CHAPTER 5- Dilemma

As Morgan sat at the dining table, his father's deep voice cut through the soft clatter of dishes.

"Morgan, listen. It's time for you to settle down. You need to have a Luna who will assist you in your leadership. Besides, your mother and I can't wait any longer to see our grandchildren." His father’s gaze was firm but expectant as if this was something that had been discussed many times before and Morgan’s refusal could no longer be tolerated.

Morgan shifted uncomfortably in his chair, pushing the food around on his plate without really eating. He had heard this conversation too many times, and every time it came up, the pressure mounted. But this time, it felt heavier than he expected.

"We've always told you about this but you have so many excuses, But this time, we won't accept a 'no' answer," Lucas said in finality.

Morgan looked at his father and all he could see was the sincerity of his expression. He shifted his gaze to his mother on the opposite couch.

"Your father is right, Morgan," his mother, Teresa butted in as she leaned forward. "We want you to get married. But of course, it could never be Lilian. Even she is your mate, the fact that she has a cursed bloodline only proves she is not worthy to become your Luna."

The mention of Lilian’s name made Morgan’s chest tighten, a pang of guilt flickering through him. His mother’s words stung, but they weren’t new. He had heard the whispers his entire life. Lilian, whom the Moon Goddess had chosen as his mate, was the daughter of a cursed Omega.

Teresa's voice grew colder as she spoke, her eyes narrowing. "What will happen to the pack if she becomes your Luna? The curse already runs in her blood, and it will spread to anyone connected to her—especially you, our Alpha. We don't want that to happen."

Morgan swallowed hard. He was aware of the curse that Lilian carried in her blood, the reason why everyone avoided her. The same reason, why he refused to embrace the mate bond.

The bond was undeniable, and yet… his pride, his fear of losing everything he had worked for, kept him silent.

"Marry Samantha instead. " Teresa continued and her voice carried a command. "She is the daughter of Beta Maximo of Diamond Pack and she is the best for you. If you two get married, our pack will become more powerful.

Morgan understood what his mother was trying to say. His parents wanted nothing but for the sake of their pack and Samantha was the right one to become his Luna. There was an internal battle between his heart and his mind.

Morgan could feel his heart pounding in his chest. He had known this was coming, but now it felt like the walls were closing in on him. The idea of marrying Samantha—someone who was strong-willed and ambitious but not his mate—made his stomach churn. He had been with her, yes, but it had never felt like it did with Lilian. Samantha was a logical choice, a strategic alliance, but she wasn’t the one who made his heart race. She wasn’t the one the Moon Goddess had chosen for him.

But he could not disobey his parents, he could not fail his pack's expectations of him as their Alpha.

"Mother... Father..." Morgan hesitated. "I understand what you're trying to say, but Lilian is my mate. She was chosen by the Moon Goddess to be my Luna."

His father's face softened momentarily, but his mother remained determined.

"While the mate bond is significant," she declared, her voice laced with urgency, "the pack's future should be taken into account. Choosing her puts everything at stake. Can you envision the pack following a Luna they are afraid of? Do you believe they will support a leader who brings curses upon them?

Her words hit him hard. His mother was a calculating woman, always thinking of the greater picture, and as much as Morgan wanted to argue, he couldn’t deny the truth in her statement. The pack had been through too much. They needed stability, not risk.

"You’ll have to make a choice, Morgan," his father added, his voice calm but firm. "The pack or the mate bond? You can’t have both. I know the Moon Goddess will understand."

Morgan clenched his fists under the table, the weight of his position, his lineage, and his heart all crashing down on him. Could he really choose the pack over the woman the Moon Goddess had fated to be his? Could he marry Samantha and live a life void of the connection he truly craved?

His thoughts drifted back to Lilian—her soft smile, the way her eyes lit up when she was happy, the hurt he saw in them when he had pushed her away. He hated himself for causing her pain, but the weight of the curse, the pressure from his family, and the responsibility to his pack were all chains that bound him.

Morgan sat in silence, unable to answer, knowing that whatever decision he made, someone would end up broken.

Lilian had always been strong, despite the whispers and judgment that surrounded her since childhood. Even after Morgan’s cruel rejection of their mate bond, she held on to a sliver of hope. She believed, perhaps naively, that deep down, Morgan would realize his mistake, see the love they were destined to share, and take back his rejection. After all, the mate bond wasn’t just a fleeting connection—it was the will of the Moon Goddess. How could anyone ignore such a powerful force?

Each day, Lilian carried this fragile hope like a delicate flame. Even when she saw Morgan with Samantha, her heart ached but did not fully break. She told herself that maybe it was a phase, a distraction, that the Alpha would soon understand the true nature of their bond. She still felt the pull every time she was near him, an undeniable force linking her to him. But as time passed, that flame flickered, growing weaker with every dismissive glance from Morgan and every sharp word from his mother, Teresa.

Then, one day, the last ember of that hope was extinguished completely.

Lilian was walking through the courtyard, heading toward her usual tasks, when she heard the click of high heels approaching her from behind. She turned, only to see Samantha striding confidently toward her, a smug smile plastered on her face. Lilian’s stomach churned at the sight of the Beta, knowing that every time she was near, nothing good ever followed.

Samantha’s steps were slow and deliberate, each one radiating superiority. Her perfectly manicured fingers casually brushed her hair behind her shoulders as she approached Lilian, who stood frozen, trying to brace herself for whatever was coming. Samantha stopped just inches away, her smile widening like a predator who had cornered its prey.

"You can stop hoping now, Lilian," Samantha said, her voice dripping with arrogance. "Morgan is never going to choose you."

Lilian’s heart skipped a beat, but she didn’t respond. She clenched her fists at her sides, fighting to maintain composure as she met Samantha’s gaze. There was something in her eyes—something cruel and triumphant.

"He already rejected you because you're unworthy," Samantha continued her words like venom. "A pathetic Omega like you? Did you really think you could become the Luna of the Blue Moon Pack? Someone with your cursed bloodline?" She scoffed, shaking her head as if the very idea amused her. "Please, Lilian. You were never meant for this life."

Lilian felt the weight of the words crash down on her, the truth she had been trying to avoid. It wasn’t just Morgan who rejected her—it was everything she was, everything she represented. In the eyes of the pack, and especially in the eyes of those like Samantha, Lilian was nothing but an outcast.

But Samantha wasn’t finished. Her smile became even more wicked as if she were saving the final blow for last.

"Oh, and one more thing," Samantha said, stepping even closer. Her voice dropped, making the next words even more intimate and more painful. "I’m carrying Morgan’s child—the heir to the Blue Moon Pack."

Lilian’s breath hitched, and her heart shattered into pieces. The world around her seemed to blur as the full weight of Samantha’s words hit her. The woman before her—the one who had been her rival in every possible way—was now carrying the one thing that tied her to Morgan forever. The heir.