The Moon Goddess

The Walls That Hold Me

CHAPTER 10

ROSE’S POV

It was the day before Thanksgiving. It had been three days since I got to Apollo’s castle, and I had only left his room once. For a run in the woods. Because every night, and every morning Apollo is called away. And I’m not complaining, I get it. I just wish I was able to walk around, or do something. I feel so useless, but until we know what’s going on with me, it’s not safe for anyone. Luckily his room is... extensive, giving me space to at least stretch my legs. Lia, and that girl Becca have visited a few times, but Becca is a warrior, and Lia is a general, or captain or something, so they have other things going on. As for me, I have nothing going on. Absolutely nothing. Apparently there’s this big ‘before party’ for thanksgiving tonight. A wolf tradition, that would be confusing for both me and the pack If I attended. It’s difficult. I completely understand the precautions Apollo is taking, and it’s not that I’m not grateful, but I just wish I could be spending my time learning about my past, my heritage, and my culture. Trying to figure out where exactly I come from, and how to access my wolf. But Apollo insisted we learn together. I think he means well, I think he just wants to be a part of it, but it feels suffocating. Being stuck here with nothing to do. I wish I could train. I loved my MMA, kung fu, and weapons training. God did I love weapons training. My favorites are the bow, spear, bow staff, shuriken, kunai, katana, crossbow, if you can name it, I’ve trained with it. I’ve tried yoga, I’ve tried Tai Chi, I’ve tried meditating, but nothing seems to pass the time. I order a lot of ice cream, and I watch TV. Oh yeah, I can ORDER things. Anything I want at the snap of a finger. I really don’t know how everyone here is in such good shape. If I lived here, I would lose all my muscles. I’d just sit around all day and eat ice cream and cookies. I was knee deep in a new show when Apollo came through the door frustrated about something. He slammed it close and threw his shirt off and on the ground, he leaned over his bed and started breathing like he was going into labor. 

“You okay there pal?” I said through a mouthful of ice cream. His eyes shot up in surprise, seeming to have forgotten I was here.

“Rose. It’s just you.” He sighed.

“Well don’t sound so disappointed about it.” I joked. He frowned and flopped on his bed face first with a grunt. I put my ice cream down and went over to him. “You wanna talk about it?” I asked while laying next to him. He grunted in response. 

“Aww. Well… I could always do this.” I climbed on his back and laid down so my weight was evenly distributed. 

“There. Now I’m your human weighted blanket.” He laughed beneath me and rolled us over so I was on my back and he was hovering over me. He didn’t say anything, he just smiled.

I creased my eyebrows. “Are you okay?” I knew the answer was no, but it was his choice if he wanted to talk about it or not, I could only let him know I’d support him. 

“Mh. Not really.” He said, laying his head on my chest. I began stroking his hair and he sighed in content.

“Anything I can help with?”

“No. It’s just my dad.” 

“you’re dad..”

“What is it?”

“Oh nothing. I just realized I hadn’t met any of your family since I got here.”

“Yeah, sorry for that. And sorry for keeping you cooped up in here for so long. There has just been A LOT going on around here.”

“Then tell me about it. Share your burdens, I beg of you my king.” I said in a teasy tone. I didn’t know exactly who I was trying to tease, but it made him laugh so a win I guess?

“Well, there’s thanksgiving, and pre-thanksgiving, and then in a couple weeks, my coronation, and following that is my mating ceremony, and right after that is the ritual to emancipate my dad from his wolf. Plus we have to try to figure out your past, and what the hell is up with the flying man.”

“So I understood about half of that. But it sounds like a lot.”

“Yeah. And a lot of it is time sensitive. Especially the stuff with you.”

“Why?”

“Because of my mating ceremony.”

“What exactly IS a mating ceremony?”

“Well, it’s kind of like a wedding but not. It’s more like an engagement, or a pledge to be married, or just accepting your mate officially.”

“And what does that have to do with me?”

“Well, you ARE my mate, and this packs future Luna and Queen, but unless we figure out how to access your wolf, my people won’t be very supportive of our union.”

“And why exactly do you have to do this anyway?”

“Old law that requires the heir to have a mate before they are trusted to rule.”

“Hm. So we have to get the support of the people or… what? Aren’t you the king? Can’t we just say f**k it and do things at our own pace?”

“Well, we could, but then I’d be forced to mate with Cassidy Wallace.” He said her name with disgust but it didn’t change the bitter feelings I was having for him saying the name of another, even in just the suggestion of a relationship. What is wrong with me? 

“Who is Cassidy Wallace?” I matched his tone.

“Ugh, just the daughter of a rich man who thinks his daughter is worth royalty. So he bought my dad out. But the law is, the future king or queen has three months after their 18th birthday to find their mate, or they have to have an arranged marriage. The only downside is that 18 is the age we can actually find our mates. I mean Lia and Dom were friends and dated for years before they found out they were mates. They were right underneath each other's nose the whole time.”

“Ah. How do you feel about that?”

“Awful. It’s something I plan to change the moment I’m sitting on the throne.”

“Well I think that it’s great you have things you want to do and change.”

“Well, all I and my family can do is rule until the rightful ruler presents themselves. That was the pledge my great great great grandfather made all those years ago. When the world fell.”

“You’ll have to tell me that story sometime.”

“I will. As well as many more. But for now, I have a party to get ready for.”

“Alright. I guess I’ll go back to my show and ice cream.” I tried to crawl from under him but he grabbed my wrists and put them above my head, his eyes were hungry.

“Apollo what are you-” But my words were cut short when a gasp escaped my mouth caused by small kisses he began placing on my neck, down to my collarbone, down to my breasts but before he went any further he stopped.

“Tell me to stop right now before I mark you and make you mine forever.” I gasped in shock and told him to stop. He took a deep breath and got off of me. 

“What was that?”

“My wolf. Charlie. When wolves become aroused by their mate, only their mate telling them to stop will reel in their urges.”

“Well if it’s with mates then why do they need to stop?”

“Do you mean why did we stop?” I looked away sheepishly, but he pulled my face back to his.

“There are a lot of reasons, to name a few, I don’t want to mark you until you can mark me back, which you can’t do until you have your wolf, plus I’m not ready.”

“You aren’t? So that means you’ve never-” He shook his head. “Have you?” I knew he was just asking but his voice sounded broken and weak at just the thought of me being with someone else so intimately. 

“No. I’ve never even had a boyfriend. And you were my first kiss…”

“I was?”

“Yeah.”

“I had no idea.”

“How could you? It's not like I told you.” He smiled at me, and I rolled my eyes. “Oh  what's that look for?”

“Well, partly because I feel honored, and partly because I just realized that I’ll be your first kiss, and your last kiss.” I sighed. 

“Right, that whole mates for life thing.”

“Of course, it’s your choice. I’m sorry, it was bold of me to assume you’d accept me.”

“Apollo stop. It’s just a lot to take in. But I want YOU. Only you.” He rested his forehead against mine and cursed. 

“f**k it.”

“What?”

“Why don’t I blow the party off. Spend time with you here instead. Or we could go out. Go out and hide in the secret cave, intractable. No one would be able to find us unless we wanted to be found.” 

“Apollo no. You’re an Alpha, and a king-”

“Not yet.”

“You need to be with your people.”

“You're the only person I care about right now.”

“Well then I’ll come.”

“What?”

“I know you said it would be confusing for both me and the pack, but if we’re mates, I may as well start learning how to live this life.”

“I haven’t prepared you at all for the elders. And I haven't prepared the elders for you either. No one knows about you. It’s not safe yet.”

“Exactly.”

“I thought you wanted to go.”

“I wanted you to realize why I couldn’t and why you needed to. No one knows who I am or why I’m here, and this party is a big deal for your pack. You know, the unity thing?” 

He laughed. “The ‘unity thing’ huh? I suppose you’re right. But I’ll get back as soon as I can.”

“Yeah and maybe while you’re gone I can go to my house and get some clothes? I’ve been in yours the past few days. I’ll probably stay through the weekend because of Thanksgiving, if that's okay with you.”

“What? You going to your house by yourself, or staying the weekend? Because while I don’t think it’s wise to go out by yourself, I also won’t stop you. As for staying the weekend, why don’t you stay the week?”

“That’s sweet Apollo, but I have to go back to school at some point, and I don’t think sneaking out the back sounds so good right now. I need at least an ounce of normalcy in my life. Plus. I don’t even know what this is between us.”

“I guess I don’t really either. We haven't been on an official ‘first date’”

“We haven’t. But honestly I don’t know if I’d want a ‘first date’ at this point you know? I feel like it's just a term that puts extreme pressure on two people. We will just continue to get to know each other.” He smiled at me. “Now go, get ready. I’m gonna head home.”

“No way. I’m sending someone with you. Lia will go.”

“You really don’t have to. She has to get ready. I promise I’ll be fine on my own.”

“Fine. But you call me if you feel IN ANY WAY unsafe.” 

“I promise.” I gave him a quick kiss, but he pulled me in for more. I gave in, but only for a moment because I knew once we started, we wouldn’t be able to stop. 

“I’ll see you tonight.” I said smiling. 

“Do you know the way out?”

“I do.” I grabbed my phone and my backpack and snuck into the hallway and out the back door. I tried to get to the border of the pack as quickly as possible, in the exact spot where Apollo showed me. The wall was only slightly shorter, so it was easier to climb over. I made my way through the forest and followed the trail until about 45 minutes later I got to the back of my house. I walked around to see a car in my driveway. A car I did not recognize. I thought about calling Apollo, but I remembered I had my knives in my bag, I had brought them with me to meet the flying guy. I took them out, and with one in each hand slowly made my way to the door. It was unlocked, I slowly walked in and checked the living room before I sensed some behind me, I swung my knives around stopping just before their throat.