When the gods go to war, it's their people who suffer.
The moon was the most benevolent of them until they took everything from her. Vengeance turned her into the instrument of destruction, now those who destroyed her have to give her back what the...
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The moon goddess had come to their call, and she looked at them like they were an answer to all her prayers. It made no sense that she'd look at them like that. Like they were beloved. Why would she love them?
"Thou art my beloved children." She answered Nia's thoughts.
Nia darted a quick glance at Cade who shrugged. He tried to appear casual, like the moon goddess claiming them was a run-of-the-mill thing. His eyes though, held that eager desperation and distrust of an abandoned child, wanting to believe he could be loved but unwilling to trust it, as he had been let down one too many times.
Her heart went out to him as tears pooled in her eyes. She knew that desperation, that need to belong to someone who could and would fight the world for you. Someone not ashamed to be called yours. The moon goddess' claim was all they had ever wanted, all they would mistrust.
Lunar's eyes filled as she looked at them, understanding proclaiming itself on her face. Even though they were on different beds she drew them to her, somehow keeping them where they were. Without any fanfare or overt magic, their three friends were suddenly there, as if they had always been there, where they belonged.
She held all five of them, but they were not in each other's arms, only the Lunar held each of them. The other three had their eyes as wide as they could be, confusion marring their features.
"They killed off my children," she stated, pain radiating from her voice. "For no reason other than that they had my favour, had my powers." Her tone was no longer formal as if her pain transcended who she was and made her more human.
Tears ran down her cheeks as she absently stroked their hair. Nia sat as still as she could, unsure whether to hug her back and uncomfortable with her pain. She was the moon goddess, a powerful deity, millions of years old and they were, well, they were just kids.
Her healer's instincts though, would not let her sit back when someone was in pain, regardless of who they were. She wrapped her arms around the goddess, and let go of the power she always held in check.
Welcoming peace flowed from her to the goddess, comfort without reservation. There was acceptance in Nia's power, reassurance that healed the soul and an innate sense of love. An aura of well-being enveloped the room, drawing all cares away to replace them with the sense that it was okay to be whoever you wanted to be.
"My beautiful daughter," the moon goddess drew away from her to gaze at her with pride as if Tania was something to celebrate. "You have no idea how powerful you are, none of you do." She included the others.
Nia lowered her head, she knew her being a healer was rare, especially with the kidnappings and hunters, it also meant she was the most helpless wolf. What use was it to be powerful if the side effect was being so weak?
The goddess lifted Nia's chin until Nia was forced to meet her eyes. "Powerful, never weak." She stated like she was proclaiming the final truth.
Nia looked at the others, her friends, and saw that they were in their own worlds. She had a feeling the goddess was having different conversations with them now, addressing their particular needs.
"They are not your friends, but your family. As the eldest, it's your duty to care for them. Should you choose to stay, for your sakes I will bless this pack. Should you leave, I will find you another pack. I know how you all feel about packs but you are going to need the protection of one."
Her heart thudded in her chest. While she did not want to be a homeless Were, she had little trust for packs. To have to stay in one, even as the luna heir, was a hard pill to swallow. But she couldn't risk the lives of her friends... family, that was going to take a bit of adjustment.
"What will happen to this pack if we leave?" Nia wasn't sure she wanted to stay. Lex scared her in ways she had yet to explore, for reasons she didn't want to explore.
For all its radiant beauty, the moon goddess' smile leached all the warmth she had started to feel in her soul. There was unimaginable malice in the expression, vindictiveness devoid of any thoughts. Her eyes stared dreamily into space as she daydreamed of some diabolic revenge.
As if coming out of a trance, she blinked and looked at Nia, her smile became serene and loving, which Nia found more chilling than her vindictiveness. "Anyone you don't accept or who doesn't accept you is not accepted by me.
Which meant if they left, the Moon goddess would kill off the pack. Nia was already guilt-stricken over the packs Lunar had destroyed in their wake, to know about it beforehand trapped her.
*
He found her sitting with her back against the wall, brooding about what had just happened. She hated the idea of being responsible for so much, the death; no total annihilation, of at least five packs with the likelihood of two others being destroyed.
Turned out the alpha heir who had wanted to kill them was Lex's cousin and his pack was the one she had dreamt about being destroyed. So now she had to stay, without having resolved her mind about her new mate. If anyone so much as threatened her again though, she would leave and know she had tried to save all of them.
Her new family had all gone out to do some exploring, she had her suspicions about that, and she was alone in the infirmary. Lex paused, surprise chasing across his face for a moment.
Nia blushed as she saw the appreciation that settled in his eyes. "Lunar did that," she explained as she tucked her hair behind her left ear, leaving the right side to cover part of her face.
The moon goddess had fleshed out their gaunt half-starved bodies and given them a glow that was a bit more than healthy. Nia was learning their new mother tended to do things a bit overboard.
"You look very beautiful," Lex breathed out. "Not that you didn't look great before." he flustered.
She laughed at that, somehow he looked less intimidating right then. "I looked like an anorexic heroin addict."
He shook his head as he slowly came closer. "Beautiful."
Heat curled in her stomach and her heart raced as blood rushed to her cheeks. With her head down she looked at him through her lashes and blushed even more when their eyes met.
"Lex, I... I don't think I can do this." her voice was more thready than she wanted.
