you mating with someone else right now. I am only asking you not to fight it if feelings between you two come. Don’t feel guilty if it happens as I know I will never be replaced in your heart. I am just asking to make a little space for others too.”

He didn’t say anything, just kissed me gently letting all his emotions run through the kiss and the bond. We made slow, passionate love with tears flowing down freely on both of our faces. We stayed up all night expressing our feelings with words, kisses and our bodies.

In the morning we met Danny and Cary in the office. They have already arranged breakfast and we ate in silence.

After we ate I faced the group and said: 

“The Fates said that I was destined to find Selene so after we are done with breaking the mate bond, I will leave for that quest.” I turned to look in Nate’s eyes, cupping his face “I cannot stay here, my love. I cannot be so close to you and not be able to be with you.”

He kissed me deeply and after we broke the kiss he said:

“I understand, my Gabriella. We need to focus on our missions in order to survive and at least make sure our sacrifice serves its purpose.”  

Not long after we were summoned in Ethereum. 

“What did you decide, Selene’s children?” Fates asked

Nate hugged me tight and answered while looking in my eyes:

“We want to keep our memories. Also if you can, let me take all the pain of the breaking of the bond. Cary will be my Luna and Gabriella will go on her search for Selene.” Then he looked at Danny “Brother, please go with Gabriella and protect her”

“Of course, brother”

“We understand the sacrifice the four of you are making. When this is all over we will do whatever we can to reward you in the afterlife or reincarnation.” Fates said to us and then turned to Nate. “There will be no physical pain for either of you, Nathaniel Moore.”

We heard steps and turned to see who else was here. There were four women, they were dressed in robes similar to the Fates’ but theirs were white while the Fates’ were black. 

“My name is Odette. I am one of the witches’ elders and mother of the wind witches coven. These are my sisters - Genevieve, also an elder and mother of the fire witches coven; Harlow, elder and mother of the earth witches coven and Merriah, elder and mother of the sun witches coven. We will help create the prophecy and will train you for what’s to come” Odette said solemnly. Her robe had light blue hieroglyphs and wind symbols. Her tanned skin was smooth, full lips and silver eyes framed with thick dark eyelashes. Her long white hair was braided and was hanging on her shoulder. Her hands and fingers had white ink tattoos.

Genevieve’s white robe had red and orange hieroglyphs and fire symbols. She had native american features and tan, her lips were red and her eyes - black. Her red hair was hanging loosely on her right shoulder and I could see 5 piercings on her left ear. Her hands and fingers were also tattooed with red ink.

Harlow’s robe had brown hieroglyphs and earth signs. She looked asian with delicate skin and thin lips formed in a warm smile. Her hair hung on her shoulders, braided with sparkling stones which contrasted her dark black hair.

The tattoos on her hands and fingers were brown.

Merriah’s robe had golden hieroglyphs and sun symbols. Golden blond curls hanging loosely on her left shoulder, her big eyes were honey brown framed with thick dark eyelashes. She had golden ink tattoos on her hands and fingers.

All four of them looked no older than mid 20s but their eyes were so wise. You could feel the wisdom and knowledge they held.

“What training?” Daniel asked.

“After we break the bond we will train you - Nathaniel and Carolina to lead, protect and build the Blue Moon pack stronger and Daniel and Gabriella - to protect each other and succeed on their quest of finding Selene. Both couples will train in different planes where time goes faster and even though it will feel like your training lasts for months, it will only be a few hours on Earth.” Fates said. “Are you ready?”

“I will never be ready for this” both me and Nate said in unison. We looked at each other’s eyes and said “I love you” together again.

Nate captured my lips in his for the last kiss that we will share in this life. I felt the sparks slowly disappearing from our touch. I looked at Nate’s face after we broke the kiss but I felt no different. The bond was gone and there were no sparks but my feelings for this man were no different than before. The same amount of love and attraction and I could see it in his eyes that he felt it the same. At least we'll always have this. I kissed him one last time and we both knew this was our goodbye. No words were needed.