Chapter 4 Forbidden Desires

Alpha Justin’s POV I avoided Eliana as one would avoid fire, something dangerous even to consider. Because that was exactly what she was. She was the child under my protection, the child I hated so much and swore to introduce as an ultimate punishment in the name of Elise. She couldn't be my mate. Yet my wolf knew that the truth of the matter was that it had been awakened the moment my lips had cursed the word "mine." Every fibre of my being cried out for her. Every instinct told me to claim her. But my mind? The part of me still rational, still clinging to rightness-refused. So I had no option but to do the only thing I could: I shut her out. Eliana felt that immediately. Having begun to believe I cared about her, that I saw her as anything other than a burden, the cold shell returned, and the distance her wall of protection became impenetrable. At first, she was hesitant, taking a stand on the sidelines while searching for something on my expression. But Eliana had never been one to be quiet for long. On one hot day, I was in my office when she rushed in with an angry glow in her eyes. "What did I do wrong?" she asked. I clenched my jaws together tightly, positioned my back toward her like the pages were holding me in position. "Get out, Eliana." "No." The sharpness in her voice made my wolf grow restless. "You were my mentor, my guardian, and all of a sudden, you treat me like I am invisible. How could you?" Everything. Everything had changed. "Go." My voice was low and dangerous. "Not until you tell me the truth." And then I turned, losing grip on self-control and my knuckles turning white. "You don't want the honest truth." "I do!" she screamed. And that was it. That was the point of breaking. Before I could stop myself, I moved, backing her against the wall and caging her with my arms. My breathing was ragged, my body betraying every vile thought I had tried to suppress. "The truth?" I growled, my voice a harsh whisper. "You want to know why I've kept my distance? Why I can't even look at you without fighting every damn instinct inside me?" Her breath hitched. My wolf was scratching and clawing its way to the surface. "Because you are my mate, Eliana." Silence. Heavy, cloying silence. Her eyes widened in shock. Horror. "No," she said, shaking her head. "That's not… That's impossible." "I wish it were." I could see the moment it dawned on her totally. The sheer moment it finally struck home that it was real. She shoved past me with her hands trembling. "No," she whispered. "You raised me." I said nothing. "You were meant to be like a father to me." Those words cut deep, slicing into me. She turned and fled, disappearing through the hallways. And I let her go. Because I had no answers for her. I knew what I had to do. I must break this bond before it destroyed us both. There was only a single place I could turn to for something this unnatural, something that was alien to the law of our kind. The witches. I sought out the strongest witch I knew, an ancient woman who had seen generations come and go. Her piercing eyes studied me as I stood before her, desperation thick in my voice. "I need you to sever a mate bond." Her brow lifted a little. "Severing a bond is not an easy task, Alpha. Nor is it always wise." "It was never meant to be." She tilted her head, and in her expression, there was something unreadable. "And yet, the Moon Goddess wove it into existence." "It's wrong." "Or is it merely unexpected?" I stiffened, and my hands became fists. "Can it be done?" She breathed out, taking a step forward. "Before I answer that question, you must understand some things, Alpha Justin." I forced myself to stand still as she put her hand on my chest. Something strange passed through me, like the weight of a thousand unseen eyes. Her eyes dimmed, and the air around us shifted. Then she laughed. A soft, knowing laugh that sent chills coursing up my spine. "Oh…" she whispered. "Oh, this is far more complicated than you think." I didn't move. "She was never meant to be your daughter, Justin." My heart started banging against my ribs. "What do you mean?." "Eliana was never merely a lost pup. Her fate was sealed long before she ever stepped into your life. Long before you found her in those woods." Taking a step back, I began shaking my head in disbelief. "No. She was abandoned. Alone." "Was she?" The witch's voice was almost mocking now, hardly disguised amusement lurking within it. "Or was she placed exactly where she needed to be?" A sharp pain shot through my head. I bit my teeth to control the storm of emotions that threatened to rip through me. "Telling me what you know." The witch's lips curved into a smile of satisfaction. "Eliana comes from a forbidden bloodline, Alpha. One that has been hidden for centuries. If the world knew who she really was, what she was—" she leaned in slightly, lowering her voice to a whisper "—there would be chaos." I inhaled sharply. "And to break your bond…" I waited. "To reject her is to invite some fate that is bad not only for her but for the other party involved." My wolf let a very low growl out of my chest. "And what kind of consequences might she face?" I shot back. "A severed bond is one thing. But to reject a mate chosen by fate—" she shook her head."It could destroy you," she hissed, "in ways you are currently unable to understand." I ground my jaw. "There has to be another option." "There is." I went quiet. "But it would require revealing the truth of who-and what-Eliana really is." The air hung around us like a blanket. "Are you ready for this truth, Alpha?" she whispered. I swallowed hard. Because deep down, I already knew. Whatever it was she was about to tell me-it would change everything.