Nick's words hit Jeremy and caused him to pause for a moment to reflect. Indeed, he shouldn't just leave his pack and his Alpha behind without a word. It would break their hearts.
He looked over at Byron, and the Alpha had been carrying too much weight on his shoulders. Byron had been there when Jeremy and Celeste grew up together. They had been through thick and thin, and Jeremy knew that Byron was hurting deeply from Celeste's departure. He had also seen the way that the wolf pack had been affected by Celeste's absence, and he didn't want his own departure to add to their sense of despair.
With a heavy heart, Jeremy knew that he had to make a decision. But he had no choice. If he had to choose between his pack and Celeste, he would never hesitate to choose Celeste. He felt that his conversation with Byron would not affect anything. But at least he wouldn't leave without a word.
So now he was standing right in front of the Alpha of the pack.
"I'm glad to see you back on your feet, Jeremy," Byron said, scrutinizing Jeremy from head to toe. As he spoke, he studied Jeremy's demeanor, searching for any hint of weakness or hesitation.
Jeremy felt a flush of embarrassment rise to his cheeks under Byron's gaze. He struggled to find the words to explain his sudden departure. "I... I have to go," he stammered.
"What do you mean, 'you have to go'?" Byron arched an eyebrow at Jeremy's words.
"I've been thinking about it for a long time," Jeremy said, steeling himself for Byron's reaction. "I can't leave Celeste behind. I have to find her. Even if she doesn't want to come with me, I still have to go explain myself to her."
"Oh, okay. How many wolves do you need to bring with you this time?" Byron asked.
"No, I haven't made myself clear. What I mean is that I'm leaving the pack. I'm going to become a rogue."
The small smile on Byron's face froze. He blinked a few times as if he couldn't believe what he had just heard. He got up from his chair and walked over to Jeremy. "Wait, are you saying you want to become a rogue? I'm not sure if I heard you correctly."
Jeremy nodded. "Yes, you heard me correctly. I'm becoming a rogue."
"Why? But I mean..." Byron was at a loss for words. He took a deep breath and looked at Jeremy with a puzzled expression. "Why do you suddenly want to be a rogue?"
"Because I can't choose between the pack and Celeste. If I have to choose between the two, I would choose Celeste."
"But you don't have to choose between the two. What do you mean, Jeremy? I don't understand," Byron said, with increasing confusion in his eyes and a furrowed brow.
Jeremy licked his lips, suddenly uncertain that he was actually about to say this. The weight of the confession he was about to make was suddenly so heavy.
He took a deep breath and began, "I..." His voice trailed off as he struggled to find the words to articulate what he needed to say. He could easily tell a stranger about the mate bond between him and Celeste, thanks to the power of alcohol, but now he was facing a respected elder, someone he had known for so long, and he suddenly realized how much courage it would take to say these words.
"What? What happened?" Byron urged him on.
Jeremy took another deep breath.
"Celeste is my fated mate," he said, his eyes locked onto Byron's in a pleading gaze. But to his surprise, Byron's face remained stoic, betraying no emotion. Or probably he was just too shocked.
Trying to explain himself better, Jeremy continued, "Do you understand? Celeste is my fated mate!" Once he started, it seemed easier to continue. "My twin sister is my mate bond. That's why. As you said, the mate bond is predetermined by the stars, and a person can only have one in their lifetime. There is no way to break the bond except through death. It's ridiculous, isn't it? Celeste and I are fated partners."
Jeremy laughed, but the sound that came out of his throat was twisted and hoarse.
Byron's eyes widened as he looked at Jeremy, but he didn't say anything.
Jeremy continued in a dry voice, "But we are twins, and we don't have a future together. Even if our pack is open-minded, I don't think the pack could accept us being together. You once mentioned that you had hoped I would become the Alpha of the pack so that I could bring a new Luna to the pack, but that's just not possible. I've already chosen Celeste as my Luna, and I won't marry anyone else."
Taking a deep breath, Jeremy squared his shoulders and said, "That's why I have to leave the pack. It's the only way to prove my determination and show Celeste that I have chosen her. I can't imagine living without her, but I can live without the pack. You still haven't taken a second Luna, so I think you understand what I'm saying."
Byron watched Jeremy intently, studying his features for any signs of hesitation or regret. When Jeremy mentioned that he would choose Celeste over the pack, he saw something flash in Byron's eyes, a flicker of recognition or maybe even understanding.
"If I were you, I would probably do the same thing, son," Byron sighed after a long while, his voice heavy with resignation. "But you don't have to leave the pack."
"Why not?" Jeremy asked, his tone incredulous. "I've already told you that Celeste is more important to me than the pack. What more do you need to understand?"
Byron shook his head. But he remained silent as if he were considering whether to tell Jeremy something.
What else could he say? Jeremy frowned and urged, "What do you mean?"
"You and Celeste are not twin siblings." After a long silence, Byron finally said, "To be precise, you are not her twin brother."