Burning Moon submission

My Submission

This is my submission for the Burning Moon contest.

The prompt I've chosen is:

Title: Claws and Hearts

No of words: 659

Prequel to the prompt

It's been two years. Two years since I rejected my mate.

Two years since I tried to break a bond not meant to be broken. Two years since I attempted to forget a memory unforgettable. Two years since I sought to leave a part of me behind.

Two years since I failed.

Even the words of rejection couldn't fracture the mate bond enough to obliterate it. The memories of the few minutes I spent with him as fresh in my mind like it happened yesterday. His face, his intoxicating smell, his being, still branded upon my mind.

I rejected a part of me, but lost myself whole.

Yet, it was necessary. For the enemity of our packs dated back centuries. For centuries- our ancestors had been at each others throats.

For years our pack members have met with the promises of death and destruction, not hope and love. Ours was a rivalry so great that for a millennia we have rejected the others packs mates.

No matter how civil we insist ourselves to be, we are beasts after all. Our claws win over our hearts- ripping it off our chests, even if it makes us bleed to death.

And so I bled.

Feral pride won over naive hearts. When we met each other two years ago, we both knew what had to be done. We rejected each other and accepted our doomed fate.

I accepted that I'd never see him again. Never have him in my life. Never be with him. I sacrificed for the sake of my pack, like I was expected to.

But little did I know that fate had different plans for us.

Now two years later here I am. Electric sparks flew as our skin made contact. We crossed paths again. And no matter how much my heart fluttered- I wish we hadn't.

Our packs are at war, and I'm fighting to destroy his home. Though exhausted and slightly injured, I recognized the familiar but dull sparks between us.

"Sebastian! What are you doing?" I shrieked as he pulled me away from the battle.

"Sandra," my name rolled off his lips as if it was meant to be spoken by him. "It was a mistake. I need you. We can change what happened, Sandra. We still have a chance. You can accept your mate even after rejecting-"

"We can't do that," I stated.

"Why not?" He demanded.

"That would be going against our packs! There's a war going on Sebastian. It's the worst time to consider-"

"I don't care," he cut in.

"That's crazy Sebastian. We know that we have no-"

"Watch out!" He yelled as he pulled me against him and falling back due to the impact.

I quickly got him off myself. A sudden urge to protect him made me dive at the attacker, ripping off its head.

Once the threat was gone, my exhaustion crept up on me and I stumbled and fell. Sebastian was beside me in a second, concern clear in his eyes.

"It's our only chance, Sandra! Just accept it."

"We can't," I repeated feebly, doubting my own words.

"Why not?" He growled.

"We're enemies. You know that."

"Not by our choice! This war has always belonged to our ancestors. We never got to choose. And I choose you."

I looked back at the raging battle. Our packs were going to get destroyed. Destroyed due to a useless battle. The events of the past will ruin the future.

For once maybe we could not act like beasts. For once we could let our hearts win over our claws- let our heart beat in our chests, heavy but whole.

"Alright, but we'll run away."

He smiled and through our eyes we said what our word's couldn't.

"I, Sebastian Hedge take back my rejection and accept you as mate."

"I, Sandra Parker take back my rejection and accept you as mate."