Wolf of Crescent Moon

Part 1: Chapter 8: Living in a Lie

- Rieka’s P.O.V -

I watched Ethan transform into his wolf and honestly, I expected to be scared but actually, I was hypnotized by how beautiful he was. His white fur, his glossy blue eyes, it was… amazing. Later, I tried to transform myself. I didn’t think about anything other than freeing her and making Ethan proud so when I felt my bones breaking, I knew it was working. She was trusting me and soon I was on all four.

I heard Ethan’s voice in my head which I didn’t think I could hear but it calmed me down. Everything is so different from a wolf’s perspective but it also felt nice and I knew I wanted this.

“Follow me,” Ethan said and started walking and I followed.

“Where are we going?” I asked.

“You’ll see,” he said.

A few minutes later, we were standing in front of a beautiful waterfall. The water falling lead to a lake and the almost full moon reflected on it like a mirror.

“Where are we?” I ask.

“This is Selene,” I heard him say.

I looked around and was even more mesmerized knowing this is Ethan’s land. Of course, I don’t know how all of it looks like and I understand why Ethan and everyone before him would want to keep it a secret, but this was enough.

Suddenly, I felt Ethan push me from the side so I turn to him directly.

“What was that for?” I ask.

“You’re a Luna, you have to know how to keep the Alpha in line,” he pushed me again and I understood what he was insinuating.

“Game on,” I said and ran to him.

We were fighting each other playfully, there were times he was on top and others I was winning. As we were fighting, we got entangled with each other and fell in the water at the same time.

We got up and started laughing at each other and got out of the lake and shook our bodies to dry ourselves. Then, we sat there a little bit and talked about anything that came to our minds and it felt natural.

I was happy with Ethan and I felt like myself.

After we were back, we switched back to our human form and wore our clothes.

“Thank you,” I said.

“What for?” he asked fixing his shirt.

“For finding me, for teaching me… for everything,” I tell him.

“You were good today,” he approached me.

We stare into each other's eyes for a second and for the first time I feel my heartbeat this fast. His gray eyes were intoxicating and I’ve only known him for a month.

And yet, I felt safer with him than with Malik.

Malik…

“I have to go,” I said remembering where I have to be.

“Let’s go,” Ethan says before doing what he has to do.

******

When I got to the palace, I did what I’ve been doing every time I go out to see Ethan. However, this time, I did not expect to find my mother waiting for me.

“Mom?” I say surprised.

“Rieka where were you?” She asked.

Why was she so nervous? Does she know anything?

“I went out for a walk,” I lied.

“For four hours?” she raised her eyebrow.

“Mom, I’m here, okay? What’s wrong?” I ask her.

“I-,” she starts.

“I was worried, that’s all,” she said.

“I’m here. Good night,” I say and move past her back in my room.

******

The next day, Malik and I had nothing to do so we either stayed in our room or walked around the garden. Of course, by that, I meant I was either in our room or walking around the garden. Malik was busy with work as usual.

He still would lie and say he’s talking to other dukes and doing work for the city but truly, he was talking about Ethan’s pack. There are times Malik would leave the palace with a large number of men and come back with soil and dirt all over his clothes.

And whenever I ask him about it, he replies with “work,”.

In the evening, I was getting ready for dinner when Malik entered the room like every other time, with dirty clothes and lies.

“Malik, what kind of work forces you to get this dirty?” I ask.

“Honey, this is my job and sometimes it involves me getting soil on my clothes,” he answered.

“You’re the Duke, don’t you have people to do all this for you? Your job is to serve the city not go out in the forest,” I got annoyed.

“Rieka, I told you this is my job. So shut up and do yours,” he answered.

I’ve never seen Malik talk to me like this. All this time he and my parents are lying to me and I’m at fault for getting annoyed?

I left the room and went down to the dining room before everyone else and sat in my seat still annoyed.

Since the day Ethan and I met, Malik and I haven’t been the same. The emotional connection we had was starting to fade not because of my mate, but because Malik was treating me differently. He would walk into our room, lie, shower me with sweet words so he can get what he wants from me, then leave again the next morning.

“Rieka?” I turn to see Josey calling me.

“Are you okay?” She asked and I nod.

“Is Malik annoying you again?” she said.

“How did you know that?” I looked at her confused.

“I’m psychic, why is no one believing me,” she says.

I stare at Josey for a while. All these times, all these stories, all of them were happing and to me. She’s not crazy, nor weird, she’s a psychic.

“I see you two are already here,” mother said walking in.

“How was your day?” she asked us.

“Mine was boring, no new dreams,” my sister said.

“And you Rieka?” she looked at me and I just nodded.

She looked at me with a weird expression but she didn’t say anything and ignored it. Soon the table was complete and Malik sat next to me.

“I’m sorry for shouting at you,” I whispered in my ear and I pretended to smile.

“Malik, I hear you want to invite a couple of your friends over for dinner tomorrow?” My father asked.

“Ah yes, I was thinking of inviting them and speaking with them as the new Duke with the Duchess for sure,” he said and I looked at him finding out about this just now.

“I think it’s a good idea. Making alliances early, that’s good for both our lands,” my father approves.

“Why didn’t you tell me about it?” I asked him.

“Don’t worry, you know two of them already so you won’t feel awkward,” he said still eating.

“Who are they?” I leaned back on the chair.

“King Ethan and his second… Luis I think,” he said and my heart started beating faster.

I didn’t say anything about it but I was still nervous to see Ethan alone with Malik after we started seeing each other.

******

After dinner, everyone was getting ready to go back to their rooms, but I was only thinking of what Josey told me today. She could have the answers to a lot of my questions.

Maybe she knows who my real parents are?

I knocked on her bedroom door and walked in and saw her sitting on her bed.

“Rieka? Can I help you with something?” she said.

I closed the door behind me slowly and walked to her then sat on her bed.

“Josey, I believe you,” I said.

“You do?” she smiled.

“Yes, I believe you. And I have to ask you something but promise this stays between us,” I say and she nods.

“Your dreams… who are they about?” I asked.

Josette stares at me for a while then tilts her head.

“Why do you want to know?” she asked.

“I have to,” I said not knowing what else to say to convince her.

“You won’t tell Malik?” She asked.

Why wouldn’t she want me to tell Malik? Even though I won’t, Josette definitely knew more than any of us.

“Of course not,” I tell her.

“I can’t tell you for sure, but I can say that mom is lying to you, all this time,” she said.

I knew that, I knew mom is lying. I wanted to know something else but I doubt she is going to share her secrets with me.

“Josey, I have something to tell you,” I decide to tell her a secret of mine maybe then she trusts me.

“I’m a werewolf,” I say but she doesn’t act surprised at all.

She looks at the ground then back at me and smiles.

“Okay, since you shared your secret, I’ll tell you mine,” She said.

“All I know I get through dreams so I don’t know everything, however, if you want to know more about yourself, you have to talk to mom,” she explained.

“Mom?” I asked and she nodded.

“Mom can tell you everything,” she said.

I got off of her bed and opened the door to leave but Josey called me.

“Rieka, be careful of Malik,” she said.

“He will hurt the people you love,”

~ To be Continued ~