Chapter 74 An Invitation

• || Lilac's POV ||
• The days passed in a blur, each one heavier than the last. I stayed in my room, the curtains drawn, the world outside feeling distant and unimportant. My thoughts were a tangled mess, my heart torn between the life I wanted and the destiny I feared. Alaric’s words echoed in my mind, his possessiveness, his declaration that I was his. But the Moon Goddess’s vision loomed over me, a constant reminder of the stakes. If I didn’t find my mate, everyone I loved would suffer. My parents, Ezra, Elara… and Alaric. The thought was unbearable, but so was the idea of defying fate.
• I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the floor, when the door creaked open. My mom stepped in, her presence warm and comforting. She carried a tray of snacks, the scent of freshly baked cookies filling the room.