Chapter Three: When the Moonstone Glowed
1002 Words
Ella couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching her, she could feel it somewhere in her spirit.
The old seer's words still rang in her mind long after she left the courtyard.
"The seal is beginning to weaken."
A seal?
What seal?
She was confused. She had wanted to ask but the woman had disappeared before she could even take a single step toward her.
By the time evening settled over the Blood Moon Pack, Ella had convinced herself she had imagined the whole thing and just decided that old people muttered strange things all the time.It couldn't possibly have anything to do with her or could it?
* * * * * *
The kitchen was finally quiet. The last of the dinner plates had been washed and the servants were leaving one by one, exhausted after spending the entire day preparing for Alpha Rowan's return.
Ella dried her hands on a towel before stepping outside to receive the fresh air.
It was beginning to get dark, Dark clouds covered the moon. Ella liked the silence that came with the night, it was the only time she truly belonged. No mocking laughter from anybody or insults, nobody stared at her pitifully, it was just her and the wind.
She started at the narrow path that led to her tiny cottage behind the packhouse, something snapped behind. Elka froze immediately, she turned to see what it was but it was just darkness, she didn't see anyone yet it was weird.
"Who's there?" she called softly.
Nobody answered.
She shook her head and continued walking, though her heartbeat had increased by now. Halfway home, she heard the sound again. This time she heard footsteps approaching her, she stopped at once and the footsteps stopped too. When she walked, they walked. Her first instinct was to run but before she could, a familiar voice called her name.
"Ella!"
She spun around.
"Ethan?" She called out.
He jogged toward her, carrying a lantern.
"I've been looking everywhere for you."
She let out a relieved laugh.
"You nearly gave me a heart attack."
"I could say the same about you." He frowned. "Why are you walking alone after dark?"
"I finished late."
"You know wolves have been patrolling the borders since the attacks."
"What attacks?" She looked confused.
"You really haven't heard?"
Ella shook her head.
"I've been in the kitchen all day." She said, her gaze focused fully on Ethan.
Ethan lowered his voice then spoke.
"Two patrols reported strange howls coming from the northern forest last night."
"Rogues?"
"They don't think so."
"What do they think?"
He hesitated then spoke again.
"No one knows."
The answer made her feel uneasy.
"Come on," Ethan said. "I'll walk you home."
She smiled gratefully.
"Thank you."
* * * * *
After Ethan left, Ella lit the single candle inside her cottage, the tiny room immediately felt warmer. She removed her shoes and sat on the edge of her bed, outside, it began raining. Normally, the sound of the rain helped her sleep but this time she couldn't, not after the strange sounds she'd heard and what Ethan had told her earlier that night.
She stared at her hands, she didn't have claws, no glowing markings, nothing unusual. If at all there had been some kind of seal, she would have at least noticed something by now.
A sudden knock made her jump, Ella opened the door. The old seer stood outside, rain soaked her gray cloak and her face looked paler than when Ella had seen her earlier in the day.
"You..."
"I don't have much time," the woman whispered.
"Please... may I come in?" She asked quietly.
Ella stepped aside without thinking, the seer entered quickly and closed the door behind her.
For a long moment, she simply stared at Ella.
"What is your name, child?"
"Ella."
"No."
The old woman's voice trembled.
"Your real name."
Ella frowned.
"I don't understand."
The seer closed her eyes.
"I was there the night you were brought to this pack."
Ella's breath caught.
"I was only a baby."
"I know."
"My parents..." She stammered.
"They loved you."
Tears ran down Ella's eyes before she could stop them.
"You knew them?"
The old woman nodded once.
"They were willing to die for you."
Before Ella could ask another question, the seer reached into her pocket and removed a small silver pendant shaped like a crescent moon.
"I've kept this for nineteen years."
She pressed it into Ella's palm.
The moment their skin touched, the pendant glowed. A brilliant silver light filled the tiny cottage.
The seer gasped surprisingly.
"No..."
"It can't be happening already."
The light suddenly disappeared, Ella stared at the pendant in disbelief.
"What... what was that?" She asked.
The old woman's eyes were filled with tears.
"You must listen to me very carefully."
Ella nodded.
"When the full moon rises in three nights..."
The seer grabbed her hands.
"...do not attend the Mate Ceremony."
Ella blinked.
"What?"
"No matter what anyone says."
"But every unmated wolf has to attend."
"You are not safe there."
"I don't understand."
"You don't have to understand, you only have to trust me."
The old woman's grip tightened on her hands, they didn't speak for moments. Finally, Ella whispered,
"Why me?"
The seer's lips opened but couldn't say anything Instead... Her expression changed.
She wasn't looking at Ella anymore, she was looking through the window behind her.
"Oh, Moon Goddess..."
"They found you."
Ella turned sharply to look.
Outside between the trees, two crimson eyes stared directly at the cottage. It didn't look like it belonged to a human, it didn't look like it belonged to an animal too.
The figure smiled and vanished into the darkness .
The seer stumbled backward.
"We have to leave."
Before either of them could move, a bone-chilling howl echoed through the forest. Ella has never heard that howl before, this one sounded different and different from every other howl she had even heard
- Writer
