The Alpha's Fated Outcast: Rise Of The Moonsinger. - Chapter 251

Chapter 251: The night that changed everything I
Neriah

He crossed the small space and sat down beside me on the bed. The mattress dipped under his weight. Never in my memory had my father sat on my bed. He always stood, towering over me, maintaining the physical manifestation of his authority.

“Your mother’s condition has worsened, Neriah,” he said solemnly, staring at his hands. “And the healers are not so positive again.”

A cold dread washed over me. My mother has been ill for nearly two years now, with brief periods of improvement followed by devastating relapses. But my father had always maintained she would recover, that it was just a matter of time.

“But can you do me a favour?” he asked his voice softer than I had ever heard it.

I was shocked. My father had never asked me for a favour. He commanded, and I did his bidding. That was the way it had always been. The balance of power between us was s fixed as stars in the sky.

I nodded wordlessly, afraid to speak lest my voice betray my confusion.

“Reject Thames and marry the son of the Lycan Leader.”

The words hung in the air between us, heavy and suffocating. I felt as though the ground had disappeared beneath my feet. Thames was my mate, aside from that, he was my childhood friend and everyone knew that. No one was surprised when the Moon Goddess paired us as mates years ago and our union had been approved by the pack years ago.

More than that, I love him. Thames gets me in everything I do. He was the only one in the pack whom I could show my weakness and insecurities without worrying about being judged. He never judged me despite our differences, he never judged me and I was grateful for that.

“Father, I…” I began, but he raised his hand, silencing me.

“It’s not a request, Neriah. It’s what must be done.” His eyes finally met mine and in them, I saw not the cold, unyielding authority I expected, but something close to desperation. “The Lycan Leader has resources… healers with knowledge. They might be able to save your mother.”

My mind whirled—the son of the Lycan Leader. I had only seen him from afar during formal gatherings, a tall, imposing figure always flanked by guards. Cold. Distant. Nothing like the warmth and laughter I shared with Thames.

“He will protect you, Neriah.” My father reached for my hand, grasping it and staring at me softly. “There are so many things I have to say, things to tell you but…” he paused. “You’re a special child, Neriah… and only the Lycans have the resources to protect you.”

“Protect me from what?” I inquired tentatively. I didn’t want to offend my father.

He stared at me for a few seconds before looking away. “It’s complicated but I hope with time you can understand what I mean just know that you’re chosen to uphold our generation and guide them through our world into a great transition. Most people would covet your power…”

I wanted to ask him what power. What the hell was he talking about? Why was he speaking in riddles?

“Does Thames know?” I whispered. My voice was barely audible

My father shook his head. “Not yet. I wanted to speak with you first.”

A small mercy, then. Or perhaps just another calculated move in whatever game my father was playing.

“And if I refuse?” The words escaped me before I could stop them, a small act of defiance I immediately regretted.

My father’s expression hardened, the brief glimpse of vulnerability vanishing like morning mist. “Then our fate is sealed. Your mothers’, our pack, our world and so is yours. We are being threatened, Neriah. We’re being forced into something that goes against our nature…”

“Father, you’re asking me to reject Thames… he’s my fated mate. You don’t expect that I would just let him go like that? There should be a reason good enough for me to do something like that. Is that so difficult for you to understand?”

“You cannot make sacrifices, Neriah. That’s our code, we must all…”

“To sacrifice my happiness for what?” I fired back, shocked at my boldness. Never in a thousand lives did I ever think of this scene. Shamelessly calling out to my father without remorse. I didn’t even think that was possible. “I love Thames…”

“You don’t love him that much!” my father fired and stalked back to me, before grabbing my neck. “You think I don’t know that you’re yet to let him mate and mark you? You have been together for several moons now. What are you holding out for?”

I stared at my father, shocked at what he was saying. “Because I choose not to. I want to be able to be with him without worrying about breaking any laws or worrying about making a baby… that is the law. I cannot have a child unless within the confines of marriage.”

My father stared at me for a long time, before he rose to his feet. Once again, the towering figure I knew. “The Lycan delegation will stay for three days. You have until then to make your decision known. I am doing everything I can for the sake of this pack. Once you marry the son of the Lycan Leaders, we’re going to become untouchable. We are on the verge of being taken away from our race… this is the only thing we can do to avoid that.”

As he walked to the door, he paused, his back to me. “Think of your mother, Neriah. She would be saved with the expertise of those Lycan healers. Think of the pack.”

The door closed behind him with a soft click that somehow sounded as final as a tomb being sealed.

I sat frozen, still reeling from my father’s words. Marry the son of the Lycan Leader. Abandon Thames. Abandon my heart.

But as the shock began to wear out, another thought crept in. The timing of my father’s request came just hours after I met with Corvus. The unusual gathering of alphas and the Lycan Leader before dawn.

What if this wasn’t about my mother at all?

What if it was about Corvus?

I stared out my window at the forest beyond the pack’s boundary, where the ancient oak tree stood. Where Corvus had waited for me. Where everything had changed. He did mention something about having an issue with my dad but what could it be?

Three days. I had three days to decide – or to discover the truth.

~~~

Two days later, we were hosting a feast for the visitors in the pack. I’ve not been able to get back to the forest. Although I’ve been too busy to even think about sneaking out of the pack – my father had made sure of that – I couldn’t stop thinking about Corvus.

My father had hinted earlier that the Lycan Leader’s son was arriving that evening to join in the feast and had admonished that I look my best. I tugged at the dress I had on. It was from my mother’s wardrobe, though altered a little to fit.

I scanned the crowd again, looking for Thames. It seemed he had been busier nowadays. I didn’t know if it was a ploy by my father to drive us apart. While I stood there, not knowing what to do, a hand sneaked around my waist, pulling me closer while placing a kiss on the back of my neck.

I smiled leaning into him. It was Thames.

“I thought you were never going to come to me. You’ve been so busy these days. What are you running around for?”

“I’m sorry,” he murmured, hugging me tighter from the back. “Your dad is insisting I participate more in the pack activities as it would prepare me for my journey when I finally become the Alpha. Now I can’t stay too long with you. I am among the people greeting the Lycan Leader’s son when he arrives. How about we meet at our spot tonight?” he hummed, running his wet tongue suggestively around my earlobe. “The moon is brightest tonight… we could do a lot of nice things together.”

For the longest time, Thames has desired to mark and mate me. While that is not a problem – I just didn’t want to bother myself wondering if my heat would come or not. No matter how much chemistry between your mate and you, it is forbidden to have a child before your official joining ceremony.

Whilst a lot of couples were actively having sex… most of the women had resorted to taking lots of herbs to prevent pregnancy and then living in fear for the rest of the month. I didn’t think I wanted to go through that stress. So, we were waiting for our joining ceremony.

A warrior came over to whisper something in Thames’s ears and left immediately.

“He’s here. See you later, baby!” Thames gave me a quick kiss before he disappeared into the crowd.