The Dark Goddess

Chapter Two

Winnie Melbourne

"This is Prime Alpha Winnie Melbourne. I'm calling about a recent development that requires your immediate attention in Windmere.", I state, chewing on my bottom lip as I wait for his reply.

"And what exactly is the recent development?", Aslin muses, a hint of amusement in his voice.

I clear my throat. "Unfortunately, it's sensitive information. I can't tell you over the phone. I need you to come to Windmere and see me in person."

Aslin sighs. "Okay. I'll be there within the hour. This better be good, Prime Alpha. I don't like wasting my time."

"Nor do I. See you soon."

I hang up the phone and sigh, hiding my face in my hands as butterflies erupt in my stomach. I had always admired Alpha Aslin. He was a strong leader and a formidable foe for those who dared go against him, but he was highly unpredictable. I had seen him smile in a male's face, joke around with him, and then rip his throat out in the next second.

I stand from my office chair and stretch, groaning slightly as my joints pop. My wolf claws at my mind and I grin, making my way outside. I nod and smile to the passing caretakers and pack members of Windmere as they bow in respect. As soon as I'm outside, I take off my clothes and fold them neatly, placing them into a pile on the railing of the front porch. I roll my shoulders as the shift takes over. I fall onto all fours and shake out my fur before I jump off the porch and take off into the surrounding forest.

My wolf takes partial control, darkening one of our eyes and adding a white ring around the pupil. I blink once to get used to her sharing control with me before she releases a growl and forces her legs to pump faster, throwing us forward at incredible speed. Wind brushes our fur back as the trees pass us in a green and brown blur, blending the world into beautiful colors. The sun peeks through the gaps in the trees and I growl before pushing us even faster. Clumps of dirt and leaves fly up behind us as we fly through the forest, weaving in between the trees.

We slide to a stop in front of the main attraction in Windmere, my wolf falling to the back of my mind but doesn't force a shift. I state at the huge waterfall, watching as the water falls into the lake. I'm panting for breath as I take a drink out of the crystal clear water, closing my eyes as the cold water hits my stomach and causes me to shiver slightly. When I open my eyes, I shift back and dive into the water.

The freezing cold water wraps around my body, stealing the warmth but I don't mind and neither does my wolf. Swimming has always been an escape for us and it was an added bonus that it made us stronger and more agile. I breach the surface and take a deep breath before diving back under. I kick my legs and stretch out my hand, my fingers brushing the bottom. As I go to pull away, something shiny catches my attention. I swim to it and snag it.

When I come back up, I hold it up so I can see what it is. To my mild surprise, it's an obsidian dagger unlike anything I have ever seen. Six different sharp edges join at the end to create a sharp point. I look at the handle, squinting my eyes slightly. There's an emblem of the Blood Moon right before the hilt. Turning the dagger upside down, there's a portion of the handle that sticks out further. I press my finger onto it and drop the blade as I hear gears shifting and clicking noise.

The blade grows in length and another blade shoots out from the bottom of the handle. The two blades are joined together by the handle and I cautiously approach it. My wolf urges me to pick it up and I follow her request, my muscles locking up as a vision hits me.

The strong scent of iron permeates the air as I stagger forward, coughing violently. Blood coats my body and I collapse onto my knees. Amos crosses the crimson field, laughing.

"So the Dark Goddess has fallen.", he sneers. "Not as strong as you thought you were, am I right? Pathetic."

I lean back onto the heels of my feet and grin at him, blood coating my teeth. "Maybe not, Amos. But the Dark Goddess hasn't fallen yet. She wasn't even here. But now she is."

The wind whips my hair violently around me as I climb to my feet. The Blood Moon is in full effect and I'm feeling the power increase I receive. Amos steps back in shock and confusion, his dark eyes never leaving mine. In a shower of blood, black wings tear through my shoulders.

The black dagger is in my hand and with a swiftness I've never possessed, I press the button and swing the growing blade in an upwards arc. The blade sinks into Amos' stomach and protrudes through his back and I grin, my eyes glinting with something feral.

"Not as strong as you thought you were, am I right? Pathetic.", I sneer, throwing his words back in his face. With a snarl, I yank the blade out of his stomach and then swing it around and down.

The last look on his face is one of shock and horror as his head slides off of his body, landing onto the floor with a dull thud. Genevieve steps out of the shadows, smiling.

As I come to, I collapse onto my knees. Warm blood drips from my nose, leaving a trail of it down my face. I don't bother wiping it, taking off through the forest with the dagger back to its original form in my hand. When Windmere Packhouse comes into view, I slow to a walk and take notice of Bronze, Ezra, and Aslin standing in front of the porch.

Bronze is the first to notice me, rushing over with the other following. He engulfs me in a hug before pulling away. "What happened? Why are you bleeding?", he asks.

Aslin shoves him away, snarling. "Mate. Mine. Who hurt you?"

I shrug Aslin off of me. "Nothing. Don't worry about it."

"No. Tell me."

"I said no, Alpha Aslin! It's none of your concern.", I say as I walk away

"It is!", he growls. "You are my mate. You tricked me into coming here!"

I turn on him, facing him and snarling. "I may be your mate but you don't talk to me like that right now! I tricked you here because I knew you were my mate and I needed you to know. You wouldn't have believed me if I told you over the phone."

Aslin opens his mouth to say something but Ezra cuts him off. "What's that?", he asks while pointing to the dagger I'm holding.

"It's a dagger. I found it at Windmere Waterfall. There's a button at the bottom of the handle and when I pressed it, the blade extended and then another blade appeared at the other end. When I picked it up, I had a vision.", I explain.

"What was it about?", Bronze inquires, looking curious but also confused.

"Amos.", I answer before turning around and walking towards the front porch. I stop and turn my head slightly. "And Genevieve.", I add.