Angeline POV

I wring the sleeve of my shirt nervously, wondering how the hell this happened, when I began to feel this way.

I stare at the phone in my hand, contemplating whether or not I should call him.

My Daniel.

I thought that with Keenan gone, things would automatically go back to the way they were.

So foolish of me.

It’s been a couple days since Keenan was forcibly taken to this place Daniel calls the Elder Council’s Headquarters. That’s the most they would tell me, but Daniel assured me that he’d never get out, that he’ll never come back. The Elder Council’s prison facility for werewolves is enough to rival Alcatraz.

Good, I hope he never comes back.

But Daniel has been different ever since. He doesn’t kiss me like he used to, hold me like he used to… maybe even like me like he used to.

Did he realize I wasn’t worth the trouble? Did I ruin his relationship with his cousin, his dad? He never talked about being close to either of them.

Does he think I’m a loser too like Keenan? His text messages to me now are curt and short.

Why do I feel like I just lost him? He knows I’m not worth it and now he wants nothing to do with me.

But he’s too kind to tell me his change of feelings so now he’s...ghosting me?

Every time I spoke to him he’d get this far away look in his eye, I knew what was soon to come. I knew that my time with Daniel was coming to an end.

I feel like I’ve become such a burden to him, it’s been two days since I’ve seen him and I’m trying to work up the courage to call. Maybe ask him to hang out with me but now I just don’t know…

Just do it you coward!

Before I can chicken out I press call on Daniel’s contact.

My anxiety only heightens as ring after ring goes unanswered. Is he ignoring me now too?

Finally, on the last ring he answers.

“Hello? Angeline? Are you okay?”

I breathe out in relief, it feels good to hear his voice again.

“Yea, I’m fine, I was just wondering… do you want to hang out with me? At our cabin? Have a picnic? I made all our favorites? If you’re not busy of course.”

I cringe into myself, fully preparing to hear a “no I’m too busy.”

But instead I hear Daniel reluctantly agree.

“Yea… sure.”

“Really?” Even in my voice, I can’t mask my embarrassing excitement and surprise.

“Yes, I’m just finishing up some things I got left to take care of, so I’ll see you in an hour.

“Okay!” I grin from ear to ear, satisfied.

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We sat sitting on the couch of the infamous abandoned Cabin, the fire cracking in front of us, and suddenly I’m overwhelmed with emotion and memories.

Memories of all the times we spent in this very cabin.

The laughing, the kissing, the excitement of a first time crush, the sacred moments we shared when he told me his secret, and I told him my past. All of it.

I even fantasized that our first time would be here too, surrounded by some flowers, petals, or candles, and the lit fire pit. We could share each other’s bodies in the cozy cabin or under the stars, it didn’t matter to me so long as it was with him.

This was where it all started, and now this is where it’ll all end.

Even now, as Daniel sat beside me, that far away look in his eye. He looked so lost, so sad, so haunted.

I couldn’t stop the tear that rolled down my cheek.

I-I can’t take this anymore!

He’s so close yet so far away. He won’t look at me, I don’t think he’s looked me in my eye once.

I just wanted things to go back to normal, but it wasn’t the same anymore and I don’t know if it ever will be again.

I couldn’t hold back the tears any longer, I started crying, the onslaught of tears wouldn’t stop coming.

“Angeline? What’s wrong? Why are you crying?!” Daniel sounds confused.

“Are- are- you going to break up with me now? D-do you not want to do this anymore? I mean I’d understand-”

“Angeline, please don’t. I promise you that’s not it at all.”

“Then what is it? What’s wrong? Something’s off, something’s been off, and don’t deny it!”

“It’s… it’s nothing. It’s nothing you need to worry about, just pack business.”

He was lying, it was obvious to me.

I shook my head, “I don’t believe you, Daniel. If you think by not telling me you’re sparing my feelings, you’re not. I can’t help you if you won’t tell me. Don’t you trust me?”

“You know I do! Of course I d-”

“Then tell me what’s wrong, tell me what’s bothering you. I can handle it.”

Daniel shook his head, abruptly he stood up and began to pace back and forth anxiously.

He was usually such a confident guy, it was strange to see him so flustered.

“Is it Keenan? Did he escape or something?”

“No, nothing like that, he’s far away, he’ll never hurt you again.”

“So what’s wrong? Is it your dad? Is he giving you a hard time?”

Daniel turned his back to me, staring out the window, looking up at the moon.

“It’s about you,” he finally says.

I stiffen in my seat, “what about me?”

Daniel sighs heavily, in what I imagine to be resignation. Whatever he’s about to tell me is going to be hard for him.

This only makes my anxiety skyrocket.

“Do you remember…” Daniel began hesitantly, “what I told you about mates?”

“Erm, sorta, from what you, Shelby, and Lacey told me, I know that every werewolf is born with a mate. You’re eligible to find them after you turn 17, or when your wolf matures.”

Daniel nodded, “anything else?”

“Apparently you’re supposed to feel some sort of connection to them? An instant attraction or something? I dunno, why?”

Daniel didn’t answer for a long time.

Finally turning to face me, his face sullen and grave.

“There’s a reason Keenan came here, and why he immediately singled you out in Chambers.”

“What?” I shook my head, afraid of where this conversation was going, knowing from the sinking feeling in my gut that this was going to be bad.

“Do you ever remember experiencing random episodes of immense pain? Unexplainable bruising? Soreness? Illness?”

I gasped, shocked, “I never told you about that! How did you know?!”

“It was him Angeline, he was the one doing that to you, deliberately causing you pain.”

I was confused now, but the dread continued to grow in the pit of my stomach anyway.

“You’re mates Angeline, you are Keenan Hallins moonchosen mate.”

“No.” I shook my head again, disbelieving. “That makes no sense, I can’t be Keenan’s mate! I’m only human, not a werewolf, and Keenan hates me! He always has!”

Daniel swallowed hard and I could see the haunted look in his face, “it’s true Angeline.”

Now I was crying, “No! It’s not possible! He’s just trying to mess with you! Mess with your head! And you’re letting him!”

“I wouldn’t have believed it either, but I’ve seen it for myself, the Council even confirmed it.”

“Stop!” I didn’t want to believe it, I refused to.

“My uncle Drew told me all that happened back in Chambers, that he was banned from ever having contact with you, after you nearly died. That my father was trying to help him break the bond he had to you. That was the only reason he was here in Redmond, because of you, to be close to you. To do goddess knows what.”

“I can’t believe you, there must be a mistake,” the tears ran freely down my face. I didn’t want to believe him but there was no denying that things were making sense.Why I could always feel him near, feel his presence. Why I felt so drawn to him… even attracted to him, though I admit that probably had nothing to do with this supposed magical connection. I don’t need a special “soulmate” thingy detector to tell me Keenan is the most beautiful being I’ve ever seen in my entire life. He was a sinful type of beauty, one that was hard to believe existed. A dark rugged handsomeness that people paid top dollar to achieve. He could give God’s most beautiful angel, Lucifer, a run for his money.

The only person I’ve met that could rival Keenan is Daniel with his beautiful golden hair and kind warm eyes.

I remember the initial shock of sizzling pleasure that shot up my spine the few times he accidentally touched me.

How the atmosphere between us would dampen with hostility, dread, and...and...something else that was unfamiliar to me.

Something forbidden.

“You said he was the reason I was… hurting, how?”

“Whenever he was with someone...intimately, you felt it every time and in every place they touched, as if his body were your own.”

I cringed into myself, wincing at the memory, all those nights I’d spent curled up in agony, how the pain seemed to trail to certain areas before settling in the worst place of all.“That’s not possible, is that possible?”

“In our world it is.”

“This bond thingy is that palpable?”

Daniel nodded, “yes.”

“But I feel nothing for him!” I cry vehemently, “don’t I get a say?! Doesn’t what I want matter? I don’t want to be forced into this arranged-marriage freaky thing, how do I say no?”

“You can’t, and no one will force you to do anything, you can refuse him but… it won’t do much. He will always… long for you, no matter how hard he tries not to. He’ll always want to find you.”

A shiver of fear made the hair on my skin stand up, “why?! What does he want from me!?”

“I’m not sure what his plan is.”

“Are you positive he can’t escape!? What if they let him go!?” I nearly hyperventilate at the thought of facing Keenan again.

“They would never, not with him so close to going feral,” Daniel said comfortingly, “So long as I’m here he will never hurt you.”

“I don’t want to be his mate! I don’t want to be his moon chosen whatever! I… I… I want to be yours!” I cry into my hands, dejected.

Daniel engulfs me into his arms and lets me sob on his chest.

“The moon goddess must really hate me, I always knew it but never realized how much.” He began, “having a human mate is already a rarity, what are the chances that the human girl I am in love with is the mate of my enemy? He always got to have it all, not this time though. I imagine the moon is laughing down at all of us right now, at the sick joke she created.”

“Y-y-you love me?” I blubbered out, he’s never said it to me before.

“With my whole chest,” he whispered against the top of my head.

“I love you too,” I said through my sniffling, gosh why am I always such a weeping mess? I’m worse than La Llorona.

I push my head off his chest to take his face in my hands, I look him dead in his eye so he can see how serious I am.

“I don’t care that we’re different, that I’m a human and you’re a werewolf. I don’t care what anyone thinks or says. I will face anyone for you, your dad, your pack, the council people, even Keenan.” And Keenan terrifies me.

“We belong together,” I whisper, my gaze never straying from his eyes, a promise.

A slight gleam of tears showed in his eyes as he looked at me with so much pride. Capturing my mouth with his, he kissed me hard.

Breaking from the kiss, he presses his head to mine. “I wish so badly that I could mark you right now.”

“Mark me?” I hiccup.

Daniel shook his head, “it’s just something that my kind does.”

“You’re not going to,” hiccup, “pee on me are you?”

Daniel cocked his head back and laughed loudly, his once anxious and stressed face now free and happy.

A rewarding sight.

“Not exactly, when we meet our mates. We bite their neck right here.” Daniel says tracing the base of my neck with his thumb. “It signifies to everyone who you… belong to, essentially.”

Well that sounded awfully barbaric, misogynistic, and... animalistic. What is this the fifties?

But Daniel was someone I… don’t mind belonging to. Someone I wanted to belong to, and someone I wanted to belong to me. Society, Keenan, and Goddess matters be damned.

“Does it hurt? To be bitten?”

“On the contrary, I heard it’s supposed to feel amazing.”

I nod, “then do it, I want you to mark me.”

Daniel looks surprised, “are you sure? You don’t have to do this, it wouldn’t change anything between us if you do or you don’t.”

“No I want you to,” I say, bending my head back to expose my neck. “I’m certain.”

Kissing my jawline, Daniel trails his kisses down to the base of my neck. I hold my breath.

Nothing happens for a second but then I feel Daniel’s sharp canines slowly penetrate my skin. I can’t help but to yelp, I grip onto his shoulders for dear life.

A boiling hot searing sensation spreads throughout my body before it gives way to an ice cold wave. I felt light headed and faint.

Daniel licks my neck, pulling away, I see a little bit of blood on his lips.

I smile weakly, trying to swallow down the nausea.

I lay my head back down on his chest, and try to focus on controlling my breathing.

Something deep within me feels deeply unsettled but I promptly ignore it.

“I want you to meet my pack tomorrow.”

“Meet your pack!?”

“I want them to meet their future Lu-” Daniel hesitated before squaring his back and exclaiming proudly. “I want them to meet their future Luna.”

Their future what?” I ask, completely forgetting what that was.

“My counterpart, my other half, my Luna, together we will lead.”

“Lead?! Lead what?!”

“The pack of course, no worries, you’ll make an amazing Luna.” Daniel smiled before his face abruptly darkened and his teeth clenched. “You were quite literally born to be a Luna.”

I was confused again and waited for him to elaborate.

But he never did.

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A/N: Alright final poll, Keenan, Daniel, or neither? Make your cases lol