This is her fate !

EMMA

What did he mean? I wanted to understand, but then I noticed my dad looking distressed.

“Dad, I need to talk,” I said to him. He looked at me, and there was something off about him.

“We need to leave,” he said nervously, and I was shocked by his sudden panic.

“But, Dad—”

“For God’s sake, Emma, let’s go!” he said, his voice filled with panic as he dragged me outside.

An older man, Alpha Elijah’s father, suddenly stood in our way, blocking our path.

“Where are you taking her?” he asked Dad, raising an eyebrow.

“She’s not staying here,” Dad replied, his voice tense. The old man’s face darkened with anger.

“Her destiny lies here, whether you like it or not. We need her to protect ourselves,” he said.

“Dad, what is he talking about? Why do I need to stay here, and how can I protect them?” I asked him, confusion filling my mind, but he didn’t answer.

“Emma, sweetie, you need to stay here to protect your sister,” Elijah’s father said, adding to the mystery.

“Shut up, Carlos,” Dad snapped. “My daughter isn’t going to be a pawn in all this. Violet chose this life, so she has to bear the consequences. But I won’t sacrifice my other daughter for you,” Dad said fiercely.

“If she doesn’t help us, then our entire clan will suffer. We can’t let that happen,” I heard a voice say. Everyone turned to see Alpha Elijah, who now looked even more serious.

“This can’t be happening,” Dad muttered, his grip on me tightening.

“She has to stay here. She can’t escape fate,” Elijah said, and in an instant, I found myself in his arms. His hand was on my neck, his breath warm against my skin. I screamed for Dad, but Elijah only tightened his hold on me.

Why is my fate tied to this pack? This is all too confusing, and Marcel said the same thing.

“Calm down, love. Nothing’s going to happen to you,” Elijah whispered in my ear, his voice reassuring.

“Don’t forget, I used to be an Alpha, and I still have that power. I don’t want to declare war, but if anything happens to my daughter, I won’t hesitate,” Dad threatened.

“Thomas, we don’t want that. But listen carefully,” Carlos interjected. “We only need Emma for one year. After that, she’ll be free. Your daughters will survive this.”

Dad paused, deep in thought, but still, no one would tell me what was really happening.

“And if you don’t agree?” Elijah asked coldly, his eyes hard. “Then both of them will be dead. Can you bear the pain of losing both your daughters?”

“Last time, the girl tried to break the curse. She failed and died. What if Emma fails too?” Dad asked angrily, his voice thick with emotion.

“Don’t worry, we are fully prepared,” Carlos assured him. “I promise, Emma will be alive. Your other daughter, Violet, is now the Luna of the pack, so nothing can harm her.”

Dad looked at me with worried eyes. “I give you my word that I will protect them. This is the promise between Alphas,” Elijah said firmly.

“Then I’ll stay here to protect my daughters,” Dad said with tears welling in his eyes.

“You know the rules, Thomas. Only one Alpha can live in the pack house, and that Alpha is Elijah. Let him manage his pack, and let your daughter fulfill what is written in her fate. Don’t disrespect the Moon Goddess,” Carlos said, and Elijah finally released me from his grasp.

“Dad, what is going on?” I asked, my voice tinged with anxiety.

“Princess, I’ve tried to keep you away from all of this because I knew what was coming. But your sister chose this path, and now you’re forced to be part of it too,” Dad said, his voice cracking with emotion.

“There’s a curse on the Crescent Pack, and only you can break it,” he explained, his face filled with resignation.

“What curse? How can I break it?” I asked, still struggling to make sense of everything.

“It was your mother who cursed us with an eternity of hardship,” Carlos said, his expression turning bitter.

“Violet is my Luna, so she can’t break the curse. Only you can,” Elijah added, crossing his arms over his chest, his tone unreadable.

“But why would my mother curse this pack? And how do you know this?” I asked, confused and hurt.

“Your mother was a disaster,” Carlos spat. “She brought shame to every wolf and mocked the sacred mate bond.”

I was stunned by his words, hurt by how he spoke of my mother.

“Enough, Carlos,” Dad snapped, his voice full of warning. “She doesn’t need to know more. Watch your language when you speak about her mother. My daughters are innocent. They don’t know what happened in the past.”

“Why is everyone hiding the truth from me? Dad, please tell me,” I asked, feeling desperate to understand what was going on.

“The less you know, the better,” Elijah said, and I hadn’t realized when he had moved closer to me. Now, he was standing right in front of me. Before I could react, he injected something into my arm. As darkness started to take over, I glanced at everyone around me. They were all watching me, waiting for me to lose consciousness.

LATER THAT NIGHT

I woke up with a throbbing headache, disoriented. The room I was in was large and opulently decorated with English antiques. As I scanned the room, I saw Elijah sitting in a chair, his gaze fixed on me intently, as if he were searching for something.

“Why did you inject me?” I asked, my hand pressed to my throbbing head.

“It was necessary, sweetheart,” he replied. “I had to make sure you wouldn’t go after your dad. I was protecting you from heartbreak.”

It hit me then—my dad was gone. I jumped out of bed, rushing for the door, but Elijah was faster. Before I knew it, he had me trapped between him and the wall, his body pressing into mine. The closeness made my heart race.

“What are you doing? Stay away from me!” I shouted, pushing against him, but it was no use.

“You’ll be staying here for one year,” he said, his voice low and steady. “I know you’re a vet, so you’ll be helping the other doctors. Everything you need will be taken care of.”

My breath caught in my throat. I took a step back, trying to get away from him, but his presence was overwhelming. “You’re my sister’s mate. I’m not comfortable being this close to you.”

His expression shifted, and he stepped back, running a hand through his hair.

“Look,” he said, his tone suddenly cold, “your mother cursed this pack because we couldn’t bear a child. That means Violet can’t get pregnant until you break the curse. Don’t ask me about the history. Only your dad and I know the details, and neither of us are telling. Just focus on your stay here.”

I could tell from his words that asking more questions would be pointless. He didn’t know any more than I did.

“What do I have to do to get past this?” I asked, feeling overwhelmed.

“You’re eager, aren’t you?” he said with a smirk, eyeing me up and down. “Did anyone ever tell you that you’re hot?” he added, his gaze lingering on my body.

“Stay away from me, and focus on your mate,” I snapped, frustrated with how he was looking at me. But Elijah didn’t listen. He closed the distance between us, and before I could react, his lips were inches from mine. I froze, my heart racing in my chest.

“I’m your alpha now,” he said, his voice low and threatening. “You’re bound to obey me. Don’t think I’m just some human you can push around. I could snap your neck if I wanted to, or I could bend you over and take you right here. No mate could stop me.” His words sent a chill through me, and my stomach fluttered.

“Do you understand, little wolf?” he said, his breath warm against my skin. His smug smirk sent a shiver down my spine.