Embraced By the Blood Moon

Chapter Twenty Three

Raven’s POV

I had completely lost track of how long I had been trapped within my soul, but it seemed as if this was to be my new norm. Yet the darkness that encroached all around me grew with each agonizingly long day, which was nothing compared to the loneliness that consumed me. The pain that was etched on my soul by the soul eater continually tormented me, rolling over my soul in massive waves of anguish.

How long has it been since I heard my kind sister’s voice? Oh, how I long for the warmth that she always provides. Was it a month, six months, or had it been over a year?

I didn’t have any answers to my questions and no way to know when this darkness and agonizing loneliness would pass.

Why am I holding on? Willow could live a normal life if it weren’t for me. Honestly, I’m just a cranky burden to her. She would be better off without me.

I could feel myself giving in to the thought of leaving this torturous darkness behind when I began to hear somebody mumbling.

‘Raven, it’s time to wake, sweet child,’ The melodious voice danced playfully around me. ‘You, poor child, I’m sorry you had to endure this darkness for so long, but your wait is over. I have come to release you.’

‘Release me, yeah, right. I’m too weak, and the darkness that encircles me has weakened me further. There will be no escape for me. This is to be my final resting place.”

While my self-loathing went on, a great wave of what felt like water enveloped me, ‘Goodness, you are a crotchety one, and I have listened to it long enough. I told you it was time for you to wake up. So WAKE UP!” The melodious voice shouted.

I gasped for air, unable to catch my breath, when the beautifully melodious voice spoke again, “It’s okay, breathe, just breathe.” She soothed me as she held my hand and traced tiny circles over my knuckles.

I opened my eyes to a painfully bright light. “Where am I,” I asked as I ran my hand over my throbbing head.

‘Oh, thank God! I thought that I lost you,’ Willow said telepathically, her voice quivering with each word she spoke.

“You’re in your cottage in the Silver Moon Pack territory,” A beautiful blond with glowing tanned skin and ocean-blue eyes said with a soft smile. “I am Ondine, the person that woke you from your soul coma.”

“What is a soul coma,” I asked Ondine as she gracefully flipped her golden hair over her shoulder.

“A soul coma happens when a being uses up too much of their soul energy or, like in your case, where a soul eater attacked you,” Ondine said as she checked my vitals.

“How did you know that a soul eater attacked me,” I asked in confusion; as far as I could remember, I hadn’t told anyone about being attacked by a soul eater.

“Because being a mermaid, I have what you call a spirit eye, which allows me to see a person's soul and the condition of said soul. Your soul had a massive scar that snaked around it, which served as a beacon for the soul eater to return to, allowing them to finish what they had started. You are quite fortunate that you share a body with your sister cause her soul hid the presence of your marked soul.” Her smile widened as she continued, “However, you don’t have that soul eater seeking you out even now that you have awakened again because I healed your soul scar. So there is no trace left of the mark.”

I stared at the woman before me, ‘How is she powerful enough to remove a soul scar? Is it because she is a mermaid?’

‘I don’t know, but I am so glad that she was powerful enough to awaken you from your coma,’ Willow said in her usual soft, comforting voice.

“Oh, and there is something that I have been wanting to ask you and your sister, Willow,” She paused, and I nodded for her to ask her question. “Do you want to remain together in one body, or are you each wanting your own body?”

Her question shocked both Willow and me. “We only stay like this because we have no choice,” I said as I bit my bottom lip.

“So you’re saying that if you guys had a way to have separate bodies, you would be willing to try it?” Ondine asked with anticipation glistening in her eyes.

“If that were an option, then we would definitely be willing to do it,” I said, trying to contain my excitement and not wanting to get my hopes up too much.

Ondine nodded, “Okay. I think I remember hearing about a mermaid that was able to shift a person's soul into another body. Though I think that she was only able to do it once, it is something that I will look into researching for you both in my free time.”

“Thank you; that would be greatly appreciated,” I said as a soft knock on the door came.

Ondine patted my hand before releasing it and heading to the door, “There is someone who is very eager to meet you.” She opened the door and spoke to whoever was waiting on the other side, “You may go in and see her now.” As she stepped out of the way, I felt a tremendous pull edging me closer to the door.

When Quinn entered the door, it almost felt like he was blocking me from the thing that pulled me towards it. “Hey Raven, it is good to see you again.” He said as he ran his hand back through his auburn wavy hair. The white section of his white hair immediately fell back into his eyes.

‘Willow, how long was I in the soul coma for,’ I mentally asked, dreading the answer I knew was coming.

‘Just over a year,’ Willow whispered.

I nodded, ‘that explains why he looks older.’

“So why were you eager to see me?” I asked Quinn.

He shook his head, “It wasn’t me that was eager to meet you; it was Ren.” He stepped to the side, and the pull greatly intensified as a beautiful, confident, silver-haired, purplish-pink-eyed woman stepped forward.

“Hi, I’m Serenity, or you can call me Ren. It is a pleasure to meet you,” She said as she stretched her hand towards me.

The closer she got to me, the more intense the pull became. My heart thundered inside my chest as if screaming, ‘Protect her! You must protect her!’ Instead of shaking her hand, I tightly clenched my chest in an attempt to stop the thundering of it. Other than my sister, I had never felt the urge to protect anyone until now, and even though I had just met her, I knew my world would be completely crushed if something happened to this enchanting woman before me.

“What is happening to me,” I whispered.

Concern washed over Ren’s face, “Oh, no, are you in pain? Should I call for a doctor?” She pulled her phone from her pocket, “I should call…”

Ondine interrupted Ren, placing her hand on Ren's phone, “She doesn’t need a doctor. What she is feeling isn’t something a doctor can or needs to fix.”

“She’s right. I know exactly what is happening to her,” Jace said as he entered my room. He glanced at me, “I did knock, but there wasn’t an answer, so I let myself in. I’m sorry.”

Frustrated, I tightly clenched my teeth, “I don’t care that you entered without my permission. All I want to know is what is happening to me. Why do I feel this way?”

“You’re imprinting on Ren,” Jace said, shrugging his shoulder as if it were nothing new.

“What!?” I asked, still not fully understanding what he meant.

“You’re feeling an extremely intense pull towards Ren, a pull so great that it almost feels as if you are tethered to her. You’re not quite sure why, but you know that if anything happened to her, your entire world would feel as if it were crumbling,” he said.

“How do you know that that is what I am feeling?” I asked curiously.

A smile spread over his face as he continued, “I know this because I can see it in your eyes and because I felt the same thing the day that I imprinted on her as well.”

“So that is what this feeling is,” I asked as I glanced up at Serenity.

“Yes,” He winked at me and said, “Welcome to the club. Today, you join Alpha Derrick and me in that group.”

“Wait, what!?” I exclaimed, “Alpha Derrick imprinted on Serenity as well?” That is when I remembered the first day I met Alpha Derrick and Jace. At the time, I thought it was odd that they both were so sure where Ren had entered the forest, but now it all made perfect sense.