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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'Let her defend herself.' His father's command hadn't made much sense when he'd uttered it. Oracle Martin had just called them on being distracted with each other. Lex hadn't understood why his father would think only Nia would get the edge of the Oracle's tongue.
Now, it was all he could do not to defend her. One look at his father's stony face though, had his words dying unuttered. If he was being honest, he wanted to know how the five of them could exist without identity. There were no lost bloodlines, only extinct ones. Meticulous records were kept and any new wolf to the pack was extensively researched. Even rogues kept track of their bloodlines.
How could she not know who her father was? Had he been wrong about her? Everyone knew the moon goddess hated the mortals with the exception of humans. Her hatred for the werewolves was most particular. Could she have set them here to start the destruction of his race?
As Lex looked at Nia's pale, haunted face, he couldn't believe she'd ever be part of something like that. She radiated goodness and he had been in her mind. No way could she hide something like that.
Unable to voice any objection Lex took her hand in his and squeezed. Nia gave him a grateful glance before turning back to face the Oracle. Not giving her a chance to answer, the Oracle continued.
"From what the alpha bloods witnessed, the moon goddess adopted you four nights ago. The trickster god said there's more to the adoption. Your scent is that of a wolf and yet you've just done something only a god can. The power that allows us to shift, leaves a footprint of our births and yet none exists for any of you. Can you explain any of that?"
"No." Nia whispered.
Lex gritted his teeth. Even knowing the necessity of it, he hated that she was having to go through this. This interrogation by an Oracle was one of the reasons people were born into and died in a single pack. With the exception of finding a mate outside the pack.
Pale as she was, Nia squeezed his hand, reassuring him when it should be the other way. His mate's generosity astounded him, awed him.
Once again the Oracle nodded, as if he'd expected nothing less. "I understand you were all raised by female relatives once your parents died." The man continued. "Could you tell me their names?"
"I was raised by my aunt Gina." Nia replied.
"Her full name please."
"Ataegina Arianrhod." She provided. "She said she had Celtic roots." Nia explained the foreign name.
The Oracle turned to Ben who sat next to Nia. "And yours?"
"Hinaika Izanami." Ben provided his eyes steady on the Oracle.
"Lasya Yemanja." Nia's Hispanic sister provided without being asked.
"Zirna Jyotsna Mawu." Cade provided in turn. Which left the youngest, shy sister who sat at the end of the table hugging Cade's side with his arm shielding her.
"Anahita Ta'lab." Only their werewolf hearing enabled them to hear her mumbled contribution.
The Oracles looked at each other in that way that let Lex know they were having a subliminal conversation. Something so instinctual it needed no verbalization and was a result of decades of trust.
The male sighed, in it Lex sensed his weariness and fear. "Those are all names for the moon goddess."
It was like everyone stopped breathing. Their confused gazes glued to the Oracles who kept their focus on the five siblings.
"Ataegina is her Lutani name, from a people who later became the Gaelic Celts." The male one expalined. "Arianrhod is another Celtic name for her. Hina-Ika is Hawaiian, Izanami her Japanese name. Lasya is a Tibetian moon goddess with Yemanja being Brazillian."
"Zirna is from the Etruscan civillization, Jyotsna is hindu, Mawu is from the Ewe people of Benin. Anahita is from Persia and Ta'lab is the only one that names a moon god, Arabian."
He paused, it seemed for effect. Lex felt the barrier he'd placed around Nia's mind start to buckle against the assault from both sides. The emotions of those assembled seemed to rush in to her, as if she were a magnet. Whilst her own threatened to burst out and take hold against everyone present.
It took so much strength to battle the opposing forces. Lex strained, his will refusing to bow down. He was an alpha, meant to withstand the emotions of a pack.
"So you're saying...?" Nia questioned.
"The moon goddess personally raised you." The Oracle finished for her.
Nia shook her head. "How's that even possible? The gods cannot stay long on our plane. Their power disrupts nature and their effects on mortals is even more devastating."
"Yet if what we suspect is true, the moon goddess not only managed to stay in our plane for years, she was in five places at once. Whatever power she used to manage that she'd have needed to leave for some periods of time."
"No. The only time she travelled was when my sister and I were at home."
"But both of you were away at school, you'd never know if she wasn't there."
"We talked with her all the time." Nia argued.
The Oracle leaned forward. "Do you think a goddess is incapable of rerouting a phone call to another plane? She managed to erase any trace of you and we all thought that was impossible."
Nia turned her face away from the Oracle. With a far away look that proclaimed her mind elsewhere she glanced about the room. Her hand in his tightened and Lex returned the pressure in kind. He might not be allowed to speak up for her, but he'd let her know she had his full support.
"What now?" She asked the Oracle, her gaze still unfocused.
"Now we test your blood."
Nia whipped her head back to stare at the male Oracle, her eyes burning with defiance. Lex's eyes widened in shock as the emotional energy that had been battling his shield was sucked through it and then met with a well of such power his mind shied from it.
"No." Nia declared.
"We give you our word, no harm will come to you."
"No offense," Ben pitched in. "We're not feeling the love right now and your word, yeah keeping it might go against whatever agenda you have so, no."
"Would a blood oath satisfy you?" Oracle Martin asked.
"Yes," Cade replied. Both Nia and Ben gave him quizzical looks. Lex felt nothing, but he was sure Cade mindsent an explanation to them as they turned back to the Oracle without argument.
