LOVE ETERNAL

CHAPTEREIGHT -Hard Feelings

At first Adrienne thought it was a joke, that he was going to return any second, with a mischievous grin, ready to mock her gullibility - as he sometimes did, so she remained still, making no reaction.

“You’re not going to get me so easily this time,” she pouted, waiting comfortably for his return.

But after waiting in silence for what seemed like an eternity, with each passing moment devoid of any sign of his return, a creeping fear began to seep into her mind. The weight of uncertainty grew heavier, as doubt began to gnaw at her, daring her to entertain the unsettling possibility that this was not a prank at all.

“Sir Ethan! Sir Ethan!” she called loudly, her voice laced with apprehension.

Despite her efforts to remain composed, her thoughts wandered to darker places - was he tired of her already? Was she not worthy of the position of being his Luna? Did the Elders kick against their union? Was the summoning bell she heard days ago about her?

The seconds ticked by relentlessly, echoing loudly in the emptiness of the room, amplifying her growing unease. She hesitated, torn between the hope for a harmless resolution and the dread of facing a stark reality she wasn’t prepared for.

…

‘’Please, calm down!” Arnold pleaded.

Ethan paced back and forth, the rhythm of his footsteps echoing the turmoil within him. Arnold’s plea for him to calm down fell on deaf ears, drowned by the relentless storm of thoughts crashing through his mind. Each step seemed to carry the weight of his racing thoughts, each turn amplifying the intensity of his emotions.

“You made the right decision,” Arnold further consoled.

“Did I?” Ethan replied, his voice laced with rage as he fixed Arnold with a piercing stare.

He knew Arnold wasn’t the cause of his problem, yet his frustration had reached a boiling point, tainting his perception and fueling a simmering anger towards everyone around him.

He loved Adrienne, and he would even give his life in exchange for hers if the occasion arose, but this was more than just him, a lot of lives depended on this choice of his.

He couldn’t bear to watch his people suffer and perish, for the sake of his personal gain. It was a difficult choice to make, and he strongly believed he had made the right call, but that did not stop the queer feeling of discomfort from lingering within him.

“How is she doing?” Arnold asked.

“Honestly, I don’t know,” he admitted. “I left her at the visiting lobby right after I told her about our disengagement.

Ethan looked at Arnold pensively and said “Assign someone to watch over her. I want her closely monitored at all times, to prevent any impulsive actions in her current emotional state.

She was so naive and innocent, her austere life shielding her from the harsh realities of the world. He feared what she might do, facing heartbreak for the first time - especially with one whom she loved so dearly.

“I have done so already,” Arnold replied tacitly. “We all share your concerns.”

He knew Ethan really had no choice, as there was no way he was going to choose the well-being of a woman over the safety of his entire Pack. He may have done the right thing, but that did not make his burden any easier to bear.

The door to the stronghold meeting room swung open, and Doctor Daniel walked in briskly, his countenance edged with concern. He bowed towards the standing duo, and went on to address Ethan.

“My Alpha, the current rate of people contracting this curse is increasing exponentially, with over sixty people afflicted so far. I’m afraid that in no short time, should this continue, the medical center might not be able to cater for all those afflicted.”

“Well, good thing it won’t come to that, as we won’t have to wait any longer,” Ethan replied nonchalantly. “Call the Elders, it's time for me to address the council.”

“I have made my choice!” he said with a heavy heart.

…

By the time Ethan returned to the meeting hall from his chambers, it was filled to the brim, and everywhere was surprisingly silent. The tension in the room was palpable, almost as if the room itself was holding its breath. The attendees, a mix of elders and council leaders, sat in their seats with bated breath, eyes fixed on Alpha’s entrance.

Everyone was tense, eager to hear the decision the Alpha had come up with, as too much weighed on that decision. They all silently hoped and prayed that he would make the right choice - one that would keep them safe.

Ethan looked at them and said with an air of indifference “I have made my decision. Let the search for the new Luna begin.”

Once he said this, an air of relief swept over the atmosphere, bringing peace to their once troubled minds. Now they had hope.

“Where is the seer?” Ethan asked.

“She left the Pack,” Calvin replied.

Why would she not leave? Ethan thought, especially after having been betrayed by an Alpha in similar circumstances before. She must have been trying to be cautious, to ensure her own safety.

“Doctor Daniel,” Ethan called.

“Yes my Alpha,”

“Did Lady Elena leave any directives concerning the selection of the new Luna?”

“No. She only said that she had to be from our Pack, and had to be pure and untainted, with a selfless disposition towards the welfare of the Pack.” Daniel replied.

Ethan sighed inwardly, those attributes really made him doubt the efficacy of this prophecy. Could there really be one more altruistic than Adrienne?

“Okay. In that case, it’s time to quell the speculations that have been flying around the pack,” he said, giving Calvin a meaningful glance.

“Gather everyone outside the Stronghold, we need to address the entire Pack,” Ethan instructed. “Now that we have a solution at hand, there is no need to keep them in suspense any longer. Moreover, we need to select a Luna among them. We need them too.”

James Stanfield, one of the core elders of the Pack, stood up and addressed the council, “We also need to come up with some guidelines concerning the candidates for Luna.”

“We already have a criterion for that”, Arnold interjected.

“I’m not speaking of criteria,” James replied. “I mean some stringent stipulations that would ensure a timely result.”

“My Alpha, if I may,” he asked Ethan.

Ethan nodded in acceptance, giving him the go ahead to come forward. James then advanced forward and stood in the centre of the meeting hall.

“We do not have the liberty of time, as we are already losing our fellow Pack members exponentially by the day, to this curse. The idea of suitable candidates who fit the criteria coming forward to apply, may prove abortive, as all the ladies would be tempted to join in the charade.

“And if this happens, it might either take us no time, or forever to find the suitable candidate. It’s okay if we are lucky to find one immediately, but what if we are not, owing to the multitude indicating interest in applying? We might even lose all our population to the curse before we even find the fated Luna.”

Everyone nodded tacitly in support of his observation, for what he said made so much sense to them.

“So, what do you suggest we do?” Ethan asked.

“My Alpha, I am of the opinion that we should include a penalty in the stipulations, to deter unqualified candidates from trying their luck and thereby wasting our limited time,” James replied.