Slaved By The Moon God

14

The Ophiuchus alpha glared at Dixon with such seething hatred it felt like waves of rolling heat. “If you won’t allow us to become your allies, then we will become your enemies.” His voice was so deep, it was practically a growl. The hair at the back of my neck stood at that noise, and the threat contained within it. “And you really don't want me as your enemy.” Dixon actually laughed, throwing his head back and letting the booming sound free. It echoed across the clearing, not joined by anyone. “What can one little outcast pack do against the might of the twelve Zodiac packs? You’re nothing. Leave this place before we tear you apart.”

Many of the other alphas nodded, and a couple of them added in their own taunts. I’d never seen so many alphas agreeing on something. The only ones who weren't participating were the Sagittarius shifters. They kept silent, watching without participating, some of them with nervous eyes.

Even though so many seemed to agree, I couldn’t shake the sense that there was more that the alpha wasn’t saying. I’d felt the power contained in the alpha’s grip as he’d pinned me to the forest floor. If half of his pack was as strong as he was, we’d be in for a fair fight.

The set of the alpha’s jaw confirmed my feelings. He had a villainous gleam in his eyes that set my teeth on edge. We should listen to him, I thought. We don’t need another war. But no one would hear me, especially after the public humiliation Dad had subjected me to. They’d scoff at me, just as they scoffed at this obviously powerful alpha.

“I see you’ve chosen to be enemies then,” the alpha rumbled, and his voice cut through all of the noise somehow. “Prepare yourselves for war.”

He jerked his head at his pack mates, and they melted back into the crowd. There were a few more jeers thrown their way, and I watched until they’d left the light of the fire and vanished into the darkness.

The moment they’d left the clearing, the mood relaxed and people sat back down. Evanora looked shaken but plastered a serene look over her face once more. As everyone quieted down it almost felt as if it hadn’t happened at all, as if I’d only imagined the lost pack shifters arriving at our ceremony and disrupting things. Evanora called for order, and the wolves around me went back to listening intently as if everything was normal. When I looked around, no one seemed anxious like I was, and I had to bite back a scream. Of course they weren’t taking this seriously. Why would they?

I alone seemed to be on edge, and I tried to stuff down the sense of unease as I waited to see what would happen next.

Chapter Six

Evanora raised her hands and everyone quieted, waiting to see what she would do. “Despite the unfortunate interference, we will continue with the ceremony.”

Wow, they were really going to continue on as if nothing had happened. Surely they should at least talk this over, push the ceremony back a bit. But no one seemed to share my sentiment, all eager to move on from the incident and pretend it never occurred at all.

“All shifters who have come of age since the last solstice, please undress and step forward,” she continued.

My anxiety spiked. I knew getting naked was part of the ceremony, but that didn’t make it any easier. To a shifter, nudity was a way of life. Shifting didn’t allow for us to keep our clothes, and it was said the more one shifted, the more comfortable being naked they were.

It would be different if I had access to Cancer’s powers to protect myself. As I reluctantly slipped out of my clothes and laid them by my seat, I felt like every bruise and scar was glowing, marking me as weak and an outcast. Not one of us, they screamed. No one was paying attention, but I felt like a bug under a microscope anyway.

Mira stepped up to join me, and the panic rising in my throat abated. She was here with me, and we would get through this together. She smiled at me, giving me the strength I was lacking.

One of the witches, the one I’d seen looking at me earlier today with her strange eyes, stepped up and motioned us forward. She passed me a blanket and I took it gratefully, wrapping it around my shoulders. I was glad they offered us this semblance of decency.

Another witch picked up a sconce of incense and began circling the gathered pack members. The smell tickled my nose, heavy and cloying. Three times she circled us, and then she stepped back, blending into the rest of the Sun Witches as they came forward, forming up around us.

Evanora stood inside of the circle with us, and she looked at each of us in turn, her gaze penetrating. I could have sworn I saw contempt in her eyes as she locked her gaze with mine, but the fire was casting strange shadows over everyone. Surely, she wouldn’t hate me too? “This first shift is going to hurt,” Evanora said, her voice solemn. “It’s going to be the worst one, and you will have to get through it. Survive this, and you will come into your power. Do not disappoint us.”

There were nods all around, and I sucked in a deep breath in preparation. I glanced up at the moon, begging for Selene to give me the strength I was lacking, and then the chanting began. The Sun Witches raised their arms in unison, and the spell settled over me, more oppressive than the blanket.

For a moment I thought that would be the worst of it, but then a bolt of blinding pain went through me. I staggered, and I heard a few in-drawn breaths around me. This was bearable still. I breathed through it, just like I’d been told.