The Cursed Shifters - Mateless

Dreaming

                                Shiloh’s restlessness bled over into her dreams, they were chaotic flashes of images, no reason or explanation to them. She saw the packs, decimated, strewn across battlefields. She way a lower fae with blue skin cornered by three large shifter males, it cowered. A flash of a man with strawberry blond hair and blue eyes shining like the sun. She saw Dre and Lennon practically foaming at the mouth trying to tear each other apart. Another flash and a girl with sun kissed skin was staring at her solemnly holding a crystal that looked like a heart in her cupped hands. Shiloh saw her own face next; she was on her knees crying out the way she imagined Larissa had when her mate bond was stripped from her by rejection. Eyeliner-stained tears streaked down her face, she looked broken and defeated. Some of what she was seeing made sense, it was the things she feared would happen if she failed but some of the images made no sense to her at all. The last thing she saw was Larissa, standing regally under the light of a full moon, peaceful and beautiful. She knew it had to be her by the description of her in the journal, it did not do justice to her beauty though.

                                As the image of Larissa faded Shiloh found herself standing in a moonlight-soaked forest, a light fog hung between the trees and lights like what she had heard will-o'-the-wisps looked like floated about. It was peaceful and lovely, soothing after all the horrible images her sleep had brought her. Shiloh began to walk through the forest, she seemed to have an unusual amount of consciousness and control in this dream, running her hand down the mossy bark of one of the trees she noted that her senses were fully present as well. The air smelled damp and sweet like honeysuckle and moonflowers right after a rain, it was lovely. Beyond the trees she found a glade that was indeed full of moonflowers and honeysuckle, standing in the middle of the fragrant blooms with the moonlight shining down on her was a woman with long clack hair, her back was to Shiloh and she did not seem to notice as Shiloh approached.

                                The woman turned toward her, eyes like the midnight sky, black and speckled with starlight focused on Shiloh and she knew who was before her. Shiloh dropped to her knees immediately, dream or reality it did not matter, the Goddess would be shown the utmost respect. “Get up child, that isn’t necessary, walk with me.”

                                “You, the voice I heard that told me to sleep, it was you.” Shiloh was shocked, she was talking to the Goddess.

                                “It was,” She began to walk through the flowers, Shiloh followed. “I needed you to see things and I wanted to speak to you. You are the one who will find the way to break the curse, the things you saw, the horrible battlefield, your friends, your own face, those are things that will come to pass should you fail. You saw the lord of the summer court shining, he will have a part to play, his daughter Haru, she was there holding Larissa’s heart.” She stopped and turned to face Shiloh once more, “Do you understand? These are the pieces you need to break the curse, people you will face, and the cost should you fail.”

                                “So, the heart is what must be returned? We were right?”

                                “Yes child, you were right.” She was so serene, even discussing something so horrible.

                                “But I don’t have all the pieces, I don’t have the fairy wolf, who is it? Where will I find them?” Shiloh was not serene, in fact she seemed distraught standing next to such peace. The fairy wolf was the pivotal piece of the puzzle. “Once I find them how do we find their mate? We need them together to return Larissa’s heart to you, don’t we?”

                                “Yes, you do. I cannot tell you where to find them but know that you will. The challenge will not be in the finding but in uniting them. The true mates must be together, or nothing will be set right, you will not be able to return the heart to me. They must be mated, and their love must be true and spoken or the path to me will not open.”

                                “True mates would object to each other?” Shiloh was in utter shock now, if she could find her true mate, she would never walk away from them. It did not matter to her if he were everything, she thought she didn’t want, if the Goddess chose him then he must be perfect for her.

                                “You will understand soon enough child. Do not fret over it now, first find them, then move to the next task.”

                                “Is Haru at the Summer Court with that which was taken?” All the talk of the Goddess’s daughter’s heart was making Shiloh uncomfortable. The Goddess smiled sweetly at the caring gesture.

                                “She is, she is there with her father, you will have to see them both, brave the entire Summer Court to obtain it. Remember Shiloh, the fae like to play games, they are long lived and mischievous, it is doubtful they will hand it over to you without a challenge of some sort.” Shiloh was coming to terms with the reality of how difficult this mission was really going to be when the Goddess spoke again. “It’s time to go child.” Shiloh’s head snapped up.

                                “Will I see you again?’

                                “I am sure of it.”

                                Shiloh didn’t wake up as soon as the Goddess was done talking with her, instead she sent her into another dream, one with no baring on anything going on in their world. Something comfortable and peaceful in a homy sort of way. One of those where you watch yourself instead of living it out. Dream Shiloh wasn’t staying in the pack house, she had her own home far off into the woods, a little cabin, like a fairytale. She was cooking dinner, far more then she would ever eat and singing to herself, as she stirred and hummed, she heard the door open behind her and turned to it grinning ear to ear. Shiloh couldn’t believe the smile on mirror her’s face, it was something she hadn’t seen on herself since before her mother was taken from her. Her eyes weren’t the same as Shiloh’s they held light and joy where Shiloh’s, even when she smiled, were hollow and empty.

                                Through the door came a man, he was tall, over six foot, and emanated brute strength but he wasn’t all toned muscle like Dre, his eyes were dark brown, and his hair was so dark it was almost black. Dream Shiloh went running for him and jumped up into his arms hugging him. ‘All the talk about mates must have me imaging one of my own Shiloh thought as she watched the scene.’ The dream continued and Shiloh watched as they ate together and bickered playfully about nothing, the dream her knocked the mans hat down and he growled and scooped her up pretending he would throw her before dropping her on the couch where they cuddled up together and he fell asleep as dream Shiloh ran her hands through his fair and smiled.  Shiloh’s heart twisted, it all seemed so perfect, so wonderful. It was something she would never have, even if she did put the pieces together and break the curse, this life was out of reach, she would be the Alpha of her pack and bound to running it.

                                Shiloh awoke slowly, dragging herself up from the layers of sleep she was buried beneath, and sought Fayrah. “Fayrah are you awake?”

                                “Yes, Shiloh, I’m awake.”

                                “Did you see all that? Did you go with me to the Goddess?” Shiloh asked.

                                “I did, I lived every bit of it with you.” Fayrah seemed lost in thoughts of her own.

                                “What do you think? Do we tell the others about it or keep it to ourselves? There was some important information in it.”

                                “Right now, I think we should tell them what is needed to progress, they don’t need to know the cost yet.” Fayrah was right, telling them the cost now might put too much pressure on them, her team had taken on countless enemies but never had it been the fate of their entire species in the balance, just whatever packs were in danger.

                                “What about that last dream, that was weird right?”

                                “Mate.” Fayrah’s short answer made Shiloh’s heart clench painfully.

                                “That can’t be our mate Fayrah, wolves don’t have mates right now. I promise I will get them back for you though, I swear it, I will fix everything, and you will have a mate.”

                                Shiloh meant it, she could feel the emptiness in Fayrah and herself, the hole a mate was supposed to fill. Somehow the dream had made it even more apparent to her, a gaping void that should be filled with love and joy but was nothing more then a barren wasteland, The feeling was almost suffocating, her heart ached for Fayrah even more then herself, her wolf wasn’t meant to be alone, she needed her mate. Shiloh stretched in a very feline way and got out of bed, glancing at her phone she realized it was noon. She had slept longer than she intended but she felt rested and every muscle in her body was thrumming with energy, exactly what she needed for tonight.

                                Showering quickly and throwing on her usual garb of a tank top, ripped jeans, and combat boots Shiloh headed to the dining room for food. She was starving, like walking through that field in her dream was the equivalent of a three-hour swim. Breakfast was over, the buffet set up in the dining hall was full of lunch foods, sandwiches, chips, croissants with chicken salad, pasta salads, coleslaw, potato salad, all typical picnic fair today. Plate piled high and a soda in hand she found a seat to herself and began eating like the room what empty. It definitely was not. A couple of her high school tormenters spotted Shiloh eating alone in a very unladylike fashion and headed over to her.

                                “What, mommy didn’t teach you manners before she died?” Brittani sneered, obviously proud of herself for interrupting Shiloh’s meal. Shiloh rolled her eyes and continued eating.

                                “What are you talking about Brittani, she obviously learned that boorish behavior from her harem she keeps with her all the time. Can’t expect a tramp to have manners.” Brittany snarked. Seriously their parents were wolves, both of them, how were they so dull as to choose Britany as a name? Two of them from two different families, so disappointing.

                                Shiloh swallowed her bite, took a slow drink of soda and raised her eyes to the twatwaffle twins, “If I recall correctly, Brittany, weren’t you warming Lennon’s bed until he got bored and annoyed with your mouth and nasally voice?” Brittany’s face heated.

                                “Why you little…” Brittani began but Shiloh cut her off.

                                “You’re right I am little, but you know what my momma did teach me how to act like a lady, if you catch my drift, such a shame yours didn’t. Try crossing your legs once in a while, it helps.” Both of the blondes were red faced and fuming. Shiloh never had figured out why they tried to mess with her, since her mom died, and she stopped taking their crap she had bit back every time and never lost. The twits shifted like they were going to start a fish fight in the middle of the dining room, Shiloh didn’t even stand. “Tisk tisk, don’t get froggy, I’d hate to have to rebreak your noses, they’re already too big and a little crooked from the last time.” Shiloh followed up with a warning growl that sent the two blondes scurrying across the room and went back to her meal, unfazed by the stupidity.

                                Once her food was finished Shiloh popped back up to the tables and grabbed a cookie and another soda. Tossing her hair back and waving to the twatwaffle twins like they were her best friends she left the dining room. Today was going to be a good day, she had talked to the Goddess, she had rested well, she had learned things, and she had shut down the twits, tonight her team would finally take down Varreese and they could work on the more pressing matter.  It was going to be a good day.