Page 18 of The Wolf Moon

“Calm down, Mila,” She told me gently, “I have more to say, but you must remain calm. It’s not the end of the world, yet.” I found her words ironic in comparison to Cynthia’s, who had declared the end of the world was actually in the near future.

“When a mark is given but not taken, the Mother grants you until the next full moon to complete the marks of the mates. You just need to mark Alpha Roman by then,” She informed me, her voice clear and sincere.

“Mark him how exactly?” I asked, appalled at the idea of biting the King Alpha.

“The same way he did you. It would require that you shift, at least partially.”

I groaned. “I’m not a lycan. I can’t shift. My mother and father are humans, born in a human village, and surrounded by human family and friends. There were witnesses to my birth, you know! Some people have known me since my first breath.”

Diana bit her lip nervously, looking away.

“There are no mates, either. And yet you’re marked. I can smell him all over you and everyone else will, too. So maybe you are a lycan. Maybe the Moon Goddesses blessed you, a human, with the gift of the beast. I don’t know what it means, but I do know if you don’t mark him, you’ll die a horrible, painfully slow death,” She warned determinedly.

I had too many questions all at once.

“Death?! What do you mean, death?” I exclaimed before continuing in a hushed voice, “What do you mean there’s no mates?”

“I mean what I said. There hasn’t been any mates for years. The Mother has been thought to have abandoned the wolves long ago, taking away her blessings with her. She has taken away our ability to find mates and… and you know what that means, don’t you? To wander around looking for our mates and never to find them… like humans except worse. You can’t mark someone who isn’t your mate. It’s just a bite, but you- you’ve been marked.”

Diana was suddenly looking at the distance, a frown deep on her face.

“Maybe it means there’s still a chance, that they haven’t abandoned us forever,” She whispered to herself as she reached to brush her fingers over that tattoo on her arm. She turned her gaze on me before giving me a half-hearted smile. “Do your best, Mila. Mark Alpha Roman, become our Luna, and cherish what none of us are allowed while you still can.”

“Or else die horribly,” I muttered in frustration.

It was just all entirely unfair.

Nine

Chapter 8

Islipped out of Diana’s home as soon as I had the chance to without her notice. I was told that no one would stop me from wandering around; many considered me superior and others just thought of me as blessed by the Mother. Besides that, I smelled of the mark; something that clearly declared me as belonging to the King Alpha. I was more than disgruntled by this fact and if I was honest with myself, I was becoming overwhelmed by the entire situation. I felt like too many people had far too many expectations for me.

I was bound to disappoint.

I decided to head towards the secret entrance into the temple. Perhaps I could choke Cynthia until she admitted that she threw me to the wolves, literally. For someone so connected to omnipotent higher beings, she sure failed to mention the King Alpha’s immortality and this wouldn’t be instantly forgiven.

My steps were stressed as I walked in the direction of where I recalled the temple to be. I passed by members of the pack, purposely avoiding looking at them. But I could still sense them stepping just slightly towards me, enough to try and scent me. They could smell wolf, no doubt. If I focused, I thought I could feel it resting just under my skin; something alive and untamed but patient… something ancient.

When I couldn’t stand their looks any further, I slipped between buildings and began avoiding them once more. I did this for a few more minutes before a lance suddenly lowered threateningly directly in front of me, freezing me mid-step. I looked from the lance to the wielder, spotting a familiar face.

Cate stood dominatingly, poised momentarily as though prepared for a fight. Her fiery hair was in that same braid that fell low down her back and she wore that same uniform which fit her curvy frame quite well but also seemed fit for a battle. When it was obvious she got my attention, she lifted the lance and propped it over her shoulder easily.

“Hello again,” She said quietly, tilting her head.

“I didn’t sense you,” I responded, disturbed by my own statement, “I guess it would be weirder if I did…”

“I don’t sense you, either,” She answered simply before breathing in sharply. “Hmm. What do you think of Alpha Roman now?”

“He’s an asshole,” I said angrily and began to stomp away. Cate began walking alongside me in silence. I felt suddenly quite visible with her next to me. She was too tall and graceful; her weapon too loud and violent. I stopped walking and faced her. “Why are you following me?”

“I like you,” She shrugged simply. I opened my mouth and then paused. “You insult the Alpha, but he’s marked you. Did you reciprocate?”

“No,” I snapped in irritation.

“You should probably fix that,” Cate responded, leaning against her lance before looking at me with amusement on her features. “You’re flustered because you’re not a lycanthrope.”

“I don’t want to be one,” I glared at her.

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