“Why?” asked Tristan, as he gestured to one of the chairs in front of his desk. “Please…”
Lowering herself gracefully until she was seated, Oracle murmured her thanks as she waited for Tristan to sit. When she had his full attention, she began. “Very soon you will face an enemy intent on thwarting all your plans for the survival of your pack. The Fates…”
“Wait a minute…who are you talking about?”
“I cannot say but you will soon find out. To defeat them will require you to choose who you will save…yourself or your pack.”
“I already know who I’ll save.”
“You do?”
“As far as I’m concerned, there isn’t any choice because my pack will always come first,” Tristan replied. “Do you, or the Fates, think so little of me that I would betray my pack? That I could live with myself, knowing I did nothing to save innocent men, women, and children?” Giving Oracle a hard stare, he said, “Well they’d be wrong! No matter what it costs me, I shall do everything in my power to protect my pack…even if it costs me my life.”
“And what about your mate? Sacrificing your life, while noble, also means your mate will die. Are you willing to sentence him to death?”
“Do the Fates really believe my mate would choose himself over doing the right thing?” Tristan asked, his anger beginning to rise.
“I did not say that.”
“But you implied it!”
“It is a fair question. Volunteering to give your life to save your pack is a personal decision; but that decision also impacts your Fated Mate…the one you swore to protect.”
“I am well aware of that,” Tristan said, “but I know Heath would agree with my decision because he also swore to protect the pack when he became the Alpha Mate. Besides, I know my mate and he would be devastated if innocents died who he could have saved. So the answer to your question is yes, and I stand by my choice. Now if that’s all you want to speak to me about, I must ask you to leave. I’m not trying to be rude but ifwhat you say is true about an imminent attack, there are preparations I must make.”
Smiling, Oracle murmured, “The Fates are right…you are the Chosen One.”
Puzzled at her comment, Tristan leaned back in his chair and looked for a sign that she was playing a practical joke on him. He couldn’t figure out why an Oracle would do that, but suddenly another thought popped into his mind.Of course, she’s at the wrong pack. Satisfied that was the case, he said, “I think there’s been a mistake. Whatever it means, I can assure you I’m not the Chosen One, but I do hope you find him…or her, as the case may be.”
“No, it is definitely a him,” Oracle said, with a hint of laughter in her voice.
“Right…then I hope you find him,” Tristan replied, trying to keep his annoyance in check. He found the conversation totally confusing and it was beginning to piss him off.
“I already have found him.”
Oh shit…here we go again.By the look on the Oracle’s face, she believed he was the ‘Chosen One’…whatever that is. She was clearly confused—his father’s refusal to acknowledge him as his son was proof he’d never been chosen for anything. Trying again, he asked, “Oracle, I know the Fates are always right, but do you think it’s possible you’ve got the wrong Alpha?”
“No, you are the one I seek,” Oracle replied. “You are the Chosen One.”
Tristan sat forward with a thud. Shaking his head, he murmured, “Impossible…it’s just impossible.” Burying his face in his hands, he wondered why she was being so…so…
“Tristan,” Oracle said softly. “It’s not impossible. For a long time, the Goddess of the Moon watched as Josiah ravaged this pack and her heart bled for her precious wolves who were suffering under the heel of his boot. But she could not interfere so, in desperation, she went to the Fates, pleading with them to find a savior for the pack. The Fates finally agreed, but there were two conditions. She would give the one they chose a gift, and she would have to be patient. She gratefully accepted their terms and then anxiously began to wait for the Chosen One to appear.
“Finally, the Fates sent her a message that you had been born, but cautioned her that it would take years before you were old enough to wrest control of the pack from Josiah—and even then, there was no guarantee that the Chosen One would assume the mantle.”
“Why not?” asked Tristan.
“Neither the gods nor the Fates are allowed to influence the decisions made by us.”
“So that’s why Josiah got away with the evil he did,” Tristan said, slowly shaking his head.
“Exactly,” Oracle said. “As the years passed, the Goddess of the Moon watched you from afar, hoping the day would come when you’d seek out your father and take control of this pack.”
“I planned on killing my father for what he did to my mother,” Tristan murmured.
“I know…but that was resolved by the time you arrived,” Oracle said. “The Goddess of the Moon and the Fates waited to see what you would do…would you leave, since your father was dead, or would you take your place as the rightful heir—the Alpha of the Silver Point Pack.”
“I almost left.”
