The Moon Goddess

Introductions

“Hello. My name is Declan. I am the Alpha of the Full Moon pack. This here is my son, Alastair. What’s your name, darling?” Declan held out a hand for Ivy to shake.

Ivy stared at his hand and ingrained manners had her holding out her hand to shake his. “I’m Ivy.” Ivy looked back at Al. She couldn’t believe it. The heat was now a nice simmer in her chest, but it didn’t hurt anymore. It felt like she had known him her entire life. Hi eyes were the perfect swirl of green and yellow and when they touched it was like electricity.

“Well Ivy, it looks like there may be a few reasons we are here today. So let us start with the reason your father called me in the first place. Now you smelled something that is not a normality around here?” Declan asked as his head swiveled around the room. He was taking stock of who was here and how they were placed. Around the opposite side of the island stood, Eddie, whom he had known for many moons and respected her power. He nodded his hello to her as she did to him. Mary and Jim looked like the perfect pair with Jim’s arms around Mary in a protective stance and Declan chucked to himself. If only, Declan thought. Then as he turned his head, he saw a younger familiar face. “Young Mara! What a pleasure seeing you here.” Declan exclaimed.

“Hello Alpha Declan.” Mara said with an authoritative tone and bowed her head in a sign of respect.

“Mara?” Everyone turned at the shocked question. Liam looked surprised as Sebastian walked in front of him into the kitchen.

“Liam.” Mara responded with a dull tone. “Sebastian? Is that you?” Mara shrieked then surprised everyone by running and jumping into his arms for a long hug.

“Hey kid. Missed you around the watering hole.” Sebastian squeezed twice then brought her to the ground. Mara looked up at him and gave a big smile.

“Well, you know if the boys would allow such things such as, I don’t know, girls in then maybe I would join more often. But I’ve been studying and working.”

Sebastian raised an eyebrow at the pokey tone then zeroed in. “Working?” He then whipped his head around to Eddie. “Has she been assigned?”

Eddie snickered. “Hey, I can answer that now!” Mara pouted.

“Ok, what is it then, kid?” Mara furrowed her brows at the nickname.

“I’m not a kid anymore, Sebby. I am a Guardian!” Mara said proudly. Sebastian, Liam, and Alastair all raised their eyebrows. Mara was a Guardian? Now that was impressive. “Don’t look so shocked. I am actually turning out to be a great Guardian. Right, Iv?” Mara smiled at her best friend.

Everyone’s heads turned to Ivy who was still standing in the middle of the kitchen holding hands with Al. Ivy beamed at her friend. “She has been.”

Al closed his eyes at the smooth and silkiness of Ivy’s voice. He let it wash all over him and back again. He could smell the hint of vanilla and jasmine on her skin and in her hair. She smelled exotic and felt as if he were dreaming.

“So, what was with the big hurry over 911 emergency?” Liam said moving past Sebastian and Mara with a cold look.

“If I may?” Eddie said.

“Of course, but would we want to move to the living room where there is actually more room?” Mary said with a laugh. Everyone chuckled then followed Mary out.

Al looked down at his hand in Ivy’s and then looked up to see her staring at their hands too. “Walk with me?” he asked.

Ivy nodded her head and let him lead to follow everyone else. In the living room, the walls were plastered with pictures from when Ivy was a baby, to all her competitions, family vacations, and on the wall above a gorgeous stone fireplace was a family portrait about 2 years old. As Al’s eyes traveled along Ivy’s relaxed pose, he realized she looked like a Goddess. He looked back at her to see her studying him with intent. The living room was just about as similar as Al’s, but it had a wrap around couch that fit the entire length of the room. Everyone chose a spot, and Eddie took head of the coffee table.

“First, Declan, thank you for coming and with such haste. I had originally believed we may need you in this certain situation that we have going on here but now as your son is the fated mate of my niece, I am sure of it. Boys, I will need a thorough search of these grounds after we are done here. It is extremely important you focus on scent and gut instincts for this. Am I understood?” Eddi’s voice held authority that the boys were nodding even as they looked to their Alpha for confirmation that they would go along with this.

“My boys will do your search Eddie; however, you must tell us why we are doing such scent tracking as it is.” Declan said complaisantly.

Eddie nodded. “Of course, Alpha.” Eddie looked at each face individually, knowing their strengths and weaknesses, knowing what lays ahead of them. She stopped when she reached her daughter, for it was her daughter’s growth during this that would hurt her the most where it counted. She would no longer be her little girl after this if things went their way. She continued to look on to the faces looking at her for guidance. She knew without a doubt, she could trust each one of these people; wolf or no wolf, magic, or no magic; with Ivy’s life. She stopped at Mary’s face. Mary smiled.

They must know everything. It has begun and if the boys bring back the information, I think they will, we will need all of them and more. Eddie mind linked to Mary. Mary looked at Jim then Ivy, with her eyes back to Eddie Mary gave a sad smile and nodded. Eddie nodded back to Mary and then turned to the face her audience.