The Forgotten Goddess

Chapter Three

Mila

"What do you mean you smelled blood, Mila? You know that’s not likely to happen." Nanna asks looking deep in my eyes, coming to sit on the table right across from me.

She knows something but she wants to hear more. I try to divert my gaze, so I’m not into her control, but her blue eyes become white, and I have no control over my tongue anymore.

“I smelled a lot of blood, like, a pool of blood”, I say as I’m hypnotized by her eyes.

Nanna has the ability to make people say the truth just by looking into her eyes. It’s one of the traits of her ancestors. Not many have it, but those who do, are bound to do amazing things.

Besides being the new principal in my high school, Nanna is also the pack advisor - she is always in and out of the pack house with affairs. Everyone knows her. Maybe that’s why she’s the new principal - she’ll definitely make sure everyone is telling the truth.

"Niña, dá me tu mango" Abuelo says to me - he always speaks Spanish when feeling nervous.

He’s also gifted. Abuelo can see into people’s minds - dreams, ideas, thoughts, flashes of memories. Everything that goes into someone’s mind, he’ll see it. Maybe that’s why he’s training the warriors in our pack.

I hesitate again. I know what he’ll do, and I’m not ready for that again. His hand is in front of me, inviting me to give him my hand.

"It’s okay, niña. I know how you feel. But we need to make sure of what you’ve dreamed about. Please, give me your hand."

He doesn’t know how I feel, but I know I can trust both my grandparents. I instantly give him my hand. He takes it, closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.

Doing this with him makes me sick, like throwing up. This isn’t my first time doing it, but still, it doesn’t mean I’m used to it.

He holds my hand tightly, showing everything will be okay. Both him and I are spectators in this scene. I see three figures around a baby - grandma, grandpa and my dad. I get ready for the next scenes when it suddenly stops.

I’m back on my seat, feeling a little light-headed, with Abuelo on my side and Nanna in front of me. Abuelo is staring at my grandma. They’re mind-linking each other.

Yup, something that werewolves can do, and I hate that they leave me out - for now, since I still didn’t get my wolf. But I’m turning 15 in a couple of weeks and, then, I’ll be able to mind link them as well.

It takes a couple of minutes for Nanna to look at me. Her eyes are black and I know she’s mind-linking someone else, because Abuelo resumed taking his coffee while giving me a smile. She looks at me, wiping the sweat from my forehead and says:

"Carlos, you take Mila to school. I need to go now. I’m already late" Nanna tells Abuelo as she rushes out of the kitchen grabbing her purse, coat and keys and is out through the front door.

"What just happened?!" I ask Abuelo. Nanna had been excited for the past couple of weeks about how we would be going to school together and that she couldn’t wait to show me off to her so-called friends. And now, she left without me like I was a disease or something.

Abuelo looks at me with a faint smile.

"Abuelo?" I ask grandpa, looking at the door. "Is she coming back for me?"

"No, cariño, I’m taking you to school today", he says as he starts putting breakfast away. "Hurry up and finish your food. Don’t forget to brush your teeth before we leave".

"Abuelo", I say, in a pleading tone.

"Not now, Mila", he kindly says, thoughtfully staring at the window in front of the sink. "We’ll talk about it after school, okay?" He turns around, avoiding my eyes, and goes to his bedroom.

I finish the fruits and waffles that were on my plate, put everything away, clean the table and head to my bathroom to brush my teeth and comb my hair.

I stare in the mirror, seeing that I’m exactly like my mother: white wavy hair, deep blue eyes and thin brows.

I’ve tried dying it and many other things so many times, but nothing works. Nanna said that mom went through the same phase as me, but she learned to accept it.

I’ve got my father’s broad smile and cheekbones and facial structure. Every line in my face looks like it was drawn - just like my father’s.

Neither Abuelo nor I say a word while he takes me to school. It’s a dead silence and neither of us like it - but he’s too taken by his thoughts and I don’t know how to approach what he saw - especially because he didn’t get to the blood part. He was in my dream for 2 seconds.

We live in the military part of our pack, which means we live close to the northeast border. Since only the army people live around here, our school is not so big, and we all know each other. I’ll miss it

I take in the scenery, watching the trees and the forest as we head into the city. Abuelo always said that there were always werewolves patrolling and that if I paid close attention, I would be able to see them. So, that's what I do during our mute drive all the way to school, counting how many warriors I can see.

As soon as we get to school, I can see Nanna greeting all the students and staff at the entrance. She’s smiling while saying their names and talking to some of them. She knows them. She looks so comfortable here, between teenagers.

Honestly, I have no idea how she does it. I hate high school and I can’t wait for it to end. My grandparents told me that I could go to a human college after I graduate and I can’t wait for it.

"15" I tell Abuelo when he starts slowing down to drop me off.

"What?" he asked me, with a puzzled look.

"There are 15 warriors in patrol today," I explained to him, finally meeting his gaze.

"Close, but no", he chuckles. "Have a great day today, niña. Te quiero much", Abuelo says, parking the car and giving me a hug.

"Thanks, abuelo. You too", I say, opening my door.

"You too what?" He says, a little annoyed, while holding my hand.

Abuelo has this thing with words: words are meant to be said! All the words and not just ‘me too’ or ‘you too’.

"Have a great day today too, abuelo. I love you", I say, giving him a smile, squeezing his hand as I get out of the car.

I start walking towards the school entrance to greet my grandma. I have no idea what happened this morning, but I just needed a hug. I don’t care that the other kids at school see me hugging her - because that's how she's raised me: not to care about what other people think.

Right now, I just need my grandma. And she knows it. As soon as she sees me walking towards her, she opens her arms. I run to her and hug her. I hug her so tight that I’m afraid of letting go.

"I’m sorry", I say, trying to hold back my tears, with my face buried in her chest.

"What are you sorry about?" She asks, not letting me go. "I’m the one who’s sorry. I’m sorry I left in such a hurry this morning. How was your trip with Abuelo?" She asks, letting me go, just a little, to look in my eyes.

"Believe it or not, dead silent" I say, giving a wide-eyed smile.

She stares at me like I’m some kind of lunatic. "Are you telling me that your grandfather didn’t turn the radio on to listen to his so beloved Plácido Domingo?"

She mimics Abuelo exactly the same way he says Plácido Domingo. We burst into laughter and I say, "No. I guess he had too much on his mind".

Her laughter fades away, and she is now staring at me. After a while, she says, "Tonight we’ll talk. I promise".

I nod with my head and leave her to greet the other students.

As she releases me, I take a look at my new school, its huge grounds with trees, branches and a great parking lot. This is so different from my old school.

Back at the border, we had a small school with the army’s children. The school is only until Elementary, then, after that, we all go to the city’s High School for our last four years of school - so we can all get to know and mingle with new people.

I look at the kids arriving, and I can see a group of boys standing at the far end of the parking lot and laughing. I could recognize the quartet anywhere: Milo Brown and his crew.

I groan as I turn around and head down the hallway to the Front Office. I can already feel all the curious eyes on me.

"Yup, congrats Mila! You started the best way possible: the principal’s pet", I think to myself as I enter the office to get my info. "This is gonna be just amazing".