Chapter 16

As we settled into the car, Skai couldn't contain her curiosity any longer. "So, spill it! What happened in there?" she asked eagerly, her eyes darting to me expectantly.

I knew she was itching to ask what's up. Well, my business is always her business and vice versa.

I recounted the conversation with Tatum, from our initial awkwardness to the surprising connection we discovered. Skai's eyes sparkled with mischief as I spoke, and by the time I finished, she was grinning from ear to ear.

"You totally have a crush on him!" she exclaimed, nudging me playfully.

I shook my head, trying to suppress the blush creeping onto my cheeks. "No way, it's not like that," I protested weakly. "It's just... a heart connection, you know? We're both alike in so many ways."

Skai laughed, undeterred by my denial. "Uh-huh, sure it is," she teased, her tone light and teasing.

But as we continued our journey home, the weight of my words settled over me like a heavy blanket. I couldn't deny the truth in what Skai said, yet I also couldn't allow myself to entertain the idea of romantic feelings for Tatum.

"I can't love him romantically," I murmured, more to myself than to Skai. "It's complicated enough being a werewolf in a college full of humans. I'm probably the only one of my kind there. The Moon Goddess must have someone else in mind for me. She has someone in mind for every werewolf"

Skai reached out, placing a comforting hand on my arm. "You have every right to love whoever you want, Alaya, werewolf or human." she said gently, her voice filled with sincerity.

I fell silent for the rest of the journey home, lost in my thoughts and the uncertainty of what the future held. But deep down, I couldn't shake the feeling that perhaps the Moon Goddess had already set my path in motion, leading me to unexpected connections and unforeseen possibilities.

As we approached the gate, I noticed a gathering of people standing near the hall, their murmured conversations floating on the breeze. Then it hit me like a ton of bricks – I had completely forgotten about the meeting with the betas and omegas. How could I have been so careless?

"Darn it," I muttered under my breath, my frustration bubbling to the surface. The elders would surely use this slip-up as ammunition to question my ability to balance my duties as both a college student and an alpha. But in that moment, I couldn't bring myself to care. I was determined to prove them wrong, no matter what it took.

Skai, sensing my distress, turned to me with a concerned expression. "What's wrong, Alaya?" she asked, her voice filled with empathy.

I sighed heavily, knowing I couldn't keep it from her. "I completely forgot about the meeting with the alphas and omegas and yeah, the elders should be in that meeting too" I admitted, my frustration evident in my tone. "They're probably waiting for me right now."

Skai nodded in understanding, her eyes scanning the area around us. "Why don't you go ahead? I'll head home and let the werewolf do her thing," she suggested, giving me a reassuring smile.

Relief flooded through me at her offer, and I gratefully accepted. "Thanks, Skai. I owe you one," I said, already feeling the weight of responsibility lifting from my shoulders. I always want her to feel at home around the werewolf and she always know her boundaries too. I didn't ever want her to feel wierd cause she wasn't like us, same way she made me feel acceptamed around humans.

Dolphus, ever observant, stepped forward to take my bag from me. "They've all been waiting, Alaya," he informed me, his voice steady and reassuring.

With a nod of gratitude, I made my way to the hall, my mind racing with thoughts of what I would say to the elders. As I entered, a hush fell over the room, all eyes turning to me expectantly.

"I apologize for my tardiness," I began, my voice ringing with sincerity. "But I am honored to stand before you as your alpha, especially at my age. I really don't want to take a lot of your time so I would go straight to the point. Being yoir alpha, I've got a lot of responsibility on my shoulder and you all are looking up to me, I thereby promise to walk hand in hand with each of you to promote peace and prosperity, both within our pack and in our interactions with the human world."

I spoke of unity and understanding, of the importance of cooperation and compassion. And as I finished my speech, the hall was filled with a great silence, the weight of my words hanging in the air.

Then, slowly but surely, the silence was broken by the sound of clapping and cheering, the echoes filling the hall with a sense of solidarity and support. In that moment, I knew that I had the backing of my pack, and that together, we could overcome any obstacle that stood in our way.

With a grateful smile, I made my way to my room, my heart full with the knowledge that I had taken a step forward in fulfilling my destiny as alpha. And as I settled in for the night, I knew that tomorrow would bring new challenges, but also new opportunities for growth and triumph.

While I was lieing on my bed, I couldn't help but think about Tatum. His name was special, mystery too, just like mine. I loved his name as much as I loved his personality. He's a really cool and sweet guy, I know.

But as much as I admired him, I couldn't shake the lingering questions about my own past and the circumstances surrounding my mother's death.

Then, I wondered to myself why my mother died as human. So many people say that it's because I was a werewolf, a great one at night and she couldn't bear my birth cause she was just human.

The late Alpha had always told the werewolves that the moon goddess has somebody for everyone. Maybe I should believe that and hold onto it because it is a talk of old.

Did she have a plan for me, too? Was I destined to find love amidst the complexities of my dual nature as a werewolf and a college student?

Before I could delve deeper into my musings, a knock on my door startled me. I frowned, puzzled by the unexpected interruption. "Who could that be?" I muttered to myself, pushing aside the thoughts of Tatum and my mother's fate.

"Who is it?" I called out, curiosity lacing my voice.

The only person who could be here was Dolphus, but he knows I want to be alone. He knew when I was always having my alone time.