Seven Months Later
I often found myself reflecting on my conversation with Beta Tommaso. He had been so understanding of my situation, and it was clear he had once stood where I was now. His words didn’t ease the pain, but they helped me grasp what lay ahead.
True happiness would always elude me—not the kind I could have known if my mate had accepted me. Leonardo carried a part of my soul with him, bound to me forever. Even if I accepted his rejection, that fragment of my soul wouldn’t return. Acceptance would only weaken the mate-bond, dulling the pain that had struck so fiercely. Yet, no matter what, that piece of me was forever lost. Once the Moon Goddess chooses two mates, they remain bound for life.
Beta Tommaso had questioned why I hadn’t fought harder for Leonardo, why I hadn’t t
