Chapter Four

Time was racing on and he held her tighter showing without words the love in his heart and in return she wrapped her body around his giving him the comfort he craved. Cocooned in the warmth of their bed they settled locked together accepting what the fates had decreed and they allowed sleep to claim them one last time. When the Lycan awoke the sun was shining brightly in the morning sky, the eclipse had finished and the world was filled with light once more but not for him. The beautiful woman he loved so passionately lay cold and still in his arms, the prophecy had been fulfilled. Slowly he stood up out of their bed and laid her on the pillows for his maids with one last kiss to her cold blue lips he shifted into his Wolf the pain so deep he could only run and run. Straight through the dense forests and up to the top of the huge mountain that dominated their lands reaching the top he stood tall and tipped back his head the howl of pain and loss echoed across the Packlands as the darkness descended into his soul, it was the first and last time his baby girl heard his voice. The Lycan lost his mind so deep was his grief, and the sight of his daughter was too much for him to bear, she was so like her mother he could not tolerate her being nearby so he ordered her maid to take her to the boundary of his lands and leave her there for the Rogues to devour. In tears, the poor maid fell to her knees and begged him not to do it, pleaded the child was the innocent victim and when he would not listen she turned to the Goddess praying for her to intervene and save her tiny charge. When he discovered she had delayed and deliberately kept the baby out of his sight his anger exploded and he ripped his daughter from her arms,

'I will take the damn thing myself, why should it live when it killed its mother.'

He snarled at the woman who cowered before him,

'I gave you a direct order and you disobeyed me, that means a punishment. Your disobedience has earned you a banishment, you will take the child across the boundary and die with her. He dragged them both left to the very edge of his lands standing just inside the boundary line, he pushed the maid hard forcing her across the boundary. The link to his Pack was instantly broken and she collapsed gripping her head and screaming in pain as all she knew was ripped from her brain,

'Get up.'

The Alpha growled baring his teeth threateningly and she managed to drag herself up to face him, he stepped to the edge of the boundary refusing even to look at the baby in his arms as he lay her down right on the line.

'There you go bitch see if your Goddess is real and will save this brat for you she is of no use to me. Why should I let her live? It was her birth that caused her beautiful mother's death and I cannot live with that, I cannot live each day seeing her grow and knowing she is the reason my beloved mate died. Tell the Goddess how much I loved my Mate, she took the wrong life, do you understand that, I fucking loved my Mate.'

The agony in his voice cut through to the bone and she could only watch helplessly as he shifted and then turned away running blindly into the woods and up to the highest vantage point to howl his misery to the world.

Trembling violently the maid bent to pick up the crying baby and comfort her,

'I'm so sorry little Princess, forgive him, he is demented with grief, he loved your Mama so much but you have nothing to fear I will try to protect you.'

She trembled hitching the baby over her shoulder and looked around her fearfully, she was alone with a tiny baby to care for and she knew there was no way she was going to survive a tear rolled down her cheek,

'I will make my promise and honour it little Princess but I fear I will fail you.' Carrying the now silent baby she searched around for somewhere to hide finding a small cave. The baby was hungry and needed changing but had nothing, she stripped off the nappy and washed her with water she had managed to get from the nearby river. Luckily it was warm so leaving the little girl naked to dry off, and sitting back on her heels she felt the tears filling her eyes, she was hungry and the maid had no food to give her. This was it she was just a lowly maid and had no idea how to find food for them, if the Rogues did not get them they were going to starve to death. Gently she pulled the little girl into her arms and cuddled her tightly, they had only drunk water for the past two days and it was taking it out on the baby, she was lethargic. 'I am sorry little Princess I have failed you.' The young maid curled her body around the newborn and they both slept deeply almost dropping into unconsciousness neither of them woke when the brilliant light shone from the darkest corner. Silently the Goddess approached them and stooped to cradle the little girl to her breast placing her hand over the baby's eyes she whispered,

'Take your nourishment from my Blessed Child.'

The baby sucked on her pinkie finger and a smile crossed the Goddesses face, then she knelt by the little maid,

'Rest my child, your duty here is done, when you wake you will be free from all your troubles you have earned your place at the Silver City.'

A bright white light shot from her into the maid's body, she moaned softly, took a deep steadying breath and then lay still beneath the Goddess's hand and stood carrying the baby girl she walked into the night.

'Don't be afraid little one, your path is not an easy one but you are loved and as soon as you are grown your Mate will guide and protect you. It is time to meet your new family, they are only humans but will keep you safe and hidden while you grow and become the Leader you are destined to be.'

The Goddess stood outside the large family home, it was bathed in moonlight and quiet at this time in the morning, the woman approached cautiously,

'You have read our terms?'

The Goddess said and the woman nodded her eyes never leaving the bundle held close to the other woman's chest,

'You understand she must never hear it from your lips when her time comes they will claim her and you must let her go.'

The woman nodded again,

'As you wish Goddess, I will follow your rules and promise to give her all the love I have in my heart.'

The Goddess kissed the soft downy head of the tiny newborn girl,

'Your time will come little one.'

She whispered and handed her over to the human female watching as the woman cuddled the baby close love already shining in her eyes as she headed back into the house,

'Love is strong,

Love is kind Surround this child Until her time.'

The Goddess cast her spell ensuring from now on no one would question the baby's right to be with this family as far as the village was concerned the woman had birthed her, a late miraculous menopausal gift.