Page 50 of Fated to the Rogue

A single question popped in my mind - could the two events be connected, or was it yet another inexplicable coincidence?

“What happened?” my mate asked again after my long silence.

“I’m not sure…but there’s someone who might be able to help us figure it out.”

Diving my hand into my pocket, it didn’t take me long to find what I was looking for - the small, rectangular paper card Cassiopeia gave me on our first encounter. After finding my mate and discussing our wolf situation with her, I asked for the Elder’s permission to reach out to her again. He suggested we did it following Valentina’s official welcome, and now I was surethe timing couldn’t be more perfect. I examined the object for a few seconds before turning my attention to Tina again.

“Are you ready, my Luna?” I could see the hesitation in her eyes, but she nodded nevertheless. “Elder Laelius, may I summon Cassiopeia?”

“Whenever you’re ready, Alpha Zephyr.” The man gave me a curt nod.

I took a deep breath, but didn’t allow myself enough time to start second guessing my decision. In a sharp movement, I ripped the card in two while chanting the witch’s name. The torn paper pieces dispersed into fairy dust, disappearing before it even hit the ground. Only a few seconds later, the raven-haired woman appeared right in front of us.

“Oh.” Cassiopeia’s first reaction was to raise her brows in surprise. She then took a quick glance around. “Hi, everyone. Nice to see you again, Zephyr. I take it you found the one who has your wolf-self?”

“I believe so.” My future Luna and I exchanged one long glance. I held her hand tight as I turned back to the witch. “This is Valentina. She’s my mate.”

“A mate, huh? Things just got interesting!” An amused grin lit up her face. “Let’s see if you’re right. If you can just let me peek inside your heads for a moment…”

The three-centuries old woman didn’t wait for our consent to proceed. She placed one hand on the side of my head, and the other on Tina’s. Her eyes became misty, just like they had when she came to see me a couple of days earlier. I also felt the same bizarre sensation I had experienced, as if she was digging around my deepest, darkest secrets; exposing them. When her emeralds went back to normal, disbelief was written all over her face.

“I knew it!” Cass raised her index finger into the air. “Your case is not like the others. You’re different. Unique.”

“Different how?” I instinctively pulled Tina closer to me when I felt her body tense up.

“Do you remember the prophecy I told you about? I researched it when I returned home.” All this shit was nothing short ofutterly bizarreto me, and judging by the look on my mate’s face, she agreed with me. The witch, however, had her lips curled in an excited grin. “A true Alpha pair, whose wolves have been switched, must fight as one in a battle that will last from dusk ‘til dawn.”

“What is that supposed to-” I started, but my mate didn’t let me finish.

“Dusk and Dawn. Those are our wolves’ names,” she breathed out, completely horrified. “What is a true Alpha?”

Finally, a question I knew the answer to. “It’s a shifter with pure Alpha blood, who has been conceived by a pure-blooded Alpha couple. Basically a wolf who has two direct lineages of Alphas, both maternally and paternally, in their family tree.”

“Precisely,” Cass agreed.

“That prophecy isn’t about me then.” Tina almost sounded relieved. “I’m a born Omega. My parents were executed for treason against their Alpha when I was still young, but I know for a fact they were Omegas.”

The witch’s face fell. “Are you sure?” My mate nodded confidently. “I see. Well, it could be something else then. I’ll look deeper into the matter. Once I have more conclusive evidence, I’ll get back to you.” She was about to turn around to leave when she suddenly stopped, her eyes darting to my girl beside me. “What did you say your name was again?”

“Uh, Valentina. Valentina Quill.”

“Nice meeting you.” With those final words, Cassiopeia snapped her fingers and disappeared into thin air.

When I looked back at Tina, she seemed to be in the same state I was in the first time I met Cass. The confusion of notknowing who you are, combined with the fear of what awaited you in the future… I was familiar with those feelings. At least now, I had someone who could understand what I was going through; I could only hope such a thought brought her as much peace as it brought me. Turning to face her, I moved a strand of her hair away from her face to look straight into her eyes, and found myself repeating the words Dawn had once spoken to me.

“Everything will fall into place when the time is right.” I grabbed her face with both my hands, soothing her. “Until then, we’ll be together. It’ll be fine,” I reassured her with a smile. She tried to return the gesture. “Tell you what. I’m gonna take the day off to give you a tour around the pack, and get you acquainted with your new home. We can just unwind and get our minds off this mess.”

Judging by the way her hazel orbs glistened golden, I took it that she liked my idea. Still, I could sense her reluctancy. “Don’t you have work to do? I don’t wanna get in your way.”

“I’m sure the world won’t end if I run away for a few hours.” I shot a glance at my best friend, who nodded in understanding. No words were needed for me to know he would gladly cover for me.

I wished I could take a couple days off to escape with my mate, like Malin. To a world where all that mattered was us. With a heavy sigh, I shook my head, knowing that wasn’t my reality. Sadly, time off was one of the few luxuries most Alphas couldn’t afford to have.

But, as always, I would make it work.

Interlude III

Valentina

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