The following morning, the Luna gathered all the members of the pack to discuss the upcoming feast of the Moon Goddess. She emphasized that everything has to be perfect as the Seers of the Royal Palace will also come. I was assigned to prepare the temple and ensure that all the tools needed will be available during the ceremony.

After the meeting, I saw Ruse near the doorway.

"Ruse!" I called as I approached her. I expected her to come when she spotted me. Instead, she glared at me and walked away.

What's wrong with her? I decided to let it go and just prepare for the upcoming feast. This is a welcome distraction. It can keep me busy and stop me from thinking about my problems.

On my way to the market, I saw Alaric. I wasn't ready to see him. Not today when my heart is still aching. I decided to change my route and avoid him. I entered a narrow alley without realizing that the other end was closed.

I turned around to find another way but now, I am facing Martina. She was blocking the end of the alley.

"Martina"

"Oh, hello there, flirt!" Martina said as she walked towards me.

"What's your problem?" I asked her, thinking how I could pass through her.

"My problem?" I noticed that she was holding a knife in her right hand.

A silver knife.

Oh god! I realized that this wasn't just one of her tantrums. This time, she intended to hurt me.

"You're my problem!" She paused for a moment. "I saw you last night. How dare you seduce Alaric!" She shouted. "Don't you know that you're just an Omega!"

"O-okay, I got you," I told Martina, trying to ease the situation. "Why don't we talk nicely, you know, without the knife?"

"No!" Martina is now just a meter away from me. I looked around, trying to locate a means of escape.

"Today, I shall end your pathetic life." She raised the knife to stab me. I was in total panic that all I could do was wait for the knife to pierce my heart. When I opened my eyes though, all I saw was Alaric, holding the blade of the knife with his bleeding hands.

My heart also bled for him. I really couldn't unlove him. It's impossible.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

"Oh, Alaric! I am so sorry" Martina started to explain. "I didn't know..." The knife dropped to the ground.

"Shut. It." Alaric said in a menacing voice. His eyes had turned yellow. His wolf must have taken over.

He might kill her if I didn't do anything.

Martina fell silent. She was trembling in fear. She stepped back but Alaric grabbed her neck and started strangling her single-handedly. She tried to release herself from his grip. She cried as she begged him. But her words seemed to fall on deaf ears. I had no choice.

I hugged Alaric from behind.

"Alaric! Please stop!" I begged him. "Please..."

For a moment, I thought I wasn't getting through to him until he loosened his grip on her neck. Martina fell to her knees. Still shaking, she struggled to get up and hurriedly ran off.

Alaric faced me. He inspected my face and my body, searching for any sign of wounds.

"I'm okay," I told Alaric.

"I am not!" he replied. He pulled me into an embrace. Some of his blood was smeared into my clothes.

We both fell into silence just as he continued hugging me. He smelled my hair as if memorizing my scent.

"Don't do this again," he said minutes later. "Don't put yourself in danger just to avoid me."

"I wasn't avoiding you!" I said, defensively.

"Really?"

"Let's see the healer first. You are injured." I told him.

"No, let us talk about this first," he insisted.

"I... I wasn't just ready to face you." I removed myself from his embrace and he reluctantly released me.

"I just felt like you insulted me," I said finally.

"Is it because of the kiss?" He asked, anxiously. "Didn't you like it?"

"It's not important what I felt about the kiss, what matters is that you have a mate out there waiting for you to fulfill your destiny!"

Alaric's worried expression changed. Suddenly, he seemed like he just made a realization.

"I see..." he said as if he knew something I didn't. It made me want to smack his face.

"You see?"

Suddenly, he grabbed my shoulders and whispered to my ears.

"You're jealous," he said proudly.

"What? No way!"

"Yes way!" he countered. "You like me," he said with finality in his voice.

"How would you know?" I argued. "You are not me!"

"Oh, I know, because I feel the same about you"

We both fell silent. It took me a whole minute to realize that he just made a confession.

"You like me?" I finally asked.

"No." It made my heart stop. "I love you."

"You're the destined demon," I told him.

He paused for a moment before finally answering me.

"I might not be..." he said, unsure of his statement.

"What do you mean?" I asked curiously.

"I wasn't the only demon born on that day."