The treasure of the Goddess

Fourteen year old John McNally lay in the tall, long lemon grass that lined the hillside behind his home. The young man knew the Moon Goddess had blessed him but he didn’t understand how blessed he was. He lay there that day, soaking up sunshine and breathing in the scent of the lemon grass that the spring winds whirled around him. His hair was the color of fire and was tied loosely back so the curls blew in the wind. This was the best kind of day. A day where he had no training, no worries about his future responsibilities. A day he was left with his own thoughts. Thought that he filled with ideas of what and who his mate would be. Today, she was tall, with olive skin, hair black as raven wings and lips as red as the poppies that covered his hillside in the summer. She was kind, loving but strong and fierce. Everything a good Luna should be. She would be perfect because that’s what he needed to be, perfection. The words of his father still rang in his ear from this morning, “You must be strong to take your place. The weak have no purpose but are a burden and what type of leader will you be if you are a burden. So my son, you must train, become strong, strive for perfection. You must demand it of yourself before you demand it of others. You show the Moon Goddess you’re the strongest and she will gift you with the strongest mate, a perfect Luna, to rule at your side. We have the best pack, the best land, the best warriors and the best home. If you want to gain the best Luna, you must be worthy of her. You must strive for perfection at all cost. Illuminate the weak, your weaknesses, and you will be blessed. Perfection son. Perfection is the path to happiness.” John thought of his fathers words. He longed for his perfect Luna and if all he had to do was become perfect to get her, he would. He would not be weak nor would he allow weakness in his pack. He knew that by doing this, not only would he be blessed but so would his people. He wanted to be the perfect alpha for them. He wanted his people to be happy and safe and know that he was the best alpha for them. McNally alphas had ruled these hillsides for so long that no one knew of a time without a McNally to lead. Their home, an old stone Irish castle, was lovingly called “Mac’s Place”. Most of the pack lived in homes that made up the village surrounding Mac’s Place. Everyone was happy and safe and lived in peace. John wanted to keep his family legacy going strong. He loved his home and his pack and most of all, he loved his perfect Luna, even if he did not know who she was, he had an idea of her and he loved his idea of perfection with all his heart. He couldn’t wait to turn 18 and finally find her. Only 4 more years, that’s all the time he had left to train and be the strongest alpha and become deserving of such a Luna. Suddenly, his thoughts were taken from his daydreams as the scent of blood and tears swept over him. Quickly he jumped up knowing that a smell that could cut through the sweetness of the lemongrass could only mean one thing, someone or something was hurt and hurt badly. He raced down the hillside, following the scent until he came to a small drop in the rocks. He knew this place because many of the villagers sheep would lose their footing and fall on the jagged rocks below. The edge of the sudden drop was hidden by the tall grass so someone who didn’t know the path could easily be falling before they even knew what was happening. These small rocky drops were part of the castle defense. It was a way to stop intruders without putting the people and Warriors in harms way and also giving off a warning that trouble was coming. John looked over the edge of the drop and below laying in a pool of blood was a small child. She must have been playing and not known the dangers of running across the hillside. It was easy to get caught up in its beauty. Carefully, John climbed down to the child while calling his brothers through their mind links. Patrick, his closest brother in age, was first to find him. “Mac” (all McNally alphas are called Mac, no matter what their first name is. The privilege of using an Alpha McNally first name was saved for their mothers and, of course, their Luna’s) “what happened? Who is this pixie creature?” John looked at his brother, shaking his head,”I don’t know. She isn’t anyone from the pack.” John smiled for a moment at his brother calling her a pixie, because that was the perfect description for her. She was tiny, maybe 10 years old, with small delicate features. Her hair and skin were so clear and white they looked like she was formed of ice. The only color they saw on her was the soft pink of her lips and the dark red blood that was coming from a large gash on the side of her head where she had hit the rocks. “We should move her and take her to Dr Peters. Help me lift her so we don’t shift her around too much. I don’t want to cause her any more harm.” With that said, John knelt down and slipped his hands gently under her. With the touch of her skin against his, he felt like a thousand lightening bolts jolt through him. Startled, he looked down and saw her eyes had opened and inside were thunderous clouds and lightening shooting through them. He has never seen anything like those eyes. Patrick nudged John, bringing him out of the trance that those eyes seemed to put him in. “Mac come on! We have to get her help fast!” Patrick scooped her up and started to run for home. The instant Patrick took the small ice child from John’s arms, the feeling of lightening stopped and John was able to react again. “What was that?” John thought, completely confused. He ran after this child who looked as if she was made of ice and had lightening in her eyes. He didn’t know why but he had to find out who she really was.