Chapter 78: _Vulnerability Equals Strength

Chapter 78: _Vulnerability Equals Strength "A ’divine reason’, eh?" The moon goddess had a small smile on her face as she surprisingly got up. She stretched out her arms, gazing at them and clenching her hands before sighing lightly. "Mortal bodies are still so fragile." She remarked before fixing her gaze back on me. My eyes fluttered as I stared at her in awe. I was looking at the wrinkled body of Elder Davina, but within it was the divine essence of a goddess older and more powerful than I could imagine. Anyway, I managed to regain my composure and cleared my throat before nodding profusely. "Y– Yes. Do you have a divine plan attached to my mate bond with Odessa?" The moon goddess began walking slowly, circling me as she hummed to herself. Her eyes still glowed with a silver light which both frightened me and mesmerized me. "Well, not a divine plan, actually." The moon goddess muttered, finally getting in front of me and stopping there before she continued. "Also, I don’t actively go around setting you werewolves up like chess pieces to find your fated mates. That’s the god of love’s field and I don’t meddle there." My eyebrows furrowed into a frown, my confusion clear. What was she even talking about? "You and Odessa were already predestined to be mates. And I can’t change that." The moon goddess said with a shrug. I clenched my jaw but I didn’t back down. "But why? Why would an Alpha King and a witch be predestined? What would the wolves of my pack say? We are at war with the witches." "Why?" The moon goddess arched an eyebrow. "What started the war in the first place? And I thought your whole point for this truce was to prove that witches and werewolves can co-exist?" She was being cryptic and I was getting frustrated. Was there really nothing I could do to get answers or to understand why this was happening to me? "Are you punishing me for a crime perhaps?" I asked, dimming my eyes and fiddling nervously with my fingers. "I– Is that it?" My mind began flashing through several things I could have done before meeting Odessa that would make the moon goddess curse me. A cold shiver ran down my spine when I thought about one in particular. No... Could it be? Suddenly, the moon goddess sighed lightly, stepping forward elegantly. Each step she took made me get more and more anxious until she finally sat down in front of me just like Elder Davina had been doing earlier. Her eyes, which glowed with a silver light, dimmed as she scrutinized me closely, causing me to subconsciously hold my breath as I waited for her to speak. "You have a lot of hidden guilt over... Some things from your past, Kaelos." She mumbled, tilting her head before leaning away from me. "But I wouldn’t curse a werewolf for any of the things you’ve done. I don’t work that way... Except, of course, someone prays to me to curse you for something atrocious." She parted some strands of hair aside just then, seeming completely disinterested. "It seems you have nothing of importance to ask. I’ve said enough already, as it is. Me revealing things to you easily wouldn’t be fair now, would it?" She had a small smirk on the corner of her lips as she slowly closed her eyes, causing me to clench my fists anxiously. This was one of the rare moments where I wished to speak with Damon for some insight but even he had shrunk back and hidden in the presence of the moon goddess. I couldn’t help but wonder what experiencing her true form would be like. "Can’t you explain anything about the mate bond between me and Odessa at all? Any insights?" I asked desperately when I felt a cold breeze blowing around the two of us. I could feel that she was about to exit Elder Davina’s body. The moon goddess left her eyes closed but raised her right hand, stretching it forward and placing it on top of my shoulder. That simple move was enough to instantly calm me down, sending an odd surge of peace around my body and making my shoulders relax from the tension. "You don’t give yourself enough credit, my child." The moon goddess said softly, slowly opening her eyes again and smiling warmly. "And as for the mate bond... I can only tell you this. Allow yourself to be vulnerable. Give in to the path it has set for the two of you. Only then can you be open to the strength it gives." My eyebrows furrowed into a slight frown despite the peace I felt. Strength? Was she trying to say the mate bond would make me more powerful if I... Accept it? I parted my lips but before I could say anything, a short burst of silver light surrounded the moon goddess, forcing me to close my eyes. By the time I opened my eyes, I could no longer feel her presence. She was gone. "Fuck..." I cursed silently, diverting my gaze from Elder Davina who slowly opened her eyes after the moon goddess left her body. The Elder chuckled softly before she remarked. "Cursing mere seconds after being touched by divinity. You’ll never cease to amuse me, Alpha King." I grunted in response, grabbing the cup of tea that Elder Davina had dropped in front of me earlier before I raised it and took a sip. "Well?" Elder Davina fluttered her eyelids at me curiously, tilting her head. I savored the taste of the tea and felt the soothing sensation surging through me, sighing with satisfaction before I spoke up. "Well, what? She was being cryptic. The only things I managed to get from that overwhelming conversation with her is that the mate bond wasn’t a curse and that I can only be open to the ’strength’ it gives after letting myself get vulnerable with Odessa." I didn’t even want to begin arguing about how the heck vulnerability equals strength since it was clear to me that the moon goddess’ ways were more complex than our mortal minds could understand. I stood up, adjusting my cufflinks and dusting my clothes while Elder Davina let out a sigh. "You’re lucky she even gave you an answer at all. But anyway, what are you going to do now?" She asked, a knowing look in her eyes. It seemed to me that she already had an idea of what I was going to do. I mean, it was already obvious anyway... "I’m going to be the most vulnerable I can ever be around my mate."