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Chapter 12
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Luna of the Menae Chapter 13
Milo and Reggie leave the papers and photos for me to look through more carefully when I feel better. I pick up a picture of the front of a binder. There is a sticker on the front in Kas’s neat, loopy handwriting that says ‘Menae Notes’. The next few photos show snapshots of the contents. Cut outs from home decorating magazines, information about new appliances, upholstery samples, and furniture. The more photos I look at, the older the contents of the binder look. Old scraps of paper that show names and abilities associated with each. Diagrams on how to connect spells. Notes about elements that don’t exist on the periodic table. The last couple show pieces of scrolls written in ancient languages with unusual symbols and charts. This must be the binder I threw in the fireplace before they could scan everything in. I fall back on the bed and cover my face with my hands. Milo was right. If Kas would have told me she wanted to go on a suicide mission, I would have stopped her or made h
Luna of the Menae Chapter 14
“Alright, now for Andreas, yeah?” She reaches out to take Maya from me. I reluctantly pass her the baby and wait impatiently to meet my son. I already miss Maya’s scent and the weight of her in my arms. I look at my hands, wishing she was back in them. The nurse comes back with a light green blanket. “Alpha, I know they warned you already, but the first glance at him may be a little… unsettling. I assure you, the doctors have run every test they can think of. He’s little, but he’s as healthy as he can be under the circumstances. We are feeding him a formula with extra vitamins and protein. He’s gained almost a pound since he was born. Which is a pretty big deal.” “Alright.” I nod and puff air out of my lips, preparing myself for the worst. As she approaches, the scent of pine needles grows much stronger. She places the blanket in my arms, but I can barely feel any weight when she removes her hands. I feel an instant connection to the baby bundled up inside. My heart pounds as the
Luna of the Menae Chapter 15
I sit in the hallway of the children’s ward and read Kas’s instructions: - Don’t lose concentration. - Think about the end goal. - Constant flow of energy. - Remove everything else from your mind, like meditating. - Move slowly. - Stop if you’re tired. The last one makes me a little more nervous though: - If anything happens to my baby, I will never forgive you. Neither will any of my sisters. I crumble the paper up in hand and hold my fist up to my forehead. Never? Like actually never? And she pulled the Menae card? Shit. I could really go for a drink right now. Another wave of dizziness washes over me in response to the thought, making me sit back and close my eyes. I take deep breaths, trying to stop the nausea from taking over again. Not now. I have to help my son. I don’t have time for this. Not now... Not now. “Alpha, you can come in. We’re ready for you.” The nurse’s quiet voice cuts through the hallway like an exploding bomb. I open my eyes with a sharp breath and
Luna of the Menae Chapter 16
“Okay, Alpha.” The doctor hands me a folder with pamphlets and papers. “Here is the information for the facility you’re headed to. Before you get there, you need to fill out the personal information. Please answer everything honestly. Some questions are… pretty personal.”I open the folder and flip through the papers. They listed my full name and birthday at the top. I scan through some questions and frown. Favorite type of alcohol? Number of drinks per day/week? The last time I felt the urge to kill someone? Date of last sexual encounter? “Are these really necessary?”“It’s an intensive program, Alpha. No one ever said recovery is easy, but transparency is important. The facility will keep all of your information confidential. The entire pack is supporting you on this endeavor.” The doctor nods at me. “They say the head Psychiatrist’s methods are unconventional but very effective. This facility has an incredible success rate with… issues… like yours.”I grimace as I read further, but
Luna of the Menae Chapter 17
The roaring of the Blood River’s wild current crashing into the rocks draws me from my sleep. When I open my eyes, I realize I’m laying on the grass. The full moon is lighting up the raging river and everything around it with an eerie glow. The edges of my vision seem misty for such a clear, crisp night. The ground is dry, but the air smells like fresh rain and lilacs. I look around and see the river bank thirty yards away. Its banks overflowing the way they do every spring thaw. There’s a woman standing with her feet in the agitated water. Her white dress has pleated sheer fabric attached to the shoulders. It looks like she’s wearing a cape with her long, backless white dress. A silver rope around her waist holds the dress in place. Black flames with deep purple licking at the edges float two inches above her head, extending into tall, sharp points in the night sky. The points create wisps of smoke that curl in the air and disappear on the gentle night breeze. I look closer and not
Luna of the Menae Chapter 18
“Maya? Andreas?” I drop to my knees, momentarily forgetting about the woman ready to attack Kas. Two of the toddlers rush into my arms. Relief washes over me when I feel my children embracing me. The rest see my arms extended and follow suit. “You’re the Menae. The Leaders and Guardians?” I look around at the crying children, trying to shush and comfort them. How could I possibly know that? It doesn’t matter. They can’t defend themselves. It’s up to me. One boy stands at the edge of the cage, looking through the bars at Kas. He’s not scared. It feels like he’s angry about what’s happening. “Everyone, look at me. Okay? Look this way, away from the river. Alpha’s orders. Don’t turn around, no matter what. I won’t let anyone hurt you.” I turn all the children away to stop them from seeing what is happening by the shoreline. The little boy watching the scene doesn’t move. I place my hand on his shoulder. “Come on, you too, son.” When he turns around, his face has shifted into wolf f
Luna of the Menae Chapter 19
Ashley’s eyes are black and extended claws, with her wolf at the surface. “Let him go, Bronx.” I lighten my grip on Reggie’s arm and stare her down. “Zinnia, calm down.” “NOW!” She growls and jumps forward in her seat, shaking the SUV. Arnie turns in his seat and reaches his arm back. “Gamma, please. Sit back. I’m not trying to restrain anyone here today.” I slowly release Reggie and hold my hands up. “Alright, see, I let go. I apologize, Zinnia. Please give Ashley back. I was sleeping. I didn’t know what I was doing.” “That’s what you said the last time.” She snarls, referring to the time I had a PTSD episode where I blacked out and almost slit his throat, thinking he was an intruder in the packhouse. “No, this wasn’t like last time. It was just a dream, but it felt so real.” I rub my hands over my face. “I’m sorry. Reggie, are you okay?” “I’m good.” He rubs his arm with his hand, then turns to Ashley. “Zinnia, it’s okay. I’m fine. Please let Ashley come forward now.” Ashle
Luna of the Menae Chapter 20
A woman from the airline escorts me when it’s time to board the plane. She makes sure I’m comfortable, then boards the rest of the passengers. I leave my sunglasses on so people can’t see me watching them watch me as they walk past. I try to read my newspaper, but I’m distracted thinking about the color of Andreas’s eyes and how I felt so drawn to Maya. I take the folder out of the envelope Ashley gave me and put down the tray table. I still have to finish answering the questionnaire. I fold up the paper, but notice an article about cryptocurrency, written by someone I know, so I pick it back up and look it over. The stewardess comes by and sets a glass on my tray table while I’m engrossed in the article. “Thank you.” I murmur, not turning my attention away from an article. I take a sip of the glass and feel the familiar burn slide down my throat. I taste the flavor on my tongue and look in the glass. It’s the same bourbon I’ve been drowning myself in for the last five months. I l
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