Page 38 of The Wolf Moon

However, guilt wasn’t strong enough of a feeling to outweigh the need for freedom. So it was with great stealth and difficulty that I was able to finally sneak out for a moment of freedom. The Temple was like a safe haven to me; a place none would go to if they were hunting me. By the time I was able to finally sneak out and hideaway there, Cynthia was waiting with a meal already made as though she had been told ahead of time. I’d already begun to accept that she was a creature beyond my ability to understand.

“He’s been gone for ages,” I finally spoke first, skipping all the formalities of pretenses that everything was okay. “How am I supposed to stop him from killing all of humanity if he isn’t even here?” My frustration became renewed when voicing my own question, but Cynthia didn’t seem fazed by my concerns.

“Have faith,” Cynthia said wisely. I put down my fork firmly, gripping the edge of the table and sitting up straight to peer at her with indignation. Her dark sable eyes only watched me with that deep knowledge, calm as the lake under the moonlight.

“In what, exactly?” I finally muttered before looking away grumpily.

“In yourself. In the King Alpha. And in the Moon Goddesses.” Cynthia suggested one after the other, as though she had an entire list beyond that of the three listed and I were the one being unreasonable.

“I still don’t understand any of this. How can I shift, even a little bit? Did my entire village lie to me? Am I really some outcast wolf? I just don’t understand,” I sighed in exasperation, leaning forward to rest my head on my hand.

“Your village didn’t lie to you. Your mother is your mother and your father is your father,” Cynthia confirmed carefully, that familiar tone of voice creeping in. I just knew that she knew more than she was willing to say, always picking and choosing what information to divulge at any given time. Or perhaps she’s an all-seeing witch who has had this conversation and all future conversations with me in her visions already.

But still, her statement brought me a form of relief. I wasn’t crazy. I still belonged to the family I yearned to see again. And they would welcome me back as their own… as long as they didn’t know the creature I had begun to turn into.

I frowned at nothing in particular.

“The wolves are going extinct… and yet Logan didn’t hesitate to kill one of his own. And me… I killed one, too. I know it was to save my own life, but it feels like…” I hesitated, unsure of what exactly the emotion I was feeling was entirely. “A great sin? A great… shame.”

“All life lost is a shame, but we all must rest in the Crone’s bosom at some point,” Cynthia responded softly, reaching forward to touch my free hand in comfort.

“Except Roman,” I whispered, my frown deepening.

“He will be coming back sooner than you think,” Cynthia finally admitted, making me straighten in immediate alertness. She kept her grip on my hand softly, but there was something in her face that held a hint of concern. “He will bring before you an obstacle and you will have to make another hard choice. I do not know what the outcome will be, but it will be either life or death.”

I groaned loudly. “Not one of those. Do you know how many times I’ve almost died in this year alone?” I stood reluctantly, preparing to sneak back into my prison before Caleb would notice.

“Good luck, Mila,” Cynthia called to me as I left.

~…~

I walked behind the young wolf, Deb, while dropping seeds into the small pits she’d made in the farming ground. Caleb stood not too far in the distance, speaking to another wolf about the farming, crop, and harvest plans. He must have been in a decent mood to allow me to walk even a couple of steps away from him, but more than likely he didn’t see anything dangerous in allowing me to help with planting future crop with some of the pack members.

“So, you are the King Alpha’s mate, aren’t you?” Deb asked me in a hushed voice, glancing towards Caleb as though she knew it was a topic we weren’t supposed to speak of.

“Technically,” I responded shortly, “I guess.”

“Then are you preparing to become Queen Luna?” She asked, reminding me of Diana’s hopeful tone as she’d expected the same result. “We haven’t ever had a Luna before.”

“I’m not sure about that…” I began hesitantly.

“There’s been rumors,” Deb answered, as though that was the only thing that needed to be said to accept my fate. I waited for her to continue, but she seemed content in that explanation entirely.

“What rumors?” I finally pressed with frustration.

“Rumors that could get you a death sentence from the King Alpha,” Deb said gravely before smirking, “Well, if you weren’t his mate and in line for Queen Luna.”

“What rumors?” I repeated with more exasperation.

“They’re saying you can half shift as easy as breathing-”

“Oh, now that’s just-” I tried to butt in, but Deb continued without interruption.

“They’re saying you hunt with the pack. And you train with the warrior wolves. That your union with the King Alpha is so blessed by the Moon Goddesses that you will bring back the last blessing and save our kind once you’re Queen Luna,” Deb spoke almost without take a single breath between any of her words, an excitement lighting in her features.

I had stopped following her, staring with surprise.

“The last blessing?”

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