Page 64 of My Fated Mate

Thorne narrows his eyes, barely containing his anger.

And why does that look sexy as hell?

Oh lord, what is happening to me?!

"Do you even know what the prophecy is about? Moonstone? " he scoffs at Kain.

What the hell are these two doing? Are they just going to keep going at each other?

Thorne's jaw clenches, and for a moment, I think he might lunge. But he takes a deep breath and forces himself to remain calm.

"There is no Moonstone here," he says firmly. "And even if there was, it wouldn't be any of your concern."

Kain lets out a bark that echoes through the hall. "Don't lie to me, Thorne! We both know the prophecy. The Moonstone is needed to defeat the coming darkness. You can't keep it for yourself."

Prophecy? Darkness? This is all too much to take in.

"This prophecy again?" I step forward. "Are you both kidding me? You want to fight this darkness, yet you're squabbling over some perceived alliance or a prophecy?"

Both Kain and Thorne turn to stare at me, slightly surprised by my interruption.

"This isn't about some petty rivalry," Kain growls. "This is about survival. The prophecy is clear. The Moonstone, along with the combined strength of the packs, is needed to defeat Dark Moon."

"Prophecy?" I echo, throwing my hands up in exasperation. "Is that all you care about? Some cryptic message that may or may not be true?"

A surge of anger bubbles up inside me.

"There's got to be a better way," I continue. "Why don't you join forces? Not just you two, but all the packs—as many as you can find! Together, you might actually stand a chance against this Dark Moon Prophecy."

Silence descends upon the hall once again, broken only by the crackling fire in the hearth. My words hang like a potent challenge.

Thorne and Kain exchange uncertain glances. They return their gazes to me.

Finally, Kain speaks, his voice gruff but less hostile. "You… you might be onto something, Bride."

“She. Is. Not. Your. Bride.” Thorne grits his teeth, unconsciously stepping closer to me.

"Don't be a fool, Thorne," Kain snarls. "You can't claim her as your own. The prophecy…"

"The prophecy be damned!" Thorne roars, cutting him off. "Elowen is not a bargaining chip!"

The room seems to shrink around me, the walls closing in. I’m angry. I’m afraid. But I refuse to be treated like a prize to be claimed.

Before anyone can say anything else, I step forward, pushing past Thorne. All eyes turn to me, surprised.

"Enough!" I yell. "This is ridiculous. You're both acting like children."

Silence descends upon the hall once again. All eyes are glued to me, waiting for my next words.

I take a deep breath, trying to steady my voice.

"Look," I say. "I don't know what this prophecy is about—or this Moonstone. But if it's a threat to everyone, then fighting amongst yourselves is the stupidest thing you can do."

I pause.

"Shouldn't you be working together instead? Forming alliances with as many packs as you can? The stronger your force, the better your chances of winning this thing. I thought we established that already.”

"If you truly want to defeat whoever this Dark Moon is," I continue, "you need all the help you can get. Every pack, every warrior. Stop playing these power games and work together!"

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