The treasure of the Goddess

John the 1st

John nodded and both men started to follow the first. John suddenly was walking down the stairs of a large cabin like home. The hills surrounding it were known to him. It was the very hillside of Mac’s Place. John never had seen a cabin and he suddenly realized, the castle, his beloved home, was gone. He felt his heart start to panic,

“Calm yourself young Alpha.” Elder Jameson comforted him. “I can hear your heart racing. Remember, we are walking in the past. In John the 1st time, things for the McNally pack is a little different, There’s no Mac’s Place. The need hasn’t happened yet.”

“What do you mean the need?” John never thought about why his home was there, it just was, it always was. He never heard of a time when there was no castle on the rolling hillside. Then he shook his head at his own childish stupidity. Of course there was a time when someone must have built it. He just never thought about it. But why did the McNally pack need such a large strong hold on that hillside? His thoughts were suddenly brought to the realization that John the 1st had suddenly stopped. John looked around and recognized the spot. But it was different. He knew his home hillside blindfolded and where he was there should have been the jagged cliffs that were put there to defend the castle. They actually should be standing in the spot many years ago that John found Bao. But instead of the hidden cliffs, there were a large pile of stones. It reminded John of the podium that was in the castle that they used to address the pack.

Elder Jameson sat in the tall grass and motioned John to sit next to him.” Come and watch.”

John sat down and looked up at his namesake. John the 1st was standing on top of the pile next to a large similar looking man. John realized they were surrounded by many different people, who were also watching the two men on the makeshift podium.

The larger man started to speak, “Friends, family, I have asked you to come today to join us as we celebrate my oldest, John, at his coming of age ceremony. Today he will meet his wolf and if Goddess willing, find his mate. When the Moon appears, please all the unmated females come forward so John can see if his mate is among them.”

John the 1st looked out among them and his eyes stopped on one female. His face beamed as he gazed on her. John knew that look. John the 1st had already chosen his mate. She was tall, strong and even though John could only see her from behind he could tell she was a beauty. Her hair fell in waves as the breeze blew it gently, as if it was teasing him to accept her now.

John was confused. “Elder, this isn’t like my mating. John the 1st already has a mate. He’s looking at her now and anyone can see he wants her. You said it was like mine!” John was not understanding.

“Patience boy. You will soon see the similarities. Might I remind you that you too had chosen a different mate before you met your wolf? Can you not see the similarities in the women you both chose?” John suddenly felt ashamed that he missed that John , just like him, had chosen a mate instead of trusting in the Goddess and letting her gift him one of her design. Why had he never realized the mistake he had made?

Suddenly, the full moon shone down on John the 1st. His eyes went black and you could see him struggle between excitement and then confusion. Then, the black eyes took over. The winds turned angry as they whipped around the tall grass and John heard a voice that was all too familiar ring out among the hillside.

In a voice with the strength of thunder John shook at the words, “Hello my humble pack. I am Axel. I am the Calm before the Storm. Bring forth your unmated females so I might find my mate and your Queen.”

John shook as he watched Axel, his wolf Axel, stalk from female to female. He was calm as he would gently move each one to the side showing they were not his mate. John’s jaw nearly dropped when the female the his Ancestor had chosen confidently stepped in front and blocked Axel’s path. John watched as she held her chin high and addressed him, “I am John’s mate. I am strong and beautiful and my family is wealthy. We own most of the land that the pack lives off of. Come and claim me so I can take my place as ruler.” John was shocked at how this female stated her reasons why she should be John the 1st mate and it made him sick. Beauty, wealth and ruler? John was angered by that word. He could feel her greed and power hunger roll off of her and it made him sick. Suddenly, an echo played in his head of Layla stating almost word for word the same reasons why she should be his Luna. She wanted to rule, not lead. How was he so blind? She was power hungry. She was not going to be a Luna because of her love of her people or even of John. She wanted the power.

John felt the anger radiating off of Axel as he shoved this woman aside. “Power hungry pup! You are not worthy to be my beloved.” But unlike Layla, this woman grabbed Axel’s arm screaming,”John promised I would be his Luna! His father made a deal! This stupid pack could squat on our land and John would make me Queen! His father made the promise! Accept me now Mutt or I’ll have my men burn everything by nightfall!” Axel didn’t even turn his head to acknowledge her threats. Out of nowhere, John saw this woman shrieking, lash out to strike Axel in the back, the true sign of a coward. But before she sunk her claws into his back, a bolt of lightning stabbed into the ground between the woman and Axel. Suddenly, John was surrounded by lightning strikes and winds and rains. Where did this come from? Over the wailing of the wind, John felt a power like non other that sent shivers of fear and pleasure down his spine. Through the rain he saw Axel had his arms around someone, but whoever it was, his large body completely engulfed her so John couldn’t see her. All he could see was long hair being whipped furiously by the wing, long white as ice hair.