5

I opened my eyes to blinding light burning my eyes. I grunted as I lifted a hand to block the brightness. “Moon Goddess?” I called out, and I heard a soft chuckle, causing me to jolt up. I blinked as the soft cream of familiar walls and a woman's frame took form at the end of the bed I was on.

“That must have been one hell of a dream if you're calling me the Moon Goddess.” My mother's chuckle hit me like a brick. Instantly I was off the bed, and my arms were around her.

“Am I dead?” My words were muffled because my face was pressed in the crook of her neck. Her scent of berries and lemongrass filled my nostrils, and it settled my aching heart. “Is this the afterlife?”

“No, baby.” She pulled my face away to look at me. “Of course not.” She leaned down and kissed my forehead. “Happy eighteenth birthday, baby girl.” She furrowed her brows when she looked at me and my sweaty forehead. “I was joking before, but it must have been one hell of a dream. You are very much alive, my girl.”

I reeled back and spun on my heels. I was in my childhood bedroom. I turned back to my mom and asked the only question I could think of. “How?”

My mother tilted her head in confusion. “What do you mean, how?” She felt my forehead. “Are you okay?” She looked into my eyes. “You don’t feel hot.”

I nodded once. “I’m fine. I just had a weird dream, that's all.” I tried to push it away. What the hell is going on? Nix?

I’m here. Her voice was just as confused as I was.

Are we alive? Was that a dream?

Nix shook her head. No, that was all real. I don’t dream Amy. When you are asleep, I’m awake. I never see your dreams. That was all real.

So, we are alive again? I felt so confused.

Check your phone. Nix offered.

I spun on my heel and grabbed my phone. The date made me stumble back. “2019?” The words slipped out, and my mom laughed.

“Yeah. It’s 2019. It’s the same year it was last night.” She came over and rubbed my back. “Are you sure you are okay, my love?”

I nodded. I looked at the clock. I realized I only had twelve hours before I officially turned eighteen and I could find my mate. Brandon and I caught each other’s scent at school, but it wasn’t until the graduation party when the clock hit 9:14, the exact time of my birth, that we finally realized it was each other. “Yeah, I’m fine, Mom.” I tossed my phone onto my bed. We went back in time.

Nix growled softly. Then let’s make sure that we don’t make the same mistakes we did last time.

“Are you excited? Today’s the first day that you can meet your mate.” She turned away, grabbing the clothes from my hamper and heading to the door.

“Would you be mad if I refused my mate?”

“Goddess no, baby. The Moon Goddess makes a path clear, but it is up to us to choose it. If you don’t want your mate, you can reject him.”

“And if it is the Brandon?”

My mother looked at me. Something entered her eyes, and for a fleeting moment I saw disgust, then it was gone. She bit her lip. “If goddess forbid, you were mated to Bradon, and you didn’t want to be, you would have to reject him from a distance before he caught your scent, and you would have to disappear until he mated someone else, because he would still know that you were his goddess given mate until then.” That was a very detailed answer. I wanted to ask how she knew that would work, but before I could, she turned away. “But what are the chances of that happening?” She put the hamper down on the ground and walked back to me. “Unless you know something that I don’t.” She raised her eyebrows.

I was going to tell her everything, but Nix stopped me. Without proof, we will sound insane. Lie for now.

I shook my head. “He’s the only Alpha around here. And he’s seemed creepier this last month.” I wasn’t lying. Every time he came over to see Shannon, he spent more time talking to me unless he was in her bedroom. “I don’t want him to be my mate, but I know that if he is, the bond will make me ignore the fact that he’s spent the last year in Shannon’s bed.”

My mom stared at me for another moment. “Amy…”

I shook my head. “If he’s my mate, I know I will end up broken, or worse.” I let the threat hang in the air.

“Okay baby. But you can’t leave, not forever. It would be too conspicuous. We will have to find a way to hide who you are from him.”

I tossed my hands in the air. “How would I do that?”

“There is much you don’t know that I would leave in the past, but if you are sure…” She trailed off and I just nodded my head. “Then let me make a few calls.” She kissed me, then she turned and left.