Chapter 4 A Wolf's Bittersweet Choice

"This can't be happening!" Alpha Jasper barks at his son, Cameron. Cameron quickly pulls himself out of the hug, glaring oddly at Sera."Get away from me, infidel. I'll reject you!" Cameron reacts, as others ponder. Mane whispers into Sera's ears, "Let him reject you. I want you." But Sera brushes his lips away from her ears."Do you want to reject Sera Moonshade as your mate? I stand in the position of a Beta to say this." Mane declares. Everyone directs their attention to him.

Alpha Jasper shrugs, instinctively telling Cameron to reject.Mane looks at Sera, then at Cameron, at Jasper, then at anyone else, every now and then."Your choice, what's your choice!" Alpha Regulus screams."You're not involved in this." Mane states, eliciting a smile from Sera."Alright, I can take my leave." He retorts, and he's allowed out of the haven. No one calls him back. Logan glares at Sera and shakes his head."Stupid man." Sera whispers silently to him before he disappears from sight.Cameron sniffles before he begins his speech, "I know our pack houses are not at peace with each other. The moon goddess has done this to...""Don't tell me - to unite us?" Jasper rebukes as Ralph chuckles softly, "I never wanted you in our lives.""Let's not start this!" Sera silences them. "I wanna go somewhere; I'll be back. Give me feedback.""You're not allowed to go anywhere, Miss Sera." The lady vampire blocks her way, smirking.Mane sharply drags the lady vampire aside as Sera dashes out of the haven. She returns in a jiffy, whispering, "I'm not running from this; I'll be back."Then she speeds away faster than ever before, eluding Mane's attempts to catch up. She slips into one of the unused rooms in a restaurant opposite the Moonlit Haven.There, a greater being manifests through the walls. She gasps but stays in the same corner, convinced it's someone she is related to."It's me. Don't be scared. Sera, I'm stuck here. Please help me." The ghost pleads."How come I can see you?" Sera boldly asks, still shivering."Because only you can help me." He whispers in return. She didn't think he would reply, which makes her heart thump faster.Sera sighs, "Alright, but you have to help me first.""What's it, my lady? I'll do anything to get out of here." The stranger replies."Help me ask the moon goddess who really is my mate." Sera whispers. "I don't want to choose a mate based on my wish only, because I'm going to be great.""Sera Moonshade, you've been mated to your enemy pack! Someone so different from you." He screams, vanishing out of sight as though he's being sent back to hell.Sera shudders, finding her way out of the room and back to the haven. As she walks out of the restaurant, the manager beckons to her."I-I'm Sera." She answers an unasked question."Go."She hurries back to the haven and is surprised to see Alpha Ralph and Alpha Jasper signing some documents and offering themselves handshakes and side hugs."What's happening here?" Sera suddenly asks. Everyone's attention is diverted to where she is."Come up here, Sera Moonshade." Ralph beckons, winking at her. She confidently walks up to him, scanning the haven since she notices someone's absence."Where's Mane?""He ran away from here in a sad mood." Jasper retorts. "Don't worry, we'll find him."Cameron smiles as she approaches him, but instead, she rolls her eyes."I have to look for Mane, please." She says, surprising everyone."He saved me. I need him. He can't be out there alone; he would someday be torn apart by vampires." She grumbles, remembering what happened to her mom and dad."My pack will do that work." Ralph moves towards her, patting her shoulders."Just follow Cameron and Jasper to their pack." Ralph says. "The moon goddess appeared to us while you were away and settled our midst. Since you're from our pack and have to be given to his son, we had to sign a peace treaty."Sera sinks into her thoughts – could it have been the moon goddess who has appeared to her twice now?"It looks more like a ghost." Her wolf corrects. A single tap from Ralph brings her back."I never imagined that you could be this vulnerable. You and a pack house have conflict issues, and yet you resolved it because I'm mated to his son? It definitely must have been a little issue." Sera rebukes."It's not, Sera." Ralph retorts. "Mane is even angry for two reasons - first, you were given to his enemy pack, and second, you didn't come for him when he had started having feelings for you."Sera chuckles slightly, "feelings?"Alpha Ralph nods his head while others keep discussing silently - silent and incoherent voices."I like it that way. But can you give me a few details about what happened between both of you?" Sera questions."It's not a matter to discuss in a few minutes.""I asked for a few details, not the full story.""Okay. We fought and killed one another.""What led to the fight?""We're returning to the pack, Sera." Cameron breaks the silent conversation."Oh... okay." Sera says and pulls Ralph in for a hug. "I'll love to see you again. When you see Mane, let me know.""And if you have any weird experiences with what's not a wolf or vampire, let me know." Ralph replies."Would I come to your pack to say that, or send you a mail?" She chuckles"Mind link." Ralph whispers and leaves the haven as Sera is left with Jasper and Cameron along with their security guards."Cameron has accepted you to be his mate, and you'll be the upcoming Luna for the Crescent Ember Pack!" Jasper joyfully says as Sera forces a smile."Can your pack do me a favor?" Sera asks."Sure, sure.""Help me find Mane."Silence."Let's go to the pack; we'll do that." Cameron quietly affirms. He leads the way, and Sera follows them in."I would like to discuss with my new mate." Cameron tells Jasper inside the official room now."Sera, come up here, please." He requests.As they open the door of the room, they bump into Mane and Freya."Nice try." Cameron smirks."Mane for my mate, and Freya for another's companion." He analyzes."I'm not here to debate a point. Just allow me with my mate." Mane fervently requests as Sera lays her head on Cameron's shoulders."Sera, what did I caution you about this pack?" Mane asks again, his voice fracturing."Oh, cry baby, don't shed a tear." Cameron mocks."I assumed you were cognizant that we've already entered into a peace treaty." Sera articulates."Peace treaty? Who, when?" Mane is perplexed."Cameron, grant me a minute. Let me converse with Mane." Sera says and departs with Mane.There's a clamorous but indistinct altercation between Cameron and Freya as Sera exits."Mane, what are you doing? Did you save me just to claim me?" Sera questions, aiming for a cold-hearted tone."Sera, I explicitly told you not to come to the battlefield, yet you chose to defy my words. I told you not...""...to come to the party." Sera interjects.She sighs, "I'm well aware. And I apologize for disobeying you, but it's for my own well-being. You can plead with your true mate since you rejected her a month ago. Just go back to her. I've already found my mate.""Do you have feelings for him?" Mane asks, gazing into her eyes. Sera avoids eye contact, trying to suppress her emotions and avoid making a hasty decision."Not really, but I certainly will." She admits."Can you foresee the future?""Yes!" Sera affirms. "I can see that I'll be fine!""Damn!" Mane exclaims with a breaking voice. "You belong to our pack house, Sera. Why this sudden switch?""I was only in your pack house for a few weeks. It's been less than half a year or a year. This is my mate. Mane, do you not understand? I know it's hard to let go, and I appreciate your help. I'll repay you, but not by being your mate.""You've made your choice clear. Fine. You've taken the path you want to take. I don't want any favor from you if you're going to be his mate. I'll take the actions I prefer as well." He declares and, without looking back, runs out of the pack house.A single tear streams down Sera's cheek as she watches him go. She turns around and accidentally collides with a solid object-it's Cameron's chest. He wipes away the tear and guides her to the field."What happened to Freya?" She plainly asks."I should be asking what happened to Mane.""Tell me first, what happened to Freya?" She asks, feeling an odd rush past her immediately, something resembling a warning. She smirks, concluding that it must be from Mane."I had to lock her up since she couldn't control herself." Cameron says."That's ruthless, though." Sera comments.Cameron smirks, "as ruthless as leaving Mane.""I think we both should stop being ruthless and go back to the ones we love." Sera insists."I'll mark you as my mate in a few days. Do you understand how effective the mark is, the mate bond? It makes love even stronger.""Ugh, fine then.""The Alpha has made preparations for our wedding ceremony.""That quick?" Sera chuckles softly."The Alpha should have stepped down by now. I'm next in line to be the Alpha. I don't want any unwarranted complications, so we have to move as quickly as possible.""Unwarranted complications?" Sera asks."You'll understand better later." He says, and he walks away."Hey, come here." Sera runs to meet him and blocks his way, holding his hands."When exactly are we getting mated?" She feigns a lighter, more feminine voice."In the next two days." Cameron affirms. Sera looks back suddenly and spots the red eyes of an angry wolf. It disappears in an instant, leaving Sera in shock."Did something bad happen?" Cameron asks, intensifying her panic. Is this Logan? Can they not rephrase the question?"Nope." She says, walking away."You will stay indoors until the day of our wedding to ensure a better security method, okay?" Cameron snaps, and Sera walks into the room. Cameron follows her and locks the door.| MANE |As soon as he storms out of the pack house, he has a rethink. Should he return to his pack? No, he'd be furious with them for signing a peace treaty with their enemy pack without informing him. Instead, he darts into the forest, where rogues emerge.He fights the rogue he can and escapes from the others. He runs deeper into the forest until an overwhelming presence stops him suddenly.It is his first time coming into close contact with different beings - demons, vampires, wild wolves, and an ethereal being. With no effort, they draw him toward themselves, and he lands on the ground with a loud thud."You should know you're dead. But you have an option." The vampire snarls, instructing him."We'll inject you with demon blood, and that's the only way to break the chains at the gate of a strong pack house." The vampire continues."We need you for our work.""Where exactly?" Mane struggles to say, tension about to end his life."Spend a day with us, and we'll explain everything to you." The vampire orders.| BACK AT CRESCENT EMBER PACK - A DAY AFTER |Mane walks suspiciously around Crescent Ember Pack as he has been injected with demon blood, and each of his moves is being noticed by them. The guards at the pack grab him immediately and lead him into the pack house. It's almost 11 PM, the night that precedes the Alpha's son's wedding.According to the Alpha's orders, they take him to the Pack Cell and lock him with chains too strong for a wolf to break.