The Chosen One •

34

✨🌕 Isabel 🌕✨

I sat cross-legged on the plush rug in the Ito family's cozy living room, nestled between Tara and Kun. The room smelled of cedarwood and faintly of tea, and the fire crackled softly in the hearth, casting a warm, golden glow over everything. Daichi sat in his favorite armchair, an old photo album resting on his lap. Luna Kaiya stood nearby, her gaze soft as she watched us.

"You look just like him," Daichi said, flipping through the pages of the album. His voice was rich with nostalgia, carrying a weight of both sorrow and warmth. "Marcus had that same intensity in his eyes, that same determination."

I leaned forward, my pulse quickening as I caught sight of a photograph. It was slightly faded, but the man in the picture stood tall and proud, his dark hair neatly cut and his electric gray eyes—eyes just like mine—staring straight into the camera. His expression was serious, but there was a hint of mischief in his smirk.

"That's my father," I whispered, my throat tightening.

Kun's hand found mine, his thumb brushing over my knuckles in silent reassurance. Tara leaned closer, her arm brushing against mine.

"Marcus was a force," Daichi said, his lips curving into a wistful smile. "He was my best friend, my confidant, my brother in all but blood. We grew up together, trained together, and fought side by side in countless battles. There wasn't a thing he wouldn't do for his pack."

I traced the edges of the photo with my eyes, committing every detail to memory. Seeing him like this, alive and vibrant, was so different from the ghostly presence I'd felt before. It was... grounding.

The crackle of the fireplace filled the silence for a moment before Daichi spoke again, his voice carrying the weight of history and memory.

"Marcus and I grew up together," he began, his gaze softening as he flipped a page. "Our fathers were close—both alphas who wanted their sons to succeed them. We were sent to alpha training school together. Back then, we were inseparable, more like brothers than friends."

I leaned forward, eager to hear more. Seeing my father in Daichi's stories was so different from the fragmented, otherworldly glimpses I'd had of him before. He wasn't just a figure shrouded in mystery or spirit energy—he was real.

"Wolves usually find their mates starting at eighteen," Daichi continued, looking at me. "Sometimes you find them in your pack. Other times, you have to travel to other packs, even across the world, to meet them. That's why some families save up for years, especially for their children, hoping to help them find their destined mates."

Tara nudged me with a grin. "You got lucky, Isabel. Kun didn't have to travel far at all."

Kun shot her a look, but I couldn't help the smile that tugged at my lips. His parents cracked a smile at us.

"Marcus's family," Daichi went on, "was very well-off. His father, Makoto, could afford to send him all over the nation, even overseas. For five years, Marcus searched, but he never found his mate. By the time he was twenty-three, Makoto had had enough. He told Marcus it was time to choose a mate."

"Choose a mate?" I echoed, frowning.

Daichi nodded. "It happens when a wolf hasn't found their true mate by a certain age. Alphas, especially, are pressured to take a chosen mate—someone from a strong bloodline who can strengthen the pack. Marcus didn't want to, but his father gave him no choice. He chose a woman from an alpha family. Her name was Hana and they had already started planning their mating ceremony."

I opened my mouth to ask another question, but Daichi anticipated it.

"A mating ceremony," he explained, "is what follows when an alpha finds or chooses their Luna. After fully mating with her—physically and spiritually—they hold a ceremony to present her to the pack as their Luna. Sometimes the ceremony happens before the full mating; sometimes after. It's also customary to pair it with the alpha-to-be's ceremony, where he officially takes over the pack."

I glanced at Kun, but he didn't meet my eyes. Something about the mention of a mating ceremony made my heart race, but I stayed quiet and nodded for Daichi to continue.

He gave me a long look but eventually went on. "A week before Marcus's mating ceremony to Hana, the two of us decided to go to the human fair. It was something we used to do every year—eat, drink, and laugh like idiots. That night, we were joking about who could eat more funnel cakes when Marcus suddenly froze."

As Daichi spoke, something strange happened. The air around me seemed to shimmer, and a flicker of light danced in my peripheral vision. I blinked, and suddenly I could see what he was describing—the fair, the bustling crowds, the glowing lights, and Marcus, standing rigid with a look of stunned awe on his face.

"He smelled her," Daichi said, his voice laced with emotion. "I remember it like it was yesterday. He growled low and said one word: mate."

The vision shifted as if I were walking in Daichi's memory. I followed his gaze to see a woman with deep brown skin, coily hair in a large Afro, and piercing light brown eyes. She stood out like a beacon among the crowd, her beauty striking and magnetic. Marcus's eyes locked on hers, and in that moment, I saw something I'd never seen before: vulnerability.

"That was your mother," Daichi said softly, pulling me back into the present. "Selene. The granddaughter of the leader of her coven. She was unlike anyone Marcus had ever met."

I stared at him, my breath caught in my chest. "What happened?"

"They started talking," Daichi continued, his voice heavier now. "As the days went on, they began sneaking around, knowing full well what it could mean if they were caught. Both of their families would have killed them—or worse."

The room fell silent, save for the crackling fire.

"Eventually, Marcus told Selene everything," Daichi said. "He explained that he was to mate with Hana, that he had no choice. Selene... she understood. She was going through the same thing. Her grandfather had chosen a powerful warlock for her to bond with—someone she didn't love."

My heart ached at the thought of my parents' impossible situation.

"The night before Marcus's mating ceremony," Daichi continued, his eyes distant, "he came back to the pack late. At the time, I didn't question it. But now... I know why. That was the night you were conceived."

A surge of emotion hit me—shock, sadness, awe, and a strange sense of pride. My parents had defied everything to be together, even if only for a moment. They had risked everything for me.

Tears blurred my vision, and I wiped them away quickly. "Thank you," I whispered, my voice trembling. "For telling me."

Daichi gave me a small, bittersweet smile. "You deserved to know, Isabel. Your father was my brother in every way that mattered. And you... you're his legacy."

I looked at the photo of my father again, my heart swelling with a newfound connection to him. In that moment, I didn't just see him as the ghostly presence I'd felt before. I saw him as a man—flawed, brave, and deeply in love.

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Omg my fingers hurt and I'm so tired! Idk how I juggle these books chileeee 😂😂😂