Chapter 4

DONOVAN

I walk into the dining where my father and mother are both seated, already digging into their food. The sweet aroma of the plentiful foods on the table causes my stomach to grumble in hunger.

My mother lifts her eyes to see me as I approached the table and a smile stretch across her beautiful face.

"Donovan." She mentions and my father looks at me too, mimicking my mother's smile. My parents are the perfect alpha-luna pair. It is one rare sight to see my father without mother. They are what you would call...the inseparable duo.

"Hello, father. Hello, mother." I reflex their smile and draw a seat on the table. The right hand guards of my parents give me a curt nod as I did.

"Having such a good time with your friends to forget dinner with your loving parents?" My father said as he resumed eating and I chuckle lightly.

If only he knew I was busy trying to keep a wounded girlfriend at bay.

"I wouldn't dare."

"Here." My mother adds more meat to my dish. "Have so more. Farley made them so delicious. You should enjoy them."

I smile and nod in gratitude before trying the meat. My tongue marvels at the deliciousness of the meat and what kind of seasoning Farley always used to make her dish stand out.

"Like it?" Mother analyses my face and I nod again with a thumbs-up.

"It is perfect, mother."

We resume eating in silence again, with my parents helping each other with some dish and laughing and the dinner.

I smile inwardly to myself. My parents are perfect for each other. Their love is one I have never seen before and even the entire park knew about this. They are the best mates the moon goddess has ever chosen.

"How is the preparation for your birthday, son?" My father finally focuses his attention to me again and I looked up from my meal briefly and give a small shrug of my shoulders.

"Nothing much. It's still a few months away."

"Of course, it is a few months away." My father replies. "But this is not like your usual birthdays. This is your twentieth birthday. The age you would become my successor."

I almost sigh as he spoke. I remember how I used to be so excited with the idea of being an alpha and the next Lycan King. That was before the moon goddess decided to deprive me of a mate, eventually mating me with someone I never had the thought of ending up with in my wildest imaginations.

"I know, father. I will make sure everything goes well as planned." I surrender and say.

"And the girl?" My mother finally brings up the topic I have been avoiding ever since the new moon night. "What do you plan on doing with the girl you are mated to? I know you, Donovan. And I know you are not happy with the way things turned out."

Not being happy is a broad term to classify how I feel. Being confused is the right word.

"I don't know yet, mother."

"Donovan," my father calls and I lift my head to look at him again, staring for the millionth time at his greying hairs and sharp nose and jaws that bore the exact replica of me. Looking at my older version reminds me that time never waits for anyone. Especially not for me to think thoroughly about Alexis and what I plan to do with her.

"Do you plan on rejecting your mate?" His question makes me to lose my appetite instantly and I slow my eating pace.

How can I reject someone I feel an attraction for, all thanks to this mate bond the moon goddess decided to punish me with.

"I don't know, father." I reply.

"Do you want to keep her then?"

"No."

"Then, you could reject her if you want to. No one would hold you accountable."

I almost scoff at his words. "Come on, father. It is not as easy as you think."

"Why?" He has a frown on his forehead now.

"Because of the bond, father."

His frown deepens as he stares intently at me.

"What bond?"

It is so frustrating how they are making me repeat the exact thing every werewolf knew but I answer them anyway.

"The mate bond."

My mother chuckles as if finding what I had just said ridiculous.

"Son, there is nothing as a mate bond. Not anymore."

I shift my gaze to her and it is my turn to frown now. What are they saying?

"There used to be a mate bond. That was until that last new moon festival before this one. The moon goddess decided to give everyone the freedom to easily accept or reject their mates."

My mother feeds me the details and I listen with my heart beating loudly against my chest.

"On the new moon night, you will be able to find your mate. The feeling will be real. But after that, you are back to your normal feeling towards that person and then you get to choose if you want them or not."

I try to open my mouth and say something. Anything. But no word comes out and I only stare at my parents, dumbstruck.

It wasn't the mate bond feelings I felt towards Alexis. Was it real feelings I have for her then?