Chapter 57 57
EZEQUIEL
Crossing the threshold of the vampire kingdom, a breath of relief slipped from my lips as I inhaled the fresh, familiar air of the outside world. My eyes adjusted to the sunlight—a sharp contrast to the near-constant darkness of the realm I had just left behind, with its scarce hours of daylight.
There, at the edge of my pack’s territory, my parents waited for me. My father, the Alpha, with his imposing stance that commanded respect even in silence, and my mother, the Luna, whose tenderness was always hidden behind a façade of strength.
As I approached, my father pulled me into a strong, brief embrace—a gesture of welcome and relief. Then my mother kissed my forehead, tears filling her eyes, before breaking into a restrained sob.
“Emmanuel has escaped with Lois,” she said, her voice trembling with emotion. “That omega is a bad influence on him. Your brother would never do something like this on his own.”
I shook my head, stunned.
“Impossible, Mother. Lois can’t be a bad influence. She’s quiet, respectful… it can’t be her.”
My father placed a firm hand on my shoulder, catching my attention. I looked into his eyes and found a mixture of worry and determination.
“We can’t make a scandal out of this, Ezequiel,” he said in his deep voice. “We’re not sending wolves after them. That’s your task now. We have to keep this as discreet as possible or it will turn into an uproar. Emmanuel—the future Alpha—running away and abandoning what is rightfully his. What a scandal! And over an Omega! This could turn into a disaster, and I don’t want anyone knowing about it. Do you understand?”
Anxiety washed over me. The chaos that could erupt from this would be terrible.
“And what will happen when I find them?” I asked, my voice breaking.
“They’ll be punished—both of them,” he replied without hesitation. “It’s the law, son.” And that was exactly what I feared. Deserters were never treated well, and while Emmanuel could probably handle his punishment, Lois wouldn’t—not because she was a woman, but because she was weak.
The way back to our pack’s castle—one of the strongest and largest in existence—was filled with nostalgia. I missed my home, but I missed my brother even more. I wanted to find him, but the idea of Lois being punished tormented me.
When I arrived, I sought a private moment with my mother.
“I’m worried about Lois,” I confessed when we were finally alone, searching for some kind of support. “She’s a weak omega, and she doesn’t deserve what’s coming.”
She looked at me—her eyes reflecting deep knowledge and perhaps a hidden sadness.
“You don’t need to worry about her,” she said softly. “Soon she won’t be Emmanuel’s mate anymore. We’re already looking for someone else.”
I froze, horrified. How was that even possible? What the hell were they planning to do?
“What? You’re going to do it again? Make Emmanuel reject her too? Mother…”
My mother sighed when she saw me getting upset.
“It’s what’s best for the pack, Ezequiel. And for your brother. A low-ranking omega cannot be the Luna of such a powerful Alpha. She cannot be the Luna of this pack. Why do you think we never presented her before everyone?”
“You… you have her parents here, don’t you? I thought everything was going well.”
“We just wanted to know more about her. About that woman. Did you know she was rejected once already? She had a mate—he rejected her. You and your brother were the only fools who accepted an Omega. I’m not saying others shouldn’t, but… you two are not like the others, and you must uphold that. Your brother made a mistake, and we have to fix it.”
“I can’t believe you’re thinking like this,” I said, feeling a mix of anger and desperation. “Lois is more than what everyone thinks. And Emmanuel… he loves her.” Just like I did—though they had torn me away from her as well. But I knew Emmanuel’s determination. They would not break him.
“Ezequiel, you must understand—we don’t make decisions out of whim. They’re for the good of the pack, for its future,” she said, though there was a hint of doubt in her voice.
“And love? The Moon Goddess’s promise? Does that mean nothing?” I shot back, frustration taking hold.
“There are things more important than personal feelings,” she replied, though her tone carried weight. “Perhaps… the Moon Goddess made a mistake. As I told you, she had already found her mate once. It may be an error that now both of you are tied to her. Just as you rejected her, he must do the same. It’s the best way forward. And doing it now will make everything easier. You must find Emmanuel and bring him back. It is your duty.”
I nodded, even though every fiber of my being rebelled.
“I will,” I promised, though inside me a storm of doubt and fear began to form.
I walked away from my mother, the image of Lois—fragile and scared—burned into my mind. I knew what I had to do, but I couldn’t help wondering at what cost.
Twilight draped itself over the castle, casting long shadows across the ancient stone walls. My father summoned me to his study—a place full of history and power, where the most important decisions of the pack had been made for generations.
When I entered, he stood by the window, looking out over the vast lands of our pack. His imposing figure had always been a constant in my life—a symbol of strength and leadership.
“Ezequiel,” he began, his deep voice resonating even with his back turned to me. “It is time we discuss the future of our pack and your brother’s role as Alpha.”
I stepped closer, aware of the gravity of the moment.
“I understand, Father. But Emmanuel—”
“Emmanuel is strong, but still young and impulsive,” he cut in, turning to face me. “An Alpha must not only be strong but also wise and capable of making difficult decisions for the good of all.”
I nodded, remembering the countless lessons on leadership I had been taught as a child.
“Omegas, Ezequiel,” he continued, “are essential to the pack, but their role is different. Lois is weak—too fragile to be the Luna of a pack as powerful as ours.”
A surge of frustration hit me.
“But Lois is not just any omega. She—”
“I know,” he cut me off with firm finality as I tried to defend her—tired of everyone seeing her as nothing more than a weak omega. “But the daughter of a strong Alpha is a more suitable mate for Emmanuel. She will secure the strength and future of our pack.”
“Emmanuel will never accept that,” I said. “Lois is his fated mate. The Moon Goddess—”
“The Moon Goddess guides us, but we must also guide our own destiny,” he said, interrupting me again. “Your brother needs to understand this. You must find him and make him see that Lois is not the right Luna for him.”
I fell silent—caught between indignation and the respect I owed him.
“This is bigger than Emmanuel’s personal desires—or yours, Ezequiel,” he added, his tone softening slightly. “It’s about the survival and prosperity of the pack. An Alpha must place these things above all else.”
“But at what cost, Father? At the cost of my brother’s happiness? Lois’s happiness?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
“The life of an Alpha and his Luna is not always about personal happiness. It is about sacrifice and duty,” he said, his gaze carrying both wisdom and the weight of past decisions.
“And if Emmanuel refuses? If he chooses Lois over the pack?” I pressed, needing to know how far my father was willing to go.
“Then we will have to make even harder decisions,” he answered, his eyes hardening. “But I trust that you will make him understand. You are his brother. He will listen to you.”
I stood there, staring at him, battling the internal war of the task he had given me.
I understood the duty. I understood the responsibility.
But the cost…
The cost might be everything.