Fate’s Design

Informant

Kelsey POV

I refused to leave Mason’s side. Seth and Adrian and Dr. Porter insisted I eat and sleep. They said that me keeping my strength up might help Mason. I was pretty sure they were lying, but I wasn’t going to take any chances. Not now with my mate’s life in the balance. So I ate when they brought me something. I slept only when Seth promised to stand watch. I would never admit it to him, but I might have been just a little unfair to him to begin with. He wasn’t terrible. He clearly cared about Mason enough to put aside his misgivings about me to work together.

It had been four days since Seth went to my old pack to ask Durian for help, and we were all impatient. Mason’s condition remained the same. Dr. Porter was hopeful that he would come back to us, since he didn’t seem to be deteriorating, but in the meantime, the pack was restless. Adrian and I decided it would be best to make him interim Alpha until Mason woke up. We couldn’t risk chaos once the pack realized their Alpha’s connection to the pack was down. Adrian told the pack that Mason and I would be away for a while to get to know each other, so they wouldn’t question the temporary transition. And since I wasn’t leaving Mason’s side, there was no real risk of being seen.

On the fifth day, Adrian finally got a call from Durian. They had something… but they weren’t entirely sure what. A joint council was called. When I insisted I wouldn’t leave Mason’s hospital room, they came to me.

“Our informant was able to find two passages in Black Claw’s scroll vault.” Uncle Theo said, pulling up a print of the pictures the informant had taken. The room went silent as he read. “‘Keira was unlike any wolf before her. She held power even over her Alpha, compelling him to cease his conquest.’ The rest of it has faded with time, but it seems Kelsey is not the first to wield such extraordinary power.”

Elder Jackson was the first to speak. “We have heard the legend the scroll speaks of. It is told every year at the Harvest Moon Festival.” The other Harvest Moon elders, as well as Adrian, and Seth, nodded.

“We honor Luna Keira each year.” Adrian added.

“Luna?” Durian asked.

Seth nodded. “Not just any Luna. Keira was Luna because she was born so, not because she was mated to an Alpha. She challenged Alpha Black and took control of the pack herself, without a mate. The light of the moon flowed in her veins, giving her a connection to the land, the trees, the animals, the sky itself.”

Elder Carter took up the retelling. “By the power of the moon, Luna Keira defended her pack and their territory for many years. When she eventually joined the ancestors, Keira left the promise that in one thousand years, another would be born like her, and she would bring peace not only to her pack, but to the whole region. We honor her story.”

I found myself murmuring in response with the other Harvest Moon wolves:”We honor her story.”

“What are you saying, Elder? That I of all people am the one she said would come? There has to be a mistake.” I protested.

“Perhaps.” He replied calmly.

“Gamma Theo, you said there was a second passage?” Adrian interjected.

He nodded. “This one appears more recent, probably a hundred years or so.” He said, showing us the next picture of a yellowed page. “‘The preparation have been made. When the time comes, we will be ready. The younger she is in our power, the better, but it is imperative that we add her to Black Claw before her first shift, or we will never be able to acquire her loyalty. The True Luna must be marked by an Alpha or Alpha heir in order to secure her for our pack. The future Alpha would be wise to bond her to himself before her wolf emerges to resist him.’”

My stomach clench. It was clear from everyone’s expressions that they felt as sick as I did.

“That was their goal. To make me their Luna before I was old enough or strong enough to do something about it.”

Durian looked furious. When he spoke, his voice was a low growl. “This is why they’ve been after us this whole time. We always assumed it was a territory issue. All along, they wanted Kelsey. Somehow they knew the Luna’s heir would be a Crystal Run wolf. When they decided they were out of time, they staged the truce and ambushed us, to get to her.”

So that was it, then? A hundred years of fighting with Black Claw and it was my fault. My and Jordan’s parents and Durian’s dead because of me.

Jordan looked over at me. He shook his head. “Don’t do that.” He said gently.

“Do what?” I grumbled.

“Blame yourself. I know that look. That ‘I screwed up and am to disappear into the woods so I don’t have to deal with it’ look. You didn’t screw up, ok? This isn’t your fault.”

“How is it not my fault, Jordan? How many of our pack have died in this stupid war, all because of me? Our parents are gone because of me. And no offense to you and Durian, but it was supposed to be another twenty years before you two took over the pack. I should have just stayed with them. Then Mason wouldn’t be like this now.”

“Luna, don’t say such things!” Adrian protested. “You are meant to be here. Meant to be Mason’s mate. Meant to be our Luna.”

My eyes snapped to his. “I— I thought you hated me. For what I’ve done.”

“I hate what you did. But you? Mason was right. He saw what me and Seth didn’t. When Mason went into a coma and you didn’t? You could have chosen anything other than bringing him here, but you didn’t hesitate. You did the right thing for your mate, knowing it could cost you your life. That’s something to be proud of. And when Mason comes out of this? Addie and I will gladly step aside to let you and Mason take your rightful place leading Harvest Moon.”

“He’s right, Kelsey. You’ve grown. You’re not a girl running from her demons anymore. You’re a Luna standing by her Alpha at all costs. Your parents would be proud.” Uncle Theo said.

Durian spoke next. “And you don’t ever have to take responsibility for the atrocities Black Claw has inflicted. That’s on them. Not you.”

I wanted to argue, but we had more pressing matters. I sighed in resignation. “That still doesn’t tell us what we need to know. We need to figure out how to wake up a dormant wolf.”

Jordan nodded. “Right. Back to business.” He agreed. “We know they had help from vampires the day they took you, and we suspect they had at least one witch on their side. Kels, you need to think. Anything you can tell us could be useful.”

“I don’t remember anything.” I said quickly, more defensively than I meant. I remember being in the car with you. I remember misting with a vampire and showing up somewhere else. Then I remember coming back to the pack.” I said firmly. They all exchanged uneasy glances.