Moon Marked by the Goddess

Eight

I feel weightless, as if I'm floating through the air. "Rylan, are you okay?" A familiar voice says. "I need you to open your eyes." Where do I know him from? The answer is on the tip of my tongue, but it's evading me. I'm tired, I just want a few more minutes to sleep. I'm sure whoever it is can wait, I think as I feel myself start to slip deeper away.

"Rylan, I can't hold you forever." Why would he be holding me, I think to myself. Right before the memories flood back. My eyes fly open and I'm looking directly into Vincent's.

"Oh, uh..." I stammer out. "I'm sorry, put me down, I'm fine now." My face is on fire. He lowers me to the ground slowly. With my feet secure, he holds onto my arm, keeping me steady. "Thank you, for all of your help."

"I've never seen anything like what you did before. Your wolf also has a crescent moon on her face, did you know that?" He's talking a mile a minute. He then looks me directly in the eyes and asks. "Who and what are you?"

"I um, well. I'm Rylan, but you already know that. I don't really know what I'm supposed to say. Yes I know my wolf has the crescent moon, but I don't think I'm supposed to tell people yet. I mean my dad, and uncle know of course. We just hadn't told the pack yet. I'm rambling, I'm sorry." I feel so nervous I could vomit. I don't think I was supposed to let the warriors see my wolf.

Vincent laughs at me, and it's a full belly clenching laugh that has tears coming out of the side of his eyes. "What is so funny?" I grumble out.

After his laughter subsides, he looks at me and says. "The cat is out of the bag now. Can't pretend you didn't help bring four dead members back."

Oh sh*t. It looks like I won't be able to hide myself as I train. He's right. I ruined the plan I'd made with my family, but I helped save pack members.

"Well I had to try, I couldn't stand there and do nothing." I defend.

"I'm happy you did. I'm an awe of you. Not everyone would do what you did. You pushed yourself beyond the point of exhaustion, for the better of the pack."

"Oh." That's not where I thought he was going with this. He moves his hand from my covered shoulder down to my hand, and I feel a jolt. Stunned I fall backwards and land on my bottom, hard.

He's looking down at me with a stunned expression. "I'm sorry, must have been a build up of static electricity."

"Well that was intense. I've never been shocked that hard before." I say laughing at the situation. "Dang, you could charge a cellphone with all of that power you've got." Sitting feels nice. I scoot back until my back is against the paneling of the house, and cross my legs in front of me.

"You okay down there?" Senna says to me, I hear two sets of footsteps approaching.

"Yeah, I don't feel as dizzy down here. This is nice." I lean my head back and close my eyes. "Will it always be this exhausting?"

"Darling, I'm surprised you're still conscious. I thought you were gonna be out for the count much longer, I think Rupert's max was five, and he was in the clinic for a few days afterwards. That was after several years of training."

"Well I'm at two and half and I feel like I could sleep until my next birthday." I wonder how the other moon marked wolves died if Rupert has this gift. I wonder if they were separated. Or maybe it doesn't work on our kind, I'll have to ask him when we're alone.

"Ah, looks like our ride is coming." I open my eyes to see my uncle's SUV, and two more similar vehicles behind it. They're maybe a quarter mile down the road. Using the side of the house I attempt to stand, my legs feel like jelly, and I start to fall. Vincent grabs my shoulders, and steadies me.

"You okay?" I just nod at him. When the vehicles approach, Vincent picks me up, and starts to walk to my uncle's car. Jackson jumps out of the passengers side seat.

"What in the f*ck do you think you're doing? Take your hands off of her." He screams, shoving Vincent.

Vincent grips me tighter, and secures me in his hold. Then looks Jackson in the eyes. "I will not. I'm following the orders of my Alpha." He walks around Jackson toward the car.

"I'm sorry, I don't know why he's like that." I mumble so hopefully only Vincent can hear me.

"He's your mate isn't he?" His tone sounds emotionless, and disconnected.

"Uh, yeah. For now anyways. He doesn't want me." I say quietly, looking everywhere but at him.

"Do you want to ride in our vehicle, so you don't have to be with him? I'm sure the other wolves like you, can ride with them." That's really sweet of him to ask. I really don't want to be bear Jackson right now, or ever honestly.

"Can I, please?" Rather than answering he walks toward the last SUV. He opens the back passenger side door and climbs in, holding me in his lap. The other two guards from before are in the back seat with us. One other in the driver's seat. The passenger side front seat is empty.

"I can stay back here, and you can ride up front if you want." I offer up. He pulls me closer to him, and ignores my statement.

"Hey, Rylan is it?" The man beside us says. He's maybe 5'7 with curly blonde hair, and hazel eyes. He's smiling and he has one dimple on the left side.

"Yes?"

"What you did earlier was the coolest thing I've ever seen. Were you able to do it in the other 2 houses?" His eyes are large and filled with curiosity.

"Vincent and the other two wolves you met helped-" I'm cut off my the glass being smacked.

"Rylan get out of there and come get in our vehicle!" Jackson yells. I shrink in on myself, hoping I can disappear.

"Can we go please?" I look at the driver through the rearview mirror. I'm sure I look frantic. He nods once and starts to ease forward. The slapping on the window picks up.

"Get out like I said!" He screams again.

I close my eyes and lean my head onto Vincent's chest. Maybe when I open my eyes I'll realize this was all a dream. I didn't see my mate while in the arms of another man. Not that was doing anything bad. He was just trying to help me. Jackson has no room to judge me. Who does he think he is to tell me what I can and can't do. He had no issue being with someone the other day.

"You can open your eyes, we're gone now." Vincent says, pulling me from my thoughts.

"Thank you guys so much. I really don't know why he's acting like that. He's going to reject me."

"You're crazy if you think he's gonna reject you! You're so pretty, plus does he know what you can do? You'll be a kick*ss Luna!" The man beside me says. Vincent's grip tightens on me, but his face stays neutral. What's his deal?

"Asher, go to the clinic. Rylan needs to be checked out by the doctor. She's really exerted herself this morning." Vincent says to I'm assuming the driver.

Holy cr*p it really is still morning. I'm so exhausted I feel like I've been working all day. I close my eyes and lean my head onto Vincent's chest just listening to his heart rate, which is incredibly fast, I think so anyways.