Chapter 27: Love or Duty. Lucas POV

I ran out of her door like I was being chased by the devil. The coolness of the night air did little to quench the fire burning in my chest, so I breathed in harsh breaths.

"That's her. Your fated mate."

The words of the Moon Goddess reverberated in my head, relentless and uncompromising.

How could this have happened? How could the individual I was meant to get rid of also end up being my partner?

I leaned hard against my room and banged the door. My heart pounded as if it were trying to break out of my rib cage.

In the dim light, the artifact sat on the table like a threatening apparition. I clenched and unclenched my hands as I gazed at it. I had come to her, to this pack, because of it.

Anna.

The name itself seemed different now, full of an energy that I was unable to ignore.

I grabbed the edge of the table and sank into the nearest chair. Conflicting thoughts raced through my mind, each one more chaotic than the last.

I tried to explain it. The link between fated partners was stronger than reason and deeper than blood. I had heard tales of how the bond might change a wolf's life, turning the lost into the strong and the weak into the found.

But I was unprepared for this, not by any story.

I had been taught by the elders to trust in the relic's direction and the prophecy. I was meant to be the pack's protector and the hand of justice. Now, however, every instinct cried out for me to protect Anna instead.

If the leaders knew, what would they say?

I shook my head, feeling oppressed by their requests. They may have anticipated this and thought I could overcome it, or they may not have.

I noticed the weak pulse of the relic.

The cool surface felt smooth under my hands as I reached for it. It seemed like a curse today, but it had always felt like a tool of special purpose.

"You brought me here," I mumbled in a raspy voice. "You warned me that she posed a threat."

The relic did not glow, and it stayed silent.

I spoke more loudly, my voice shaking with confidence. "But she's not a threat. She's..." It was too difficult for me to say out loud.

It was impossible to fight the bond's pull as it whirled in my chest. Torn between the link it wanted and the obligation I had learned, my wolf let out a low howl.

Hours went by, but I hardly noticed. As the moonlight faded and the faint glow of dawn took its place, the room grew darker.

I had stayed in the chair, my mind alternating between perplexity, rage, and guilt.

Now, what was I meant to do?

I was trusted by my pack. Oliver's pack had faith in me. I would be betraying them all if I abandoned the goal.

However, if I hurt her...

The quiet was broken by the sharp sound of my fist hitting the table.

The artifact shook but did not budge, its cold surface mocking me.

I forced myself to get up as the first rays of sunlight streamed through the window.

The weight of doubt pulled down my limbs. I hit my face with cold water, hoping for a wake-up call.

Instead, it simply brought to mind the picture of her face, with tears running down her cheeks and those troubled eyes.

"Didn't she sense something that night?"

My chest tightened at the thought.

Anna's perspective

Warm, soft morning light filtered through my room's drapes. However, it didn't help lessen the uneasiness that gnawed at me.

There was a peculiar warmth coming from deep within me, and something felt strange. It wasn't entirely physical. It was... strange, different.

I attributed it to the ongoing dispute with Lucas. I had been on edge since he had been avoiding me since our last fight.

I turned over and looked up at the sky. Beside me, Maia stirred, her gentle snores offering a little comfort in the quiet.

Putting my discomfort aside, I quickly got ready and went outside. In stark contrast to my inner turmoil, the pack was already buzzing with activity, the usual rhythm of life carrying on.

My thoughts drifted as I washed the main hall's steps.

Lucas. Even he had been acting strangely recently. Was he still worried about telling Oliver about me?

I tried to focus on the task at hand, shaking my head.

Lucas's perspective

That morning, I stayed away from the pack grounds. Every angle seemed suspect, every corner suffocating.

But despite my best efforts, I couldn't get her out of my head.

I walked toward the training fields, hoping the comforting pattern would distract me. However, I could still see her there—her image ingrained in my mind like a brand.

With an exciting hiss, the blade of my sword sliced through the air as I swung it harder than necessary.

But it was insufficient. Unrelenting and ruthless, the bond pulled at me.

I completely gave up by noon.

I tried to eat when I got back to my rooms, but the food turned to ash in my mouth.

I couldn't escape her, mentally or physically. Everywhere I looked, the bond served as a constant reminder of the choice I didn’t want to make.

"What made the Moon Goddess so ruthless?"

The artifact drew my attention once more, its lifeless exterior a sharp contrast to the frenzied feelings fighting inside me.

I snatched it in my rage and threw it across the room. With a sharp crack, it hit the wall and fell in fragments to the floor.

The final, merciless sound echoed in the quiet.

My chest heaved as I stood there, looking at the broken artifact.

I couldn't tell if the dim glow coming from the relic's fragments was a warning or a curse. However, the damage had already been done.