Mother of the Moon

Chapter 5

Lunaya.

“Thank you” I half smiled. Hina eyed me intently for a while, quickly flicking her eyes to Alyse before resting them again on me. A moment of silence sat between us before she spoke again.

“Is this your first Mate?” she asked Alyse with a nod of her head in my direction. One of her dreadlocks fell forward and hung by her cheek.

“She is. I had a boyfriend in high school, but once I had changed, I didn’t see him again” Alyse answered. Hina watched her with interest but remained silent.

“I have never felt a connection with another person the way I do with Nae. She is everything to me” Alyse continued once she understood that Hina wanted more.

“And you, Lunaya, is Alyse your first Mate?” Hina asked turning her gaze once again to me. I swallowed hard and answered her question,

“Ah, no, she isn’t. I was married to a strong fighter from my pack, you know, before. He was my first Mate and the only other one I’ve had”. Pain radiated through my chest as I spoke about my former love. Micha, my husband. His beautiful black hair and golden-brown eyes, the way his smile reached all the way to his eyes when he laughed. The memory of him was torture to my forever broken heart.

“He was killed in the attack” Alyse interjected, gently placing her hand on my lower back.

“I’m very sorry, I can see this still causes you pain” Hina said softly.

“It’s okay, he died protecting his family, and I will always love him for it” I said proudly. I was proud, I still am. Micha was strong and brave, and he always gave his all to his family and his pack, right up until his last moments.

“Thank you both for sharing that with me. I still wonder though, why you didn’t join a new pack, you have surely come across a few in seventeen years” Hina asked raising her eyebrow.

“We did try, with a couple of different packs. It just never felt right, we never found the right place to call home” I answered.

“But you have come here. You think that this could be the right place for you?”

“I had hoped so, yes”.

“And if I decide you cannot stay, or if you choose to leave, what will you do then?”

“We haven’t thought that far ahead. We both had hoped that this would be our last stop”

“I see”.

Hina raked her eyes over both of us as we sat silently. She was deep in thought, I assume about what to do with us now. At least she was talking to us and trying to understand our story and our reasoning. We have been turned away from other packs without a single word from the Alpha, so this is a good sign.

“We have a very vigorous initiation process” she finally said,

“If you wish to stay, you will both have to go through the trials. If you fail, you leave”.

I looked at Alyse and a small glint of hope was in her eye, she wanted this, to stay. I do to. This is basically our last chance. I turned back to the Alpha and nodded my head.

“We understand” I said firmly.

“Well okay then. However, before we move onto that” Hina smirked slightly, flicking her eyes between us.

“Lunaya, Alyse, how did you come to find Luna Eclipse?”.

Shit. I knew that she would eventually want these kinds of answers and that I wouldn’t be able to hide the truth for long. However, the thought of confessing is still a dangerous and scary notion.

“I uh, I have been told stories of your pack since I was just a child, the great battles you have won and the victories over your many enemies, they are legend” I said with a hint of admiration behind my tone.

“Yes, our history is one of greatness. However, our pack drifted a long time ago into that of myth, believed by most of the world that we are a just fairy tale. So, how is it that you came to know of our location?” Hina asked, her tone now holding more authority.

“I was taught from a young age that your pack and your history is very much real”.

Hina slammed her fist on the table and growled, the sound echoing around the hall and drawing complete silence from everyone still present. Alyse gripped my thigh tightly, digging in her protruding claws.

“Stop dancing with me Omega and tell me what I want to know” Hina demanded, glaring over at me. Her mood no longer curious and inviting but now threatening and protective. I expected as much, eventually anyway. She would not have remained in charge for this long by being nice and friendly to anyone and everyone that crossed her borders. Especially as their existence is somewhat secret.

I gulped down the lump in my throat and blew out a slow breath.

“My mother knew of you, and her mother before her, and so on. The women from my line have passed on the knowledge of your pack and whereabouts for generations” I confessed.

“And why is your line so concerned with Luna Eclipse?” she asked gruffly. Well, it’s now or never, out with it I suppose.

“My heritage dates back to the beginning of your pack. It was my ancestor, Rhea, that conceived Luna Eclipse. She was the first female Alpha”.

Hina and the other women at the table stared at me wide eyed. The entire hall was deadly quiet, I could hear the beating hearts of everyone inside.

“You would do well not to lie to me right now” Hina hissed.

“On my honour, Alpha Hina, I would not lie to you” I assured her, placing my hand over my heart and bowing my head slightly.

Hina looked over my face for any signs of dishonesty. After a few long agonizing minutes, she waved her hand and the woman that called us to the table earlier stepped forward. Hina whispered something into her ear, and she then nodded and walked quickly out of the hall. My mind was racing a million miles an hour. If Hina sees the confession of my heritage as a challenge for her Alpha status, she may execute us here and now. Or she could seek to use me as a tool, if she knows any more about my family history. We sat in complete silence as her eyes bore into my face.

After too long sitting in tense silence, finally, an elderly woman was led into the hall by the same woman that left minutes ago. She brought her to the table and sat her down next to Hina. The woman has long white hair that sat flat down her shoulders. Her skin was ravaged by time and her face was coated in wrinkles. Both her eyes are white and she was looking off into nothing, I believe she’s blind. Hina leaned in close to her side and whispered into her ear. She was careful not to whisper too loudly, given I’m a Were and could probably hear her if I tried. After a minute Hina sat back up straight and returned her gaze to me, the elderly lady sat forward and put her hands on the table.

“Give me your hands child” she said with a soft yet crackly voice. I hesitated, looking at the woman and then to Hina. What is this? I pursed my lips and shook my head.

“This is our elder Pappi, she has been with our pack for over ninety years. She is also a Seer and will confirm your story” Hina said with subtle frustration. A Seer, s**t. Will she see everything? If I refuse, I’m sure they will either kill us or cast us out. I don’t really have a choice here. Alyse squeezed my thigh again and I took a deep breath. I slowly placed my hands in Pappi’s, and she gripped them tight. Her head tilted to the side and her breathing quickened.

“So much pain. You carry such guilt and sadness” she huffed,

“Ah, I see your lover, so handsome he is” a small smile played on her lips before she took a sharp breath and paused. Oh Goddess, please, please help me here.