Chapter 1 - Getting Answers

Zelena.

So much has happened in such a short time. And it really has been a short time, I first met Gunner just shy of five months ago. That is when my life completely flipped upside down. I went from being an abused, quiet and disconnected little girl, to a strong and powerful woman. So far, I have found out that I’m a Werewolf, the man I thought was my father isn’t my father, and I have a soulmate. I found a family and a home. I have made friends, and I have lost friends. I have discovered that I am capable of wielding unimaginable power, gifted to me by my descendant, the Moon Goddess. I went from being all alone, to having multiple strong and everlasting connections. I have fought for what I have come to love, and I have killed to keep it. Now I sit here, in front of the woman who claims to be my mother, destined to soon become a mother myself. With all that has changed already, I know there is still more to come. I can feel it in the air, there is more drama on the way.

The silence was drowning me. Sitting this close was making me feel seriously uncomfortable. After all, I still don’t know anything about this she-wolf. Gunner was at my side, his large hand resting on my thigh, but it did nothing to calm my racing heart. I can’t avoid it any longer, there’s no denying that. But deep down I'm dreading hearing what she has to say. I want to be mad at her. I want to hate her, and I want to keep blaming her for how I grew up. I have a feeling though, that once I hear her story, I will change my tune. I gripped Gunner’s hand, digging my nails into his skin. If he felt any pain from my death grip, he didn’t show it, he just sat there and let me hold his hand. I nodded to Lunaya, indicating that she could begin. She sat back in her chair and casually crossed her legs.

“Firstly, there is something that you need to understand. Something very important passed down by our ancestors. The power of the Triple Goddess works like a beacon. It draws Weres in, like a magnet. Just our genes are enough for it happen, even for those who don’t bare the mark, they still hold a piece of the Goddess inside them. Our heritage makes us stronger, faster, our senses are more evolved, and we are more disciplined over our wolves” Lunaya began,

“That must be why you had so much control over your wolf. When you first changed in the carpark at the school, and again in the field, the initial instinct to attack wasn’t there” Gunner cut in,

“That would be normal for a daughter of Selena” Lunaya confirmed as she crossed her arms over her chest,

“I also assume many Weres have already sought you out, yes? Even the ones that you had no prior contact or alliance with?”

“Many diplomats have visited since her arrival, yes” Gunner grunted in a gruff tone.

“That is why we can never settle for too long. Our ancestors have moved about all over the world. If the line stays in one place for too long, trouble usually finds us. Whether it be hunters, power hungry Alphas, or other supernatural’s. They always come” Lunaya said sadly.

“Is that why you left me, why you didn’t come for me? Some weird way of keeping me safe?” I hissed at her sarcastically. Gunner squeezed my thigh and shifted closer to me.

“I was born into a pack called Shining Star. They were a small and unknown pack, hidden in the wildlife refuge on Kodiak Island of Alaska. After my parents died when I was nine, I was sent to Moon Light in Northern Alaska, to be raised by an Elder that lived there” Lunaya began. I huffed and squeezed Gunner’s hand tighter,

“Do we really need the history lesson?” I grumbled. Lunaya smiled and looked down at her lap, shaking her head slightly.

“You are so much like your father” she mused with a chuckle,

“All about the quick action with no interest in the fine print. But yes, you need to hear all of it” she answered firmly as she raised her eyes to mine. I was a little taken back by the authority in her stare. I didn’t snap back like I wanted to, and instead just nodded my head.

“After my parents were killed by the hunters, I was sent to Elder Maxine of Moon Light. She was a close friend to my grandmother and a big part of my mother’s life. She knew everything about our history. About Selena and the line of chosen daughters. It was her that trained me, prepared me for the possibility of bearing the mark of the Goddess. Ever since I was young, I felt like I was destined for something great, something important. Being the cocky teenager that I was, I was sure that I was going to be the next Triple Goddess. Clearly that was not meant to be” she said smiling at me with so much pride and affection shining in her eyes.

“It was not my destiny to be the next Goddess, but it was my responsibility to birth, raise and protect her”. Lunaya paused and looked down at her lap. The scent of her sadness and despair filled the room. She looked back up to me with tears brimming in her eyes.

“I failed the task, and I will never be able to express how sorry I am for that” she choked out. We sat quietly, each of us gazing at each other solemnly. I couldn’t talk. If I opened my mouth, I was worried that a sob would burst out.

“The moment that I met your father, I knew that he was made for me. We may not have been True Mates like you two, but I knew there was no one else for me. After I realised that I wasn’t the Triple Goddess, I thought he would love me less. Moon Light knew who I was, and what I was possible of becoming. This brought me a lot of unwanted attention from the males, those that wanted to use me for my status. But your father wasn’t one of them. He wasn’t bothered by it at all. Triple Goddess or not, he only ever wanted me. The moment I told him that we were pregnant, that smile that covered his entire face, I will never forget that look. He was so happy, so excited” Lunaya uncrossed her arms and interlaced her fingers. Her smile enveloped the bottom half of her face, but her eyes held so much grief and longing.

“What was his name?” I asked softly,

“Micha. Micha Alvar” she answered. Her voice held so much love, I could feel it flowing from her. It made me feel happy and appreciative. I came from so much love. Regardless of what came after, that has to account for something.

“What was he like?”

“Your father was the strongest pack warrior I had ever met. He was fiercely protective of his pack and his family, and yet he was so kind and generous. He was the kind of Were to help the elder she-wolves move furniture and chop their firewood. And he loved you. He loved you so damn much. I wish you could have known him. You may not know it, but you are so much like him” she said with a widespread smile across her face.

“I wish I knew him too. I wish I knew the both of you” I whispered. Lunaya sat quietly, lost in her own thoughts while I waited impatiently for her to continue. Gunner sat beside me, unmoving, apart from his thumb rubbing circles on my thigh.

“When the hunters attacked, we were completely unaware. They had managed to get to the border patrols and scouts before they alerted us to the incoming danger. The hunters knew exactly what they were looking for, and they knew just where to find it. They ripped their way through Moon Light, slaughtering anyone and everyone in their path. Your father and I had a plan, something we tried and tested many, many times. We were to separate, him going one direction and me going the other. There was a small log cabin hidden in the snow at the base of Mount Logan. We had readied the cabin with supplies and necessities, for if there ever came a time to use it. But your father never showed”

“And where was I during all this?” I asked, interrupting her spiel.

“With me. When your father and I separated, I didn’t get too far before the hunters had me surrounded. They knew exactly what I looked like, and they knew how to find me” she answered without a pause,

“How?”

“That is a question I have asked myself many times over the years. Each time I arrive at the same conclusion. We must have had a spy in the pack, a traitor, someone selling information to the hunter clan”.