“Yes,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “If we’re going to stop them, I have to embrace my role as your mate. And we have to tell the world.”

“You are my mate? That’s not possible.”

“Why?” I asked, looking at him confused.

Chapter 12

Orion

Ipaced back and forth in the room, the weight of Luna’s gaze pressing on me. Her green eyes tracked my every move, but I couldn’t bring myself to look at her.

“You are yet to reply to me,” Luna said.

“You can’t, Luna,” I said, finally, my voice hoarse. “You can’t be my mate. You’re a seer. A werewolf has to be my mate, someone of the blood.”

Her face hardened, and I could feel the sting of her disbelief.

“What does that even mean, Orion? Since when does fate care about bloodlines?”

I stopped, turning to face her.

“It’s tradition, Luna. The clan has expectations. They’ve followed these traditions for centuries. It’s not something I can just … break.”

She crossed her arms, her frustration clear. “So, you’re saying that because I’m not a werewolf, I’m not good enough for you?”

“No,” I said quickly, shaking my head. “It’s not about being good enough. It’s about what’s right for the clan. They wouldn’t accept you. You’re a seer, Luna. Your kind is—”

“An outsider?” she interrupted sharply. “You think your clan is going to care more about your so-called traditions than what’s right in front of you?”

I exhaled, running a hand through my hair. “You don’t understand how it works. They won’t see past your abilities. And even if I tried to fight for it, it would tear everything apart.”

Luna took a step closer, her voice lower, but filled with conviction. “What about the prophecy, Orion? The one I found? It said that you and I are fated. We are each other’s mates. You can't deny that."

I clenched my jaw, her words hitting me harder than I wanted to admit. The prophecy had been weighing on me since we found it. But my clan? They wouldn’t accept it. I couldn’t just ignore the years of history, and the responsibilities I had as their alpha.

“You believe in that prophecy more than I do,” I muttered, trying to avoid her piercing gaze.

“You should believe in it," she countered, stepping even closer. "It’s not a coincidence we found it, Orion. It’s not a coincidence that you and I feel this connection. You can’t just dismiss that because you’re afraid of what your clan will say.”

“I’m not dismissing it,” I growled, frustrated with myself as much as with her. “But what do you expect me to do? Go to the clan and tell them that their alpha is breaking every rule because of a prophecy? They’ll revolt.”

Her eyes softened, but she didn’t back down. “So, you’re just going to walk away? Throw all of this away? What about us?”

I sighed heavily, finally meeting her gaze. “I don’t know if the clan can handle this, Luna. I don’t know if I can. Yes, I am the Alpha, but that doesn’t mean I should stir up a revolt I might not be able to handle.”

She reached out, her hand resting on my arm, her touch grounding me in a way that nothing else ever had. “You are the strongest man I know. We’ll face them together. Fate chose us for a reason.”

I stared at her, torn between my duty and the undeniable pull I felt towards her. I wanted to believe her. I wanted to believe that fate wasn’t as cruel as it seemed. But the weight of my responsibilities felt like an iron chain around my neck.

“I just don’t know if it’s that simple,” I said, my voice barely a whisper.

I stared at Luna, her hand still resting on my arm, her eyes searching mine. Slowly, I pulled her into my arms, let myself breathe. Her warmth, her scent—it was like everything else faded away, and for just a moment, it was only us.

She rested her head against my chest, and I could feel her heart beating in time with mine.

“We’ll face it together,” she whispered, her voice soft but unwavering.

I tightened my arms around her, burying my face in her hair. “I hope you’re right.”