The Prophecy

Chapter 5

I watched as Liam closed the door behind him, carrying Isabella with ease. I smiled at the two of them, glad to know my sister found someone who cared for her so deeply. After all the hardships we have faced in our lifetime, I felt at ease knowing that she would have a bright and comfortable future. I turned to Ace, noticing that he had risen from the sitting area and now sat behind the large desk.

Ace. What a perfect name for such a perfect looking man. Seeing Izzy and Liam together, makes me hopeful that I may get something just as special as that. I let a smile grace my lips and step in front of his desk.

"So..." I started. "About earlier, before everything happened, you said-"

"I know what I said." Ace interrupted.

"Oh." My smile faltered a bit at his tone, but I ignored the doubt that was rising. "And?" I questioned.

"And nothing. We're mates. Makes no difference to me. We already have a Luna in line, so there's no need for you to be around." He explained with a clipped tone.

The doubt in my chest consumed me, but was soon replaced with pain when I registered that he already has a Luna. My whole life, I never assumed I would have a mate, like my sister would, I was always told I would get to choose my own partner in the human world. In that slight moment of time before Izzy shifted, I was overjoyed that I found someone who was destined to love me, but it seems like I'm about to be rejected.

"Oh, I understand." I spoke softly, not letting my emotions show through. I gave him a tight smile and nodded. "Do you mind if I stay the night? I don't trust the roads this early in the morning."

Ace looked at me for a moment, with a look I couldn't read, maybe he was trying to see if I was going to break in front of him. I wouldn't show him that he affected me, I learned long ago to keep my emotions to myself. Once he was done staring, he sighed and nodded.

"Very well, follow me." He stood up and motioned for me to follow him out of the office.

Though my heart was aching with the thought of him rejecting me, I did truly understand sacrifice. I didn't doubt for a minute that his wolf was going crazy in his mind, wanting to claim me, but his pack needed a Luna. He couldn't wait for his mate forever, most found their mate by the time they were eighteen, but looking at Ace, he must be older than I was.

As he lead me down the hall, I observed the back of his body. He was tall, at least a head taller than myself. He definitely held the aura of an Alpha, walking with confidence and had large muscles that could easily crush someone. Letting my eyes linger a little further down, I took a look at his beautiful ass that I had the urge to pinch.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Ace spoke when he caught me staring.

My eyes quickly moved back to the middle of his back as my cheeks heated up in embarrassment. I mumbled an apology and followed him up the stairs to the third floor. We stopped in front of one of the dozen doors down the hall and Ace opened it.

"Your sister is two doors down," He pointed to his right. "Just ask her if you need anything. She's been here enough to know where things are." With that he turned away and walked back the way we came.

Sighing, I walked into the room and noticed that it was quite plain. Only a bed and nightstand filled the room, but I noticed one opened door led to a bathroom and another to, what I assumed, was a closet.

Feeling completely drained from the long night, I went to the washroom and freshened up before climbing into the bed. It was extremely soft and way too big for one person, but it would do.

As I relaxed into the bed, letting my emotions consume me and releasing out a quiet sob. Tears streamed down my face as I recalled the distant look in Ace's eyes as he explained he already had a Luna. I didn't think it would hurt this much to not be accepted, but it felt like a thousand little knives were stabbing my chest. That's when I remembered what my Mother had said to me on my sixteenth birthday.

Flashback

After cutting the cake with my twin, my mother pulled me aside into her study while Izzy and Ms. Rosemary continued to enjoy their cake.

"Sit, honey." My Mother spoke as she took a seat behind her desk and I sat across from her.

My Mother and I had never been close, even though we were both witches, we never bonded over that. We both had our own responsibilities, while I had been focusing solely on Isabella's future and being at my strongest to defend us against anything. My Mother, however, was not around very often. She often stayed with her coven so her magic would always be at it's strongest, that left very little time for her children. Only seeing us a handful of times a year.

"What's up, Mom?" I asked, plopping down in front of her.

"Well, sweetie, I wanted to talk to you about mates." She spoke. I nodded for her to continue, not sure where this was going.

"The chances of Isabella having a mate is very high, but she won't find her mate until it is the right time in the Goddess's eyes. I'm not here to talk about that though. I wanted to explain to you what having a mate as a witch means." She explained.

"What do you mean? I thought because I'm a witch, I wouldn't have a mate." I asked, more confused now than before.

"We don't know that for sure. Look at me, I was mated to a werewolf." She sighed as I gave her a sad smile with a knowing look. We both knew that didn't work out. "Again, not what I want to talk about. There's a chance you may have a mate and if you do, I have some warnings to give to you."

I nodded again and waited for her to continue.

"Witches and werewolves don't usually mix, they only do for a great purpose, like you and your sister's prophecy. If werewolves and witches mate, there's a chance they could have hybrids and that puts a lot of other species at risk so the Moon Goddess decided to put a curse on mated witches to satisfy the complaints from other species." She paused and gave me a sad smile. "If a werewolf mate rejects their witch mate, the witch will die within a week of the rejection. However, if the witch rejects the wolf, the wolf will take it as if they were rejected normally. I'm so sorry sweetie. I hope, for your sake, that you won't be mated to a wolf, there is such a stigma around mixed species mates and the chances of things working out are not in our favour."

I sat their stunned, trying to absorbed all the information. I could die if my mate rejects me? That's ridiculous! How could the Goddess do this to her children? Well I guess I'm not one of her children...

I shook my head and excused myself, not wanting to continue to celebrate with my sister.

I closed my eyes at the memory as more tears rolled down my cheeks. I could die if Ace fully rejects me, but he hasn't yet. I still have time. I could talk to him tomorrow and possibly explain the situation, maybe he'll give us a chance.

With that last thought, I drifted off to sleep with hope and determination that I could convince Ace to give us a shot.