Chapter 30

Chapter 30

"Mate..." we both said at the same time, staring at each other in disbelief.

I can hardly believe it. It feels like fate is toying with me. How could it be… that Troy was destined for me by the Moon Goddess? Why does my wolf keep insisting that he is my mate?

“N-No… this can’t be…” I muttered, shaking my head. A cold chill ran through my body as the realization hit me, and questions flooded my mind in rapid succession.

"You're… my mate…" I heard Troy whisper, disbelief is evident in his voice. I know he’s just as shocked as I am. My mind is in turmoil—I can’t even think straight!

“No! No!” I shouted in frustration. I looked at him, seeing the shock on his face as he stared at me with parted lips. The anger that had been simmering inside me flared up, burning through my chest and heart. How could fate do this to me? Why would the Moon Goddess pair me with the man I despise the most? There’s no concrete proof, but ever since that day, Troy and his father have been the main suspects in my parents' deaths!

"Eli…" Troy reached out to touch my arm, but I pulled away, glaring at him with fury as tears streamed down my face, fueled by the anger blossoming in my heart.

"I was such a fool to think you were just a commoner from Tyreese! A complete fool, Troy! You’re a werewolf… like me… no, you’re royalty… like me… you’re an Alpha King… and I’m the princess of my own kingdom… but how? How did you hide your identity? How did you deceive me like this?” My voice trembled with rage. His eyes were soft, but I could see the walls slowly rising as if he was trying to shield his emotions from me.

He’s a werewolf… that’s why I felt a connection the moment we first met, so how did I not sense that he was a werewolf too? My wolf didn’t pick up on it! He smelled like a commoner from Tyreese, so how under the full moon could I have known he was the one destined for me by the Moon Goddess?

"I didn’t… I didn’t deceive you…" Troy’s voice was cautious, each word carefully chosen. But I can’t trust him right now. My mind is clouded, and all I want are answers.

"Just give me a straight answer!" I demanded, my voice filled with anger. He shut his eyes tightly, taking a deep breath before looking at me again. His gaze had turned icy cold. I tried not to let it affect me, but the intensity of his green eyes sent a shiver down my spine.

"The Evans clan possesses a secret power, Eli," Troy revealed. His words made my brows furrow in confusion. "In each generation, only a few are chosen to wield this power. In our generation, Zander and I were the ones chosen," he added. Power... What kind of power is he talking about?

"What power?" I asked, my curiosity piqued. He locked eyes with me, and though his gaze was cold, I couldn’t help but feel a pull toward him. Despite everything I’ve learned about him, I still crave him, and I don’t understand why!

"We have the ability to conceal our wolf's presence whenever we want. Unlike Zander, I can manipulate my presence to appear as a commoner of Tyreese, a witch, or even other creatures," he explained. I was stunned by his words, and suddenly, I recalled a book I once read in a bookstore. If such power exists in a werewolf… is that why I couldn’t sense Zander’s presence either? That’s why Zander’s presence felt like a blank slate, empty when my wolf tried to smell him. But Troy is different. He didn’t feel empty. He smelled like a commoner from Tyreese because he could manipulate his presence. He can deceive my instincts.

“But… why could I feel your presence tonight? Why does my wolf keep insisting that you’re my mate?” I couldn’t stop the questions from spilling out.

"That’s the flaw in our power, Eli. During a full moon, our abilities weaken. The full moon is our wolf’s moon, and we can’t hide under its influence," he explained.

The weight of everything I had just learned overwhelmed me. All the questions I had about him vanished, each one answered. Yet, despite this clarity, my hands trembled, and tears kept falling. Even with everything I now knew, my feelings for him hadn’t changed.

But I hate him! I hate him with every fiber of my being! I can’t accept that he’s my mate! That I fell for him like this! I can’t accept that I loved him without knowing he might be the man responsible for my parents’ deaths!

“Eli… please… listen to me. I never planned for this. I didn’t even know you were my mate! If I had known you were the girl from the prophecy, the one I’ve been searching for, I wouldn’t have let things go on for so long! All I knew was that you were Princess Elisaria Foster of the Urzua Kingdom. I didn’t invite you to stay at my house to dodge your accusations against me and my father. I did it because I was… interested in you! Not because you’re a princess, but because… I’ve liked you from the start!” he pleaded, trying to make me believe his words.

Tears streamed down my face. I wanted to believe him—desperately. But the pain in my heart right now was too great for any explanation to soothe. I needed space. I needed to be alone, far away from him. I wanted to run. I wanted to escape. That had been my goal from the beginning. I had fled the Urzua Kingdom to get away from my brother, from my responsibilities, to forget that I was the Princess of Urzua. But falling in love with the Alpha King of Rema was never part of the plan.

I’m leaving. I’m going far away. I don’t want to be entangled in this world any longer.

"Eli..." Troy reached out to me again, but I stepped back. I wiped away my tears, and though the night was cold and dark under the full moon, my decision was final.

"I want to leave," I said firmly.

"No..." Troy’s jaw tightened in disapproval. But I wasn’t asking for his permission!

"I don’t care whether you like it or not—I don’t want to see you again," I said coldly, turning to leave. But before I could take a step, he grabbed my arm and spun me around to face him. His quick move caught me off guard, and I was stunned when he pressed his lips firmly against mine. The warmth of his kiss spread across my skin, and for a moment, I almost gave in to it. But I held my ground and pushed him away, using my wolf’s power. He was thrown back, clearly not expecting me to use it.

"You know you can’t escape me. We’re mates, Eli!” he shouted. In a flash, he was back on his feet, moving with lightning speed. In an instant, he had his arm around my waist, pulling me against his body. I gritted my teeth, feeling the immense strength of his power. He was much stronger than me, and I felt like a helpless cub in front of him.

"I'm going to reject you—"

"It won’t work unless I accept it, and I’ll die before I let that happen!" he declared, his tone full of finality. The anger that had been simmering inside me flared up even more. I was about to push him away again when suddenly someone yanked me from his grasp. In an instant, the area in front of Troy’s house was filled with armed men. My eyes widened as I realized who was holding me now. My brother... His glare was fixed on Troy, while Urzua’s soldiers surrounded us. John was already positioned behind Troy, ready to protect his king, while my brother’s men closed in.

"Stay away from my sister, Evans," Alpha King Phoenix commanded, his voice firm. But Troy’s expression remained unfazed, even with the Urzua soldiers surrounding him and John.

"Brother..." I whispered, hardly believing he was here now, holding me. My earlier plan to escape was useless—there was no way out now. My brother had caught me.

"You know I can’t do that, Alpha Phoenix," Troy chuckled, unfazed by the situation. My knees went weak as his eyes shifted to me. "But... I’ll let you take her for now, rather than risk her running away again and disappearing," Troy said. Damn it!

"I don’t need your damn permission, Evans!" my brother yelled, yanking me away from Troy. But just before my brother hoisted me onto the horse, I glanced back at Troy and saw him watching me. My heart raced because, for the first time, I heard his thoughts in my head. Our mate bond had activated the mind link.

"I will get you back, Eli, by any means necessary. Remember that," his voice echoed in my mind, making my heart pound so hard I thought it might leap out of my chest.