Artemis POV
“Luna, Luna, Luuuuuuuna. It’s time to get up.”
Ugh now I can’t even sleep in peace.
I guess today most people would be excited to start on a journey they’ve been prepping for their entire lives. But guess what? I’m not just anyone. Today I’m officially 24 and my crusaders have finally come to pass judgement…Nah, just kidding. Today is the day everyone finally gets to confirm that I’m real and not just a rumor, and they’ve all come to introduce themselves and present their respects. But also, to set their eyes on the priced jewel of the underworld A.K.A me. YAY!!! So now you can see why waking up this morning isn’t particularly appealing to me.
“Lunaaaaa” she screams as she pounds on my door.
“I’m up Judith, I’m up. For fuck’s sakes!”
Kicking the covers, I realize I really need to get up before she brings down my door and knocks me off the bed. So, I grabbed my silk robe off the chaise and go to open my door, to be greeted by a very angry looking Judith.
“Took you long enough, Eli has been calling you for the past 30 minutes,” she complained.
Judith is one of the house girls, or one of my house workers, but I don’t like to call them that instead they’re the girls, who alongside Eli my nanny has taken care of me my whole life.
“Wahhh, I don’t want to.”
“We know, and believe me, if we had a say in any of this, we would push this whole charade back a few more years. If not forever! But we can’t, and you’re ready. So here is your tea, remember that today is your day, make sure you start it the right way,” she continues while hugging me from behind.
“You’re right… This time.”
She walked away laughing.
I walked over to my nightstand and pressed the buttons on my remote to rise the shades and open my balcony doors. As I step out and the sun kisses my skin and I breathe in the salty ocean air, I swear my mood completely changes and a smile creep up my face. This is a common feeling for me, it’s sort of my morning routine. I am extremely grateful for the beauty of this island and all the people that surround me.
After finishing my tea, I throw on some shorts and a tank, and get ready for my run. I take the back stairs that lead towards the kitchen since Eli has been calling me that way I can stop by and see what she needs.
“Morningggg!” I yell, scaring everyone.
“Ahhh! Muchacha loca.” (Crazy girl).
I snort laughing.
“That’s not very luna like,” she reprimands.
“I’m sorry my Eli (my Eli),” I reply continuing to laugh.
“Today is a very important day, what would you like for breakfast?”
“My usual sounds good. I’m going for a run; I’ll see you back in an hour.” I say as I kiss her cheek and head out the back door. I stretch, pop on my powerbeats and set off on my run.
How can I explain this? So, by now you know that I live on an island, what you don’t know is that this is MY private island. Obscured by magic to the outsiders, and with a 70% female population we are almost like the Amazonia’s. Powerful warrior women, full of knowledge and expertise. The other 30% is 10% children, and 20% male population. Don’t get me wrong we do get visitors, every 10-15 years a new batch of trainees arrive, all pre-teens, all with the dream of becoming scroll keepers. They are the most knowledgeable of our kind, for they study our history from the beginning of time. The Citadel, otherwise known as La Torre degl’ Illuminati (The Tower of The Enlightened), sits in the northern part of the island, along with all our training grounds. They all come here to train in the tower, to become the best, to go back to their packs and support their alphas.
6 years ago, I lost one of my best friends due to this stupid cycle, Sawyer came here at the age of 8 to start his training to be the scroll keeper of his pack, 10 years later he left, and I haven’t seen him since. Not that he would remember me. See that’s the other thing to keep my existence a secret a spell was cast on the island, other than my family, the elders, and those that reside on the island, anyone who sets foot on the island forgets the location and all about me the second they leave.
Cool right…NOT!
Isle Radha sits in the north Atlantic Ocean near the Tropic of Cancer. Radha in Hindi means queen love of Gods, and rightfully so since this island was created to hide the Goddess of the moon Selene’s precious daughter, whom the other gods helped her create… A.K.A me. So, you see that’s why no one is allowed to remember me once they leave the island, the gods must protect their precious little treasure.
Anyways, I can’t complain, I live on an island filled with the exotic beauty of mother nature, white sand, and turquois water beaches all around. Perfect weather, and the love and respect of all of those around. So, you must be wondering, why is she bitching and complaining? Well let me tell you today marks the day that my life becomes a SHIT show at least for the next 12 months… Just fucking great.
CHAPTER 2 (Happy Birthday)
Artemis POV
As I make my way back to the Mansion after my run, the wonderful smell of bacon overpowers my senses making my stomach growl. As I plot in my head how to steal a few pieces while Eli is distracted, I catch my friends devouring my bacon.
“Heyyy, leave some for me,” I shout.
Kane smirks while shoving 3 pieces of MY bacon into his mouth.
“Yours are in the over baby girl,” says Ethan.
“What would I do without you Ethan? Oh wait, I know, I would probably starve to death thanks to these vouchers,” I say while pointing at the others.
They all started laughing.
“Ale, please protect my bacon while I shower,” I tell my best friend, as I grab a bottle of water from the fridge and head up the stairs.
“I’ll do my best.”
So, most werewolves live in packs with a hierarchy to rule them, but this island is something else. We don’t live like a normal pack; we are more like a family. Everyone has a role and a job that keeps the island running smoothly, and I’m sure you already guessed it by now, but if you haven’t yet well, I’m the alpha better known as the Luna.
My team is made up of my best friends, my family really, and we all reside in a mansion on the island, or the packhouse. Ethan and Alessia or Ale, are my betas, they’re my right and left hand. Ethan oversees the day to day of the island, while Ale helps me with the minimalist – my interior design studio. Oh yeah, by the way did I mention I have my own company? Yeah, but we’ll come back to that later. Bellatrix and Kane are my gamma’s, they’re like my spies and IT team. They run all the information systems for the island and my design studio. Liam and Karleen are my Delta’s, my strongest warriors, and oversee the training. But you see how I’ve coupled them up, it just so happens that they’re also mates. These 4 lucky bastards were able to wake up on their 18th birthday and not look too far for their mate was safe and sound just down the hall. Yeah, like I said…LUCKY! But like I said we are not like a normal pack, we have epsilons, and that’s where Roger and Cassandra or Cass my numbers team come in. They are like literal calculators, and the best planners out there, they help me see things before they happen. We’ve all grown up together, the island is our territory and its inhabitants our people, and we are all a big family, and a force to be reckoned with.
As I step out of my steamy hot shower, I wrap myself in my plush towel and swipe my hands on my bathroom mirror. Uh! Nothing’s changed… still me.
‘What did you expect?’ says Selena, my wolf. ‘You didn’t change on your 18th or 21st birthday either.’
‘I guess I don’t know since today marks the start, since today I’m supposed to get my powers, I thought we would see something different, some sort of a change.’
‘What’s there to change? These alphas better gear up because they don’t know what’s coming their way,’ she says proudly. ‘What’s our moto?’
‘I am Artemis, strong, intelligent, healthy, wealthy, rich, I’m a queen, I am me,’ I say smirking.
‘And we are one Art! I will always be with you, I will always have your back, and if any of these alphas step out of line, I will kick their ass.’
I could not hold it in anymore and started laughing, ‘god I love you, Selena.’
‘I love you too,’ she says before retracting back to the back of my head.
Suddenly I heard pounding on my bathroom door.
“Ugh, now what?”
“Hey, get out of there, let’s go to the beach we have to celebrate. It’s your birthday bitch! Andddd we planned a little beach brunch party before tonight’s festivities,” screams Ale.
“So, pop on one of your racy bikinis and let’s go party,” says Bellatrix as she pops her head in through the bathroom door.
“Ok, ok, ok, let’s do this.”
I grabbed my new white bikini I had ordered and pop on my favorite gold body chain, my Dior slides, a white oversized boyfriend shirt cover up, my Celine aviators, I sprayed some of my Baccarat perfume on, grabbed my Dior carry all tote with all my beach essentials, and head downstairs to meet with everyone.
The girls are all beach ready looking like golden goddesses as we all excitedly start to head for the door when Eli calls, “excuse me, where are you going? You haven’t had your breakfast yet.”
I drop my bag by the door and run past her to the kitchen, grab the bacon off the plate, and pop it into my mouth, and chug the orange juice. I stride back the way I came and stopping by Eli and giving her a kiss while she swats me away.
“Cada dia mas loca, (she gets crazier by the day).”
“I love you Eli, can you send me some frozen fruit to the beach, please and thank you.” I say before closing the door.
Chatting and laughing we made our way down to the beach where the guys had organized everything with a white theme. And I, love it! White lounge chairs and beds, white star shaped balloons attached to all the posts. A large buffet table filled with finger foods and fruits. A white and gold bar with my favorite themed drink, and Aperol Spritz. There is also a white DJ booth on the left side playing top hits.
After surveying all the décor, I turn to my friends who are all staring expecting a reaction. When I start jumping up and down like a schoolgirl smiling. I can almost see the cold sweat dripping from their foreheads. HAHAHA, poor things! But I love it, I think they did a great job.
“Guys this is amazing,” I gasp.
“Our baby girl deserves the best,” Kane boasts.
“Uh? What do you want?” Kane and ass kissing equals to I need a favor.
“Not now,” he replies with a Cheshire cat grin.
“I’m scared!”
“You should be,” he says laughing.
As we all settle into our lounges and daybeds, I realize how good life is and hate the idea that everything is about to change.
“So, are you ready?” asks Cas while spraying spf on Roger’s back.
“As ready as I’ll ever be I guess,” I reply while spraying spf on myself.
“Oh, come on! it’s your birthday cheer up,” says Kathleen.
“I’m sorry if I’m not too keen on the idea of having the elders parade me around tonight like a prime piece of steak to the alphas and their people.”
“Hey, forget about all of that you have us, and we are going to make sure you party your ass off tonight,” says Liam while coming to sit by me.
“Besides,” says Ethan while handing me a drink. “We have plenty of ways to make the elders life a nightmare while they’re here.”
I broke into a fit of giggles, “you know you guys are right is my birthday, and in a few days, we hit the road, so let’s enjoy life as it is right now. We will worry about that tomorrow. So, raise your glasses, and happy fucking birthday to me.”
We all clink our glasses and start the party.
Artemis POV As the party raged on and my friends were playing beach volleyball, I went for a quick swim to cool off. We had been playing for a while now and I was covered in sweat. The ocean is my happy place, I lose myself in it. When I swim, I lose my sense of time and place, and that’s exactly what happened. Next thing I know Ethan is shouting for me to come back. “Have you grown fins yet? Get out of there!” Yells Kane. “No dad jokes please,” I retort. As I made my way back to shore, I notice our group had doubled in number, and I began to wonder who else had come down to the party. Then the most amazing scent invaded my senses. It smelled like pinewood and cinnamon, with an undertone of sandalwood, my mouth completely watered, but as I get closer to the shore one of my favorite scents in the world hits me, my brother’s. Tones of bergamot, ginger, and cedarwood, my brother has always represented home, warmth love, care, and safety to me. And he was here, with the 2 biggest pain
Artemis POV 6 months ago – Flashback – It was the weekend of the grand opening of our latest design project in Bal Harbor, Miami and I had flown in on Wednesday to make sure everything was going according to the plan and to give the décor my final touches. Ale and I have been working on this project for the past year and a half and we are extremely proud of the outcome. As I drive in on my white Ferrari 488 Spider to the front of the Oceana apartment complex the most wonderful scent hits me like walking in on a brick wall, and I feel my knees go weak. I start turning in my seat looking for the source and my eyes land on the most beautiful man I have ever seen. Holy fuck I start sweating and heat takes over my body, I’m squirming in my seat trying to control the burning sensation I’m feeling in my core. My instincts want to have me go run to him and jump his bones, plus the fact that he is staring right at me does not help my case. “Selena, why do I feel like this? What’s happening
ARTEMIS POV “Sooo?” Ale dragged. “We have a date tonight,” I said smiling. “I’m so happy for you, just remember this is all for fun, we don’t know what the future you’re your lovely aunty fate holds for you.” And as I contemplated what she said I realized how right she was, but what the heck. A girl deserves to have some fun. And so, I nodded to Ale and went into my room to get ready for my date. EEEKKK! I took about an hour and a half to get ready and as I stood in front of the mirror I realized; damn I look good. My hair is pulled back into a fluffy high ponytail to give my face full exposure and let’s be real here a good ponytail is literally a facelift, not that I need one, but a girl can’t complain. I kept my makeup simple just to enhance my features and topped it off with my favorite red Armani lipstick. I decided to wear a white halter-midi dress with simple Cinderella clear Amina Muaddi’s, and a white baby Hermes Kelly. I think I hit my mark, I look chic and sophisticated.
JAXON’S POV While I was busy finalizing all the due diligence to have everything ready for my absence this coming weekend, I received a call from my best friend Aidan, the alpha of the Blue Moon pack, inviting me to celebrate his sister’s birthday in Isle Radha. Ok, for starters I’ve always been under the impression that Aidan was an only child. Then, isn’t Isle Radha the location of the coming courting induction ceremony? I agreed to meet with him and head to the island first thing Friday morning apparently the celebration would take place prior to the evening’s events so I don’t see a problem with heading there a few hours earlier. I called my best friends Gabriel my beta, and Leonardo my gamma to my office to update them on the change in plans. “So, we are heading out first thing tomorrow morning, apparently is Aidan’s sister’s birthday, and he is has asked us to join.” “Uh? He’s not an only child?” they asked in unison. “Apparently not!” They were cool with it of course; we ar
ARTEMIS POV (The Gifts) The rest of the afternoon was spent talking, joking, and laughing. Around 5pm Eli came down to the beach looking for me, “mi niña it’s time to go, you need to start getting ready.” Ugh, I turned to everyone and said, “Thank you guys for an awesome time, I love you all. Alpha Cross…” “Please call me Jaxon or Jax.” I nodded, “Jax, Gabe, and Leo, thank you for coming, it has been so much fun. I’ll see everyone tonight at the welcome ceremony.” Everyone started to pack up to head back to their perspective rooms to get ready for tonight. I had this urge to turn around and get another glimpse of him, I guess we both had a similar urge because I could send his eyes on me, and he had been doing that a lot today. Our eyes locked, and I could feel all the intensity, fire, and lust running through them. I was entrapped, captivated, lost in his gorgeous green eyes. ‘Art, do you think he remembers you?’ asked Selena. ‘He seems to have an inkling but no I don’t think h
Artemis POV “How’s my princess?” “Princess? Dad I’m not some prissy girl.” Hahaha. Shaking his head he says, “you’re right. You’re not that, but you are the future queen of the underworld, and the princess of all Lycans and werewolves. Tonight, you officially become their queen. The queen of the supernatural world.” “A queen looking for and in need of a king … great!” I interrupted while rolling my eyes. “Sweetheart,” he signs. “You don’t need a man to protect you, but you do need a partner to help you maintain the balance between both worlds.” Opening his arms wide he says, “come here baby.” Here is the thing about my dad, he is an exact just older replica of my brother; 6’3, broad built, in great shape, salt and pepper hair, all in all my dad is a very good-looking guy. Please don’t tell him I said that I would never hear the end of it. At his 65 years of age, my dad doesn’t look a day over 40, I swear. That’s why women break their necks whenever he walks by. To me my dad is a
ARTEMIS POV ‘It’s time,’ Selena says. ‘We have to go; you need to get outside quick before the process starts.’ Taking one last look in the mirror I prepared myself for what’s to come, and although many would say that I’m ready, nothing could every properly prepare me for this moment. As we stepped back into the hall, all I heard was one unison gasp, and then the rumors broke out. I could sense their curiosity and smell their fear. But I know what I must do, with a flick on my wrist, the sliding doors open leading out towards the beach, indicating my way. But, right before my feet touched the sand, an overwhelming feeling of hesitation overtakes me. Suddenly I felt my brother reach for my hand, only to hiss and retrieve his hand that had been burned. “I’m sorry,” was all I could say. Shaking his head he says, “it doesn't matter, we are here with you every step of the way.” Releasing a breath, I didn’t even know I was holding, I looked over to my right and saw my dad there with a
JAXON I don’t know what happened by Art brought about memories from the opening of my last investment project in Bal Harbour, A weekend that I’m still trying to remember. I remember the softness of her skin, and the fullness of her lips, but what I can’t remember is her name or her face. How is that possible? Sadly, we’ve had to refer to her as my mystery girl. After we got back from the beach, I took a shower and laid down to rest a bit. What I didn’t expect was the dream. It almost felt like a memory of us dancing, I could feel her body, I could hear her laughter clearly, but her face was blurred. I stand corrected this isn’t a dream, but a nightmare. Ever since I’ve been feeling off, and not in the mood to deal with tonight’s circus. But here we are as they announce Art’s arrival. I bow and as I look up, I remain speechless. She looks like an angel dressed in all white and gold. Angel? Why does that endearment sound so familiar? “I know most of you believed me to be a myth. B
ARTEMIS POVWe walked back to the pack house chatting while Aidan continued to work with his newfound powers. I quickly greeted everyone and came back home, my mother and I were due for a chat, so instead of calling out to her I felt for my tether to the Moon Goddess realm and opened a portal. My mother was sitting in front of the fountain of life, “I see you’ve come to get answers.”“I think it’s only fair since I’ve had to figure things out on my own.” She nods, “what do you want to know?”“Why Ares? Mom, I was devastated when he left, I remember it now.”“Yes, now! And you were devastated, but you were reborn and had a chance to start over from scratch. Now why Ares? Aidan gave you that answer, I swear everyday he impresses me more and more.”“Mom!” I shout.“Ares is powerful enough to contain the shadows after all they belong to him. They are the evil souls he’s killed. Hades uses them to try and break him, but Ares is a lot stronger than what Hades gives him credit for.”“So, you
ARTEMIS POV“Cut it out,” I swat him. “Talk to him, as his best friend. And please help me find out what the truth is. I need to have all the details about everything. I really like him A, but if he is a threat to my mission, then I will have to let him go. Too many lives depend on us. I can’t be a woman and think with my hooha.” He raises his hands, “your what?” I groan, “my hooha, yes that what I call it. Moving on!”He starts laughing like a maniac, “no way, do you tell it oh good morning hooha, how did you sleep last night?” I roll my eyes ignoring his question, “listen just be grateful Logan isn’t here and couldn’t hear what you just said, he would never let THAT one go.” He was now holding his stomach while cackling like a banshee, “Are you done yet?” I ask, clearly annoyed. He coughs, “sorry, that was unexpected.” I roll my eyes again, “like I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted. I need to think like the queen and goddess that I am, not the woman.”“My feelings and wh
ARTEMIS POVI watched Aidan move, throw, hover, and fly rocks for a while, his enthusiasm was like that of a child in a candy store. I was able to recognize through the link how happy he was at feeling useful for me, what he didn’t realize was that he was more useful to me than he could ever have imagined. He wanted to continue to train and harness his newly found powers, but I was able to convince him to continue our walk. “I know it isn’t my place for me to divulge what I’m about to, but I can’t have my team look into it I would really feel like I’m breaking his trust.”“How about you open a portal into the wine cellar so we can grab a bottle, because from the conflicted feelings verging on anxiety that I’m reading through the bond; I’m going to need it.” It didn’t take much for me to open a portal into the cellar, as a child it used to be my favorite hiding spot. Aidan stepped in and seconds later steps out with a bottle of scotch that looks to be older than some of the elders. “Da
ARTEMIS POVBack home I felt drained, all I wanted was a glass of wine and m bed. But I also felt the need to work through everything that had just happened, and who better to do that with than my brother. I quickly hop in the shower and then get dressed, once ready I made sure to mind link him, ‘hey, just making sure you’re decent before I pop in.’‘Were you planning on opening a portal into my room?’ he asks. ‘Why would I do that?’ I reply.‘Then how were you going to catch me with my balls in hand Art?’‘Eww, the image. I could really do without those.’‘You walked yourself right into that one.’I groaned.‘Get your ass over here already.’Picturing my childhood home, I open a portal right outside the packhouse, just seeing it makes me smile. This mansion will always be home to me. I made my way up the front steps and let myself in. “Hi Clarice!” I greet, Clarice is my brother’s nanny. She has been running the packhouse ever since I can remember. “Hello, my darling,” she rushes ove
ARTEMIS POV“What brings about your Lycan form?”“I don’t know how to explain it, when the darkness pulls on my essence, I go into a place that I’m forced to be my truest, strongest self.”“That place where I found you earlier?” He nods.“The shadow realm. I was tasked by your mother to keep the doors sealed shut, to prevent Hades from releasing his hell on our world sooner than the Gods have planned for it.”“Does he know? “He shakes his gigantic head. “No Jaxon isn’t aware of what happens when I go there. I hid it from him. I lock him away, I’m protecting him.”“I don’t think you are.” He turned, looking at me with worry on his face. “I wouldn’t have survived that place without Selena by my side.” I sense her nodding in my head in agreement. “You need Jaxon when you go back there Ares. Your human is your anchor. As my wolf is mine.”He is pensive and quiet for a moment, then nods, “perhaps.”“Where is he now? Still locked away?”“Yes, once I get off the mountain and away from the de
ARTEMIS POV I kept trying to reach out to him, but the darkness emanating out of his aura was dense, and it prevented me from reaching him. ‘Try Ares,’ suggest Selena. ‘If we can’t reach Jaxon then perhaps, we can reach out to Ares.’ She’s right, it won’t hurt to try. And so, we concentrated on Ares on our connection, on my memories with him and everything good that we have with him. The more we focused on the wood the more progress we made through the fog, the darkness becoming less and less dense our path for the first time in what felt like hours was finally clearing. What was once a wall of darkness was now a mist, with a very tiny flame at the end; and there he was Ares. Lost in his own consciousness his eyes black like this place, a place that lives in his own mind. “Ares? Ares can you hear me? I asked. I went to reach out and touch him, when I feel resistance from Selena, ‘no art, I don’t think that’s Ares.’ ‘I know its him. We have to snap him out of this trance. Gods kn
ARTEMIS POVThe next few days flew by. With so much to get done prior to our departure my focus was solemnly on getting ready for what’s to come and ensuring the island would continue to run smoothly without most of my team. I had texted with both Jax and Donovan, but just briefly. Tonight, I’m supposed to join him for dinner and bring Ale back with me.“Ahem, no you won’t be going there.”“Mom? Why not?”“Because you are showing preference, and the fates are not liking it. Darling you can have your preferences, but you cannot make them so obvious. Your aunts a quite tricky, and you can tilt the scales in a manner that you won’t like. With them is act first consequences be damned, you have to be the opposite. Think first, plan, educate yourself, then act.”“Crap, I did something similar with Donovan.”“That was different.”“How so? I was in his territory, in his space, in his home.”“Donovan had essential information that you needed to know, Jaxon doesn’t have that for you, not yet.”
ARTEMIS POV“I don’t blame you,” he replies. “My parents told me they were warned in a dream that I would be a special wolf, and that I would recognize my purpose when the time was right. So, we hid my powers from the council, and from everyone that posed a threat. My parents taught me from an early age how to hide my inkling for the sun. And I have kept true to their wishes. Well, that was until I saw you last week and I felt my pull towards you and the way my power swelled just by being in your proximity. I knew then, Donnie wasn’t mad, and that you were the person and the sign I have been waiting for all along.”We were so immersed in our conversation that when the chef announced the menu for the night, we were both startled. “In tonight’s menu we have tuna tartar in a miso soy glaze, followed by a fennel Frise salad, and filet mignon with roasted potatoes and creamed spinach.”Neither of us paid much attention to what he said, we were lost in each other’s eyes. Donovan was giving
ARTEMIS POVJax and I were on the phone till late last night, we talked about anything and everything, and I felt my bond to him growing. Today, I have a huge project to present to a client for my company and then I’m excited at the prosper of seeing Donovan. He texted early morning sending me the location for our dinner. I got to New York early this morning, Kane and Liam are with me, I need them to help me dig into all the alphas. I need to be ready prior to entering their territory, I don’t want to be caught off guard, and I know if here is anything out there these guys will find it. The rest of the week will be intense, I have to pack, ensure that the island will be taken cared of while I’m gone, and in order for me to do that I will have to enlist the help of Aunt Hecate. She’s been helping me learn protection spells, but she says I can also learn to weave them. I need to make sure the island is protected from Hades, the people that live in the island are my responsibility, and I