9. FIREFLY SISTERS

MELIA POV

I’m glad I'm not the first one to speak.

Even if I knew it was what my sisters were expecting of me. 

My head was spinning and my brain was running wild with unanswered questions, but when I finally opened my mouth to speak, nothing came out.

Biologically, Lily and Vera aren't my sisters, but in all other respects, they were as much my sisters as Maisie, Margot, and Kira. Even though all this information was hard to wrap my head around, I'm glad mom decided to share it with all of us because I really need my sisters right now.

Vera was the first of us to speak up and it was like she was reading my thoughts.

Vera looked down at her hands and when she lifted her head back up to look at us, she had a grin on her face.

“From birth, I was raised as your girl's sister, it was like our moms were sister wives from the very beginning. I don’t think we have ever spent more than a day apart from one another.”

“I know Aunt Athena isn’t my mother, but after my mom and Aunt Rosalie died, she took me in without any hesitation. It was like I was always meant to become her daughter and I don’t think she has ever treated me as anything less.”

“The reason I’m saying all of this is because, even though, I can't imagine what you guys are going through with all of this being dropped into your laps. What I do know is that we have made it through way worse. For goddess shakes, we fended off vampires at twelve. As long as we have each other, we will make it through anything. So scream, cry or punch something, but don’t you dare shut any of us out because we love each other and we will never be alone. Through thick and thin, through blood and smoke, we might bend, but we will never break because firefly sisters will always prevail.”

With the mention of the firefly sisters, we all started to giggle, releasing the tension that had built up in the room.

The firefly sisters were what Aunt Rosalie and Aunt Kiada used to call us when we lived with them. I don’t think any of us have heard it said out loud in over six years.

“I don’t know about you guys but I’m terrified, I don’t know how to be a wolf and I honestly don’t know if I even want to be,” Maisie spoke up.

I wanted to reach out to my sister, but I know if I did she could read everything swirling around in my brain with just a single touch, and to be honest, I was excited about becoming a wolf, but I doubt that's something she wanted to hear right now.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m also terrified, but I’ve always dreamed of becoming a wolf, for as long as I could remember. 

Alpha August, would never be my father and, honestly, he didn’t seem that pleasant to be around, but as long as I had my sisters, I was sure we would learn to get along.

“Wait for a second, mom, said child . . “ I whispered.

“And? What are you getting at?” Margot questioned me with a confused look on her face.

“He doesn’t know there are three of us, does he?” Maisie smiled.

“Why are you smiling, Mace? I don’t want to do this alone. Do you?” I snapped at her.

“I don’t want to do this at all!” Maisie pushed past me.

We all started talking at once and I could no longer understand what anyone was saying.

The voice in my head spoke. 

“We can do this, you know! You have me now and I will always protect you. You don’t have to be afraid to stand out and do things on your own.”

“Ember?”

“Yes, Melia! You will never be alone, I will always be here.”

“I’m scared”

“Scared of what? Me? There is no need to be scared.”

“Can you tell me how this all works, will I get to see you?”

“I know you have a million questions, Melia, and I don’t want you to get overwhelmed and pass out again. That was very dangerous because it left us defenseless. So I need you to breathe and trust me. All your questions will be answered exactly when you need them to be.”

“But for your first two questions the answer is yes, I will walk you through every step along the way and when you are ready we will shift into our wolf form and you will be able to see how beautiful we are.”

Before I could ask any more questions, Maisie grabbed hold of my arm and startled me.

“What are you doing?” I spat at her as I pulled my arm out of her grasp.

“You’re talking to her aren’t you, what is she saying?” Maisie looked at me with hurt in her eyes.

“Maisie, what did mom say about reading our minds without our permission?” I pushed her to the floor.

“I’m allowed to do it in emergencies!!! Maisie sneered up at me.

“This isn’t an emergency, Maisie!” 

“Knock it off, you two! Why are you acting like everything is such a secret, Mia? We are all scared and we are looking for answers.” Margot cut our arguing off.

“I’m not acting like anything Mags, I was trying to listen to what Ember was saying, that’s all. How can I tell anyone anything if Maisie rudely interrupts our conversation before I’m even able to ask her any questions?”

“Her name is Ember? Why is her name different from yours?” Lily asked excitedly, bouncing up and down on her toes.

I giggled, letting go of some of my earlier frustrations.

“I’m honestly not sure, but technically she is a different person. She is just sharing my body, like an alter ego.” I tried to explain.

“So we're superheroes now?” Margot replied dryly.

“Not us, but our wolves. Transforming would be like putting on a mask and cape!”

“Transforming!” “What do you mean by transforming?” Maisie cried out, clearly distraught.

“Calm down Mace, Ember said we would transform into our wolves so we, are able to see how beautiful we are, but she didn’t say when.”

Clearly, what I had said didn’t calm my sister down because now she was having a full-blown panic attack.

“Breathe Mace, breathe. Everything is going to be fine.” Lily was rubbing her back trying to calm her down.

“I don’t want to turn into a dog!” Maisie breathlessly gasped between struggling breaths.

“Don’t call her a dog!” I shouted back at Maisie defensively.

“I think Maisie should go lie down, clearly she isn’t taking any of this very well.” Vera reasons.

Lily nodded her head in agreement and guided Maisie up the coven stairs to her bedroom.

“What else has she said, Mia?” Margot's eyes landed back on me as soon as Maisie was out of earshot.

“Nothing, she was being super vague. She said that she knew I had questions but they would all be answered at the right time and that I shouldn’t be afraid because she would be with me every step of the way. “

“Well, isn’t that all just frogs, snails, and puppy dog tails?” Margot rolled her eyes sarcastically.

“What do you want from me, Mags? You should be asking mom all of these questions. Instead of being butt-hurt at me! I didn’t sleep with the damn Alpha, she did!” I screamed just as our mother walked back into the theater room.

“MELIA!" Margot had shock written all over her face. 

“What!!! It’s the goddess forsaking truth!” I yelled back at Margot as I ran past our mom.

“Melia honey, wait!” Mom called after me.

I was just too upset to deal with my punishment right now, I needed to figure this all out on my own.

Before I realized it, I was outside the coven boundaries running towards the hidden cave behind the waterfall.

“You have to calm down, Melia.”  

Ember struggled to say as I pushed her further back into my mind.

“If you pass out again, I can’t protect you and you're no longer on your land, so no one will even know where we ran off to.”

“Please, Melia.”

“Just leave me alone!” I screamed out loud.

That was the last thing I remembered before I passed out.