Chapter 2- The Ultimatum

ELARA

"Wake up, Elara," said a husky voice.

The voice...

It sounded like the chime of a thousand bells or the buzz of a thousand insects. It was soft, yet commanding. Even though I wanted nothing more than to remain in the darkness, I was compelled to obey. 

Blinding white light hit my eyes the moment I opened them. I was in some sort of a void, white, empty space. 

Stunned, I looked around. There was a figure close by, the figure of a woman, tall, majestic and beautiful, made of light and shadows that shifted as she floated in the air.

 A crown shaped like a half moon, glittering with gems that blazed like the sun, sat on top of her head.  

"Who- who are you?" I gasped, scooting away from her. "Where am I?" Then as I looked down at myself and saw I was semi transparent, I asked in a shaky voice, "What exactly am I?"

"You're dead, child," she said. Her lips didn't move but her voice chimed in my head. "You're in a place we call the supernatural shadow valley." 

It hit me then with the force of a ton of bricks. I was dead. I was in some sort of limbo. 

I cupped my stomach, my voice breaking as I asked, "My baby! What happened to him?"

The beautiful eyes drooped a little and I knew the answer even before she said, "The child is in a better place now."

I felt pain, worse than any physical one rip through my chest. My child was gone, taken from me before he had even gotten a chance to see the world.

I shuddered and felt like dying again. 

"Life is death, Elara," the woman said. "Young or old, all mortals must die."

My eyes snapped back up to her face. 

"Who are you?" I asked. 

"The goddess of the moon," was the answer.  "Remember, you called me here."

Was this real?

I blinked but her image did not waver. 

"You mean you're the moon goddess? I didn't think you would-" I shook my head as another pang of pain shot through me. I felt my shoulders sag at the hopelessness of it all. "What comes after this?" 

After a pause, she said, "Several things can happen, all depending on you."

I glared at her, not caring if she could hurt me for being disrespectful. She probably couldn't anyway. I was barely even there. 

"Like what?" I snapped. "Why are we even having this conversation? You let me die! If you can't bring me back to life or let me get revenge on the people that killed me and my child, then let's end this. Send me to hell or wherever. I don't care anymore!"

Silence fell. The moon goddess didn't seem angry, just patient, like she had seen this same reaction lots of times before. 

 Something I had just said nagged at the back of my mind. 

With my voice low, almost pleading, I asked, "Is that something you can do? Can you... Can you make me alive again?"

"There are a lot of things I can do but I do not tamper with the laws and forces of nature as they're the laws that keep the universe in perfect balance. You didn't just die, child. Your body was broken beyond repair. But revenge... revenge is the one thing I can help you get."

"How? You just said you couldn't bring me back to life."

"I never said that. I only said I can't reanimate your old body. You can live if only you're willing to take the chance."

Remembering how powerless I had been against Allan and Pete, I shook my head. "I don't stand a chance against them if my new life is anything like my old one. I'm weak and wolfless and I'll probably end up dead again."

"You underestimate yourself, child. You have abilities far greater than having a wolf. You've always been special."

Special? If my father had not been an Alpha, I would have been worse than ordinary. 

"I'll make you an offer," the goddess continued. "I will give you an edge over the others and a chance to go back to earth but..."

"But what?" I asked, curious and yet, hopeful in spite of myself. 

If there was a chance for me to live again, I sure as hell was going to take it. 

"But I can let you live for only one hundred days. If you want to have a long, mortal life, you will have to find a mate before the hundred days are up. I will also give you a chance to choose the form but not the body you will live in. Whatever form you choose will be permanent."

"A m-mate," I said. 

"Yes. You are also not to tell a soul of what happened here today. On the day you do, you will cease to exist. Do you agree to the terms?"

I scrambled to my feet. 

"Yes," I said quickly. "Will I have wolf abilities when I get back to earth?"

"You will if you choose wisely." She held out a glowing hand. In it was a silver coin. The coin floated into my palm. "You will flip this and then choose who you will become next."

I swallowed. I flipped the coin. It hung in the air, turning slowly as the darkness closed in on me, blotting out everything else.  

"Remember... one hundred days," echoed the distant voice. 

********

I heard myself moaning softly as I moved up and down the hard, thick length of something inside me. 

The man under me pulled back then slammed back into me with a force that made me cry out. Strong, rough hands gripped my waist. 

Eyes closed, head thrown back, I surrendered to the overwhelming pleasure. I didn't want to stop. 

This felt right. This felt good.. I felt the pad of the man's thumb graze the throbbing nub between my legs. I gasped at the unexpected contact. 

"Oh shit!" I bit out. 

I bounced faster on his erection. I felt the familiar tension, like a taut spring, settle in the pit of my stomach. My moans grew louder. So did the sound of naked flesh slapping against flesh. 

My core tightened. I shook as the orgasm ripped through me. The man groaned, arched his back and shoved himself even deeper. I felt his hot seed splash into my womb. 

Together, we rode the crest for a few seconds more. It was like we were in sync, perfect for each other. With a sigh, the man fell back on the bed. 

"Get up," I heard him say. 

His cold, uncaring tone was like a dash of cold water on my face. 

I opened my eyes and found myself staring into a pair of sapphire eyes framed by long, thick lashes. Those beautiful eyes were currently glaring at me. The man's features were so perfect I couldn't help but stare. 

"Get off me, Arianna!" he barked. 

 When I still didn't move, he pushed me off with such force I went over the bed. 

My back hit the wall so hard I felt my wolf whimper. 

I froze. My wolf? I had a wolf?

I started to scream in excitement, then clapped my hand over my mouth to keep it in when I remembered the man was still in the room.  

It all came rushing back; my death, the conversation with the goddess, the coin, the name the man had called me- Arianna. 

Panting with excitement, I ran my hands over my naked body. My new body.  

I was no longer Elara. I was Arianna!