Nine

Stella Jayden

Stella stood in her room proudly watching her daughter as she tended to the injured bird.

She was undoubtedly proud of how caring and full of love her daughter was. But as proud as she was of her girl, she couldn't help but worry for her safety. She didn't enjoy locking her precious daughter up in the palace but she had to for safety.

This was because of the prophecy she had received just after Mia was born on that moonless night. Stella allowed her mind to relive that night, twenty-two years back.

She had spent half an hour in the labor room, struggling to push out her precious daughter.

The labor was long and painful.

She still remembered vividly how dark the night had been as there was no moon in the sky.

When she had successfully delivered and the child had been cleaned up, the delivery nurse had pointed her and Jayden's attention to the birthmark on her child's waist.

It was a clear half-moon.

They were both confused as to what it meant so Alpha Jayden ordered they called the diviner, Ehe.

Ehe was a short woman, bent over with old age. She had an aura that always made Stella uneasy but she had to bare it as it was about her child.

The old woman had requested they showed her the mark on the crying child. After they did, she requested they handed over the child to her and Stella bluntly refused in fear of losing her child.

She didn't trust the old woman and she wasn't afraid to show it.

"I understand your fear, Luna," the old woman soothed, "I will never hurt your child." The woman assured her but Stella was still not convinced.

"I lost my child before I became a diviner. She was a girl as well but she died in my womb just before I was able to push her out of me,"

The old woman said and Stella could still hear the pain in her voice.

Ehe's eyes grew misty but she blinked the tears away.

"I know firsthand how painful of an experience it is. I would never wish it for anyone." She finished with her hands outstretched for the child and just like she was in a trance, she released the child to the diviner.

The diviner exited the room with the child in her arms. She walked outside in the darkness, holding up the child in the air in a bid to show the moon goddess what she had found.

The Alpha stood in a distance, watching her intently as she spoke to the sky.

When she was done, Alpha Jayden took the child from her, afraid the child must have caught a cold but to his surprise, she was warm and sleeping.

They returned to the delivery room and Stella was beyond relieved to see her child healthy and very much alive.

"What did the moon goddess say?" Alpha Jayden inquired in anticipation.

"She said two things, One bad, the other good," Ehe said. "Which would you like to hear first?"

"The good news." Alpha Jayden was quick to make a choice.

"The moon goddess says she's a blessed child," Ehe announced with a toothless smile. "She has in her light and love."

Alpha Jayden and Stella were smiling fondly at their child forgetting there was also bad news.

"Well, the bad news is-" Ehe waited for them to look up at her from their child. "because of her light, she would attract a dark shadow, one so dark that she'd be consumed by its darkness."

Dread filled both parents.

Stella's hands flew to her mouth in a bid to muffle her sudden sob.

"What do you mean consume her?" Alpha Jayden asked, dreading the answer.

"She'd lose her life to the darkness," Ehe said, emotionlessly looking at them with dead eyes.

"No, no," Stella said, shaking her head as tears welled up in her eyes. She clung tightly to her baby, protectively.

"What can we do to avert this?" The Alpha asked desperately.

"You need to protect her from the darkness."

From that moment till date, that was what Stella had been doing

She would lose her life first before she lost her child.

Her train of thought was soon halted by one of the palace guards.

"Your majesty, the Alpha has returned from his meeting and he has requested your presence."

The guard relayed, his head bowed low.

She dismissed him with a wave of her hand.

••••••••••

Alpha Jayden

Jayden sat weakly in his study. He couldn't for the life of him understand how quickly things had taken a drastic turn in the Council meeting.

Of course, he understood the elders' decision as a marriage would guarantee the security of both packs and at the same time strengthen them to fight whatever was out to get them but understanding and accepting were two different things.

How could he possibly give his only child to such a man?

"Jay, you called for me-"

His wife stopped in her tracks when she beheld her husband's countenance.

"What's wrong?"

She inquired making her way swiftly to her mate. She had never seen him this emotionally down even if she couldn't share his pain through the mate bond anymore because he blocked her out, she could still see how sad and downcast he was.

Alpha Jayden looked up at her. He dreaded having to tell her how he had failed to protect their daughter's future.

She was worried and Alpha Jayden was certain that in a few minutes, she'd be raining down hell on him.

She squatted before him and they locked gazes. "Tell me what's wrong."

Alpha Jayden knew he would have to tell her sooner or later. Although he wished he could avoid it, he knew he couldn't.

"I-M-Mia, she-"

He struggled for the right words.

"What's wrong with Mia?" She panicked instantly.

"No, nothing." He assured her quickly. "The Council decided to ally with our pack and the Crystal Moon Pack. A marriage alliance." He gulped and quickly averted his gaze, waiting for hell but was surprised when she just stayed still staring at him silently.

This was definitely the calm before the storm

"What the hell are you talking about?!" She ticked, rising to her feet and glaring daggers at him.

Alpha Jayden wished the ground would do him a favor and swallow him.