Chapter 25

I looked over at Xavier who was stood beside me, rubbing his wrists, deep in thought. “What was the meeting about?” I asked curiously.

He glanced over at me and shook his head. “Nothing major. We were just finalising our new agreements and signing the paperwork. Matthew must have told Cierra about Tom. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” I sighed. “Knowing Cierra, she was bound to find out sooner or later,” I shrugged before turning on my heel and heading back inside.

“Where are you going?” Xavier asked solemnly.

“I’m going to find Hannah. I think she got a little bit upset meeting Cierra,” I grinned, trying not to laugh. “I’ll see you later, maybe?” I said, smiling back at Xavier, before heading up the staircase.

I kept walking up the staircase until I could hear loud music erupting from the direction of Hannah’s room. I knew that Hannah only blasted out music if she was annoyed or angry. Gulping nervously, I knocked loudly on the door. There was no answer, so I thumped even harder on the wood. Finally, the door swung open to reveal Hannah standing there, with a face like thunder.

“What do you want!?” she snapped angrily.

“Hannah, please,” I began. “Can we talk?” I demanded, sticking my foot into the doorway, preventing the door from being shut.

“Whatever!” Hannah shrugged, before turning away and letting me into her room.

I watched her switch off her music and plop herself down on to the bed moodily. “Have fun with your best buddy?” she replied sarcastically.

“I’ve known Cierra most of my life. We lived on the same estate, and we went to the same school and the same college!” I defended. “You are my best friend too! A girl can have more than one best friend, you know!” I continued, glancing over at Hannah, who was still perched on her bed, staring moodily at the wall.

Slowly, she turned her head and looked at me apologetically. “Really?” she whispered.

“Of course!” I laughed. “I love you both. You are both my girlies. You don’t have to be jealous of Cierra!”

I pulled Hannah over towards me and gave her a big hug. Small muffled sobs leaked out from where Hannah had buried her face. “I’m so sorry for being like that. You are the first-ever proper friend I’ve had,” Hannah sniffed, pulling away and quickly wiping her eyes.

“It’s okay. Honestly!” I giggled, glad that Hannah and I were now okay again.

Hannah looked and me and frowned. “What did she want anyway?”

“Who Cierra?” I replied while biting my thumbnail. “She heard about what had happened and wanted to know if I was okay, and why it happened in the first place. Cierra is a little, overprotective of me,” I shrugged.

“Yeah, I can see that!” Hannah laughed nervously. “Anyway, have you and Xavier decided when to do it yet?”

“Do it?” I replied, sounding confused.

“Yeah! When are you going to let him claim you?” she replied, with a cheeky grin plastered over her face.

“At the end of the week, we are having a date night, so we shall see how it goes and see what happens, but Xavier has agreed to take it slowly,” I responded.

“Good!” Hannah replied before standing up and walking towards her closet. “Anyway, I’d love to stay and chat, but I’ve got work in an hour,” she chuckled.

“Yeah, sure. I’m going to go and take a nap anyway as I’m shattered. You’re lucky that you can work. As Luna, I’m forbidden, due to safety reasons,” I huffed.

“Well, I wished I didn’t have to work. Trade places?” Hannah winked at me before disappearing into the closet.

Smiling gently to myself, I stood up and let myself out of her bedroom and casually walked down the corridor to mine. I opened the door, and the faint smell of aftershave still lingered in the room. Locking the door behind me, I kicked off my boots and clambered onto my bed. My body just sunk into the soft mattress, and I pulled the duvet up and over me, feeling the sudden warmth envelop me.

Sleepily, I yawned and felt myself drift off into a peaceful slumber.

************

I could hear soft singing and gentle music playing in the distance. I opened my eyes to find myself surrounded by white clouds and brilliant blue sky again. That’s when I realised that I recognised this place.

Please don’t tell me I have died, I panicked.

A familiar-looking lady with long blonde hair and a silver flowing dress came gliding up to me effortlessly and pulled me into a friendly hug.

“Hello, again Leah,” the woman said softly, almost as if she had sung it.

I looked up at the Moon Goddess and blurted out “Am I dead?”

The Moon Goddess laughed and shook her head. “No, you’re just in a deep sleep. You’re dreaming. I had to speak to you, so I pulled your subconscious back to me.”

“Oh!” I replied, feeling relieved. “What do you want with me now?” I asked.

“You still haven’t got your wolf back, have you?” she asked.

“No, I haven’t, wait, how did you know?” I asked her inquisitively.

“Because your wolf is still here.”

The Moon Goddess pointed over to a large tree and indeed, underneath, was a large white wolf with the same markings that I had, curled up amongst the roots.

“Is she dead?” I stammered, looking back from the wolf to the Moon Goddess.

“No,” she replied, gently shaking her head. “But she is in a deep sleep like you were when you were in a coma before you died. She has been like this ever since she got here.”

“How do I get her back? I miss her, and I need her back! I can’t be a Luna without a wolf!” I pleaded. “You have to help me. I’ll do anything to get my wolf back!” I begged.

The Moon Goddess sighed. “It’s not as simple as that. Your wolf went through extreme shock and trauma. Her Mate that was supposed to love and protect her did the utmost unthinkable thing to you and essentially, her.”

“So, she is scared of coming back?” I bleated weakly.

“Yes and no,” the Moon Goddess went on. “She fears coming back and getting so badly hurt that she will no longer be able to serve you and protect you. She isn’t the same wolf that you once knew.”

“She is now timid and shy, especially around a man, which brings me to my other point. The prophecy states that you will be Mated to Xavier. How is that coming along?” she prompted, looking gently down at me.

“I, um, I’m not sure. Xavier wants me to be his Luna, and yes, I like him, I mean, I really like him,” I blushed, trying not to giggle “But I know that I have to let him bond and Mate with me, but I don’t think I’m ready for another man to touch me. It’s too soon.”

“The pack needs you. They need their Luna. Xavier loves you very dearly, from the bottom of his heart. Let me tell you one thing. It almost killed him when he saw you running away from him with Tom that night,” the Moon Goddess explained slowly.

“And when he found you, in the basement, I’ve never felt such anger erupt from a wolf. I don’t feel many feelings from wolves involuntarily, but I certainly felt his anger and his hatred that night,” she went on.

“Really? You can feel his feelings?” I whispered in shock.

“I could feel anyone’s feelings if I really wanted to. I am the creator of the werewolf race, after all,” the Moon Goddess explained. “That night, I had no choice but to feel his anger. His anger finally exploded the second time that he saved you, from inside that barn. You were only minutes away from joining me forever in paradise.”

I looked over at my wolf, and it finally dawned on me how much Xavier really did love me. “I want to concentrate on getting my wolf back first before I take things further with Xavier. I don’t want her to come back to find that I have moved on with Xavier without her,” I nodded. “We need to do this together. We are one after all,” I replied determinedly. “Is there any way I can get to her?”

The Moon Goddess smiled gently in my direction. “Yes, you need to talk to her. She can still hear you.”

“Really?” I asked in shock. “How do I speak to her if she is in a deep sleep?”

“Because she is still deep within your mind. You need to find somewhere quiet and calm and learn how to relax. Just talk to her, and she will hear you,” she encouraged.

“You need to tell her how you’re feeling, how everything is going and explain to her that Tom is dead, and the threat is gone. You need to get her to trust again and to coax her back home. Once she feels safe and secure, then she will return,” the Moon Goddess explained.

“You need to feel her, feel her blood running through your veins and feel your connection once again,” the Moon Goddess’s voice continued.

I nodded, understanding what I finally had to do. “Thank you, Moon Goddess,” I replied. “You have certainly helped me to understand what I need to do.”

The Moon Goddess bowed her head, and I watched her gradually disappear into nothing. Immediately, I felt my self being jerked back by an unknown force and the white clouds and blue sky instantly turned to black. I felt my eyes flutter, and once more, I found myself in my bedroom, feeling more energized and refreshed than ever before.

Yawning, I stretched my arms as far as they would go, and I sat up in bed and rubbed my eyes.

What on earth just happened? Was it a dream, or did I really go and see the Moon Goddess in my sleep?

Getting up, I decided to put the Moon Goddess’s words to good use. I was going to try and get my wolf back. I knew where I had to go and what I had to do. I walked over to the window and noticed that it was starting to become dark.

Perfect.

I pulled my boots back on and made my way to the bedroom door.

A moonlit walk in the woods would be the perfect start.