Goodbye, My Mate

Chapter 124

Leah's POV

The Moon Goddess Temple was located in a hidden valley.

From outside, it looked like an abandoned mining ground.

My Father purchased this land and hid it away from human beings, just to provide a secluded area for the worship of the Moon Goddess.

As I limped into the grand temple, my breath came in ragged gasps and my heart pounded with fury.

My eyes blazed with anger as I approached the ornate altar of the Moon Goddess, feeling as though the very walls of the temple were closing in around me.

The temple was a marvel of grandeur and sophistication. Its walls were adorned with intricate patterns of gold and silver, while the ceiling was a shimmering expanse of stars and constellations. The air was heavy with the scent of incense and the soft glow of flickering candles cast dancing shadows across the room.

But I paid little attention to the splendor around me.

My attention was focused solely on the statue of the Moon Goddess, which towered above the altar.

The Goddess was depicted as a serene and benevolent figure, but to my eyes, she seemed cold, manipulative, and uncaring.

"Why must I be bound by destiny?" I cried out, my voice echoing through the hallowed halls. "Why can I not live a life of my own choosing? Have I done anything in my life to disrespect you? I followed your instruction to get married to Lucas Farrow and he turned out to be a fucking asshole! Now I'm finally free and you want me to be chained up with him again?! I understand that you have a bigger picture to consider. You want me to save the Kingdom and people, but has it ever occurred to you that I have never wanted to be the one who carries everything on my shoulder?! Have you ever thought that I just want to be an average girl, sharing a fucking slice of pizza with a man who loves me back in the same way as I love him?! You're benevolent and kind, but don't you have any kind of sympathy for me?!"

After shouting and blasphemy, I felt something bitter in my throat.

I had to curl up and cough it out.

It was blood.

I looked up. The Goddess remained silent, her expression unchanged, which made me even more angry.

I refused to be deterred. I railed against the deity, my voice rising in pitch and volume until it seemed as though the very walls of the temple might crumble.

"Talk to me! You've asked me to come to your temple so we can talk. Now I'm here. So talk to me!"

My angry voice echoed in the spacious temple.

And yet, despite my fury, I felt a sense of peace descend upon me. The temple's beauty, the Goddess's serene countenance, and the weight of centuries of tradition all conspired to calm my rage.

As I gazed up at the statue of the Moon Goddess, I suddenly felt a sense of reverence and awe wash over me.

"Have you calmed down, Leah?" I heard a voice in my mind.

"No. I refused to calm down. I was taken against my will by a man that I hate because of you. I have the right to be angry," I shouted.

"Leah, my child," the voice said. "I love you just like I love all my children. There is a difference between loving and indulging. You were born into this world with a quest. I chose you because you're strong and powerful. The bear's attack proved your worthiness to me."

"But I fought against your will! I disappointed you!" I coughed out more blood.

That voice said, "That is your worthiness. Leah, you're stronger than I thought. A king can command his men. A father can command his children. But upon their death, only a brave person like you can stand in front of me, telling me that you are subjected to nothing but your own heart. It takes someone with a brave heart of gold to follow their heart."

"Leah, you're stronger than you thought. The anger you're feeling right now has been born of fear and uncertainty, and the path you're meant to follow is not a burden, but a blessing. Now come forward and offer a prayer, my child. You'll be empowered with all my blessings and live in this world as a free, independent woman. Your story will be carried on and told," the voice said.

I wiped off the blood stain at the corner of my mouth and stepped forward.

With a deep breath, I knelt before the altar and offered a silent prayer of thanks to the Moon Goddess.

I felt my anger dissipate, replaced by a sense of clarity and purpose. At the same time, I felt more energetic than ever before. I looked at my reflection on the mirror wall. All the blood stains around my mouth were gone. My eyes became amber-colored. I became radiant.

"Go talk to Darren now. He will have the answer to some of your questions. He is your Batair, so you should keep him close, not loose." The voice said. "Oh, another thing. Cut the booze from now on, will you? You're with a cub now."

"What?!" My mouth opened and closed. "What do you mean, Moon Goddess? Do you mean that... I am pregnant?!"

There was no response but silence.

"Please, Goddess! Answer me, please! Am I pregnant with... Lucas' child?!" I looked up desperately at the statue.

Still, no response.

No. No. No. That can't be the case! I can't have Lucas' child. I hate him! This can't be true. I can't have a baby right now! I'm at the start of my career. Someone is trying to kill me. I'm divorcing my husband. I hate him, by the way. Is that why the Moon Goddess forced me to have sex with Lucas in the car?! So I could be pregnant with his cub?!

This isn't going to happen to me. No!