"What is wrong with her?" Zephyr asked, his eyes sizing up the little girl who lay on a bed surrounded by candles.
"It's strange and uncertain, Alpha," Otsanna answered from across the room, continuing to light candles and set them around Selene's bed.
"Is it dark magic?" Zephyr inquired. Perhaps Selene had truly brought darkness to the pack.
"No, it's not, but it's intense and needs spiritual healing," she said. "I hope to be certain tomorrow."
"May the goddess be with you, young one," Vilka whispered, tears in her eyes.
Zephyr tore his gaze from the child, pushing away the disturbing thoughts as he turned his focus to the one whose attention, his soul and his very being demanded.
Selene.
"What is wrong with her?" he asked, taking a few steps closer but still keeping distance between them.
"Two things I'm certain of, Alpha Zephyr," Otsanna said as she lit the final candle and walked to retrieve a basket of petals.
"I'm listening," the Alpha urged curiously, and Vilka moved closer as well.
"The first is, the shadow weaver's grasp still lingers in her. That's not a surprise, seeing as she survived it. And now, she's trapped in her worst memory, I hope I can bring her out clean," Otsanna stated sadly.
Vilka's eyes widened in realization as she recalled Selene calling out to her father and pleading.
"That's horrible," Vilka said.
"Is that all?" Zephyr urged on, ignoring his mother's pitiful words.
"The full moon. It seems to have triggered her condition, and her body is fighting strongly, as if trying to break free from something..." Otsanna's voice trailed off as her curious glance landed on Selene.
"So she has nothing to do with the Shadow wolf?" Zephyr asked with a hint of an unreadable tone in his voice.
"What? The shadow wolf?" Vilka gasped in confusion.
"Alpha Zephyr, she has everything to do with the Shadow wolf. We can't ignore the words of your curse. It says …."
But Zephyr cut Otsanna off immediately. "I know the words of my curse!" he snapped and stalked out of the house angrily.
Otsanna smiled and turned to Vilka. "It's quite refreshing to see the Alpha so furious and irritated, isn't it?" The sorceress joked with a twinkle in her eyes. "His blandness and nonchalance was depressing. Now, he acts more alive."
Vilka agreed, but she had a more pressing matter on her mind. "What happened with the shadow wolf?" She asked, moving closer to Otsanna.
"The shadow wolf was absent today. It never came. The plan was to wait until the moon was gone, but the Alpha was troubled, and so he raced back home," the sorceress revealed.
Vilka's eyes widened, and she swallowed a lump. "Do you think he sensed the chaos? Or he rushed back because his mate was in dire danger?" The Luna asked.
"I don't know," Otsanna answered honestly. Zephyr had simply forced them to unlock the cage and unlock the chains with the repeated statement that 'he needed to get back.'
Vilka sank into a world of throbbing thoughts. Ever since Selene's presence, the Luna had been indulged in incessant thinking.
"So does this mean that she is the guide?" Vilka asked, her eyes searching Otsanna's.
"Is it not obvious?" Otsanna said, and it was her turn to read Vilka's eyes with a faint smile on her face. "A lot seems to be troubling you, Luna ," Otsanna said.
Vilka chuckled. "What do you think?"
Otsanna nodded. "I think you should be troubled. There's a lot on your plate now." The sorceress's voice was honest and blunt, not mocking. "The rejection, for example…."
Vilka stepped forward. "Are you going to tell him?" She asked, her voice a low, scared whisper.
"I can't. I swore an oath to you and Raulv. Besides, I already gave him the impression that the goddess rejected his rejection," Otsanna said. "I would advise that you tell him the truth. As you can see, the prophecy is in motion, and soon the secrets will come to light."
Vilka felt a stab at her heart and lowered her gaze at Selene. "Will she be alright?" She asked.
"You know she will," Otsanna said.
"How should I know that?" Vilka asked, her eyes never leaving the pale, weak woman who lay on the bed.
"Because, you know who her mother is," Otsanna declared.
Vilka swallowed a deep sigh and turned to Otsanna. "Are you going to tell her…."
"Maybe," Otsanna said with a shrug.
"Don't do that. You can't! She is his daughter!" Vilka protested.
"Is she?" Otsanna challenged.
"She was raised as his daughter. That makes her his daughter. We can't go about revealing secrets when we are not sure of the situation here!" Vilka stated firmly.
"Oh, I am very sure you have a good idea of the situation here," Otsanna said, leveling her firmness to match Vilka's. "Now, if you'll excuse me, Luna. I have to get to work."
Vilka nodded and retreated her steps, heading for the door. Before leaving, she whispered an audible 'Thank you.'
Vilka was trying to calm her fast-beating heart as she came out into the open. Zephyr was standing feet away from the bungalow, and for a moment, as she walked towards him, she scolded herself; what if he had heard their conversation?
"Zephyr….." Vilka greeted as she approached him.
He stood staring at nothing in particular. "Did Otsanna tell you about the shadow wolf?" He asked.
"She did," she confirmed.
"What do you think?"
Vilka was silent at first, thinking of what to say. "The curse, Zephyr," she finally managed with a whisper.
"To the pit of the underworld with the curse!" He snarled.
"But the goddess….."
"To the pit of the underworld with the goddess herself!" He said angrily.
Vilka gasped in shock. "How dare you insult the goddess?" She asked breathlessly.
"The goddess insults me, mother! She insults me every day of my meaningless existence!" He expressed in rage.
Tears stung Vilka's eyes. She had never seen Zephyr so angry. "My son, you are not meaningless, …."
"I killed my own father and became a slave to a curse!" He said angrily. "And now I am fated to the daughter of my own enemy! The one who took life from me! The goddess insults me! She spits on my face by giving me the daughter of my enemy as a mate! And now this same mate is the guide?!"
His voice was low, but he sounded incredibly angry.
Vilka took steps closer and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"The words are; It's subtle power will forever stay, till the guide to map arrives one day. Then shadow wolf will briefly hide….."
"I know the words of my curse mother! It's imprinted in my soul." Zephyr said angrilly.
"Then this helps the plan better." Vilka tried
"Better?" Zephyr scoffed angrilly. "You don't know what it feels like! To have your worst enemy eatihg right in to your mind!"
He turned to his mother with desperation and frustration clear in his eyes.
"Her presence is driving me crazy, mother! I can't do anything. I can't eat or drink or think! Her scent leaves me so deep in want! It's infuriating! She's controlling me! I'm losing my mind!!" He expressed, his body vibrating in anger.
Vilka was shocked at first, not sure how to handle this outburst from her son but she rubbed his hair affectionately.
"I can imagine how frustrating it is for you," she said softly. "But the goddess has a purpose, accepting your mate…"
"I will never!" Zephyr growled. "I will never accept her as my mate!"