Blood Rite: MATE

Chapter Seventeen ~ Luna's Light

* 17 hours later *

"And why can't we be near her?" Diana demanded.

"We don't know the extent of her power. She's safest with Soteria and the others until she can control it." Tia explained while Reika handed her a cup of lavender tea.

"How long will that take?" questioned Diana.

"I don't like this. We just got her back." Tami said before burying her face into her hands. Diana leaned over and wrapped her arms around her.

"This is bullshit. I demand to see her!" Luke growled.

"We don't know who will or who won't be affected by her new powers Luke." Blaidd said trying to calm him down.

"So what? I love her and obey her even more? I'd happily take that over being apart from her any longer." He pleaded. "Please, take me to her."

"Let's say you're not immune. If someone gets to Tala before you guys finish the mating bond they could control you through her. Look how many people count on you, Alpha." Tia reminded him. "I'm taking Tami to see her. When we know how it goes we will bring you closer in but we have to be cautious."

"Yeah really." Reika scoffed. "The rogue hasn't shut up about his Luna. I don't know what Tala did to him but what ever it was, it lasts for a long time."

"Interesting." Tia notes.

Luke walked off annoyed yet again at the cards being dealt for them. To him it made more sense for them to be together, where he could protect her. This whole thing just seemed stupid.

Tami and Tia left shortly after. Unbeknown to them, Luke and Blaidd were stalking closely behind. Following them deep into the forest. He had to ensure Tala was safe and okay.

They travelled for about an hour before they got to their destination. They watched as Tia led Tami behind the waterfall. The large pond it poured into was surrounded by dozens of different creatures.

Signaling for Blaidd to stay as lookout, he followed casually in. Trying not to draw any attention to himself. Before he could even reach the waterfall two Minotaur blocked his path.

"These are the intruders." Fáelán explained holding Luke by his jacket.

"Thank you Fáelán, you may let him go now." Soteria instructed. "You as well Hartwig. Thank you both for your service." They let go of Luke and Blaidd and disappeared out of the cave.

"I told you guys to stay home!" Tia scolded.

"I have to see her. I have to know she's okay." Luke pleaded, his wolf was on the verge of taking over. He could sense her here and it was driving him wild. Soteria placed her hand on Tia's shoulder, moving them both out of the way so that Luke could see the fountain behind them. His eyes first locked on Tami who was talking to a young woman with long golden flowy hair. She was smiling and laughing along with some nymphs and fairies that had gathered around her. Almost like a magnetic pull Luke locked eyes with the young woman.

"Tala?" He asked in a whisper, in shock at what he was looking at. It was Tala but her hair was now a glowing golden yellow and the length made it almost hit the floor. Even her skin almost glowed as well. She looked more like a goddess than a lycan.

"Luke?!" They we're finally close enough that Tala could throw her arms around him. "They told me I wasn't allowed to see you!" She exclaimed, happy tears threatening to fall. Luke lifted her up and spun her in the air. She even smelt more. Not different or worse, just brighter. But none of this made any sense. Luke thought as he buried his face in her hair.

"He wasn't allowed to but he came anyway." Tia shook her head as she folded her arms across her chest. "We don't know how your powers will affect everyone yet and he was told to stay. He's not a very good boy today." She teased. "But, since he's here, Blaidds here and your moms here, we can test things and find out how it works."

"And how to control it." Tami said wrapping her arms around her daughter after Luke had set her down. "You can control it." She comforted her.

"So Luke how do you feel?" Tala asked her eyebrows furrowed together.

"I don't feel any different. I'm confused about some things." He said lifting a strand of her hair. "But I still love you completely. I don't know that I would know if it was any more than normal." He answered tuning the soft strands between his fingers.

"Can you do to Blaidd what you did to the rogues?" Tami asked.

"How did you do it last time." Tia asked.

"I can try." She spoke quietly. She was terrified of this new power she felt growing inside of her.

"First Rudy told me to close my eyes." Tala closed her eyes, following her own instructions. "I sensed all the life forces around me. They look like tiny white balls of energy. Constantly moving in swirls. Then I expanded out and targeted." She could see all of the white orbs around her. She targeted on Blaidds. She tried to hold it like she did with the rogue but it wouldn't let her. "It's not working." She told them.

"That's good tho right?" Luke asked.

"It could be." Tia told him. "Try just a little bit harder and see." She instructed Tala.

Tala tried harder but still she couldn't touch it.

"How are you feeling Blaidd?" Luke asked.

"I feel light and warm." He told them as he wrapped his arms around himself. "It's like being engulfed in a fluffy cloud of happiness and light."

Tala tried a tad harder but Rudy was pulling at her to focus somewhere else. Tala let Rudy take their mind further. She locked on the Minotaur guards.

"Tala? Where are you going?" Tia asked as Tala walked past Blaidd and was heading outside the cave. Her eyes closed and hand out.

"Don't distract her." Tami advised. "If you want to know, follow her." Tami said over her shoulder as she followed her daughter. Luke followed after. Soteria and Tia behind him.

Tala could see the Minotaurs souls, they were white but the center was black and corrupted.

"What's going on?" Hartwig asked when Tala stood in front of him with both of her hands outreach over his abdomen and her eyes closed.

"Just let her." Soteria advised him curiously. "I think she can sense your true natures."

"What?" Luke asked with worry in his tone.

"Minotaurs are born evil. Malicious and starved for a hunger that can never be filled." Tia explained. "They eat everything in their path, humans, and supernatural alike."

"Then why are they here?" Tami asked.

"We fight our true nature as our father and grandfathers before us." Fáelán explained. "My brother and I live by a code of honor. The great Soteria was the only one who would allow us protection."

"We are not allies of our own kind. We belong to the rebellion." Hartwig said proudly. "Whatever she's doing kind of hurts but tickles." He told them.

Tala was holding Hartwig's soul in her hands yet no one could see it. Focusing on it she began to pick at the black center.

"I feel like I'm going to hurl." Hartwig warned them before puking out a black sludge like creature. Tala's concentration was broke as she heard someone's scream. She looked at the cause to see the creature moving.

"You know what to do" a voice from inside told her. Closing her eyes she brought her hands together. Within seconds the creature was dust. Vaporized by a ball of light that ejected from Tala's hands.

Tala stood stunned looking from the Minotaurs to her hands to the creature that was now just sparkly dust. Everyone sat stunned just staring at Tala.

Hartwig began feeling his chest. "She took it away." He was laughing. He began shaking his brother. "The hunger, the hate, she took it all away!" He was so excited. "You're amazing!" He shouted before wrapping her into a bear hug.

"It's okay! Please put me down!" She asked and he obliged. "What did I just do?!" She said backing away from everyone. "I didn't do that with the rogue, I was just able to touch his aura and help him fight against the darkness. This didn't happen." She told them, freaking out a little bit.

"It's okay Tala." The voice spoke again but by the look on everyone's faces, they could all hear it this time. Materializing through a fog of mist, Selene appeared.

"I told you, you'd see me again." She said to Tala.

"What's going on?" Tala asked her as Selene got closer. Everyone but Soteria had their jaws dropped.

"You my little wolf have many powers. Some will remain dormant until you discover your many strengths. What you just did is called Lunas Light. A power only the legendary golden she-wolf possesses. She is to be the Luna. The one that will keep the balance and fight the darkness. You can and will do a great many things."

"How do I protect those who I love from my powers?" Tala asked her.

"Those who accept you as their Luna won't need to be protected. You are the protector of the light. You power only works against the darkness and the people corrupted by it. . ." As quickly as she appeared, she disappeared.

"Which is why it wouldn't work on me." Blaidd told them, still a little giddy and filled with light. "I accepted Tala as my Luna the day we found out she was Luke's mate. She has been my Luna since." Tala was taken aback by his surprising sentiment.

"You are my Luna." Luke told her as he kissed her hand.

"You are my Luna." Her mother told her standing by her side.

"I may not be a wolf or part of your pack but I will forever be in your debt." Hartwig told her. "You are my Luna." He bowed down to her.

Shortly everyone even Soteria and the nymphs had their heads bowed down to Tala.

"No, I . . ." Tala began to object before Kissiae walked up to her.

"Let's hear it for the Luna of the Lycan and the Rebel Fae, Tala! May her light shine on us all!" Kissiae says as she lifted Talas hands up. "You are far greater than you even realize and you will do great things." She whispered to her in adoration. "You need to believe in yourself as much as we believe in you."

Soteria opened her forests so that the creatures that she kept hidden could be free to roam the farm. They had a celebration and a queen to crown! The great golden wolf has finally come!

"Don't you think it's too soon to celebrate?" Tia asked Soteria. "She looks overwhelmed by all of this."

"Never." She scoffed. "Look around." She said gesturing at all of the magical creatures who were mingling with the Rick, Diana and the others. "Look at how beautiful this all is. We have a chance for peace. They need this. They need a queen. They need Tala."

"But she's just a baby." Tamika said joining into the conversation. Sadness was coating her voice.

"You raised her to be strong, she can handle this." Tia comforted. They watched in silence.

Soon the sun was gone leaving darkness to fall. The stars sparkling brightly in the dark blue sky.

"Everyone! Attention please." Tamika said trying to get everyone's attention.

"Tala, the journey ahead is one I never wanted for you but no matter where your path leads you. Always remember, we love you and stand beside you. To Tala!" She shouted.

"To Tala." Everyone cheered.

"Now it's time for us to go back." Soteria told the creatures. Hearing awes and signs as they all scampered and danced back into the woods.

"When you need us again, you know where to find us." Soteria told them before vanishing into the forest herself.

"What do we do now?" Reika asked.

At that moment Rad drove up.

"What's my dad doing here?" Baddy asked.

"I summoned him." Tala told them

"How?" Luke asked.

I called his name Tala said puzzled at his question.

"It's part of her Luna Light which means Rads accepted her as his Luna too." Tia explains.

"Rad will you please inform them of what you just told me." Tala asked when he walked up. Rad nodded in agreement.

"There's been an unusual spike in paranormal activity. Attacks from and on all different fractions."

"What's happening." Luke asked

"The word is that the rogues are teamed up with different fractions and are looking for a golden wolf. That goes by the name of Rudolfa Lovota. There's a bounty on her head of 1.6 billion dollars. But only if captured and delivered alive."

"Who's offering the bounty?" Luke asked.

"No one knows, the orders are coming from the darkest of the dark places." Rad told him.

"I just want to know why?" Reika asked.

"Someone needs my blood to do something." Tala told them.

"How do you know that?" Diana asked.

"John told me. He overheard their leaders talking about it and a ritual they planned to do. It's all he knows."

Tala explained.

"Okay . . . but who the f**k is John?" Luke asked.

"He's the rogue that was in the cellar." She told them.

"Oh, okay." Reika started "Wait . . . Was?" She asked her sister.

"Yes I assume that he has either already escaped or is working on the escape." Tala said nonchalantly.

"What?!" Luke demanded.

"He took the bait." Rick told them as he walked up. "Your tracker is working like a charm."

Tala had mind synced with Rick as well. Devising a plan to let the rogues escape while everyone was busy. Now they could follow him to where ever the others are hiding. Even using one of her tiny gadgets to track him in case his scent got lost.

"Clever." Diana told her.

"Vampires and other supernaturals are working with rogues on this so we have to be careful." Rad told them.

"The counsil is trying to get us to believe that they know nothing of these attacks. Zeev feels they are hiding something." Rad reported. "I have no doubt that his instincts are spot on. The inquiries they had about Alarick and the girls were alarming to say the least. Gela and Zeev steered them in a different direction."

"Why do you question them?" Baddy asked.

"The counsil came right after an attack. They were too calm and almost already knew about it. We can't trust them or anyone but this household." Rad finished. "They believe Rudolfa to be a threat."

"Couldn't you explain that she's not a threat?" Reika asked Rad.

"That would mean telling them that he knows where I am." Tala said suddenly worried.

"Talas right, that puts everyone in danger if they knew we know." Tia explained. "She has also just claimed the Lycan and Faë thrown which will not go over with the council even if she wasn't wanted right now."

As realization filled Luke's mind he ran his hands through his dark hair.

"But I didn't claim any thrown!" Tala panicked.

"You did." Luke told her gentally. "Luna of the Faë and the Lycans."

"Did we just start a war?" Diana asked with her hand covering her mouth.

"What do you mean?!" Tala began panicking more.

"The Faë have two sides. Light and dark. The council only has a light member, Rhiannon. She helps keep the light in check. But she still has to answer to the dark. The dark álfar are the leaders of the Alfheim empire. The queen and king will not appreciate anyone laying claims to their thrown."

"How do I fix this?" Tala asked looking around at everyone.

"You don't!" Rad demanded. "You've been gifted with the light to fight the darkness, so fight it!"

"We can't go at it alone!" Rick intervened. "It's suicidal to attack them now."

"Now yes, but if we got all of the werewolves and all of the Faë to acknowledge Tala then we could." Blaidd said, his energetic aura was contagious because even Tia was on board.

"We could get the witches!" She told them trying to rally them up. She stuck her hand on top of Blaidds when he stuck it out. Diana, Rad, Rick, Tami and then Reika followed suit. Hands on top of hands.

"C'mon Tala," Blaidd told her "We can't do this without our Luna."

"But I'm scared." She whispered to Luke. Luke put his hand on top of everyone's.

"That's why you have us, we will be your shield and your sword, but you have to take the leap. Take the thrown that you deserve and lead us into the light."

"Will you lead beside me?" She asked him quietly.

"I will always be there to walk, fight, lead and everything beside you." Luke assured her.

With tears in her eyes and anxiety shaking her to her core, she put her hand on top of theirs.

"To Tala! Our Luna! Our queen!" They cheered.

"What do we do now?" Reika asked worried.

"I think that's something we should be asking Tala and Luke" Rad looked over to them.

Luke looked down to Tala, "What do you think we should do my love?"

Tala took a deep breath and looked at all of their faces. Looking from their faces she began looking around the farm.

"First, before anything, we need better protection and then we need to find answers." Tala instructed them.

"What do you mean?" Luke asked his mate.

"If I was able to be tracked before I was even able to use my powers, then they can definitely track me now." She told him, looking up at him in panic.

"She's right." Tia told them. "We need to act quickly! Diana, Reika, Tala, I need all of you to help. Diana, Reika, it's time to do what I taught you." She instructed them. Diana and Reika's mom was a halfblood. Half wolf, half witch. Although they didn't have strong magical powers due to their wolf sides over powering it, they could still tap into that strong magic. Their magic comes for their Nordisk Völva ancestors.

With the girls combined power along with Tia's and Tala's, added with a kick of the power coming from Soteria's land, they would be able to create something to protect all of them.

The four women gathered in a circle each close enough to touch with out touching. Standing on all four points. North, East, South and West.

"Alright!" Tia shouted. "I need everyone else to stay perfectly still. No matter what, Don't Move!"

They began chanting and slowly a ball of mist began to form. With their eyes closed they began walking backwards. Each staying in a perfect line, the ball became bigger. Everyone tried to stay perfectly still as the mist passed through them. The farther the women walked, the bigger it became. When finally the entire farm and part of Soteria's forest were engulfed by it.

"How do we know it worked?" Diana asked when they had finished.

"Rad?" Tia asked. "Could you be a dear and walk out past that fence post?"

Rad did as requested. When he turned back to the house it was gone. Everything was gone. Even walking to where everyone should be he couldn't see them. It was just an empty field. He couldn't hear anything but a few birds ands crickets. All there was to see was forests that surrounded an empty area.

"He can't see us!" Diana said shocked. She stood infront of him and waved her hand. He couldn't even feel the motion or hear them speak.

"No one can come in unless someone from one of our bloodlines or one of us pulls them through." Tia explained.

"So he can't came back until we pull him in?" Diana asked.

"Exactly." Tia beamed. She was proud that it had worked.

Diana grabbed Rads hands and slowly the veil was lifted around him.

"Once you and Baddy have done your matting ritual, Rad and Baddy will be able to crossover without help." Tia explained.

"So if some one who's not blood leaves. . . they wont be able to come back?" Blaidd asked suddenly looking glum.

Tala who could sense his inner turmoil, placed her hand on his back.

"So I guess you should never leave without one of us." She giggled. "We don't want to have one of our most valued family members getting lost now do we?" She asked him.

"Family?" He asked.

"Of course we're family!" Luke laughed joing Tala's side. He could also feel Blaidds pain.

"We are all in this toegther." Reika added nudging his shoulder playfully.

"Alright love," Baddy started. "Now that the protection is up, its time for us to leave. If we wait any longer we won't have a scent to track."

"Be careful and send word as soon as you hear or see anything." Tami told them. "We will be behind you shortly."

"I know mom." She assured her, wrapping Tami and her family into a huge hug before leaving into the woods with Baddy.