Chasing Moon

27

Marelynn let out a huge gasp.

"I knew it, I knew we were mates!" she cried as she plastered on a huge smile on her face, her eyes glassy as they filled with tears.

The crowd rejoiced as they failed to notice Markus' lack of enthusiasm.

Markus was not saddened. In fact, he was extremely relieved that Marelynn was not his mate.

But how could he continue with the engagement when he knew that his mate was out there, waiting to be found? And if he was not wrong, his mate was somewhere close, for his heart was racing with every second, and his skin felt like electric sparks were dancing on it.

Marilynn's arms coiled around Markus' neck and she pulled him close to her, tiptoeing such that her mouth could be placed next to his ears.

"Won't you at least pretend to be happy? My uncle wouldn't be pleased to see this," she whispered quickly as her grip around his neck tightened. Markus grabbed her waist in response and forced a smile.

As they continued with their embrace like how newfound mated couples would, Markus glanced down at the crowd that had gathered beneath their feet.

His eyes caught a lady dressed in a blue dress.

Crystella.

With no logical reason, his heart palpitated harder at the sight of her. How her shoulders, collarbones and the slightest hint of her chest was being exposed under the moonlight. Her pale skin shone radiantly and suddenly, all he could see was her as his inner wolf grew within him, becoming stronger under the presence of the moon.

He knew exactly what this meant, and he couldn't believe how the fates had allowed this to happen.

The girl that he solemnly vowed to get back on was his mate.

Marelynn would not like this the least bit. Neither would his foster mother M—

"Markus," Marelynn hissed as she tugged his hand. He realised that the entire crowd was watching him.

Watching him staring at Crystella.

And just when he looked away to give the crowd another big smile, the sole heir to Craw looked up and their eyes caught one another for the slightest second.

"Now that we know that Markus is my mate, we shall not hesitate to start with the engagement ceremony!" Marelynn announced, sugar dripping off every word she spoke.

A man walked up to them carrying a tray, in which a silver blade is laid on the velvet cloth. Marelynn took the pearl handled blade and raised it to the air.

"This will be the silver blade that we unite us one and for all. Under the eyes of the Moon Goddess, we will take an oath that will serve as an unbreakable bond between the two of us."

She pressed the blade into her palm and winced. It was made of silver after all, and it would take months to completely heal. Even after that, a light scar will still remain from then.

As blood pooled at her palm, Marelynn passed the blade to Markus with her other hand.

He took it.

It was moments like this that he hated, having more than one choices in doing things and not knowing which the right choice was.

He looked back to the crowd.

His mate was already leaving the crowd with a male that he had never seen before.

He clenched his fist.

He knew he shouldn't be having these feelings, but the wolf in him was getting stronger with the moon hanging so low on the night sky, it was more difficult for him to control the beast within.

And all it wanted now was to feel their mate against their body in an embrace.

It—no—he needed to tell her who he was to her and who she was to him.

"Markus," a voice beside him hissed.

He snapped out of his trance.

What the hell was happening to him? Did he just lose himself to his wolf?

"The blade," Marelynn continued to urge, her voice dripping with menace. The crowd had started to take notice of the pregnant silence and the hesitation that Markus was showing.

No, hesitation was not the right word. Markus had long known he would not be able to press the blade into his palm.

And right then, the only choice that seemed right to make was to renounce the engagement offered and to tell the entire pack that everything they had just seen since midnight was a lie.

Slowly, he dropped his hands.

There, he did it.

He had finally made a decision solely for himself.

And it was then did Marelynn dropped onto the ground beside him, sending chaos among the crowd.

// i think i'm starting to forget the story sequence myself