Maid for the Alpha

Chapter 43

Leland was having a hard time falling asleep. The bright full moon was particularly annoying that night and no amount of tossing and turning was helping. The window was way too high up for him to reach it. All he could do was hope he didn't wake up mum.

"Leland," her soft voice came through the dark. "I can hear the bed squeaking from down the hall. What's wrong luv?"

Ah crap, little Leland thought. "Sorry mum. I can't sleep."

His mother sat on the bed next to him. The soft moonlight highlighted her hair. So pretty. She rubbed his back. "What am I to do with you?"

Leland offered a sheepish smile. "Read to me?"

She chuckled. She knew what story he wanted to hear. "It's late luv."

"Please?"

She gave in quickly, as she always did. Getting up, she knew where to look – even in the dark. Pulling out a small, worn-out, leatherbound book, she sat back down and waited. Leland was getting excited. He loved the stories from this book. Besides the ring his mother wore, it was the only thing that his father left behind.

As soon as he was settled and tucked in tight, his mother began to read.

"Long ago, beneath the ancient Greek sky, began the journey of a lonely, pregnant woman along a dirt road in the middle of the night. She had thought, 'Oh how my nights are long, and my days are short. Soon my life will also end.' This woman was running away. Her village was attacked by a gang of thieves, leaving no one to survive – not even her husband. Having narrowly escaped death, she was running down an old, narrow path that led into the woods. She hoped to find a cave to hide in until morning.

"The only light she had to guide her was the bright full moon. She prayed to the goddess Selene, the Greek goddess of the moon, to lead her to safety. While she was moving farther and farther away from the murdering thieves in the village, she did not know that she was heading into another kind of danger.

"The woods were full of wolves, and they were hungry.

"A rustle in the bushes caused her to stop. Out jumped a wolf onto the path before her. It snarled and snapped its teeth."

Leland hated this part. He clutched his blanket to his chin. But he knew the good part was coming – his favorite part.

"The woman cried to the goddess Selene to save her. She promised her unborn child to the service of the goddess in exchange for their lives.

"In that moment, the moon became a brilliant white, and she knew the goddess heard her. The wolf, however, did not know about the goddess. It lunged at the woman and just as its teeth sunk into her tender flesh, the goddess's voice was heard, 'I accept your offer my child. I will protect you and your children, and your children's children and all your lineage, for they will belong to me and shall serve my purpose.'

"Lightning struck the wolf, seared through its flesh, and shot into the woman, just as her water broke. She screamed in a pain like no other. Her labors had begun. All the while the moon sent a blindingly bright light upon her, and her five babies were born."

"Five werewolves!" Leland exclaimed.

"Shh. I won't keep reading if you won't try to sleep."

"Sorry mum."

His mother continued, "From these five children were born werewolves; humans that could shift into wolf form and back to human again. The strongest of them was the first born, who became the first leader of them all. She spoke to the goddess often and relayed the messages to her siblings. It is from her bloodline where the royal werewolves come from. Her gifts from the goddess are only passed down through first-borns of first-borns. She is the equalizer, the pacifier, the war-maiden, the justice, the hope, and the fulfillment of all the goddess wishes for her creation.