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Selene was keeping her emotions together, but she looked as if she wanted to break into sobs. My heart ached for her. I felt what she was feeling now; questioning my choices, wondering if I did the right thing, feeling selfish for putting my needs above others, and thinking about what was best for the men I loved. It was what I was dealing with now.
Selene took a step closer to Balthezar, reaching up and cupping his face with a delicate hand. The other men huddled around her, offering their silent support for the goddess they fell in love with. The remaining wolves in the pack remained in place, watching their leaders in their most vulnerable moment.
I felt intrusive, standing here and watching this. This was a private moment, and it felt wrong for me to be here, but I was seeing this for a reason.
"I will never forgive myself if something happens to you all," Selene whispered. "I should take back your inner wolves, let you return to a life of normalcy and fall in love with mortal women like you're supposed to. You should forget about me. Maybe then you will be spared from all this heartache."
"Absolutely not," Balthezar growled, his meaty hand reaching up to cover over Selene's. "I will not abandon you."
The other men had stated the same conviction to stay with Selene.
"You do not understand. The rulers of fate will not stop until you are all punished, until you have either surrendered or perished."
"We know, and we do not care."
Selene looked frustrated with Balthezar's resistance to give her up. "You are so foolish."
Balthezar smirked. "And you are so stubborn, which is one of the traits I love about you."
"Lady Selene," the tanned man from earlier spoke next. "We know of the risks, and we are willing to accept them. Please, do not turn away from us now. Do not take away our wolves. They are a part of who we are now, just as you are."
Selene's head whipped around to look into the eyes of all her men, neither of them looking away. Balthezar turned around to address the rest of the pack, speaking up in a loud, authoritative voice. "Who else is willing to fight for your right to choose your own path or die trying? Who is ready to stand behind us until the end?"
In response, the wolves raised their heads to let out a symphony of howls. Their song confirming that they all have chosen to stay as well. I was in awe of their show of inner strength, their resolve to fight a losing battle, all for the sake of defying Fate’s path for them. The same way I did when I rejected my fated mate and chose who I wanted as my mates.
Selene looked flabbergasted for words as it sank in that her men and their pack were staying put. "I don't not understand, why? Why would you stay when you could continue to live your lives back home?"
Balthezar took Selene's face in his hands. "Because a life without you in it is not one worth living."
To prove his point, Balthezar leaned forward and sealed his lips with Selene's. Mother Moon melted in the man's strong embrace, their mouths opening to let the other drink in their taste. This was the part where I really felt like I was invading their private moment. My eyes looked away so I wouldn't have to see them sucking lips and inhaling moans of pleasure. My gaze shot up to the full moon above us. The Wolf Moon. The source of whatever gift Selene would bestow upon her men, and what I have given to the men I loved. The reason for all my current problems. The path in the fork of the road that led me off course to what Fate had planned for me but led me to where I wanted to go.
When the lovebirds finally broke away from their lip lock, Balthezar and Selene had their foreheads pressed together. "My lady," Balthezar spoke up. "You are the reason why we found the courage to choose what we want out of our lives. Circumstances can be poison or nectar, and we've chosen to decide who and what we are. We no longer want our lives to be governed by some higher power, we want to be the one to decide our fate. To one day inspire future generations that our lives are not set in stone, that we can choose to follow the path given to us or walk our own path. We've chosen, Lady Selene, and we've chosen you."
Now I understood why I was here, why I was seeing this. This was Selene's way of guiding me, like I asked. It didn't matter if I didn't want my mates, or my family, risking their lives for me. It was their choice to make and all I could do was accept it. If they were willing to fight, even if all hope was lost, then I shouldn't give up either. The will of these men would be the fuel that would ignite ours.
"Very well." Selene sighed. "If you insist on following this path, then I will have to accept it. I do not wish to part with you all either."
"You're stronger together than separated," I whispered softly, my mind thinking of my guys.
"Form a circle around me and join hands," Selene commanded, and the guys obliged without argument. She looked up at the Wolf Moon before dropping her head and closing her eyes. Seconds after, her body began to glow, and a crescent moon symbol flashed onto her forehead in that turquoise color I was all too familiar with. At the same time, my own forehead burned, feeling the same symbol reappearing on my skin. I could feel the warmth of energy filling me as I observed Selene shimmering with luminescent energy. A trail of glittering light traveled from the moon down to its deity and her lovers.
"If we intend to fight as one, then I shall grant you all of my essence," Selene spoke with an echoed voice that had goosebumps running along my skin. "My soul, my body, my mind, all the strength within my heart. By the power of the Wolf Moon, I willingly grant you six the true strength of your predatory nature. To surpass both your human and wolf selves and become one."
The crescent moon symbol ignited onto the flesh of Selene's men as her very soul seemed to have been traveling from her body over to them. They were being granted the Wolf Moon's gift, whatever it was. I could feel them growing stronger, my gift reacting to the force of Selene's powers. Selene's head lifted and averted her eyes to...me. She was staring right at me. My body stiffened as my eyes grew wide.
She couldn't really see me, could she?
As if reading my thoughts, the right side of her mouth turned up slightly, indicating she could. I gaped, wondering what was happening. If she could see me, that meant she could interact with me, right? I could ask her about the gift, and what was so special about it. The light radiating off her and her men grew brighter with every second, making it harder for me to see what was happening. It was to the point I had to look away and squeeze my eyes shut.
My head began to feel cloudy, and I grew unsteady on my feet. I began to feel myself vanishing from the vision. No, not yet. I still had so many questions.
"Wait!" I shouted. "Please, tell me what the gift is. I need to know."
My answer didn't come in the form of words, only in the multi-layers of feral growls and howling. I risked the chance of opening my eyes and gasped at what I was seeing. The sight was blurry, but clear enough for me to see six silhouettes of wolves. Not just any wolves, these were standing only on their hind legs and looked to carry more of a human-like appearance, minus the long snouts, pointed ears, razor-sharp claws, and fur tails. I couldn't make up any other details other than the blue crescent moon on their heads, and the glowing eyes that matched in color.
That was the last thing I saw before I found myself with my eyes closed, my body lying on its side on the cool ground, and a hand on my shoulder trying to shake me awake.
"Rosie? Rosie, wake up, my love." Kai's soft voice finally registered in my mind.
