Chapter 217

The scene before me was wiped away with her arm. The screams that had shattered the silence of my mind were gone in an instant, and once again, we were alone in the trees of my mind. “The first Lycan was born from your blood. The wolves were born from your power.”

“Exactly. But you, your line, is different.” She walked a few steps. “Your wolf line, your fathers, descended from the first wolf and from a powerful line of witches. But your mother’s line... Her Lycan line came from me.” Her grip on me tightened again. “You see, I fell in love.” Her eyes were full of tears as we continued down our path, but her smile was bright. “The man I saved had a large family, who had children, and they had children until Wellin came.”

“Why has no one heard of Wellin?”

“Because…” She shook her head, and I felt a slight burn as her tear landed on my hand. “Because I loved him too much, and when he betrayed me, I banished him.” A soft sigh escaped her. “He was my everything.”

“What happened?”

“I had finally grown into my power, and I could leave my sky and started to walk among the wolves down here on earth. I found my peace here, with my pets, and connected with the world.” She smiled. “I finally wasn’t alone. But from my position in the sky, I watched over my Lycans, my first creations, and made sure they flourished. One day I stumbled across Wellin walking, and I knew he was one of mine. I could scent him, and he connected to me. But there were no mates back then, nothing that tied two creatures together except for their love, much like how the humans lived. He thought I was just another woman, and I enjoyed the attention. He made me feel beautiful.” She closed her eyes, and I felt her tremble. “I came back night after night and found him waiting for me. Soon, we grew together, but he never told me of his nature. He kept himself apart from me, so I never told him of mine.” She looked at me, and I watched the trail of her tear. Two trails of moonlight donned her face, and it took my breath away. “You have to understand, I was lonely, and he was my everything. He became my everything. We grew together, made a life. I turned my back from my goddess path and almost forgot who I truly was. We mated, a handfasting under my moon, and promised our lives to each other. And soon I had a babe. His babe. But all good things never last.” She pushed forward, pulling me with her, and her sorrow followed us. “Our daughter was strong, beautiful, and like her father. But I was growing weak. I had to go back to the sky for a night to recharge, and that’s when I found them.”

She grew silent, and I knew, but I still asked, “Found who?”

“Wellin had another. While I raised our daughter, he went out and found a new woman. I watched as they handfasted under my moon, and my heart shattered. Our daughter was old enough that she was already looking for her husband, and I made my decision to stay in the sky. But that’s when I created the mate bond. One soul made for the other, so that her father could never cheat on another, so that my child could never be broken, as I was broken.”

“He cheated on the moon goddess?” She nodded.

“So believe me when I tell you I know your pain.” She cupped my cheeks. “You are not alone in your pain. And together…we will figure out your wolves.” I nodded and turned back to the path again. The surrounding trees were dark, thick, and damp.

“How much further?” I searched for my wolves, and there was nothing.

The goddess lifted her shoulder. “This is your mind and soul. Your wolves retreated to where they feel the safest.”

We passed my clearing with the candle a while back. Now we passed the dark corner of my mind where my power pulsed. The green ball of light was still and steady, grounding me with its steady flicker.

We left the trees behind, and now we were just walking in the dark. “I can’t see where anything is.” I waved my hand in front of us, and the goddess beside me just chuckled.

“We are inside you. Close your eyes and focus on them. Listen to your inner voice and feel where they are.” She waited until I followed her instructions, and we waited.

And waited.

Until finally, off in the distance, I felt a flicker of something. So I turned towards it, and we walked until, finally, we walked up to my two wolves, laying in each other’s paws.