Crimson Haze

Blakes POV continued

Annie gazes at the three rapid streams of water falling from the cliff. "Have you ever noticed how each stream is a different size...." "hmm I guess I never paid much attention to it.... So what's this scary you've heard?" A little chuckle escaping my lips. "Well if you must know it's about these falls."

A long time ago a woman of unique beauty came to these falls in an attempt to end her own life. She made it to the each of the cliff and fell inches away from her impending death but to her amazement she didn't die instead she was saved by a God known as The Unseen One. Her beauty wasn't the reason he had saved her she asked him why he had saved her and looked down on her with a loving gaze and held her in his arms and he said because your my soul my body has never had a soul then I saw yours and new it was mine . So the woman and the unseen one fell in love but it was not meant to last for the Moon God had his eyes on her and on the night of their wedding the Moon God attacked and kidnapped the woman. The Unseen One left no stone unturned around the world for her. He finally found her limp body in a cave under this waterfall. The God wept for his lost love and encased her body in a phantom crystal freezing her beauty for all eternity.

"So these waterfalls are haunted by the memory of a lost love forever weeping til that love is found." She turns around with a few tears falling off her cheeks. "Well I do have to admit someone who has lost their love is pretty scary." I rummage through my pockets to bring out a box and get on one knee.

"OH MY GOSH!... Blake what are you doing?" She grabs her hair holding it back her hands visibly shaking as I open the box to reveal a diamond ring with an ivy band. "Annie I don't want to go through my life without my love in my life. Will you marry?" The seconds seem like hours pass til she says "No...."

"What?....but I thought." Although Jackson was overjoyed to receive that answer I was dumbfounded.

"Please don't misunderstand." She goes to put her arms around me and I push her away and put the ring back into my pocket. "Blake I do love you but I haven't done anything with my life. I mean for God's sake I haven't even left this town! I mean what's past that Roseville city limit sign." She scoffs and attempts to console me again.

"I don't want to marry you and never getting to experience anything." I shook my head in disbelief and looked away from her. "Blake... I'll think about it ok... I doubt I'll ever have the courage to leave." I inhaled in the mist from the falls "Annie I don't want you to force yourself into this just to pacify me. It's okay if you're not ready you're not ready..... Let's just take you home so your dad doesn't try to hunt me down."

After an awkward ride to her house we kissed each other goodnight and I went home. A few days had gone by before I talked to Annie she wanted me to come by her sisters 18th birthday party. I arrived early so I wouldn't have to stay too long. I knock on the door, Annie opened the and embraced me tightly her warm embrace is the most peace I've received in days.

I pick her up closer to my lips and slip my tongue in her mouth. "Jesus! Annie have some restraint" Annie's sister walks towards us her curly black hair shining even in the dim evening sky light. "Thanks for coming to my birthday party." I smirk at her and hand her a gift "I didn't know what to get so it's just a glass rose."

"Well thanks for ruinning the surprise." She laughs at me touching my shoulder. It's strange I had never noticed how nice her laugh is I can feel Jackson’s ears even perk up at the sound. Annie grabs my arm and pulls me inside "Can I get you anything to drink or a snack."

"Just some water would be fine thank you." When Annie walks off I can feel the Alphas presence. So I turn around and bow my head quickly. he only pats my shoulder smiling but I can hear him speaking to me via mind link. "Thank you for coming I hope you're able to come to Angeliques real party next week."

"Yes Alpha I would be truly honored to attend."

"I hope her wolf will make our pack stronger. For she will pick the next Alpha after I'm gone."

"May the goddess bless her with a worthy mate."

"Agreed"

Annie gives me my bottle of water and I tell her I had to leave and talk to her later. She walks me to the door and we kiss goodbye this time with less enthusiasm in fear of being glared at by her father.

A week had gone by and it was time for Angel's awakening ceremony her real birthday. Annie was home alone thinking that Angel was sleeping over at someone's house. The ceremony was in an open field a pile of boulders laid on the edge of the trees. The ceremony was about to begin I scanned the crowd to see who was all there and to my surprised I see Janelle was there.. Alpha usually doesn't allow her to leave Annie's side but I assume since it was a special occasion it was okay.. I try not to draw her attention since she was mid shift her long curly black shifting into her black and red wolf some of the people had already shifted before the ceremonyhad even began. Then the Alpha and Luna enters into the crowd walking towards the boulders waiting at the bottom of them for Angel to appear on top of the boulders.

"Thank you all for coming!" The Alphas voice booming over the pack demanding silence. "May the Goddess bless this child in her light with power and love!" A hush fell over the crowd gazing at the moons light beaming at the top of the boulders and then I saw her Angel she was wearing a beautiful white gown flowing with the wind. She raises her head up and opens arms the light grew brighter as the Moon Goddess blessed her.

The light grew dim and a shadow jumped off the rocks. I look again and it wasn't a shadow but a beautiful black wolf with green eyes the would make an emerald envious "MATE!" She looks my way and Jackson takes over, shifting without hesitation. The Alphas wolf stands in my way I let a low growl escape my jaws. He looks down on me his white wolf towering over me his shadow darkening my grey and white fur. I bow into submission "The Goddess has blessed Angel let us welcome our new pack member Astraea!" All of the pack start to howl but they all fade away when I slowly walk towards Astraea. Even her wolfs name is beautiful I tilt my head back and harmonize with her. She stops her eyes piercing through me she cautiously rubs her head on my neck.

Alpha Ash along with his Luna steps towards us. The Alphas voice booms over everyone again "Truly the Goddess smiles upon this child for she not only has her wolf but has found her mate in one night." The Lunas voice takes over the crowd "Let us seal these bonds in the light of our Goddess!" With that in mind the rest of the pack shifts and begins running through the field and into the forest. Before I enter the woods with Astrea I look back at Janelle her furrowed brow piercing through me like a knife. She doesn't say anything she just shook her head and ran the other way back to town.

I finish my run with Astrea, never feeling so alive and blessed to have found my mate but also deeply depressed to know what was in store for Annie. The pain she was going to feel I was going to let her down easy and slowly start dating Angel but I couldn't stay away from her. Her sweet smell of sweet coconut water barely giving way for any reasoning. The pain of being away from her was to unbearable. So I came to her house when I knew Annie would be away, to complete our mating ceremony. Sadly Annie caught us and it has been hell ever since.