Page 46 of The Wolf Moon

“It’s because of you. You were there, so they listened. Thank you,” She breathed gratefully. She pulled back to face me again with sincerity.

“I don’t know about that,” I said, embarrassed for a moment. I stood to my feet suddenly. “We should tell Caleb! Oh, and Roman! This would change everything… We could make things how they used to be or maybe even better than before. This is amazing!”

My mind was racing. This would mean the war Roman had planned against humans, whatever world ending scenario he was coming up with, didn’t need to be acted out anymore. The wolves wouldn’t go extinct. The old laws could come back, the old religion no longer considered a crime, and the schools would one day be filled with children again.

“We can’t,” Diana hissed, grabbing me roughly to pull me back onto the bed. She tugged my arm further until I was close to her once again. My train of thought was halted by her statement.

“Why not?” I asked in confusion.

“It isn’t safe. It isn’t like the Mate curse. I’m the only one, Mila. None of the other women, none of them are with child. If anyone found out… some would be happy, but… something is happening,” Diana’s voice got even quieter, “… with the humans. This would ruin decades of planning. There are people who would do anything to make sure we don’t change our course, do you understand?”

I recalled Cate’s explanation of the brother packs; how they had demanded Roman prove his loyalty to the new laws by

Twenty

Chapter 19

Iwanted to feel entirely relieved and ecstatic about Diana’s news, but for some reason it only grew to make me nervous as a few more days passed by. A part of me wanted to just immediately tell everyone about it, but another part could remember Diana’s pleas. It would be the worst thing ever if I slipped up and this put her in danger.

Either way, I had to keep telling myself it was a win. It was yet one more reason for the packs to rethink their ways. It was another reason for Roman to reconsider whatever plans he had for humankind. The end of the werewolves wasn’t as near as he suspected. So why was I still so nervous?

Would he still want to move forward, even knowing the last of the curses was lifted?

They lifted all the curses.

I was sitting in front of the lake where that strange ritual had happened under the cloak of night a bit over a month ago, my knees to my chest with my arms wrapped around them comfortably. I kept being drawn to this place and I wasn’t sure why. Was it similar to the Chrone’s Eye within the abandoned temple? If I stepped into it, would I feel the water on my skin?

I was here on this peaceful night because I couldn’t sleep. I found myself lying in bed with my mind twisting and turning over the situation that was my life. So far, my new title as Queen Luna hadn’t changed my situation much compared to before I’d gained it, but I was certain it was only because I hadn’t completed the steps needed to truly become it.

Would I need to know how to fully shift?

I looked at my hands absently, flexing my fingers as I remembered the power that coursed through them when they were shifted. I had a sharp image of my hand in Lillian’s chest and immediately clasped my hands into fists, wincing in response.

They lifted all the curses.

Diana’s words were bothering me. It was true, their Goddesses brought back mates and now even birth, but did they really break all the curses? The oracles had been banished, but if they were still here, would their connection to the Goddesses be revived or is that link still severed as Cynthia had told me? And Roman…

Roman Stone.

He was still immortal, wasn’t he? It bothered me. This entire messy situation began with him, didn’t it? I was relieved the wolves weren’t doomed and they finally could be happy once more, but wouldn’t that turn things back to the way they were before the blessings were taken away? Roman had still been cursed then; an angry soul tormented among those he couldn’t allow himself to deeply care for.

I knew the entire reason I had begun this entire “quest”, the reason I had decided to stay in this village instead of running home when I had the chance, was to protect humanity and more specifically the ones I had left behind. In that time, my life had been expanded further than I ever had imagined before, and I had grown to desire a sort of… happiness to be given to the wolves as well. Or maybe peace.

Now, there seemed to be another desire picking at my spirit. Roman was still cursed. Even if he decided not to harm the humans and allowed me to go home to live my human life, he would still be cursed. It bothered me.

The creature within me stirred as I remained gazing into the surface of the lake in deep thought. I paused when I felt the twinge and then dropped my arms to push myself to my feet quickly. I considered running away, as I had been doing for awhile now, but I knew I couldn’t keep running forever. Plus, I didn’t like Roman thinking I was completely terrified of him. I wasn’t. Maybe.

Roman stepped into view and it was breathtaking. He paused when he saw me, as though he weren’t expecting me, but he must have if he could feel me as I felt him.

“You’re not going to try to avoid me?” His voice carried easily over the peaceful tune of nature in the night. My heart began to pick up pace just at the sight of him, but his question made it only worse.

I shook my head wordlessly. Roman stepped towards me, beginning to close the distance between us warily. His eyes slipped from me to the lake just briefly before turning back to me.

“Were you looking for guidance from the Goddesses?” He asked me, sarcasm slipping through his tone before he cleared his throat and added more politely, “In the past, there were talented oracles that could do it even with puddles, so I’m sure a lake wouldn’t be too difficult for someone like you.”

I considered several snappy comebacks. ‘If I said yes, would you ban me from even drinking water?’ I considered asking if he would think of allowing those oracles who did survive to come back to the packs once the blessings of the Goddesses all came back. My mind thought over ways to immediately make him angry, to feel that heat even in my own veins, if only to give me that familiarity I was more comfortable with when dealing with him.

They lifted all the curses. Except for his. Why did I care?

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