Love in the Chaos

Chapter 18

"What?!" Grandpa exclaimed, his voice filled with disbelief.

"I love him, Grandpa," Rune said, his voice trembling. "I can’t be with anyone else."

"Are you out of your mind? Do you even know what you’re saying? You love a *vampire*?" His grandfather’s tone was harsh, his anger palpable.

"Yes, Grandpa," Rune pleaded, "I love him. I can't live without him. Please, understand."

His grandmother, trying to soften the situation, spoke next, "Rune, baby, you can't be with him. You have a mate, someone who was chosen for you by the Moon Goddess. Your best friend, remember? You’ve always liked being with her."

"But Grandma," Rune’s voice cracked, his eyes full of desperation, "I never saw her as more than a friend. Please, try to understand—I love him. Aaron is my source of life. I feel safe with him."

His grandmother sighed deeply. "But Rune, baby, you’ve always wanted a mate. And now, you have her. Why can’t you see that?"

"I don’t want a mate, Grandma," Rune’s voice was firmer now, though his heart was heavy. "I want Aaron. I want him as my life partner."

Grandpa’s patience snapped. "Are you mad, Rune? You’re a wolf! The Moon Goddess chooses our mates for a reason, and you want to reject yours?"

"Once a wolf finds their mate, they stay together through everything—through sickness, health, everything," his sister added, her voice filled with disbelief. "You can’t just walk away from that."

"You know rejecting your mate can cause unimaginable pain," Grandma said, her worry clear in her voice. "Your wolf could die from the heartbreak."

"I’ll die without Aaron, Grandma," Rune said, his tears falling now, his voice filled with anguish. "Please, try to understand."

His eyes found Shyla, his best friend, his destined mate. "Shyla, you’ve known me since we were kids. You’re my best friend. You know me better than anyone. Please, I can’t live without Aaron. I’m begging you—accept my rejection." Rune's voice broke as sobs shook him.

Shyla’s heart shattered. She had always dreamed of being Rune’s mate, and now that the Moon Goddess had answered her prayers, it felt like a cruel joke. Her tears mirrored his, but her voice was resolute.

"No, Rune! You should accept me. I am your destined mate. We’re made for each other!" Shyla’s voice rose in desperation. "He’s just an attraction. You’ll forget about him, I promise. I’ll help you forget him!"

Rune’s mind raced, torn between his love for Aaron and the weight of tradition, of destiny, of the bond that everyone expected him to honor. No one seemed to understand how deeply he loved Aaron, how his very soul seemed to intertwine with his. It felt like the world was crumbling around him, and he was drowning, unsure of how to make anyone understand the truth of his heart.

Desperate and lost, Rune looked around the room, searching for a way out, but the faces around him were filled with disappointment, confusion, and sorrow. He didn’t know how to convince his family, or even himself, that choosing Aaron was not just a fleeting desire, but the truest decision he had ever made.
As the tension in the room reached its peak, Rune’s heart pounded in his chest. His breathing was erratic, and tears stained his flushed cheeks. Everyone was speaking over him—his grandfather’s anger, his grandmother’s worry, his sister’s disbelief, and Shyla’s desperate pleas—it was all too much. The room felt like it was closing in on him, suffocating him.