Clay’s P.O.V
Since I got my memories back, my mind has been more open, my thoughts have cleared.
Although I knew it was all thanks to Flora and her healing, I couldn’t do anything to thank her. Malachi had warned me that for the next month, my life was about to get even more difficult and he hadn't been lying.
Several men had searched the house I had been living in. They had destroyed what was left of the house we had called home for the past two years. Now we were truly no better than strays.
And once again, I had been separated from Flora. It felt like my heart had been ripped out of my chest once again; thrown to the ground and trampled on. How long would we need to keep fighting just so we could be together? Why couldn’t we be allowed to be happy just once?
The Moon Goddess has gone too far with her testing, with her ego. She never had any intension of fulfilling her promise and I understand that now. It&rsquo
Flora’s P.O.VOne of Andre’s soldiers was stationed outside of Ezra’s room along with one of Malachi’s men. Both of them gave me followed me with their eyes as I came to knock on Ezra’s door, wearing the robes of the Moon Goddess.Ezra opened the door almost instantly and I went inside, only to realize exactly why the guards had been looking at me suspiciously.Daphne, Emma, Rosa and three other Maidens who I only knew briefly in passing, had gathered in Ezra’s room and it looked like we were about to have a meeting. Although it was normal to have this many Maidens at Ezra’s door, these weren’t exactly normal times. We were under an enforced lockdown, a prison of sorts where we weren’t allowed contact with anyone. Andre might not be allowed to interfere with what happens in the Shrine, but he was bound to get suspicious.“We have arranged for the bones to be delivered every day b
Flora’s P.O.VI stretched the bow string, feeling the strain in my upper arm.My eyes were set on the target that I had placed on the opposite wall. My room was big but not big enough that I could place the target further away. But this was the only place I could practice archery, because this was the only place where I wasn’t being monitored.I let go of the string and it shot out, hitting the target a second later.‘Keep the height of the arrow a bit higher than the target.’ I remembered Clay once telling me that when I had been practicing with him. ‘Gravity will pull down the arrow at least a few centimeters, so you need to shoot it higher.’Clay and I had been training with different weapons secretly for a couple weeks already. It had right after I had stopped training with Garrick and Clay had taken over my training.‘You’re a healer, so even if dange
Cold water splashing onto his face woke Malachi up from his unconscious form. Groggily, he opened his eyes to look into the face of the man who had him chained to the walls in a cell under Lindersay. It was a room even he had no clue existed. He was exhausted and drained both physically and emotionally. He had also lost count of days and nights a long time ago. Andre’s men occasionally fed him to keep him alive, but not enough so he could get back his strength. Today however, Andre was standing in front of him, something he rarely saw. But if Andre was here…it meant time was almost up. “Hello, little brother.” Andre knelt in front of Malachi, his smile twisted. “Mother is extremely disappointed in you.” “How come I didn’t know about you?” Malachi asked. He knew his other brothers and sisters, or had at least heard about them even if he hadn't had direct contact with them. But Andre? No, he had never seen him before. How could that be possible?
Flora’s P.O.V“Alpha Andre has requested your presence.”Spoke one of Andre’s men at five in the afternoon. He was accompanied by Aiden Lang, one of the two men who had brought me to Lindersay in the first place. He kept his head down, avoiding eye contact with me as if feeling guilty.“I’ll be there in a bit.” I told him and closed the door in his face.I took a deep breath to steady myself. I had avoided Andre as much as possible for the past few days, but I think that was no longer possible. Tomorrow was the Blood Moon and the day of my ‘supposed’ mating ceremony with Andre. Ezra had said she had a plan, but with guards keeping their eyes on us at all possible times, it seemed impossible to escape now. What was I supposed to do?I took several deep breaths, trying to calm my nerves. It wasn’t working, but I had to go see Andre anyway. If I didn’t, he would come he
Ezra’s P.O.VAs soon as Flora was inside, I went straight to the bed and opened up a compartment at the side that hid a dagger for safety measures. All Maidens had these daggers in these secret compartments along with the weapons drawers, but their location was only told to them when times were turbulent. Just like now. I took out the dagger and hid it inside my skirt.Flora came out a few minutes later, dressed in pants and a shirt in dark colors. Before I had a chance to warn her, she put on her white gown and tucked in the sleeves to cover what she wore underneath. Good, she had understood that this was all a cover up.The guards followed us with their eyes as we exited the room and then I took Flora’s hand and we both set out in the direction of the Shrine. However, just as we entered the Shrine, I started pulling her in a different direction altogether, a direction I hadn’t thought I would ever need to use. Lindersay Shrin
Flora’s P.O.VI ran through the tunnel as fast as my legs would take me. My heart was pounding in my chest as I escaped the place that had been my home for the past two years.But never in these two years had I thought that Andre, a mere soldier, would be able to overthrow Malachi and take control of Lindersay. He was no ordinary soldier and his men were trained far better than any of us had expected.Malachi was the son of the Moon Goddess herself and he was extremely old and powerful. For Andre to have the power to remove Malachi from his position meant only one thing…Andre was somehow related to the Moon Goddess herself and his coming to Lindersay and being my destined mate was no coincidence. It was all planned.The Moon Goddess was involved in everything right from the start and she had no intention of fulfilling her promise. Instead, she was going to sacrifice Malachi and Ezra at the altar to bring back her lover. That
Ezra’s P.O.VI put on the vest that my ancestors had once gifted me, when I had surpassed all the men in my pack to become the beta. The colorful eagle feathers were added once I won a battle, or beat a challenger. My vest was now had a layer of feathers to signify my achievements.I strapped on my quiver filled with arrows that held a poison in the tips. It wasn’t to kill but to paralyze the opponent and the effects would last for almost ten hours once it was in the bloodstream. The sword I placed on my waist-belt had the same poison as did the dagger hidden in my boots. I had used every weapon possible to defeat the enemy. Lastly, I picked up my bow.But it has been three centuries since I had last held my bow or yielded my sword. I was afraid I wasn’t that strong any longer, not efficient enough. But this was a battle I couldn’t bow down from, no matter what. This was the ultimate test for my love.I came out of
Flora’s P.O.VThe first rays of sunlight hit the earth as Clay and I reached the hills. The road was tough and the land unwelcoming, but the pack had been able to find shelter; that was all that mattered.I saw several of the wolves come out of their hiding spot as soon as they scented us approaching, and the ones that I had worked with closely, they came to greet me, walking alongside us to brush their bodies against my leg in welcome. I patted the heads of those who came near, nodded at the ones who stayed away. They were weary and I didn’t blame them.Clay took me inside a cave and handed me a shirt to change into. My clothes weren’t wet but it was probably better to change in order to avoid getting sick. So I put down my weapons and took off my wet shirt before putting on his larger shirt and tying it in the front so I didn’t swim in it.“You’re connected with all your wolves mentally, right?”
Bonus Chapter 3:The Beginning of a Legend:Ezra’s P.O.V400 years ago…“Beta, we are ready for battle.”I looked at the soldiers who had lined up outside my tent; all muscular men who wore the stripes of blue paint on their cheeks to show loyalty to their pack. Their wolves were young, not even close to the age where they have to find their mate and yet, they looked at me unsurely.A beta? A woman? Their thoughts were so clear it felt like I could hear them as if they had spoken out loud. But that didn’t deter me from my path. It wasn’t the first time I had seen suspicion and doubt in their eyes and it certainly would not be the last time either.“Listen clearly and listen well.” I announced to the young wolves. “We go into battle with the Lindersay battle today and do not make the mistake of thi
Dorothy’s P.O.V3 years ago:“Fucking, Trevor!” I looked at my phone for the thousandth time. He was supposed to pick me up after class at 4PM, but it was past 4.30 and I had been calling and texting him for the last half hour to no avail.“What’s gonna be his excuse this time? Abducted by aliens or fell into a crater and ended up on the other end of the earth?” I hugged, flipping my dark hair behind my back.I could’ve asked Flora to pick me up, but she was busy frolicking with the future Alpha, out in the woods somewhere.Ever since the rogue attack, Flora and Clay have been inseparable and even though I didn’t admit it to Flora…I have been feeling a bit left out. And now, even my boyfriend was ghosting me.“Looks like I’ll be walking home after all.” I rolled my eyes and switched off my phone. If Trevor wasn’t going to answer m
Clay’s P.O.V“You have to calm down.” Riley told me as he placed a hand on my shoulders. “If you keep pacing like this, you’ll create a crater.”I gave him a nervous smile, not in the mood for jokes or laughter.Flora’s water had broken this morning at the crack of dawn and she had been in pain ever since. Mercy had told me that since she was birthing twins, the birth might be a difficult process. But now that I could hear Flora’s screams from outside the room, I wanted to break down the doors and reach for my mate, to erase the cause of her pain.Only, this time…the cause of her pain was our children.Twin births were very rare in wolves and the fact that we had only found out after six months of her pregnancy, it was a risk in itself.“Yeah…” I took a seat outside the birthing room, just so Riley and Dorothy wouldn’t
Flora’s P.O.VI held Clay’s hand tightly in mine as he brought the car to a stop on the road right outside our pack unit in the forest.Three years.Three years that felt like three whole lifetimes.Clay and I had been through so much together…been separated for two years and had to endure test after tests from the gods, just so we could be together.And now…we were finally back to where it all started, but not permanently.“What are we going to say to them?” I asked past the knot in my throat.“The truth.” Clay answered simply, giving my hand a light squeeze. “They deserve it after everything we put them through.”Clay was right; I realized suddenly.For us, the last three years had been filled with tests and tribulations, but for our family…our old pack…I was the one who ran away suddenly after my best friend turned out to be C
Flora’s P.O.V“This is excessive.” I told both Emma and Daphne as I looked at myself in the mirror.“No!” They both protested at the same time. “This is just perfect!”“But…but…it’s supposed to be a wedding dress,” I pointed out. “This looks like someone robbed a Queen!”“Today, you are no less than royalty,” Emma came forward to adjust the veil of my dress. “You deserve it, after everything you have been through. Besides, it’s pretty much your coronation to the position of the Shrine Maiden. So enjoy the spotlight girl and stop complaining!”I gave Emma a wide eyed look. “Since when are you so forward?”“This one’s been rubbing off on me.” Emma shrugged, pointing over her shoulder to a smirking Daphne.I sighed and looked back at my reflection in the full-sized mirror. The
Flora’s P.O.V“W-wh-at?” I stuttered.“You are our blood, Flora.” Malachi smiled at me like a loving father, his eyes glossed with unshed tears. “It was a knowing deep in my bones the instant I set eyes on you. We have been waiting centuries to find you.”I shook my head, trying to make sense of it all. “If you are my ancestor…that means…the Goddess…”“Yes,” they nodded. “You are the descendent of the Goddess as well. You are our grandchild’s child.”I shook my head in denial…but how could I deny the connection? I had always felt comfortable around Malachi and Ezra. I had always felt like they were my guardians, my blood. Now that they were saying that I was actually their blood…it did make sense, but at the same time, it seemed like a farfetched fairytale.“How is that even possible? My parents&hellip
Flora’s P.O.VCheers went all around the castle as we entered through the main doors.Mercy came rushing towards us along with four guards carrying a stretcher. Malachi was immediately escorted to the infirmary and Ezra went along with him.I saw almost all of the maidens rush toward the wolves that belonged to Clay’s pack. They turned to their human form to embrace their lost lovers and everyone started rejoicing all at once. I had never seen my friends, my sisters so happy. The entire castle felt vibrant, alive.“Come,” I took Clay’s hand in mine. “Let’s get out of here.”I brought him upstairs to the maiden’s quarters where my room was located and shut the door behind us. Clay’s wounds were healing faster now, but they might leave scars.I went to use my healing on him but Clay caught my hand. “Aren’t you going to see your packmates first?”
Flora’s P.O.V“We wish for Endymion to wake up.” I told her, shocking almost everyone around us.Goddess Artemis tilted her head to the side, studying me. “You wish for Endymion to wake up? Why?”“Because every time the Goddess Selene curses one of us wolves for rejecting the mating bond, it’s the pain that she herself has been suffering for centuries.” I explained. “Yes, she sees her lover every day, but he rests in an eternal slumber. She can never hear his voice again; never hear him tell her how much he loves her. We are vocal creatures and no matter how much a person shows us they love us…those three words can do so much more than just give us reassurance. Words. That’s why I want Endymion to wake up, so he can hold the Goddess in her arms and tell her from his own lips how much she means to him.”The Moon Goddesses looked at me in stunned silence. They hadn't e
Flora’s P.O.VThe figure of a woman appeared from the center of the column of light that stretched up straight to the sky.Clay was by my side in an instant, holding my hand in his as the winds swirled around us wildly. Thunder rumbled, lightning struck the land around the column of light and we moved back further to shield Malachi and Ezra from the flying debris.The war among the wolves had also come to a sudden halt and everyone was now looking at the column of light in fear and anticipation.And then the light disappeared, leaving behind a Goddess.Just like the Moon Goddess, Goddess Artemis stood taller than us by a few feet. Her skin was the color of ivory and it held a glow to it, like the blood inside her veins were illuminated. She had long dark brown hair that reached her mid-back and her eyes were a dark brown.She wore a white tunic with a short skirt that reached her knees and on her hand was a golden bow.