Chapter 58 - The Alpha’s Goddess

~CALLIE’S P.O.V~

I have no idea when I arrived, but according to Leonidas, time works differently here than back at home. So, currently, I have been held captive and playing dumb for almost a week now. I thought for a moment my rescue party wasn't just coming but Leonidas informed me that in their time it had only been a short few hours. Crazy how time in an alternative universe works.

This week has been stressful, to say the least. Jakus hasn’t bugged me much, especially after I revealed to his lover how newly pregnant she was. I haven’t had a heat yet. I did, however, cast a spell on myself to conceal that when it does hit. I remember Jakus mentioned only wanting to mate during my heat, so he hadn’t demanded my presence besides mandatory meals.

Since being here, I have walked through every hall and been in every room, at least the ones we could find. We managed to find a few hide-a-rooms that looked like a bookshelf. Stumbled across them accidentally while picking books out to read. They were pretty neat, you could see that they weren’t known about, nor were they used, seeing how most were covered in dust. I’m sure there is so much more to this palace than we found though.

I'm actually surprised he allowed me to be about the palace so freely. I guess I had made it seem like I was still talking about the potion or maybe he was watching my every move. This is why we are using a spell that I found in one of the many books. It was a spell to make Leonidas invisible to even the eye of a camera, besides to the caster, me. He, by the way, has also been all over the palace. To the camera, I just looked like I was exploring on my own, oblivious to my surroundings and talking to myself here and there.

“Here, my love, I think I’ve found a book about the previous moon goddess. Or maybe her journal?” Leonidas says, taking me out of my inner thoughts.

We had been book surfing, looking for anything that concerns the moon goddesses. We’ve found more than I ever expected. Back home, we hadn’t found a trace of the moon goddess's life, but here, I’ve spotted some works.

“Really!?” I sprang up off my bed and hopped onto the floor next to Leonidas.

“Yeah. It seems kind of personal, so I figured maybe you’d rather read about them alone?”

I nodded my head agreeing. Leonidas hands me the journal and walks away to give me some privacy.

I’m not sure I even want to know what happened to the previous moon goddess. I’m terrified of what I may find out. But I have to do this if I want any answers about anything, including her life.

These last few days, since being here, I have learned so much, but this journal is what’s going to tell me everything I need to know about her, Leanne.

I looked back up from where Leonidas had been standing. I wanted him to be there with me, learning this alongside me. But I feel this weird feeling inside because Gunner doesn’t know.

Leonidas and I have been getting extremely close on a personal level. A level I hadn’t had the opportunity to get with Gunner due to all this chaos since finding one another. We learned a lot about each other, yes. But not on a super personal level like I was able to do with Leonidas. It makes me feel guilty. Because I want that deep connection with Gunner as well, but I also desire it with Leonidas.

I also feel guilty because I do love Gunner, and it was for sure more than a mate-bond love. But I also now realize that Leonidas affects me that Gunner has too. I feel this powerful pull to love him too. And I do, but I haven’t told him. I won’t until Gunner knows.

I’ve only been with him for five days now, but these five days have helped me not only learn about myself but also about him.

There isn't much history for him because he has been in a coma for 7 years of his life. That's a lot of his life in a coma. It breaks my heart that his dad would do something so cruel. He has such a kind soul and a big heart. He was truly one of the kindest people I have ever met. Which says a lot. I have met many people in my life.

We found so many answers together. He is also so smart. He makes me want to share my heart with him, but I can’t until Gunner knows and approves. I hope Gunner approves because I’ve come to realize what Emery meant by, we need both sides to feel whole. Leonidas fills this part of me I didn’t even know needed to be filled. But without Gunner here, I feel this void. Emery was right, we need both to feel complete. I didn’t think I would agree, but here I am, agreeing. I need them both, I cannot live wholeheartedly without them both by my side.

When this first happened, I thought there was no way, but now I feel as if it’s the only way. They were both destined for me, so I pray they agree to be the trio we were destined to be.

I’m not even sure how being with two destined mates that are not biologically related at the same time works. I have yet to find a book that talks about that while looking in the palace. As far as we know, we are the first. I wonder if Leonidas had a mate before me, like Gunner and I did. I’m going to have to ask.

I close my eyes to take a few breaths to help clear my mind and to get myself out of my thoughts. I opened them after I exhaled my last deep breath and looked down at the brown journal that was in my hands.

You could tell it was old, very old. The leather was cracking, and it was held together with ribbons. On the cover, her name is written in cursive. She had such beautiful handwriting.

I ran my hand over the letters of her name. It’s time.

“Okay, moon goddess, let’s read about your life,” I said aloud as I flipped to the first page.

••••••••

07/26/1913

Today he looked at me like he looked at me. I can’t believe it! Maybe I will be brave enough to ask for his number. I’m so excited! Not much to update with my life, I wished I could write more. We just haven’t had the paper. But enough about me, I wanted to write about Mom. She is doing badly. She has been gone for 8 days now. I’m not sure when she will return from this latest bender. I may have to go steal bread from the bakery around the corner to feed me and my little brother. I wished I was magical; I’d whip up some food and never have to worry. But let’s be real, magic doesn’t exist. Anyways, farewell for now.

~Leanne

••••••••

She was 15 at that time. My heart hurt at the thought that all she was worried about was food in that memory. Food and a simple crush. She also didn’t realize she was magical yet. I take a deep breath before turning a few pages.

••••••••

12/30/1914

I found out today that I have powers. I had an outburst at home. Everything lifted into the air circulating around my mom. I was always so angry with her. How could she do this to her children? I scared her, I saw the fear in her eyes. The next thing I knew, a man was in our home and yanking me away from my little brother. No. I can’t leave him. Who will care for him if I’m gone?

It’s been so awful lately. This is not the life I thought I’d live. One day I’m as happy as I can be and the next, I am being sold off to be some whore. I was a virgin! A goddamn virgin and my mother sold it, my virginity. Who the fuck does that? I was pinned down and raped ‘In the name of the goddesses to grant them a baby with my goddess body. I found out I was powerful and some goddess in one day. Had I known then what I know now, I would’ve escaped with my brother. We would’ve run away and lived happily. But that’s not my life, is it?

I’ve thought about it, you know. Death, that is. But I’m scared. But it can’t be worse than this though. Right?

~Leanne

••••••••

My heart broke a little. Nobody should ever have to go through that. Especially a child. She didn’t know she was a goddess until 15? I was showing signs at 4. Why was she so late in showing her own?

I honestly don’t know how much more I can bear to read tonight. But I need answers, if not for myself, then for her. I need to understand. One more page and then I will take a break. I skip several more pages until I land on a year that looked familiar. 1922. I remember being told this was the year, it was the year she committed suicide.

I ran my finger over the date before reading on.

••••••••

08/18/1922

I’ve managed to get a bunker set up with essentials for my daughter ever needs it. She is safe but I have a feeling I won’t be for much longer. Ashley has been by my side since losing Jason. My heart breaks knowing the one person I ever loved was taken from me. But that’s okay, I plan to take out Jakus today. I will allow myself to be captured and do the forbidden spell. I will make him and all his friends pay for all the hell and pain they have caused me. After tonight, I will die, and my soul will be free from this eternal plane. This place might as well have been hell.

I’ve been watching, I know Azalea plans to hand me over. It’s not her fault, her default has always been self-centered. But I will use her betrayal for my benefit. Ashley keeps begging me to reconsider, but I have nothing left in me to push on. I cannot be the mother I want to be; it would only put a target on Amarie. So, this plan is my best option. I’m done with this life, I’m ready to move on, and I’m ready to not always be in pain because of my torturous memories. It’s my time.

But I promise, I will do everything in my power to keep the next goddess from living a life like this. I don’t even wish this on my enemies, although they deserve it. I made sure to tell Ashley that I loved her, but she needed to stay far away from the ceremony he would hold. I also asked if she would keep Azalea away. She may have betrayed me, but I still love her, she was my chosen family after all. Maybe not the best family, since she is more like my mother than she realizes, but nobody is perfect, and I have already forgiven her. This was my fate. It was my destiny. This had to happen, right or wrong as it may be, it had to happen.

Tonight, I will make history. Tonight, I will take my life and everyone who dares celebrate the life of someone who was forced to be a mate.

Tonight is the blood moon, in which I will be at full power. Tonight, we all die.

~Leanne

•••••••

I sucked in a deep breath. Okay, so I know her story, a story I’m beyond thankful was not my own. I knew I felt powerful on the night of the blood moon, now I know why. If only I fought and did something and did not look weak and pathetic by being captured. But that also may work in my favor too.

I saw nothing about her abilities though. I wonder if she even wrote about them. It would be my luck to find a journal physically written by the goddess herself but nothing containing what we are capable of. Truth be told, I feel capable of anything. Most come by instinct, which comes in handy when I need it. But I’d love to know before a fight what to do so that what happened doesn’t happen again.

So far, my track record isn’t the best. Yes, I killed hundreds at once, but I’ve also gotten myself kidnaped not once, but twice now. I wonder what the record for one person to be abducted is. I bet I’m up there. Who gets abducted twice by different people? Especially someone who is supposed to be as powerful as I am.

I shake my head as the door opens without a knock, something Leonidas has been famous for.

“Hey, the journal you found doesn’t tell me anything about power,” I said as I turned to meet the face I dreaded seeing. “Oh Jakus,” I said as my heart picked up a pace.

“Yes, were you expecting someone else?”

“Well yes, Ingrid.” I lied.

Ingrid actually hasn’t been around much since I revealed what state she is in. Maybe she was scared I’d hurt her and the baby. Or maybe Jakus no longer wants his mistress near me, in fear I’d find out the offspring was his. It was a given, he didn’t know I overheard their lovemaking. But he also doesn’t realize I could smell the baby. His blood pulsed in the little embryo.

Ever since Leonidas gave me my full memories back, I’ve managed to smell things I never did before. Including knowing a baby exists before the body even shows any signs that something is invading it. There were also other things like heightened hearing, even more so than my already heightened wolf hearing. I could hear the footsteps on the ground outside in the woods if I listened hard enough.

I have also been practicing my magic, Leonidas teaching me what he knew. I was picking up on it quite fast, especially with having access to an open library with multiple spell books. I’ve learned so many fascinating things I would have never learned had I not been brought here.

“I was coming to check-in. We haven’t seen each other besides meals.” That’s his way of checking if my heat was near.

But what he doesn’t know is I used a spell found in the library to put my heat off longer. I could feel it wanting to come but the magic containing it. I’d say I have about 72 hours before the heat overtakes the spell. Which means we have 72 hours left before my rescue party needs to get here.

I’ve tried mind-linking, several times. But this alternate dimension has some blockage, and I haven’t been able to penetrate that yet. They weren’t lying when they said he was powerful. If I was at my full potential, I’m sure I could break through, but the potion he gave me upon arrival has given me limited access to my power. I could feel the potion slowly fading each day, allowing me to access my abilities even more while I’m still gaining my strength back. That potion definitely took it out of me, that’s for sure. Luckily, I hadn’t needed my full powers because he hadn’t tried anything. But I have a feeling that is going to change soon, I might add. And I’ll be damned if he lays a finger on me in any sexual way. I also don’t see Leonidas allowing that either.

But he is in the same boat as me, still regaining the power within from the potion holding him back. His body was under control longer, so it may take him longer to recover. However, I also see him accessing his abilities more and more, like me. He is powerful, no doubt. I’m so glad he isn’t on his father's side. That would be a duo I don’t think I could take alone, even being a goddess. And that says something.

“I am doing okay, just lots of reading. I want to understand where we come from. I haven’t gotten my memories yet so I’m trying to trigger them.” I say as I hold Ashley’s journal in the air.

I could see his eyes have a mini panic with the book I held but he pushed it away fast.

At that moment, Leonidas walked into the room. Luckily, he still has that spell around him, so he is only visible to my eye. However, Jakus must sense him because the moment he walked into the room he started looking around. I made sure not to look in the direction Leonidas stood and kept my eyes on his father.

“Everything okay?” I asked, knowing full well why he was looking around. He can feel his presence.

He stops looking around to make eye contact with me once again.

“Of course, there was a drift of air, and I was wondering where it came from. You look busy, I’ll let you get back to it. Be down for dinner at 7 pm no later. We are having your favorite thing tonight. Remember your favorite? Venison?”

I shook my head, knowing full well venison was not my top favorite food.

“Thank you, honey. I will be there. If you need me, I will either be in here or the library.” I said casually, smiling a smile that didn’t reach my eyes. I don’t want him to suspect me in any way of knowing what’s actually happening, but I hate addressing him as anything other than Jakus. However, until I get full access to my powers, I have to pretend. Especially if I don’t want him trying to take advantage of me, so far, he hasn’t, and I thank the goddess for that. Leanne didn’t receive the same treatment and my heart hurts for her. She was 15-16 years old, alone and scared, beaten and raped and that was her life.

I’m so thankful for what both of my sets of parents did to protect me. Now that I see how bad it could have been for me, I understand the depths of why they did what they did. I’m still upset about being in the dark for so long, but I now understand.

Jakus walks over and kisses my forehead, making me cringe on the inside. Ew. I need to scrub my face to rid his nasty lingering lip prints off of me! There may not physically be a print there, but I can feel where his lips touched my skin, and it makes my skin crawl with disgust.

I quickly looked up to where Leonidas stood, praying he didn’t do anything irrational. We weren’t ready to go up against his dad, not yet at least. I could see him visibly shaking. He hated his father more than I did.

My eyes begged him to not do what he was thinking about doing. ‘Please don’t do anything irrational, we aren’t ready, he isn’t hurting me, so we are fine.’ I linked him, praying it worked. His eyes looked up to meet my own, acknowledging me.

Luckily, Leonidas was easier to calm down than Gunner, it helps that he doesn’t have a wolf. He does, however, have another monster, as he calls it, inside of him that begs to be released, just in a different way. I can’t say I didn’t want it. I did, I wanted his fangs in my neck as I climaxed, a recurring thought I couldn’t seem to shake. However, I won't, not until Gunner has agreed. Until then I will not touch him. No matter how bad my body begs me to succumb to his dark side and let him take me in all ways he can.

I shake the thought before I get turned on. The last thing I want is for Jakus to think he has that effect on me. Once I was sure Leonidas wouldn’t make an irrational move, I decided to try and get his father out of this room. The sooner he is gone, the better it is for all of us.

“I’ll be at dinner at 7 sharp. I’m going to read some more if that’s okay?”

“Of course, my love, read on.” He says as he turns around, heading toward the door. “I love that you’re exploring and getting re-familiarized with our palace, but please remember to refrain from going into room 220. It’s off-limits to everyone, including you, my love.” He says as he looks around the room once more before waking out.

Little does he know, I’ve not only already been in that room, but I also released the one thing the room contained. The person Jakus most likely feared over everyone. His son. My third mate. One of the halves that makes me whole.