apter 73: A Promise Etched in Moonlight
**Thelma Zane’s Point of View**
“Moon Goddess, please summon me away from here,” I silently prayed, sitting on the sofa beside Benard. Across from us sat my parents, their expressions a mix of seriousness and confusion. Though it might have seemed like a simple conversation, the room carried the weight of a trial–a trial in which I was both defendant and witness.
Benard’s usual calm demeanor was replaced with a quiet intensity. His presence alone seemed. to thicken the atmosphere, and for a moment, I felt like we were caught in a tri–party
standoff.
“We need to talk,” my father finally said, his voice steady but firm. “Let’s have an honest and
sincere conversation.”
I nodded, glancing briefly at my parents. “What you see is the truth,” I began, my voice unwavering. “Benard and I are in a relationship. We aren’t simply indulging in a fleeting romance. Father, Mother, we are serious about each other.”
Since our secret had already been exposed, there was no point in hiding anymore. It was time to be open and honest about the feelings we had tried to keep private for so long.
Benard, seated beside me, gave a slight nod in agreement. Though his eyes betrayed a flicker of frustration, his voice remained respectful as he said, “As Thelma mentioned, we are committed to each other, Your Highnesses. Our intentions are genuine, and we are not
treating this lightly.”
My mother’s expression shifted. While she didn’t seem entirely opposed to the idea, her discerning gaze revealed a hint of disapproval. “Committed?” she echoed, her tone skeptical. In what way, exactly? By kissing in the Lycan King’s living room in broad daylight?” Her eyes narrowed as she addressed Benard directly. “I had always considered you a man of decorum Sir Benard. I trusted you to care for my niece–o, my daughter. But today, you have deeply disappointed me.”
13
“Mother, please don’t say that about him,” I interjected, my voice rising in defense of the man I loved. “This isn’t a case of him taking advantage of me. If anything, I was the one who initiated this relationship. I was the first to fall in love, the one to initiate our first kiss, and I’m the one who pulled him into this.”
My mother gasped, visibly shocked, while my father placed a steadying hand on her shoulder. His silent gesture seemed to channel strength to her, preventing her from fainting at what she undoubtedly considered her daughter’s scandalous confession.
I wanted to say more, to explain the depth of our bond, but Benard gently squeezed my hand, signaling for me to pause. His eyes, filled with determination, met mine briefly before he turned to address my parents.
Chapter
“Please forgive me, Your Highnesses,” he began, his voice calm but resolute. “I am well aware that my relationship with Thelma does not align with conventional expectations. We are not fated mates, and the age difference between us is significant. Moreover, I once held the role of her mentor. By societal standards, our relationship might seem unconventional, even inappropriate.”
He
used, letting the weight of his words sink in. My parents remained silent, their eyes fixed
on him.
“But,” Benard continued, his voice growing softer yet more profound, “despite these challenges, our connection is undeniable. It wasn’t something we planned or anticipated. Like two wings of a butterfly, we found ourselves drawn together, each completing the other. It became impossible to separate, and the truth is–we don’t want to.”
Benard’s gaze shifted to my father, whose regal presence seemed to dominate the room. Despite the King’s imposing demeanor, Benard didn’t waver. He met my father’s eyes with unflinching resolve.
“I love Thelma,” he declared firmly. “I have loved her from the depths of my heart, and I will continue to love her for the rest of my life. Under the witness of the Moon Goddess, I swore an oath–a sacred promise under the moon. Should my love for Thelma ever waver, I ask the Moon
Goddess to take my life and subject me to eternal judgment.”
I froze, my heart skipping a beat. **An oath under theoon?**
He had never mentioned this to me before.
The ‘oath under the moon‘ was no ordinary declaration. Among werewolves, it was the most binding and solemn vow one could make. It was a covenant witnessed by the Moon Goddess herself, offering divine protection and blessing to those who upheld it. However, breaking such an oath would invoke the wrath of the Moon Goddess, resulting in lifelong exile and rejection from the werewolf community.
My parents, too, were visibly taken aback. For a moment, neither of them spoke, their expressions a mixture of shock and contemplation.
Benard lowered his head slightly, as if burdened by the weight of his own words. “I didn’t know how else to prove my sincerity,” he admitted quietly. “I thought the only way to convey the depth of my love for Thelma was to place my life in the hands of the eternal moon. I am willing to dedicate my entire existence to her, and I will never waver in my commitment.”
His words left me speechless. I turned to him, my mind racing. “You never told me,” 1 murmured, struggling to process the magnitude of his promise.
Benard smiled faintly, his eyes softening. “Even lovers are entitled to a few secrets, aren’t they? At least, you know now.”
A secret? This was far from a mere secret.
Quipers & Promise Duched in Moonlight.
I trusted Benard’s love for me, but I also believed that love required freedom. If, someday, either of us grew apart or realized we could no longer be together, I believed in letting go. Love, after all, was not a one–sided endeavor. It required mutual effort, and sometimes, relationships simply reached their natural end.
But Benard’s oath under the moon left no room for such freedom. He had chained himself to our love, ensuring that even the slightest doubt or faltering would bring severe consequences.
“You shouldn’t have done this,” I whispered, my concern evident. I had momentarily forgotten my parents‘ presence as I grasped his hands, shaking them gently as if trying to wake him from a dream. “Do you truly understand the power of an oath under the moon? You’ve bound yourself with chains that can never be broken.”
Benard’s response was calm and unwavering. He lifted my hand to his lips, kissing it tenderly. “I understood everything before I made the vow,” he said softly. “I don’t care how many chains I bear. For you, Thelma, I am willing to endure anything.”
His words hung in the air, a testament to the depth of his love–a love so profound that it defied logic, tradition, and even the will of the Moon Goddess herself.
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