Alpha Dane's Secret

A Deal with the Goddess

[EVA’S POV]

Rest little one. My wolf’s voice purred past my consciousness.

I struggled to open my eyes. They felt so heavy and reluctant to open. My vision was overwhelmed by the electric green color surrounding me. As my eyes focused, I realized I was lying on the forest floor. The forest looked unfamiliar to me. The colors were so intense. The bright colors seemed otherworldly.

Regaining my vision was followed by my hearing. The sounds of life buzzed around me. This forest was full of life. I glanced up at the sky. I was surprised to see the full moon peaking through the trees. Everything was so brightly colored I assumed it was daytime. But the stars still dotted the sky above. If this is how bright everything is without the sun, I am reluctant to experience the daytime.

“Ellie.” I heard a delicate voice call out. I turned to see a slender woman beckoning me towards them.

I’ve seen enough iconography of the Moon Goddess to recognize her instantly. Her hair was a silvery white color that glowed like the moon. Her milky skin was covered in star-like freckles that also glowed. I moved my body to a kneeling position to show my respect.

“Ellie is my wolf spirit,” I replied.

“To me, you are one and the same,” The Goddess spoke. Her voice was soft. Barely carried by the breeze to my ears.

“Where am I?” I asked as I noticed three large white and silver wolves flank the goddess and sit at her feet.

“This is my realm. Some wolves have the gift of sending their human spirits to me during their first shifts,” The Goddess explained. I felt my eyes widen.

“Don’t be too excited.” The smallest of the three wolves spoke.

“The Goddess does nothing for free.” The second wolf spoke. The third wolf just brushed their body against the leg of the Goddess. I only nodded.

“Your wolf spirit is my creation, so Ellie is mine by blood. Humankind, however, was created by a different God. Therefore, I have no direct authority over your human spirit.” The Goddess started. “In exchange for letting you rest in my hunting grounds, you will make an oath with me. Your human spirit will become mine as well as your wolf. You will be a part of my pack. You will belong to no other pack and kneel to no Alpha.”

“What’s the catch?” I asked when the Goddess finished speaking. She smiled in response.

“I guess you will have to find out…but you don’t have much of a choice at this point. You are here. I have provided you with comfort in my home. This place has already started sapping part of your soul. If you don’t agree, I will return you to your body full of pain and remove your wolf. With part of your soul already absorbed, you will die in a few years, maybe less, and then your soul will splinter and who knows the places your spirit will go,” the Goddess explained. There was a juxtaposition between the terrifying words she was speaking and the delicate tone in her voice.

I wasn’t allowed to attend school like normal werewolves. Alpha Dane provided me with private tutors. I now realize this was to ensure he had complete control of what I knew. He had manipulated the information I would learn to his benefit. I’d never heard the Goddess could be this way. I was only taught that she was a fair-skinned goddess who lived on the moon and created werewolves. She was described to me as sweet and pure. After meeting the Goddess herself, I am not so sure.

“Make your choice. Your wolf is calling you to return.” The smaller of the three wolves spoke again.

I only nodded. I really didn’t have much of a choice. I wouldn’t be able to change my fate in this. Just one more problem to add to my list of growing problems. The goddess smiled widely. Almost too widely. There was an eeriness to her as she pats the heads of all three of the surrounding wolves.

“Ava. I leave it to you.” She spoke to the smallest wolf. Petting the wolf’s fluffy white hair. The Goddess turned and disappeared into the trees. The smaller wolf came over to me with a hungry…smile on their face. I shuddered.

The wolf lunged, taking a deep bite into my left shoulder before I could even register their movements. The pain was sharp and intense. I felt a crunch as the jaws clamped down further. I looked over to see the wolf’s golden eyes had turned completely black. The wolf looked almost like a shark.

Ava, the small wolf that had my shoulder in her mouth, began to drag me to the side. The tearing feeling in my shoulder made me cry out. I reached up to ease the tension when the small wolf simply flicked her head to the side, sending my body flying through the air. The movement shouldn’t have had enough momentum or strength to throw my body like that. I felt my spine crack against a nearby tree and everything went black again.

“EVA!” Alpha Dane’s voice broke through the darkness. I shook my head as I opened my eyes.

My head felt heavier. My vision seemed so sharp and clear it startled me at first. Alpha Dean was leaning over my body. His eyes were full of concern. I felt like I could sense his feelings just through his facial expression. He pulled me into a hug when a growl ripped through my body. It was now that I realized I was still in wolf form, but the fur that had once been black was now shimmering white. It even seemed to sparkle in the moonlight.

“Are you hurt? Your fur… I lost you while we were running. Your wolf is so fast. I hear you yelp. I found you and your fur… Your wolf was black. She was black…now…now you are…” Alpha Dane was rambling which was completely unlike him. His eyes were full of wonder. But I could see it there. He was excited and proud. He was excited that his mate was special.

A low warning growl vibrated through my chest again. Alpha Dane looked even more bewildered. I was glad that my wolf was helping me disguise my instincts to jump on him. He was clearly confused that I hadn’t shown any recognition of our mate bond. He felt the mate bond between us snap into place when I shifted. He could feel it strumming between us. He felt the pleasurable tingles when he touched me. However, I remained, seemingly, unphased and unaware even.

“You can shift in front of me little wolf.” Alpha Dane suggested. He tried to pet the top of my wolf’s head only to be snarled at. “Fine, I will turn around. Here is your robe.” He laid my ceremonial robes in front of me.

As I changed, I internally grumbled. I knew what he was implying when he told me I could shift in front of him. He was probing to see if I would acknowledge our connection. He was also claiming his right to see me…naked. I shivered. My body was full of so many conflicting feelings. I was disgusted with him. Disgusted at his secrets and behavior. Disgusted that he raised me under false pretenses. Disgusted that he chose to stay mated. Disgusted that he had continued to sleep with Leah frequently while I slept in the same house…while I could hear them. But I also felt the indisputable…need. I needed my mate. I wanted to be touched. I wanted to be loved by my mate. This disgusted me the most.