Page 55 of The Wolf Moon

“Yes, she was speaking to me through a vision,” Cynthia continued, a little hesitant as though she hadn’t wanted to tell me this. “About things that may come to pass and things that may not… it’s a bit too soon to discern the meaning, so it’s nothing for you to worry about now. Are you feeling better?”

I inspected myself slowly. I didn’t feel the panic as I had before, but the worry was still there. The pressure was heavy on my shoulders and I wasn’t sure I could succeed. However, the warmth of Cynthia’s arms had been enough to ease some of it so that I felt sane again. I relaxed further with a sigh.

“I think so,” I answered finally.

“Don’t lose faith in yourself, Mila. The Goddesses are with you always. Nothing you do will disappoint them. Nothing.” She told me firmly with conviction. I nodded mutely, swallowing heavily under her words.

“Can I stay here a little longer?” I asked reproachfully.

Cynthia reached for me once more, brushing her finger over my cheek softly before lowering it again.

“You must go now. He’s waiting for you,” Cynthia gestured towards the distance. I hesitated, turning towards the general direction she’d indicated and reaching within me to feel for Roman. He was still blocking me; probably waiting in his home for me to return and explain myself.

I turned back to her. “I’ll come see you again,” I promised, “Soon.”

“I’ll be waiting for your return,” She answered with her own promise.

I walked slowly back towards the hidden exit, a reluctance dragging my feet below me. I both wanted to remain in the comforts of Cynthia’s presence and also avoid having to face Roman, but I wouldn’t be allowed either reprieve.

As I reached for the ladder, looking up to open the exit, I realized it was still open from my previous panic. Beyond this, lights flickered strangely, which I’d never been greeted with when leaving the temple before. I hesitated, but then climbed up to the surface bravely.

I lifted myself to stand before the secret doorway and Roman was there, his arms crossed as he waited for me. I stiffened before him, a dread flooding me at the cold expression upon his face. I couldn’t feel him, even now as he stood so close in front of me.

He wasn’t the only one here. Beta Caleb stood just in the distance and others not far from him, all of them holding torches in their grasps as though they had been searching for me. I recognized some of the wolves from the King’s Corner… messengers of other packs or perhaps Alpha’s as well. My eyes didn’t linger on them for more than a second; drawn back to Roman’s form as though he were a magnetic force on his own.

“Who else is in there?” Roman asked me, his voice even and steely.

“No one,” I answered quickly. Even now, I would protect Cynthia.

“Who else is in there?” He repeated dangerously.

“No one else is in there. I was…,” I hesitated to come up with an excuse as to why I’d just come from the abandoned temple. “I was speaking to the Crone.” I echoed Cynthia’s words, uncertain if this was the correct answer or not.

“Speaking. To the Crone.” Roman repeated my words and a hint of his anger sparked between us. “And what did the Crone tell you, Milena? What did you ask of her?” I was confused by his anger, even if I couldn’t completely feel it.

“You don’t trust me?” I asked, a splash of pain coating my heart quite suddenly.

“What did the Crone tell you?” Roman ignored my own question.

“She told me of… things that may come to pass… and things that may not,” I flinched when he took a sharp step towards me, tensing further before him.

“Typical oracle nonsense,” He said with venom before raising his voice. “Burn it.”

“What?” I replied with confusion, but then realized he hadn’t been speaking to me. I turned quickly, inhaling sharply in surprise, but Roman had my arms in his grasp just as quickly to stop me from fleeing. “Wait!”

The wolves were throwing the torches into the temple as demanded, except for Beta Caleb. It happened so quickly that it felt unreal, if only for a moment. Roman’s hands were hot on my arms, firm and impossible to get away from. And then I was stunned by a new thought. Cynthia was in there.

“Wait!” I screamed, “Don’t!”

The power within me flared at my command, tearing into the wolves by the temple with such ferocity that they fell to their knees. But it was already too late. The torches had already been thrown. And I couldn’t control fire.

I twisted to face Roman.

“Roman, don’t! Put it out,” I demanded him, my focus entirely jumbled in my panic. He was looking at the temple coldly, the flames beginning to rise and reflect in his eyes. Instead of putting it out, he dragged me to Caleb’s form, still panting on his knees painfully, and lifted his torch before pulling me back roughly to the hidden door.

“I am done with your Goddesses’ games. I should’ve burned this down years ago,” Roman told me angrily before dropping the torch into the only escape Cynthia would have and slamming the door shut behind it.

“No!” I screamed, all shock that may have frozen my body now turned into a wild panic. “No!” The word tore from my throat furiously as I clawed at Roman, twisting in his impossibly strong grip in any effort I could make to get free.

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