Gray Valley

t h i r t y

I SUNK TO MY KNEES. What I had felt for Blayze Walker... Whatever it was; it wasn't natural. I shouldn't feel the mate bond with someone other than Liam.

"Why?" The only one with answers would be Luna herself. I had no choice but to ask her.

"I was wondering when you'd ask me about it," her gentle voice replied. "What do you believe, filia mea?"

"I don't know what to believe... Except, that it's impossible." I wasn't lying. I didn't believe it was possible for me to have a second mate; let alone a Brown Wolf.

For me, it was only Liam. He was the only one I would ever love.

"You're trying to deny it, Weslyn; You are attempting to deny what you felt... I'm afraid that it won't work," Luna told me.

"I thought you saw me as your daughter," I gritted out. "Why do you have to put me through this, Luna?"

Why was I fated to having my heart torn apart?

I could already feel my soulmate bond to Blayze Walker... All it took was a single touch. And it was nothing like the allure and warmth I felt in Liam.

It was cold; so cold, it filled my veins with ice. The bond was painful, bringing back the long buried emotions inside. It was overwhelming; powerful. Our bond was one that consumed everything.

"You're in pain," Luna stated. "I understand, my little girl... You're in a war, now."

"A war?"

"The War of Hearts," she explained to me. "You're suffering in the War of Hearts, Weslyn."

"How does it work?" I demanded. "Isn't the mate bond supposed to be with the same one person from birth?"

"That's true," she admitted. "Even with a deceased mate, Gray Wolves cannot exactly move on to another... But the matter of having more than one destined mate is a different matter."

"But he can't feel it?"

"Oh, he can, alright. To Blayze, the allure is probably much stronger than what you feel. But he is a Brown Wolf. He has never before experienced the mate bond. He would undoubtedly believe that your power and charisma was the reason for his captivation."

"He has no idea..."

"With time, the bond will grow as it has with Liam. And then, he will realise what the bond really is. Soon, Blayze will return to you."

"Soon... So, I'm alone, right now... Aren't I, Luna?" I felt a tear trickle down my cheek, as I blinked painfully, trying to lose at least some of the agony I felt in my chest. "What did I ever do to deserve this?"

"You aren't the only one," she said flatly. "It was extremely rare in the past, but with the Brown Wolf numbers quickly dropping, I've seen it happening more and more often."

"You mean, having a Brown Wolf as a second mate?"

"Exactly, Weslyn," she responded. "There are many, especially those around you, who suffer from it."

"Like Bryan and Martyn?" I asked.

"They're case is different," she said. "Bryan Mitchell is Martyn's only soulmate."

"Is that even possible... Is it possible for our only mate to be something other than a Gray Wolf?"

"It's unlikely..." Luna's voice trailed off. "But not unheard of. I choose soulmates, Weslyn. And sometimes there is a Gray Wolf who isn't compatible with others... The only way is to pair them with a different species. It's not ideal; but sometimes, it is what must be done."

"And how is my fate different?"

"You asked me why I put you through this, Weslyn... But that's not true. I didn't do this to you. I had no control over your second bond."

"If it wasn't you," I began. "It was the Wolf Guardian; the one who made you what you are."

"Weslyn, you know how I became a Gray Wolf... But do you know why I was cursed?" I didn't reply. "Because I loved him."

"You loved someone?"

"As hard as it may be to believe, I loved the Wolf Guardian. He was like a Brown Wolf in many ways. He would turn at every full moon, when I was at my brightest. So, I saw him the most clearly. I was entranced by his transformation and captivated by the beautiful bronze sheen around him. But he... He was a lone wolf. He cursed me for loving him. He was convinced that I would realise my 'mistake' if I lived similarly to him."

"But you didn't, did you?" The sound of her voice; the way she spoke of the Wolf Guardian... I knew her tone too well.

She still loved him.

"I felt his pain when I shifted for the first time; it only made me love him more... But Weslyn, are you noticing a pattern? Do you see how it relates to your situation?" For about a minute, I didn't respond, but contemplated her question.

"The Brown Wolf... It is a representation of the Wolf Guardian," I realised. "And the Gray Wolf is you, isn't it?" She nodded. "Because... I'm a Grayson."

"You are the chosen ones, Weslyn," she told me. "The Wolf Guardian chose your family as the leaders, because the first werewolf I created began your lineage... But that gives you all an advantage. You need a disadvantage to balance out your quality."

"The Grayson Werewolves are not only chosen to be leaders..."

"The Grayson Wolves are also the cursed ones," she finished.