Chapter 24
SERENA’S GAZE was drawn to the glimmering red stone on herring as she held it up to the light. When Alpha Perez placed it on her finger yesterday, she didn’t give it much thought. But now, she couldn’t help but question if it was appropriate for her to wear the Blood Moon pack’s precious heirloom when she wasn’t even the destined mate of their Alpha.
Somehow, she couldn’t shake off the feeling of guilt. Before they had left the pack house earlier, she learned from Priscilla had that all of the previous Luma and Alpha of the blood moon were fated mates.
The weight of this knowledge made her feel like she was somehow tarnishing the sacred history of their pack. It was as if she didn’t belong, like a puzzle piece forced into the wrong place.
“What’s wrong?” Serena shook herself out of her daze and faced Perez, who was seated across from her in the train compartment. They were currently en route to the capital, with the other warriors spread out in other compartments.
“Hmm. I’m just wondering if it’s really okay for me to wear this After all, I’ll only be your temporary Luna,” she replied, causing him to frown a bit.
“What makes you think it would be temporary?”
“What do you mean? Our relationship was purely business; that means we are obligated to go our separate ways when our needs are fulfilled, right?” A scowl crept onto his face in response to Serena’s answer. Despite his efforts to hide it, his displeasure was evident.
The mere thought of being apart from her made him feel queasy
He managed to have her now, and he wasn’t about to let her slip away.
“What if you start to develop feelings for me? You’re aware that Ern already romantically interested in you, and it’s not out of the impossible for us to fall in love with each other.” Alpha Perez couldn’t hold back any longer; he needed to be direct with her.
He had already confessed his feelings, so why not go all in? He no longer cared about appearing too intense or the possibility of rejection. He just had to be honest about how he felt.
“What do you mean…” Serena’s voice was barely audible, surprised by his words.
“From the moment I first saw you, I knew I desired you. The attraction I felt was intense, but I hesitated to express it for fear of making you uncomfortable or seeming creepy,” he spoke without hesitation, being completely honest with his words. He leaned closer and gently grasped her hand, rubbing his finger against the back of her palm in a comforting manner.
“I had an ulterior motive when I proposed the contract marriage, and that is to make sure that you will be mine.”
Serena’s eyes widened in shock as she listened to the confession struggling to process what she was hearing. She was at a loss for words, completely unprepared for this revelation. For a moment, all she could hear was the sound of a train moving over the tracks and the rustling of the leaves outside of the window.
“I never plan on sharing this twisted truth with anyone, but I wanted to be honest with you,” he added, his eyes searching hers as if trying to decipher her reaction. “I won’t force you to love with me because I know that love may not be a top priority for you. The only thing I want is for you to acknowledge my feelings and let me consider it.”
“W–wait, does this mean the goal you were referring to was me, falling for you?” Serena questioned, trying her best to maintain focus, despite her mind threatening to go blank with thoughts.
That’s right,” Alpha Perez nodded, and Serena could only stare at him as if she were in some kind of trance.
She was still struggling to make sense of her emotions; she felt torn. On one hand, she was in awe of his unwavering devotion to her, and it reassured her of the sincerity of his feelings. But on the other hand, she couldn’t shake off a feeling of
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doubt. After all, he soundest possessive of her. Not to mention that he was practically admitting that he manipulated and used her situation to get what he desired, which was her.
Still, despite the red flags it raised, she couldn’t bring herself to feel any hatred or dislike towards him for his actions. If she was being completely honest with herself, his hidden agenda didn’t matter to her because it didn’t affect her negatively. In fact, it has a positive outcome.
Thanks to Alpha Perez, she has a life filled with respect, love, care, protection, and an abundance of affection and support from those around her. So, regardless of his true intentions, she still appreciated it all the same.
“But what if I don’t fall for you?” she asked after a few moments of silence. Her gaze was fixed on his finger as it gently traced circles on her knuckles. She then shifted her attention back to his face, noticing the surprise in his expression before it softened, and he let out a sigh.
Alpha Perez couldn’t help but feel a wave of relief wash over him as Serena did not display any disgust or anger upon hearing his confession. Instead, she appeared genuinely intrigued by how the situation would unfold.
“That won’t happen because I’m going to do my best to win your heart,” he replied with so much confidence, knowing full well he could win her over. “But if I failed, I will be contented with staying by your side.”
Serena’s heart fluttered at the statement, but she immediately pushed aside the butterflies because she knew she couldn’t let herself be swayed by sweet words so easily.
“You may think that now, but I bet if you found your fated mate, you’d end up like my ex–husba-“She wasn’t able to finish her word when Alpha Perez pressed his index finger on her lips to prevent her from continuing speaking.
refuse to be compared to that scoundrel; I will never stoop to doing the same things he did to you,” he said, his voice was strong and confident, yet it carried a sense of reassurance and gentleness.
“I understand that it may be difficult for you to trust my words, especially after what you’ve been through in your previous relationship. However, I am willing to continuously prove myself and earn your trust. It’s okay if it takes time.”
Serena swallowed hard when he smiled at her with such warmth and love in his eyes. She slowly moved to hold his hand, removing his finger from her lips. They then locked eyes, the tension between them growing stronger by the moment until a knock on the door interrupted their moment.
They quickly turned their heads away and focused on the lady who entered with their complimentary meals. She set up folding table attached to the wall under the window and placed the food in front of them, politely encouraging them to enjoy it.
the
Since they were in a private compartment, they were able to experience the luxury of dining service. They thanked the lady for her hospitality and once she left, an uncomfortable silence hung between Serena and Alpha Perez.
For a moment, none of them dared to break the silence, and eventually, Serena decided to speak up first.
“Have you ever tried finding your mate?” she asked, wondering why he didn’t seem enthusiastic about the prospect of meeting his destined partner. For werewolves like them, this was a significant moment that would shape their lives. Yet for some reason, it seemed like it held little importance to him.
“I have no interest in someone who was chosen for me by someone else, even if it is the will of the Moon Goddess.“Alpha Perez answered bluntly, surprising Serena. “I crave the freedom to determine my own destiny, which is why I have never sought my fated mate.”
“I can see where you were coming from, and maybe because you haven’t experienced what it feels like when you meet your fated mate, but the pull is so strong that you can’t simply ignore or turn away from it like it’s nothing. The feeling is overwhelming and impossible to resist.” Serena explained, wanting him to help him understand that going against the will of the Moon Goddess was not a decision to be made lightly.
She was aware that she couldn’t control his actions, but she didn’t want him to make a logical decision just because he
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developed feelings for her before meeting his destined mate. There were many instances where the chosen partner was rejected as soon as the other found their true fated mate–and deep down, she was scared that it might happen to her and ended up being rejected twice.
“But your ex–husband was able to do it.” Alpha Perez was taken aback by the words that slipped out of his mouth. He hadn’t meant to say it, but it just came out.
He glanced at Serena’s face, which showed surprise before slowly twisting into a bitter smile. She knew he hadn’t said anything wrong, but she felt the blow, nonetheless.
“Right,” she laughed humorlessly. “But it was different from your situation. Calix and I accepted our destiny, it just happened that he became an asshole and betrayed me.”
“My point is, I know your desire for me would be redirected towards your destined partner the moment you laid your eyes on her.” Serena added, her eyes not leaving his, “Which is why I am sorry because I don’t think you would achieve your goal. Let’s just keep our relationship strictly professional.”
