Moon Marked by the Goddess

Two

Sitting in the Alpha's office back at the pack house with, my father, uncle, and the pack doctor they've spent the last hour discussing how best to keep me hidden. They chose this location for our meeting because the offices in the pack house are sound proofed. To keep my identity a secret.

Loraine contacted one of the elders from the council that she trained under telling them she had a urgent matter that needed to be tended to quickly and discreetly. She told him she wasn't able to tell him what it was over the phone. He agreed to get on a flight in the morning and be here by tomorrow evening.

"You all are talking about me, like I'm not here and can't make any decisions about my future!" I shout. They haven't asked me at all what I want. I know I don't want to be hidden, I'm not a dirty secret. If the Moon Goddess chose me, I know she wouldn't want me to be hidden for my whole life either.

"Rylan, you're a child. Children are entrusted to adults to look after and mold until they reach adulthood." The Alpha reprimands me.

"The Moon Goddess chose me for a reason. She told me as much herself. I refuse to be hidden. She didn't mark me so I'd hide from the world." All three of them are looking at me surprised.

"You spoke to the Goddess? The Moon Goddess acknowledged you already? Why didn't you say something sooner?" My father says.

"When I first shifted, she spoke to me. She told me not everyone is who they seem, and that she would send me a guide. So if she's sending someone to me, she doesn't want me to your secret." I mutter the last part, with a huff.

"Rylan, can you talk to her now, ask her what she wants us to do?" Loraine asks.

"I don't know. She spoke to me first, and said she would talk to me again soon. I don't know if I can just talk to her whenever I want, but I can try."

Excuse me, can you hear me? I mean, Moon Goddess, are you there? I need help please. I don't know exactly what I'm supposed to say or how to address you, I hope I haven't said anything wrong.

A glimmer of light appears on top of the Alpha's large desk. It slowly takes form in the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. Soft silver hair flows down in soft curls ending at her waist. Her skin is warm, a light amber color. Her eyes the clearest blue I've ever seen, with full lips, and small nose. She's wearing a light blue dress with spaghetti straps that ends her at ankles, complimented by gold colored sandals.

"Hello my children." The familiar voice of the Moon Goddess says to us.

The Alpha, Beta, and Loraine fall to the ground kneeling and bare their necks to the Moon Goddess to show their allegiance.

"You came." I whisper in complete awe.

"You asked for my help child. I can't come everytime you ask, you have to make most of these decisions for yourself, but at times I can come and offer you some guidance. I want you to succeed. So what is it you need?" She smiles as she speaks to me.

"I don't know what I'm supposed to do. I want to serve you, but I don't know how. They want to hide me." I say while looking toward to my father. "But I don't want to hide. I didn't think you'd want me to hide, either if you took the time to give me your mark."

"You all may sit, then I'll tell you a story." She says casting a glance at us all. They get up and sit back in their chairs, eyes glued to the Moon Goddess.

"Years ago, before any of you were born I marked four wolves, they each came from different packs. I communed with them, and they found each other. Two of them wanted to be open and explain the plans I had for them to stop the dark wolves, to the packs across the world. One wanted to hide himself away, and the last wanted a compromise. She wanted them to train together for a while, and reveal themselves after, they had experience, and were able to control the gifts I bestowed them with." She pauses for a moment. "They never met their goal, they were unable to work together. There were too many different perspectives fighting against one another, and they split up."

"I don't understand, what am I supposed to do?" I ask.

"I can't make that decision for you. I chose you because I want you to help put an end to the dark wolves. All I can tell you is that you and your group will have to make a decision together, and stick to it." She says. Then adds, "I can't stay with you much longer."

"One more question before you go, please. Are there more wolves like me right now?" I ask quickly.

"Yes." She says, and then she is gone as quickly as she came.

"Holy sh*t." My father says. "That was the Moon Goddess." He looks around to everyone in the room. "We just saw the Moon Goddess."

Loraine is sitting beside me in her chair mouth agape. Processing everything that happened, I assume.

"Maybe we should come to compromise. Keep you hidden while you learn your powers, and we find the other special wolves." My uncle says.

Every head in the room, including my own nod in agreement with my uncle's statement.

I'm special. I've never been particularly special, this both excites and terrifies me. I just hope I can make the Moon Goddess proud of me.

---

I could barely sleep last night because I was so nervous about the elder coming from the council. I barely ate at breakfast, and just nibbled on my food during lunch. I've been too distracted in my own thoughts about what he will do or say.

I'm now sitting in the Alpha's office again. Loraine mind linked my uncle a few minutes ago saying they were on pack land after picking the elder up from the airport. They should be here any moment.

I have so much nervous energy that my stomach is doing somersaults. There is a knock on the door. Then Loraine walks in with a older man. He looks to be in his late 70's. His short hair is completely grey, his tanned skin is covered in wrinkles. His green eyes seem friendly. He gives a gentle smile as he makes his way into the room.

"Loraine wouldn't tell me what was going on until we made it into this room. So do tell me why I needed to make this trip."

I opened my mouth to speak. Then realized it would be easier to show him. I stood in the room, and imagine a large black wolf. My body felt like static again, I heard fabric ripping, and my bones began to pop and crack. Then I was standing before him in my wolf form, my head reaching my father's waist. The elder's eyes widened in shock.

I heard bones snapping, and popping. Then the largest wolf I've ever seen was standing right in front of me. His wolf was grey, and a whole head taller than me with a white crescent moon on his left eye mirroring my own mark.

"Hello child I knew this day would come eventually, but color me shocked anyways." A human voice came out of his wolf's mouth. I yipped in response.

"I'm not sure if you will be able to speak in your wolf form. Senna, and myself were able. Geoffrey and Kingsley weren't able to, though they passed a few short years after the four of us met. So maybe you'll be able to with practice."

"Wait... wait a minute. You can't shift. Everyone in council knows you were never blessed with a wolf. You... you teach medicine." Loraine stammers out clearly caught off guard.

"Loraine dear, I shifted for the first time at 20 years old. I met 3 others. I never wanted this. I wanted to hide away, I knew no good would come from being the way I am. Two dear friends like me died because I was a coward. I've regretted that for years. I knew she would mark wolves braver than I was, and I'd be able to help train them, so I could atone for the sins of my youth. I am ready to help do what I should have almost 50 years ago." He states solemnly.

I hear popping and see he's standing again in his human form, fully dressed in the polo, and slacks he was just wearing. "A trick a picked up from a friendly witch." He says with a wink.

I walk beside my uncle's desk and nudge my backpack with my snout, hoping someone will grab my change of clothing out.

Will you grab my clothes please. I think at everyone in the room.

All four heads look at me. "You're full of surprises little one. Senna is the only wolf I know able to link multiple people like that. She will be pleased to meet you. Oh, where are my manners. I never introduced myself. I'm Elder Rupert." He says to me as he walks over to grab the clothing from my bag. He places it in my mouth for me.

I walk over to the corner and begin the transformation to me human form. I put on the grey shorts, and tshirt I packed.

I tell them when I'm dressed and they turn to me. Elder Rupert seems to really be looking me over, before a frown appears on his face. "Rylan, you seem very young, how old are you?"

"I'm 15, I'll be 16 in a couple of days." I say while looking at my bare feet.

"It seems we will have plenty of time to train you. I'll have to contact Senna. She's much more in tune with this than I am." He turns toward the door. "Can someone show me to the room I'll be staying in? I would like to retire for the night." Loraine guides him out of the room.

"Alpha, and Beta." I begin, but am cut off.

"Ry, I've been your father since you were a child, the formality isn't needed, as I told you before. You're one of my children." He interjects.

"Uncle, and father." I correct myself. "I'm going to my room I need some time to myself. I'm very tired, and have a lot of information to process."

My uncle looks as though he wants to tell me no, he shakes his head, then says "Go ahead. We will be having a family meeting tomorrow. Myself, the Luna, and your parents. We all need to be on the same page with the Elder to figure out our next step."

We say our goodbyes and then I leave his office, on the 4th floor and head to the left side pass my father's office. The right side is a large apartment for the Alpha and his family. The left side is another large apartment for the Beta and his family. Each apartment has a kitchen, a livingroom, a master bedroom and bathroom. With 3 additional bedrooms and their own bathrooms. The 4th floor has the same layout for the Gamma, on the right side. The Delta on the left. The 2nd floor has 12 bedrooms with their own private bathroom, for young unmated wolves. The first floor has a recreation room, with pool tables, air hockey, several TVs and game consoles. The main kitchen, and dining hall, and a foyer area for relaxing. Then the basement has a gym, with plenty of equipment; treadmills, ellipticals, rowing machines, stationary bikes, and weights. There is also an area for sparing, and a boxing ring. There are 2 apartment buildings nearby, for other unmated wolves or mated pairs without children. Then quite a few small homes around for mated pairs with children.