I mentally curse myself just feeling defeated that I didn't kiss her. I didn't fucking kiss her and just left her there to find her own way back home. I should have done it, I'm such a coward but I couldn't leave Roland alone.

He needed me because someone has returned home and I'm not prepared for their presence at all. I rushed my way back to the center of my land.

A huge hut is where myself and the elders gather to discuss important issues within the pack. Once I reach the hut, I see my brother standing by fiddling with his fingers. A nervous habit of his and I know something in g has already occurred for him to be anxious.

"Where is he?" Roland points in the direction to the person who's finally returned.

My father, I inhale a deep breath and walk further inside to see my father standing near the grand table that holds many maps that I have traveled throughout neighboring packs or far away ones. Some that no longer exist because of me.

"Do you remember in your youth, we stalked that wild beast in the north of the Mika Mountains?"

"Yes." With a story, there's always an interrogation that comes afterwards.

"We spent so many weeks hunting because you kept failing at tracking the wild animal down. I had thought you'd be a disappointment if you couldn't do a simple task such as tracking." When I don't say anything further he continues on to speak about a past that I rather not recall.

"When the fifth week had finally arrived. I was about ready to leave you behind because I was not going to let my son live if he failed me. And then finally, out of no where, you found the beast. I thought for a moment that I would have to snap your neck for such failure. It proved to me that you are worthy of living."

"What's this about?" I could feel my heart beat sporadically; when he's here I have no rest, no peace, I suffer in my mind just waiting for his barrage of profanities to strike me as an unworthy man.

"I should have killed you."

"Yet I stand."

"What's this I hear about you having a soul mate?" My body feels on edge, I want to hide from him, I want the earth to open wide and drag my body to hell so I can be rid of myself from his presence. However, my Lycan does not back down, I trust him, there's no one else I can trust but my Lycan and what he says shocks me to the core.

"Touch our mate and we will rip your heart." He took over, I hadn't the time to react what I had just spoke until my father jumps on top of me with his hands around my neck.

"Father stop this and get off, this mate bond Midas has can't be controlled! It's not his fault!l Roland yells at our father to get off of me, but with one stare, Roland doesn't move. I don't blame him, he will still become alpha unless I mate with Winter in the ceremony or kill him, our father. But that is a challenge that I'm not prepared to take.

"You think this is a game boy, that bitch will be the death of you! No Lycan in the history of Lycans ever had a soul mate! She will destroy your status as an alpha and make you weak!"

I try to pry him off of me, he presses his whole weight on me. I try my damnest to push him but it was no use, my father wears a glove that is layered with silver on the outside. A way to control the wolves and Lycans of the pack. It's sickening to know his exploitation on others, worse of all... on his own sons.

"I'll kill you if you touch her." It's no longer me but my Lycan that has risen from the depths. I can feel the silver bite into my skin but my beast does not let this deter him. I can feel his simmering hatred for my father, thoughts flashes before me of our hands crushing the windpipe into a bloody mess.

Without realizing it, the strength surges through my body punching my father in the face forcing him to fly off of me to the ceiling of the hut. His body crashing down onto the table breaking his back, he groans from the pain.

Swiftly, I take my knife hidden in the sheath of my boots gripping his right hand touched by silver. Before Roland could step in and hold me off. I swing my knife and cut his hand off so my father will never raise it against another Lycan or wolf ever again.

He doesn't make a sound, no groan of pain, no visible affliction to show he feels discomfort. My Lycan has fully taken over, I can't stop him from the raging hell he feels inside, we both feel inside. For once since Winter has arrived, we agree on one thing. He will never lay a hand on Winter, never.

I throw the hand to my brother who catches it making sure not touch the glove. This is the only glove that was ever made for my father. I clean my knife from my fathers blood, the flesh on my fathers lost hand is now stitching itself up to cover the bone that sticks out forming into a grotesque scar.

I can see the anger rising within him but for once in my life, I don't give a fuck what he thinks. Roland, on the other hand, looks sick to his stomach. Almost in disbelief that I had harmed our father.

One of the elders, Siegfried, enters wide eye at the situation before him. Displeased but he ignores my father walking up to me.

"Is it true, you have a soul mate?" My father leaves in a huff while my brother doesn't know what to do with himself after witnessing what transpired in this hut.

"Yes, it is true Elder Siegfried," he sighs dramatically and rubs the temples of his head. As if he has a headache by this sudden news, it seems my mate has become the topic for everyone.

"This does not bode well, not at all. You must enact the ceremony tonight." My eyes widen in shock. I didn't think I would have to do it anytime soon. At least not now, my Lycan agrees it's too soon. His mood changes drastically into a heap of worry. This dramatic mood swings is draining me and I don't know how to handle this. Not when Winter will give me hell knowing what will happen tonight.

"Elder Siegfried, I cannot do that, it is too early to do so." I become irritated thinking how i'll break the news to Winter. There's no way I can salvage what little chance I had left with her.

"You will, it's best to do it now. The people will question your authority if you don't take her. They want a worthy Luna, she is of no exception to the rule merely of being your soulmate."

"I can't do it, I—" Before I could finish, Roland steps in interrupting me from further speaking.

"They'll both be ready in time for tonight's ceremony. Gather the males and females to be prepared. Let them gather to celebrate a new Luna. A worthy Luna Elder Siegfried." The elder leaves confused as to Roland speaking. He's never spoken up about about Alpha duties as he is only my Beta who takes orders. Before I could question him, he waits for the elder to leave out of ear shot and turns to me with a hidden anger in them.

"Do you have any idea what you could have done if you informed the elder about Winter's virtue." My eyes widen when realizing that I took her the first night we met. Without her virtue, she'll be killed by the females to take her place as Luna.

"What am I going to do Roland?" If she doesn't bleed, they will kill her and I don't know if I would even let any of the women come near her, not alive at least.

"There's only one way Midas." My heart races fast, I know what he means but I don't know if I can.

"It will kill her!"

"She will die if you don't!"

"I can't do that to her, she's not ready!"

"She was never ready when you raped her that night so do not act all holier than thou. You will if you want her to live!"

"But she'll hate me!"

"Better she hates you than nothing at all." With that said, I'm left alone with my thoughts swimming with guilt. I don't have a choice, not anymore, the safest option was taken the minute I fucked her the first night we met.

The truth, I didn't think she'd live another day because I thought I was going to kill her the minute I knew she was my soul mate. I wanted to fuck her to feel her, to have what is mine, to know for once that I have something that truly belonged to me. I was going to kill her because I believed her to be weak. A woman unworthy to be a Luna. Oh, how she has proved me wrong throughout the journey.

Now, I don't know if she'll be strong tonight.