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“Stop giving the girl grief, she needs to do this,” Selena calls out as she makes her way to my side. Her eyes are fogged as she speaks as though she’s looking far away. After a second, she blinks and shakes her head, and I get the feeling that her words were a premonition from the goddess. Selena has always been knowledgeable in the ways of the goddess, so I’m not surprised, especially now that I’ve seen the evidence of magic in several wolves. I’m starting to believe it’s not as uncommon as it was made out to be.
“I can’t believe you’re leaving me behind,” she grumbles at me before anyone can question her on what just happened, since I wasn’t the only person to notice her strange behaviour.
Releasing a sigh, I press a hand to my head to stave off the headache that’s building there. We’ve been over this, and although Selena has finally accepted that we’re not taking her with us, that doesn’t mean she’s okay with the decision, and she seems determined to make sure I’m aware of it.
“Selena, it’s going to be dangerous,” I explain for the hundredth time. Stepping closer, I place my hand on her arm and lower my voice. “I can’t risk your life.”
Her eyes soften, but the twist to her lips stays the same. “It’s my life to risk, and I just got you back.”
My eyes sting with tears, but I refuse to let them fall, as that will just make saying goodbye so much harder. Smiling with as much fake cheer as I can muster, I squeeze her arm gently. “You’ll see me soon, when I bring Dad back.”
Pursing her lips, she makes a dissatisfied grumbling noise. “Hmm, you better, otherwise, I’m coming down there and dragging both your asses back.”
This time, my smile is genuine, her comment exactly what I would expect from her. Having her back in my life, even for a very short period of time, has made me realise just how important she was to me growing up. Saying goodbye after less than twenty-four hours together is much harder than I ever expected it to be. “I love you, Selena.”
Her stern expression finally drops, replaced with a sadness I’m not sure she meant for me to see. It’s raw and full of pain and regret, making me wish we didn’t have to leave so soon. However, I’m determined that this won’t be the last time we’ll see each other, and Selena seems to feel the same way.
“You too, Laelia. You’re the closest thing I’ve got to a granddaughter, and I love you like family, so you better hurry back to me.” Pulling me in for a hug, she holds me close. Wrapping my arms around her, I take a deep inhale and memorise her scent and the feel of her small body against mine, her words hitting me harder than I expected.
“Anyway, that’s enough of that,” she blusters, pulling out of my hug and wiping at her face. She attempts to pass it off by pushing her hair back from her face, but I don’t miss the shine of tears on her cheeks. She waves me away before I can say anything. “Go kick some ass.”
Knowing that I’ll cry if I say anything else, I smile and turn around, walking over to my mates, Luna, and our volunteers.
Several werewolves offered to come with us. My father was well loved within the pack, so his loss was keenly felt. He protected the pack for most of his life, and now his friends and pack mates feel as though it’s their turn to take care of him, starting with getting him back from the council. We didn’t want to leave the pack unprotected, though, so we’re only bringing three additional volunteers with us. Liam and Julie are both from Joel’s original pack, although you could work that out just by looking at them. Their bodies are muscular and toned, making them both look strong and fierce. In fact, Julie looks like she could lift me above her head with one hand and make it look easy.
The final werewolf to join our group is Dale, an old friend of my father’s. He’s several years younger than my dad, and thanks to werewolf genetics, he looks like he’s in his early thirties. I used to think he was huge, but compared to Joel and his wolves, Dale looks small in comparison. His dark hair is shaved short on the sides, and he pulls the longer hair at the top back into a man bun. It looks good on him.
We say our goodbyes and move out into the forest so everyone can shift. As the feeling of the wolves being called to the surface fills the air, I can’t help but note how similar the sensation is to when the witches use magic. Perhaps they are not so different after all. Keeping that bit of information to myself, I call Star, knowing now isn’t the right time to share my musings. Kneeling down to greet her as she materialises in a shimmer of starlight, I press my forehead to hers, whispering sweet nothings. I channel magic down our connection like Luna taught me, willing my intent as I do so. To my amazement, Star begins to grow until she’s the same size as the other werewolves now surrounding us.
There’s little talk in the next couple of minutes as we mount up on the backs of the wolves, partially because there’s nothing to say, but as I glance over at Luna, Atlas, and Nicolai, I can see how awkward they feel about all this. It must be particularly strange for Nicolai, who’s riding on Scott’s back. Until very recently, he would have been in wolf form with the others. Now, he’s unable to shift, that integral part of him gone with no way of ever returning. Thankfully, Scott and Nicolai have formed a friendship and seem to be pretty close, so having him take Nicolai on his back made the most sense.
Our journey goes by in a flash. The werewolves are fast in this form, making quick work of the miles, yet it’s the fact that I’m so lost in my own thoughts that really makes the journey disappear. It’s almost as though I blinked and we arrived.
Really, it took hours, but I have so many worries and fears that I didn’t notice. What if they hurt my father? Who will be waiting for us when we get there? I’m assuming that’s where Bates ran straight to after the attack on Haven. That’s one thing I’mnotanxious about. It’s time for Bates to pay for all the pain and death he’s caused. The council also needs to answer for what they’ve done, but I have no idea how we’re going to manage that with just ten of us.
Just as my thoughts spiral deeper, I feel the goddess reach out to me, the comforting warmth of her presence immediately settling the battle inside my mind.
Have faith, little moon, she whispers into my mind.Now that you have accepted your inner goddess, you are more powerful than any of those who stand against you. You also have your mates to support you. I chose them to be yours for a reason.
I glance to the side and let my eyes trail over said mates, feeling comforted by the reminder. A goddess chose them to be with me, each of them helping in a way others can’t, and while it does comfort me, something she said sticks in my mind. What did she mean by accepting my inner goddess? As I’ve grown in confidence with my magic, I’ve become stronger, is that what she’s suggesting? I suppose she could mean that I’ve now accepted that I have her blood in my veins, making me different…
No, young one.Her voice is gentle as she cuts off my thought, and I swear I can sense a note of anticipation, as though she’s not sure how I’m going to take her next revelation.You’ve always carried power within you, and until recently, you would shun it away.
Initially, I think she’s talking about when my power first materialised on my twenty-first birthday. I was terrified when I discovered my magic, and I did everything I could to hide it. However, it doesn’t make sense, as it’s been released for months now.
The gentle rocking of Star’s movements lull me deep into thought as I mull it over. My instincts are telling me this is important, so I make the most of the time, aware the goddess is still with me. She doesn’t push or prod me, allowing me time to think through it. It takes me a while, and then it hits me.
The dark presence that resided inside me, the, powerful magic that I was too afraid to touch. The presence slowly became more and more quiet as I learned to master my magic and eventually disappeared completely. I had been wondering where it had gone, and now I know why. My cheeks tinge pink with embarrassment that it took me so long to work out. All this time, I was cutting off a part of me because I was afraid.
Yes, child. It was never a separate presence, only a part of yourself you weren’t ready to accept. However, you are now, and no one can get in your way other than yourself.
I’m not sure what she means, and I’m getting warning vibes from her, but she doesn’t seem keen to expand on her explanation. I feel her pull away from me, and I’m once again left with my thoughts. She gave me answers, yet not for the questions I needed answers for, and I’m more confused than ever. How can I be the only one to get in my way? She obviously knows more than she’s letting on, and the only reason she wouldn’t share this with me is because it’s something I have to discover for myself.
I’m still lost in my thoughts when Star comes to a stop. Surprised, I look up and discover that I recognise this forest. The tall, thick trees offer large coverage and the smell of many different wolves. Straining my hearing, I listen for any hints that we might not be alone, but all I hear are birds singing.
We’re in the forest that surrounds the werewolf compound, hiding it from the rest of the world. In the centre of the forest is a whole town that the council resides in and rules over. Several packs live there full time, such as Bates’, while others come and go as they need to. We are currently far enough out that I can’t hear any sounds from the town, and I can’t help but muse over how well it’s hidden.
Climbing off Star’s back, I walk over and help Luna off Joel’s back so he’s able to shift back into human form. Energy fills the air as the werewolves all change forms and Luna turns her back to give them privacy. I don’t bother, werewolves are very comfortable with nudity.
