Chapter Ninety-Eight
Delanie POV
My house felt so foreign to me. We’ve been away for so long though it felt good to be back. Annika hadn’t cried since we got home this morning. We didn’t spend the night just in case the omen came back. Cheryl was confident it wouldn’t return though Dad was here just in case. My Dad was overprotective over his girls.
I was glad I had him.
“Where’s your husband?” Dad asked.
We were in Annika’s new nursery. The omen left a nasty mark on the wall and I didn’t feel safe putting her back in that room.
“He said he had to pick up something. I’m just anxious.”
“About what?” Dad asked.
He sat in the rocking chair while I folded Annika’s clothes in the dresser.
“About the moon goddess. The omen’s gone but I’m not sure Nakara’s gone.”
“Delanie!” Ajax called.
Dad and I shared a look. “I’m sure the moon goddess’ will keep her word.”
“Let’s hope so Dad.”
“Del! Come out here,” he yelled.
“The baby is asleep,” I hissed.
“Damn, right, sorry. Someone’s here for you.”
“For me?” My Dad took my hand and squeezed it.
It was a man in black shorts, and shoulder-length hair, holding a clipboard.
“Uhh… hi?”
He smiled. “Can you sign here please?”
I stared at Ajax who casually leaned against the wall. He lifted a shoulder.
I signed at the bottom of the page.
“Great there’s a parcel for you outside.”
“Are you going to tell me what’s going on?” I asked.
“Find out, Princess.”
I walked out the front door and the first thing I saw was a truck filled with a thousand red roses. My hands flew to my lips.
“Ajax, they’re beautiful.”
He placed his hands on my shoulders and kissed my neck.
“Isn’t this too much?”
“Not for the Mother of my child. A gardener’s coming to plant them in the backyard.”
That sounded a lot better than having a thousand roses go bad on me. I wrapped my arms around him.
I giggled. “Aren’t you romantic?”
“A guy can try.”
Annika screamed from the house. We broke apart and stared at each other.
“No, please no,” I whispered.
“Everything’s fine.”
The front door slammed shut before we got up the steps. I ran and rattled the knob.
“No, Dad!” I yelled.
“Relax, Delanie, I’m getting the baby,” he responded.
How could I relax when Nakara announced herself? Petals flew past my face. Every rose petal wilted and blew in the subtle breeze. The dried-up petals covered our front lawn like leaves in autumn.
“You dirty players, you told the moon goddess on me. I’m not scared of her.”
Ajax stepped in front of me. “You should be. You’re not as strong as her.”
Nakara threw her head back and laughed. “Very funny, Alpha.”
“It’s true. If you were half as strong as she was maybe you wouldn’t be hiding behind Alexandra’s skin.”
Why was he baiting her? She was still a goddess with powers strong enough to kill. I gripped his arm but he didn’t stop.
“I’ve looked at all my enemies in the eyes before taking their lives,” Ajax barked.
I shook him. “Stop!”
“You think you’re very clever, Alpha Ajax, don’t you?”
“Of course I do. I also think I’m strong and handsome and I don’t prey on innocent people. Unlike you.”
“If you’re talking about my temporary suit, Alexandra gave herself up willingly. She spent over twenty years trapped in that place. She was already deep in moon magic it was only natural she used it to escape.”
“You could have set her free though. The moon goddess was right you’re a lowlife.”
Nakara threw out her arms and Ajax flew off the porch and crashed through the living room window.
“Ajax!”
He landed with a thud. There was glass and pieces of wood everywhere.
“Save your strength, Delanie!”
Nakara held her palm up. My body stiffened. My muscles tightened and hurt every time I struggled to move. I panicked. I couldn’t move my eyelids. She forced me to look at her! She smirked.
“You’ve used the little power I gave you very well. Almost too well,” she snapped. “I don’t care what the moon goddess says. I’m taking Annika and with you gone no one’s going to stop me.”
No! I couldn’t shout. I couldn’t scream. My poor daughter. I heard her scream somewhere in the house. Her dad was unconscious on the floor. Oh, what was he thinking about baiting a goddess? Now my Father’s Annika’s only hope. He needs to get her far away from here.
Nakara held her fist up and clenched her fist. My insides burned and the cry I’d been holding in choked me. A hot substance trickled down my nose and covered my lips. Blood. My vision blurred and my hearing faded.
Nakara rolled her head back and laughed. As she eased her fist her grip on me loosened. I fell to the ground. I fought to stay conscious. I had a daughter who needed me. No, history will not repeat itself. Annika will grow up with both her parents unlike me. I rolled to my side. Nakara thought she won but summoning the last drop of power I had left I blasted her off the pavement and smacked into the truck of wilted roses.
“Delanie, babe.” Ajax stumbled out of the house and dropped beside me.
He cradled me in his arms.
“Is she gone?” I whispered.
He smoothed my cheek. “It’s okay baby.”
It wasn’t over. She climbed out of the bed of dead roses like a corpse and she was hella mad.
“I’m going to end you all!”
“Enough!” A thunderous voice boomed. “Nakara!”
“It’s about time,” Ajax sighed.
The moon goddess appeared just as she had yesterday in her royal blue dress and white ghostly hair tied into a bun on top of her head.
“You’ve caused enough trouble.”
Nakara folded her arms.
“What’s this about you not being afraid of me? I outrank you.”
“I gave that girl power and saved her mate’s life and in exchange I want the baby!” Nakara threw a tantrum that could rival a five-year-old’s.
“How noble of you to help but you can’t make that deal. If you want your powers back, here take them.” At the moon goddess’ words, my body stiffened again. I felt every drop of magic flee from my body. Once everything was gone I felt hollow and weak.
Ajax held me tighter.
“Be strong, Delanie,” he said into my hair.
“Return to the Kingdom! You’ll face justice for all you’ve done here.”
Nakara screamed as the moon goddess’s words sent her flying into the clouds. Seconds later she was gone but I felt so weak I struggled to keep my eyes open.
“What did you do?” Ajax barked.
“Relax, Ajax. You’ve had a hard life, Delanie. I feel the blame for most of it. Maybe I can give you something back.”
She touched my forehead. It lasted a second. I closed my eyes and felt a force deposit into me.
“It’s over now. It’s your turn to come through with your head of the deal.”
Before Ajax could respond my eyes popped open and my bones cracked. The moon goddess vanished. My body came alive in a way it never had before.
“Hi Delanie, I’m your wolf, Odette and I’m an omega wolf.”
I heard the words in my mind. I stared at Ajax. He had no idea what was going on. He was terrified but I was ecstatic. The moon goddess gave me a wolf!