Chapter 51 51
EZEQUIEL
I felt a sadness that didn’t belong to me. It hit me out of nowhere, waking me up.
I stepped outside to walk.
At first I had the sensation that I would find everything deserted, but I forgot where I was—night was their time, so solitude at this hour wasn’t possible.
Every space was full of them, of course. It was their territory. But I still wasn’t used to seeing them. To feeling them without my wolf acting up, without every part of my body bristling.
It was impossible not to stay alert, even though they wouldn’t harm me.
They gave me a warm welcome, and the worst of it were just their disdainful looks.
“Little wolf.” I turned to my right when Enzo’s voice brushed my ear. I hadn’t even noticed he was there or when he got that close, despite being on alert. “What are you doing awake? Interested in nightlife?”
“No, I just woke up… a little restless. Could I talk to my father?”
“No. Daddy’s boy can’t talk to his father.”
“That’s not it, it’s just… I’m uneasy.”
“You have been since you got here. It’s the atmosphere.”
“No! It’s different. I feel like something’s wrong.”
“Well, everything’s fine. If something were wrong, they would’ve told me already—at least if it was something you needed to know, right?”
Enzo wasn’t helping at all; he only made my desperation worse.
“Forget it. I’m going back to my room.”
“And stay there until the sun comes up.”
“I’m not a child!”
“No, even children are awake right now, Ezequiel.” He pushed my back, trying to get a rise out of me, but it wasn’t going to work.
I returned to my room to try to rest.
I sensed something was wrong.
I had that feeling.
(…)
EMMANUEL
“I want Lois to have a formal presentation. I want the whole pack, our people, to meet her. It’s time.”
“No.” My father answered through the phone. “She’s not ready.”
“I want Lois to be presented before everyone.”
“No!”
“She won’t stop being an omega! That’s who she is.”
“She’s weak! She’s useless!”
“Useless?! Don’t you dare call her that!”
“Lower your voice. I’m not saying it with contempt, I’m stating the truth. By marking her, by being your mate, by accepting you—by bonding with you—she should have shown more strength by now. Some change. She should’ve been able to sense your power and take some of it. Even that could change her Omega condition. We were hoping it would, until we traveled there and saw her with our own eyes. It will never happen. Lois will never be a good Luna, Emmanuel.”
“That doesn’t matter. Whether she gets my strength or not. She’s my mate! And that won’t change just because she’s weaker than the rest.”
“Do you know why our pack is the strongest, the largest? Our main enemy has always been the vampires, and we have the weapon that can destroy them. It’s been inherited for generations, and in this so-called time of ‘peace,’ a war can break out. Even if it doesn’t affect us now, it could in future generations. You need strong children—this pack, this people deserve more from you and your mate. Lois is not the right one, for many reasons. It’s clear to us the Moon Goddess can make mistakes. We’re searching for another for you.”
“W-What? You can’t do that. I’m not Ezequiel! I won’t give her up!”
“Your wishes don’t come before the good of our people, and you know that.”
“I didn’t ask to be Alpha.”
“You were born with that privilege!”
“I’m not… losing Lois. I won’t lose her! Look for whoever you want, I won’t accept another mate. Start getting used to the idea.”
In my mind, I knew I was defying my father, and it didn’t feel right. But this was about Lois, and she couldn’t be replaced in my life.
I couldn’t.
I ended the call and ran to the director’s office, walking straight in.
“Emmanuel? Is something wrong?”
“There’s an activity Lois is invited to. I’m leaving in half an hour, but I forgot to inform you and Lois. Can I take her out of class?”
“When will you return?”
“The day after tomorrow.”
“She’ll have to make up those classes.”
“Don’t worry.”
He wrote a note and handed it to me. It was Lois’s permission slip.
“Have a good trip.”
“Thank you.”
There was no activity. Not with me, not with Lois. She was in class and I was supposed to be too. But we were leaving.
I was tired of my father imposing his decisions on me, tired of him choosing my life.
But he was not going to choose my mate.
Lois was my mate.