Chapter 3
931 Words
Flashback
Mom stared into the fire for a long moment before speaking.
"The day you were born was supposed to be like any other day in the pack."
A small smile crossed her face as she remembered.
"Your father decided to surprise me with a walk through the woods. There was a trail he took me on that I had never seen before. Looking back now, I think he probably made it himself just for me."
She paused and sighed.
"The pack doctor had told us I still had three or four weeks before you were due. That's why your father thought it was safe to take me on a little adventure."
A soft laugh escaped her.
"Well, it wasn't exactly a walk. At that point I was waddling more than walking."
I couldn't help but smile.
"After about fifteen minutes, we reached a tree line. Your father covered my eyes and gently guided me forward. When he finally stopped, he told me I could look."
Her eyes seemed to lose focus as she relived the memory.
"When I opened them, I was speechless. Before me was the most beautiful field I had ever seen. In the middle was a crystal-clear lake that reflected the sky like a mirror."
She smiled.
"We sat there together for hours, enjoying the peace and quiet. The wind danced across the water, and for a little while it felt like the world had forgotten all of its problems."
The smile slowly faded.
"As the sun began to set, your father decided it was time to head home. He stood and offered me his hand. The moment I grabbed it and tried to stand, I felt a sharp pain in my side."
She laughed softly.
"And then I felt warm liquid running down my legs."
I groaned.
"Mom."
"What? It's true," she teased.
Her expression softened.
"I looked at your father and said, 'I think your son has decided to make himself known a little earlier than expected.'"
"What did Dad do?" I asked.
"What do you think he did?" she replied. "He panicked."
I laughed.
"He scooped me up bridal style and took off running toward the pack hospital. The entire time he was mind-linking Dr. Brown and probably every other healer in the pack."
Mom shook her head fondly.
"By the time we arrived, you were already trying to make your entrance."
She glanced at me.
"Dr. Brown got me settled and told me to push. Twenty exhausting minutes later, I heard the most beautiful sound I had ever heard."
Her eyes filled with tears.
"Your first cry."
I swallowed hard.
"I looked at your father and said, 'Our little prince is here. Hand him to me.'"
Mom laughed.
"Dr. Brown looked at me like I'd lost my mind."
"'You mean she?' the doctor asked."
I blinked.
"You thought I was a boy?"
"Everyone did," she said. "The healers, your father, even me."
"What happened?"
"The moment Dr. Brown told us you were a girl, I was shocked."
Her expression darkened slightly.
"And honestly, I was a little scared."
"Why?"
"I worried your father would be disappointed."
I stared at her.
"Dad? Disappointed?"
She smiled and shook her head.
"That's exactly what he proved me wrong about."
A warm look filled her eyes.
"The second he heard the news, his face lit up. He looked at Dr. Brown and asked, 'I have my princess?'"
Mom laughed.
"Then he made her repeat it because he thought he'd heard wrong."
I smiled, imagining it.
"'Yes, Alpha,' Dr. Brown told him. 'You have a healthy, beautiful baby girl.'"
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
"Your father couldn't stop smiling," Mom whispered. "He held you like you were the most precious thing in the world."
The fire crackled between us.
"Not long after that, I started feeling dizzy. Everything became blurry, and then the world went dark."
Fear tightened in my chest.
"What happened?"
"I lost a lot of blood during the delivery, but I recovered."
She hesitated.
"While I was unconscious, though, I had a dream."
I looked at her curiously.
"A dream?"
Mom nodded.
"It wasn't an ordinary dream."
The firelight reflected in her eyes.
"I had a visitor."
"Who?"
"The Moon Goddess."
I froze.
"What?"
"The Moon Goddess herself."
Silence settled between us.
"I can't tell you everything she said," Mom continued quietly. "Some things weren't meant for me to share."
"Then what can you tell me?"
She reached over and squeezed my hand.
"She told me that you were special."
My stomach dropped.
"Special how?"
"I don't know," she admitted. "But she made one thing very clear."
Mom's voice trembled.
"You had to be protected."
The weight of her words settled over me.
"That's why I'm telling you this now, Megan."
The fear from earlier returned to her eyes.
"If we ever get separated, I need you to run."
"Mom—"
"No."
Her voice cracked.
"I need you to listen."
Tears filled her eyes.
"I don't know what your future holds. I don't know why the Moon Goddess chose you."
She squeezed my hand tighter.
"But I know it's something important."
A tear slid down her cheek.
"So if the worst happens, you keep moving forward."
"Mom..."
"You survive."
Another tear fell.
"You stay safe."
Her voice became barely a whisper.
"And one day, you become the person the Goddess believes you are meant to be."
I stared into the fire, unable to speak.
For the first time, I wondered if my mother wasn't just afraid.
Maybe she knew something I didn't.
- Writer
