The True Luna's Kiss

Chapter 14

Sirona couldn't breathe. She sat, on the floor, with her head in her hands. The panic attack was coming, she could feel it in her chest, her stomach, her head. Briar was speaking to her, calming words, but Sirona couldn't hear her. She was trying to breathe. The air wasn't coming, the room was closing in and black dots began dancing in her vision. After all these years, all the solitude and pain, she had found her mate. Her mate, who had looked at her with.... disgust and fear. Her mate who had stormed out of the room. A sob wracked through her body. The one person who could have been her knight in shining armour left her. Left her in that dark cell. Left her a prisoner. He didn't want her. She was broken and a Monster. He didn't want her. He was an Alpha for Goddesses' sake.

Well! f**k the Goddess! If this was her idea of a life for Sirona, she could go f**k herself! Briar whimpered in her mind, still urging her to breathe.

But f**k that! And f**k breathing. If the Moon Goddess didn't have to do anything to help Sirona, she certainly didn't have to breathe any longer.

As the light began to fade in front of her eyes, a memory began to form. A memory Sirona had forgotten many years ago.

**Sirona's Memory**

A dark haired girl, no older than five, was running across the playground towards her mother. Her plaits bounced along with her, a huge smile covering her face as she wrapped her arms around the woman. The woman held her daughter tight and kissed her hair.

"Hello Sisi," the woman said, taking her daughter by the hand to begin the walk home. "How were your classes today?"

"Good," the young girl skipped beside her. "We learned about the Moon Goddess today, Mummy!"

The mother beamed, soaking in all the excitement her daughter was radiating. Her smile was infectious, her excitement doubly so. And she was clearly excited about what she had learned as she chattered away, explaining every detail she could remember.

"And then Mrs Sunderland said that the Moon Goddess gave us Mates!" The little girl was bouncing with joy. Her mother just listened intently. She would always make sure her daughter had her full attention. "And that our mates would be perfect for us, and us for them and that they would love us and protect us and that we had to be nice and kind so the Moon Goddess would give us someone nice and kind." The mother nodded along, smiling at her daughter. All of a sudden she felt the energy vanish and her arm was pulled backwards, her child had stopped skipping. She tilted her head to one side.

"What is it Sisi?" She asked, concerned.

The little girl looked uncertain, staring down at her shoes. After some studying she decided to share her thoughts. "I asked Mrs Sunderland a question, which made her mad at me."

Her mother doubted that any question would have made the teacher mad at her, her daughter was adored at the school.

"What was the question?" her mother asked gently.

"I asked if the Moon Goddess ever got it wrong," the little girl asked, shuffling her feet. "If she ever forgot anyone, or if she makes a mistake."

Her mother frowned. That seemed like a perfectly normal question for a child her age. "And what did Mrs Sunderland say?"

Again, the little girl fidgeted and clenched her hands together in front on her, twisting her fingers around each other. "She started shouting. She said the Moon Goddess never makes mistakes and that she never forgets her children. So I asked about Aunty Iris who never found her mate and Mrs Sunderland shouted again, telling me that Aunty Iris threw her mate away and she should be ashamed. I asked why and got made to stay in at break time."

Her mother blinked, her heart breaking for her, before pulling her little girl into her arms. "Oh my darling, that doesn't seem fair. I will have a talk with Mrs Sunderland."

"Why did Aunty Iris throw her mate away?" Sisi said, curiousity in her bright eyes. She really was too smart for her age.

"Come here, Sisi," the mother said, sitting on the floor and pulling the little girl onto her lap. "Sometimes the Moon Goddess puts too much faith in her children, believing they can be good. Some of them are bad, my angel, but that doesn't mean they don't get a mate. Everyone has a mate, but some people don't treat their mate right. So the Moon Goddess gave us the right to choose, to reject our mate if they aren't right."

"How?" The little girl's eyes were wide as she gripped her mother's shirt with one tiny hand.

"You just say it, out loud, that you reject them," the mother explained. "But it isn't to be taken lightly. A rejection hurts both of you. It's only to be used in extreme circumstances."

"But Aunty Iri...."

"Sirona!"

The memory faded as Sirona was shaken awake. She opened her eyes to see long blonde hair and concerned eyes. Alice! She was staring down at her, brushing the limp strands of night hair out of her face.

Alice took one look at Sirona's red rimmed eyes and her heart broke for her. "Oh, sweetie," she whispered. "Come on, lets get you out of here." Alice slid her hands under Sirona's thin arms and pulled her to her feet, supporting her as she wobbled on her feet. They took the slow walk together to the cell door, Sirona sucked in a breath. It had been so long since she had walked out of this door. Would it even happen now? She didn't want to let herself hope.

Alice pulled the door open and helped Sirona through it. The corridor beyond was dim, but more open than Sirona had seen in a long time. She choked out a sob as she took tentative steps down the narrow passage.

"Miss Alice, what the...." A guard spoke from behind them and Sirona's heart dropped. But all it took was a snarl from Alice, and the guard took a step back, suddenly very interested in his shoes.

They walked up the stairs, through another corridor or two. Sirona became disorientated with the twists and turns. The changes in light made her eyes sting, but she blinked through it. That was, until she reached a large hallway. The gleam off the marble floor made her throw her hand up to shield her eyes. She didn't recognise where she was and tried to take in as much as possible before she was steered towards the stairs.

"Lets get you cleaned up," Alice said softly. "And I'm sure we can find you something different to wear."

They got half way up the stairs when a series of snarls and growls made them both freeze, followed by a crash and the sound of destruction in the next room.