Chapter 5

Serenity’s POV

Anthony was dead. That was what my mother had to say. She had explained that losing a mate brought immense pain and untold torture. But I had felt nothing when she mentioned his death. When I thought of Anthony, I was indifferent about his death. If Anthony was my bond mate, then the goddess did me a favour by making sure I didn’t end up with him.

The only thought of loss I had was the fear that I’d never connect with someone on an emotional level. That saddened me because I had always wanted my first mate to be my last. Wolf folklore has it that a second mate is never like the first. It’s like the superlative of good, better, best.

Unfortunately, it will be conferred on my brother to provide me with a mate. Since my initial bond mate was gone.

My mood was soiled that night. Everyone left me to rest. I found myself in bed the whole next day as I mourned the loss of true love. My mum came to check on me a few times and I would always give her that assuring smile which says I’m okay.

But she knew I wasn’t. 

Except that the excruciating pain I felt last night had not returned.

But when dusk fell, the pain returned twice excruciating. Something was wrong with me. This wasn’t because of Anthony. This time, instead of yelling, I muffled my cries by shoving my head underneath one of my numerous pillows. I need not raise alarms. Thankfully, the pain only lasted one hour thereabout and I found myself exhausted from my tears.

The next morning, my mother came to check in on me again. I knew she would be worried sick if I had not gotten out of bed. So this morning, I got in the shower before anybody else and put on a different dress to help my mood. I needed to make her believe I was fine as usual. I even grabbed a book by my headboard and began to read.

“My darling daughter, I have news for you.” Mother’s voice started echoing right from outside my door.

“Good morning Mother,” I responded as soon as she got in.

Her response was a warm kiss on my forehead.

“How are you feeling”

“Never been better.” I had a smug smile on my face.

“Guess what?”

“Oh yeah, the news. Shoot.”

“Your brother announced last night at dinner that he will be taking Lottie as his Luna at tomorrow’s ceremony.” As soon as she drops the memo, my heart drops. I feel a sense of anguish washing over me. Perhaps it is because I will be mateless. I already am.

“What happens to me, mum? Do I stand a chance to get a second mate?”

“I have spoken to your brother about this and he believes you should skip the ceremony altogether.”

“But why?” I asked confused. Why would he do that? I’ve been looking forward to tomorrow. That will be my first adult event. I wasn’t going to miss it for anything.

“I don’t know the details. I only know he doesn’t want you getting hurt or having to make do with someone you don’t want now that your bond mate is gone.”

Okay enough. That’s about what Brady will say, but that won’t stop me from going anywhere.

I thought within me.

Not wanting to put my mother in a fix, I let it slide and did not tell my mother that I would not cave into his demands. I’d just show up and there is not a damn thing he can do to stop me then. Plus there was the fact that it would be my birthday and it’d be unreasonable to spend it alone while everyone parties without me.

Deciding to stay in my room once again, not wanting to bump into my brother and get into it with him before the ceremony, I began to prepare myself against tomorrow, by doing my manicure and pedicure. The thought of being given a second chance mate sounded inviting. It’d be bad for me if I had no mate. That’d mean to stay under my brother’s roof till he found me, someone. And I’m sure he was going to find me someone like himself. Terrific!

There was always the probability I could find my soulmate at the ceremony. Someone that I truly could connect with. So I’d take my chances of flaunting his orders. I can’t stay in this house for 1 more year. Being treated like a pup and that’s exactly what he would do with Lottie as his Luna. He loved a woman he could control.

For some reason, when I think about him with Lottie, I feel nauseated and my wolf that had sprung up a little has been quiet for the last two days now. I wonder if she is in worse pain than I am. I just hope tomorrow compensates for our loss of a mate. I also hope I shift fully this time around.

Once again that night the pain came back like it never left. I knew whatever caused this, had nothing to do with Anthony. I began to wonder if Anthony was ever my mate. I know that my mum thought so. But I’m starting to believe differently. I reminisce about the night of the party; trying to recall if there were any other male wolves that I had spoken to or as much as brushed a hand against them. But there was only one other male and that was Brady.

There is no possible way I could be mates with Brady since he was my brother. 

One thing I was sure of was pigs had not started to fly. That’d be the only sign we are mates. On the other hand, since I needed to find out, I will be going to that ceremony in grand style. I knew exactly what to do. It’s either two choices - my mate finds me or I find him if I want this continuous pain to cease within me. This pain could kill my wolf whom I had not properly met. That’s never going to happen.