Women in the forest

Isabella P.O.V. 

I drive through the night, and most of the next day, knowing the alpha won’t let me off the hook that easily. If I know him, and I do, he will be sending out a search party, trying to drag my ass back to that inbred pack of scums.

Having the A/C on, as it’s a hot summer's day, I let the breeze and music surround me and calm my beating heart. Having my birthday in mid summer would have been fun with an outdoor birthday party, or even a pool party, if my life had not been hell on earth. 

As the late afternoon approaches on my birthday, I drive through this small town. It’s surrounded by thick forest, and I stop at a natural parking lot in the treelines. I lock my truck, and climb into the backseats to lie down. 

I set an alarm for four hours, and drift off to sleep. 

When my alarm sounds, I open one eye. The sun is about to set, and I know it will be time soon for my first shift. 

‘I’m sorry we have to do this in unfamiliar territory and alone, Emmy.’ I tell her. She consoles me, knowing this wasn’t my fault. 

I crawl back to the driver seat, taking water out of one of my coolers, and a pre-made sandwich out of the other. I chuck both things down, before checking if there is any one nearby. There isn’t, so I open the door and jump out. Locking it again and putting the key in my pocket. 

At the treeline I strip out of my clothes, folding it neatly. I stretch my body, and wait. The evening is not so bad, not too cold, not too warm.

After about thirty minutes, the moon begins to rise and I feel a slight tingle throughout my body. 

‘Get ready, little one.” Emmy says. I close my eyes, but snap them open when I feel a presence behind me. I whirl around and there in the forest stands none other than..

“Luna Michelle?!” I ask in a whisper. Her smile is gentle, and she reaches a hand out, wiping the tears I didn’t know had fallen. 

“Hello Isabella.” She says with a loving voice. 

“How?” I ask, not caring I’m standing there butt naked. 

“That, child, is a question I can answer.” Another woman replies while stepping out behind Luna Michelle. My mouth drops to the ground. The woman is tall with skin as pale as the moonlight, light blond hair going to her lower back and eyes a shining blue. A lightning bolt shoots through my body when her eyes lock on mine. 

“AAH!” I scream, and fall on all four. My body heats up, fire running down my spine and electricity coursing through me. My eyes are shot closed, and I see stars on the inside of my eyelids.

“Take a deep breath, Isabella. We are here for you! You are not alone, my darling.” Luna Michelle says as she kneels besides me. 

‘Let go, little one. It’s time.” Emerald soothes in my mind, and I do just that. I let go! 

“Open your eyes, my child.” The stranger, whom I in my heart know is the moon goddess, says. I do as she tells me, and watches as my paws move under me. WOW! 

“Look at you! You are magnificent.” Luna Michelle exclaims with awe. The other woman smiles big, her eyes looking over every inch of me. 

‘Go look in the pond back here, child.’ She says in my mind. Emerald takes her first steps. Wobbly the first few times, but then more and more steady. The pond is not far away, and when we arrive I gasp in our mind.

‘How is this possible?’ I ask the women, not knowing if they can hear me or if it’s a one way communication? The wolf looking back at me has fur like melted gold, with deep green paws and tail end. The eyes are shining green, as the jewel Emerald is named after. She shakes out her fur, standing proudly and walking back to the women after taking a drink. 

‘How else than you are a special wolf, my child?’ The woman asks with amusement in her voice. She smiles at me, her shining blue eyes looking through my soul. 

‘Mother, please excuse her.’ Emerald says, and she laughs. 

“There is nothing to apologize for, my friend. I am the one who has not presented myself, so it should be me who should apologize.” She says, bowing her head to us. 

“My name is Selene, and I am the moon goddess. Which Emerald probably already told you, Isabella.” She explains. I shift back, and kneel. 

“Great Mother.” I greet, when I am back to my human form. 

“That will not be necessary, my child. Please stand.” She reaches a hand out to me, and when I take it a jolt of energy courses through me. I feel like something hidden deep inside me is unlocked, and when I look around Selene is nowhere to be seen. Luna Michelle on the other hand is still here, patiently waiting for me to notice her again. 

“Luna Michelle. How?” I ask again now that we are alone, realizing the moon goddess never did explain anything. I find my clothes and put them on again. 

“Let’s sit, Isabella. I have a lot to explain.” She says, going to a fallen branch, from where I can see if anyone comes to the parking lot. 

“You died?! We buried you! I. I. I mourned you.” My voice is shaking in disbelief, sadness and a little anger. I was heartbroken when she died. She had been a mother figure for me my whole childhood, more than my own mother had ever been. She was the one to console me when I was sad, or take me to the pack clinic when I had a bruise from falling. She was the one to take me and Alex on excursions, and she was the one to always make sure we had everything we needed. She tended as much to us as her own children, and had the alpha not allowed for us to live in our own house on the pack ground, she would have insisted on us living in the packhouse, so she always had us close. She always called me her ‘little jewel’, which annoyed Janelle to no end, even though we were tied at the hip at one time. 

“I understand if you are angry with me, Isabella, but I need you to understand why I had to disappear.” She says. What the fuck did she mean by that? 

“You didn’t die that day, did you?” I ask, and she shakes her head. 

“No, my sweet daughter, I didn’t.” My mouth dropped open at her statement. Daughter?! What the actual fuck?!