*Leroy POV*
I wake up to find Cali in my arms. My heart is filled with immeasurable joy. Having her like this is heaven. Our union was pure bliss and nothing I ever imagined. Prophecy or not, I have made up my mind. There is no way in hell that I am ever parting with her. 
Her alluring golden eyes flip open and my heart flutters. 
“Morning,” she greets with a yawn. 
“Morning, my love,” I respond and play with her hair. 
She narrows her eyes at me. 
“What is it?”
I flash her a smile. It’s amazing how she knows that something is on my mind. 
“I don’t want to be mated with anyone else ever again,” I inform her of my decision and she lets out a sigh. 
“I don’t think that’s up to us, Leroy.”
“It has to be, Cali. I can’t go through this rollercoaster again. Yes, I loved Phoebe, but I can’t do this. We are mates, we should be together forever.”
At this point I don’t care what I need to do to make this happen. Dad and his cruel regime are long gone. Phoebe is gone and she had nothing to do with any of this. Cali does not blame me for her pack’s murder and suppression. I don’t see why we should be separated because my dad was a greedy ass. 
“I think it’s the red moon affecting you. It will be different when you meet your second mate,” she says dismissively, but I can’t accept her response. She seems to have accepted our fate, but I can’t. We love each, we did way before her Lycan came around. Way before she knew who she was. That had nothing to do with the Luna red moon affecting me. 
“It will not. You are not hearing me, Cali. I am not mating with anyone else ever again. You are my mate today and forever.”
She sits up and studies me. I sit up and gaze at her eyes. I hope she can see that I am serious about this. 
“The Epsilon was clear on this, Leroy. We…”
“I don’t care what they said. We were not meant to feel anything for each other before yesterday, but we did. They don’t know everything about this. It’s not fair that I get to be with other people while you wait. I am choosing to be with only you.”
“Leroy,”she calls to me softly. I know that this is eating at her too. I went crazy when Phoebe died and took it out on her. In my grief and stupidity, I even rejected her. I just can’t be in that position again. I felt our bond fading. That was the scariest moment of my life. 
“I love you. I need you to fight with me on this,” I urge, unable to mask my desperation. 
“How do we fight something we can’t see, Leroy? Don’t you see that this is out of our hands? I was going to shut you out forever, yet here we are. Can we just enjoy this moment while it lasts?” she asks, sinking my heart. It’s another reminder of my hurtful words. It’s a confirmation that I can’t let this go or I will crash the person who means the world to me. 
“Babe, please forgive me for all the stupid words I uttered. If I could take them back, I would.”
She shrugs her shoulders. “It’s water under the bridge. It’s not like I can remain mad at you.”
I shake my head. I don’t want her to be compelled by our bond to forgive me. I don’t deserve it, but I need it to come from her heart. 
I pull her in my arms before turning over and pinning her sexy body under mine. My mark on her neck gives me the assurance that we can beat the odds. We can defy the prophecy and be together from now on. She moans when I burry my head on her neck. That sound sends goosebumps all over my body, waking up desires I can’t control. 
“Tell me you don’t want us to be like this forever,” I challenge and she runs her hand through my hair. 
“You know that I do.”
“It’s decided then. I will reject any mate who shows up until the goddess gets the message,” I conclude and feel Sky stirring inside. His instinct will be to fight me on this, but I am certain that he loves Cali more than any mate we will ever have. 
Cali pulls me off her neck and makes eyes contact. Lord, those eyes! She pushes me back when I get closer. 
“Rejecting your mate has consequences, Leroy. It’s not a light decision you can make a the spur of the moment.”
“I know that, Cali. Whatever consequence can’t be as bad as not having your love. You are my ultimate mate,” I remind her. 
“Leroy,” she calls to me with a defeated tone. 
“I love you, Cali. I have since the day you sneaked on me in the woods. I can live through anything as long as you are by my side.”
She lets out a sigh and shakes her head. “As frustrating as you are, I love you too. If there is a way of us being together from now on, I would like to explore it.”
“That’s my girl,” I murmur before covering her lips with mine. We are soon lost in each other. Our hearts hammer against each other as all the restrictions and the entire universe disappears, leaving just us. 
She moans louder, making me feel like I going to explode. 
“I think it’s time we add more Lycans to this world,” I tease as I position myself inside her. 
Her body trembles as I thrust into her addictive core. 
“Leroy! Oh..Leroy!”
My name sounds sweeter than honey. 
“I love for eternity,” I murmur as our bodies dance in a perfect rhythmic dance we seem to have mastered on our second round. She screams out my name, her body vibrating as she reaches her orgasm. Even that is so damn sexy. I pin her hands above her head and unleash the beast I have been suppressing since the days she was just a mere nameless girl. 
I don’t recognise the sound resonating from my throat as my body stiffens and I spill my seeds inside her. 
It is past midnight by the time we lay in bed, utterly exhausted. 
“Sweet dreams, my love,” I murmur and kiss her heavy eyes before drifting off to sleep. 
She must have woken up before me because I wake up and find her standing a distance away from the bed. It’s easy to recognise the change in our surroundings. The red moon is gone. The expression on her face sends chills down my spine. 
“Leroy,” she calls me. I hear panic on her voice. 
I quickly get out of bed and walk to her. 
“What is it?”
“Your mark. It’s gone!”