LOVE ETERNAL

CHAPTER SEVEN -The Difficult Choice

Ethan was perplexed. He was looking for a way out for his people, but this was far from his expectations, and even in his wildest imagination, he would never have envisaged such. This solution was like using a problem to solve a problem, as he couldn't feel any sense of relief from such a solution.

This cannot not be happening, he thought, because if they were to speak of girls with pure hearts and selfless dedication to the Pack, none could be compared to Adrienne. Her altruistic nature was second to no other, and that was what even got him attracted to her in the first place.

It had always been a norm since time immemorial, that for a Pack to flourish and attract good fate, the Alpha had to be strong and courageous, and he had to be paired to a Luna of Pure Heart, with a selfless charisma. He was a fitting Alpha, and all he needed was a befitting Luna to strengthen his leadership, and he believed he had found that perfect fit - Adrienne.

She was dedicated to her communal duties, selfless to a fault, and her purity was distinct and untainted. So how could she not be the chosen one?

Moreover, he had already promised her his eternal love and affection - he had given her his word! How could he go back on it now? What would that make of him?

“Alpha! Alpha!” Arnold called, jolting Ethan back from his reverie.

“Yes!,” he answered, reining in his thoughts and trying to get himself back together.

.

“The council is waiting for your verdict on this matter,” Ethan said, trying to tread carefully, as this was a precarious situation. He knew that one word could tip the balance and cause everything to fall apart.

Verdict? Could they really be serious right now? They all knew how attached he was to Adrienne, and they all saw firsthand her selfless and charitable deeds - which were indeed numerous. But here they were, asking him to make a verdict over such a weighty matter on a whim, as if it was a case of flipping a coin. Was it that easy?

But then, he could not really blame them, for in the face of a life or death scenario, loyalty wasn’t really a luxury to be banked on. He knew they were all propelled by fear for their own lives and that of their families - they were only thinking about their personal survival at the moment.

“This is a serious matter, we can't just come to a conclusion haphazardly,” Ethan instructed. “We need to handle it with meticulous attention.”

He was trying his best to buy enough time for himself, to enable him to think, and at least, come up with a suitable alternative - one that would possibly not involve Adrienne leaving the picture.

His eyes darted around, assessing the reactions of those around him, his mind racing to find the right words to say next - one that would aid him in stalling for time.

“I'd advise you not to take too much time,” Elena counseled. “A delay in this case could be fatal.”

She walked towards Daniel and said to him “When he wakes up, tell him we're even. He saved my life once, now I've returned the favor a hundred-fold.”

Then, with swift and elegant steps, she vacated the room, her movements a graceful dance that left everyone in silent awe. Her flowing dress trailed behind her like a whisper, and the soft click of her heels on the marble floor echoed in the stillness.

As she reached the door, she cast one last glance back, and stared at Ethan deeply, her once indifferent eyes now depicting empathy. “Choose wisely” she said, before disappearing into the corridor beyond.

The elders all gaped at her wisdom and were in full support of her words. A drastic decision had to be taken. This was not the moment for Ethan to be venturing into careful deliberations. Time was of essence.

But they didn't dare show their emotions in their faces, for fear of angering Ethan. For they also knew that as much as it was a timely decision to make, it was also a delicate and complex one for him too.

The fate of their Pack hung in the balance of a choice, a decision that would determine the outcome of their sustainability - one to be made only by the Alpha himself. He was saddled with the dilemma of choice: love or duty.

If he chose love, and still went ahead with his plan of making Adrienne - his one and only true love, his Luna, then the whole pack would be doomed to destruction and peril.

And on the other hand, if he chose duty, that would mean him sacrificing his love and breaking his word to Adrienne - the selfless and innocent beauty. And such a decision would definitely leave a scar on him.

Each possibility carried its own set of consequences, and the weight of the moment pressed heavily on their minds. As they stood at the crossroads, the silence was thick with tension, every second ticking by like a countdown to an uncertain future.

For once, they were all grateful that they were not the Alpha, for no one wanted to be saddled with such a weighty decision to make - one that had no safe landing or beautiful ending. Because of being stuck between the devil and the deep blue sea, his burden wasn't one anyone would crave, even for an enemy.

…

“Adrienne,” Ethan called, his voice husky with emotion.

“Yes, my dear Alpha,” Adrienne replied, her voice filled with concern. “Are you okay?”

Was he okay? At this point, he no longer knew what that phrase - to be okay, meant any longer.

“Hmm,” he replied, trying to brace himself for the issue he was bringing up with her.

“It’s okay, you don’t have to be afraid. I’m here for you, and remember I promised to help you with some of the worrying, so it lay it on me,” she said passionately, her innocent smile and wide-eyed look of naivety exuding a lovely charm.

This was really going to be more difficult than he imagined. How could he really go ahead and break up with such a nice and caring young lady, especially with her acting all nice at the moment?

He wanted to tell her all that the seer had said, and the reason for his decision, but he knew that it wouldn't make any significant difference. He was going to betray her trust, and there was no way to soften that reality.

“We can’t be together any longer,” he blurted out.

He stood up abruptly and stormed out of the room, unable to look back.

He just had to leave, because he was afraid that if he stayed any longer, he would lose the resolve he had fought so hard to keep. Every minute in that room with her, chipped away at his determination, and he knew that escaping was his only chance to hold on to his convictions.

With a heavy heart, he turned away, his footsteps echoing his internal struggle as he walked out.