Chapter 143 The Prophecy
Fernando leaned forward in his chair, eyes locked on Rowan. “Who exactly is Alberto? You called him Rhett Stone. You pointed at him and said only he can kill you. I need answers.”
Rowan sat back, completely at ease, and shook his head once. “I am not here to tell you about Alberto’s past or who he truly is. That is not my place today and not why I'm here.”
Fernando’s jaw tightened. “Then why are you here? You appear after decades, call my pack member by a name no one knows, and speak of prophecies. I deserve to know.”
Rowan lifted a hand, calm and unhurried. “Do you remember what happened twenty-five years ago? When the Lycan king went on a rampage because of sorcery? The event that led to the banishment of the entire witches clan and anyone carrying the rare trait?”
Fernando frowned, rubbing his temple. “I was young. The details are hazy. I remember fear, fires, wolves turning on each other. But the full story… no, I don’t quite remember the details. Remember that was when my father was murdered by his friend.”
Rowan nodded slowly. “Then let me remind you. The Black Night wolves were the ones who finally subdued the witches. They fought when no one else could. Because of that, the Lycan clan granted them the right to take the surviving witches as slaves. That single act ended the centuries-old feud between wolves and witches.”
Fernando’s eyes narrowed. “And now?”
Rowan leaned forward, voice dropping. “Recently, every last witch has been wiped clean from existence. Not a single one remains. Yet traces of their sorcery have been found in several territories. That means the werewolf clan as a whole will be thrown into chaos soon if care is not taken. The balance is broken. Someone is raising a puppet army in secret and wiping the witches.”
Fernando sat up straighter. “What can be done? Tell me how to stop it.”
Rowan met his gaze steadily. “The key lies with Alberto. He is the only Enigma still alive who can take on the responsibilities required to restore order. But that would mean forcing him to remember his past, and remembering will bring chaos itself.”
Fernando’s voice sharpened. “What do you mean by that? Alberto can’t hurt anyone, even if his memories return. He’s gentle. He’s my mate. He would never turn on the pack.”
Rowan smiled, slow and knowing. “Alberto’s birth was due to sorcery. When his family fell and he lost control, his memories were sealed away to prevent the further downfall of the entire werewolf clan. That seal is the only thing keeping the balance right now.”
Fernando shook his head, frustration clear in his tone. “I’m confused. You speak in riddles. Alberto is my mate. He was bought at an auction as a slave with no past. How can he be the cause of anything?”
Rowan tilted his head, studying Fernando for a long moment. “I saw the familiar bond between you and Alberto the moment I arrived. It is strong. Deep.”
Fernando didn’t hesitate. “Of course it is. Alberto is my mate. My Luna. The bond is everything to me.”
Rowan’s smile faded. “Then break the bond. Find another Luna. Enigmas do not bow. They rule. And again, Alberto will be the one to end you, as the prophecy says, because someone from his family must pay back the debt your family owes Alberto.”
Fernando stared at him, stunned into silence for several heartbeats. “Break the bond? You want me to reject my mate? The one person who kept me alive through months of paralysis and blindness? The one who sealed Lucia’s curse with his last strength? No. I will not do that.”
Rowan remained perfectly still. “The prophecy does not care what you want. It only cares what must happen. Alberto’s bloodline carries a debt your family incurred long ago. When the seal breaks, that debt will be collected. And the collector will be him.”
Fernando pushed to his feet, pacing two steps before turning back. “You’re asking me to destroy the best thing in my life to save the pack? There has to be another way.”
Rowan shook his head. “There is no other way. The witches are gone. Sorcery is leaking back into the world. The only living Enigma is Alberto. If he remembers who he is, he will either save us all or destroy us all. And the prophecy is very clear about which path he will choose if he remains bonded to you.”
Fernando stopped pacing, hands clenched at his sides. “I don’t believe it. Alberto loves this pack. He loves me. He would never—”
“He will,” Rowan cut in quietly. “Because the debt must be paid. Someone from his bloodline must collect it. And you, Fernando, are the one chosen by fate to pay for it.”
Fernando stared at him, chest rising and falling rapidly. “Then tell me the debt. Tell me what my family did to him. Give me something real.”
Rowan stood slowly, cloak shifting around him. “I have already told you enough for today. The rest will come when the time is right. For now, you have a choice to make. Break the bond before the seal on Alberto’s memory breaks. Or watch the prophecy unfold while you are still bonded to the one destined to end you.”
Fernando’s voice dropped to a whisper. “I can’t lose him.”
Rowan’s expression softened for the first time. “Then you may lose everything else. The pack. The clan. The world as you know it. The choice is yours, old student.”
Fernando sank back into his chair, head in his hands. “This can’t be real.”
Rowan walked to the door, pausing with his hand on the handle. “It is very real. And it is already beginning.”
He opened the door and stepped out, leaving Fernando alone in the heavy silence of the office.
The weight of Rowan’s words pressed down on him like a physical force.