The Rise of Venus

The Journey Begins

Song: music mix by Aminium Music

Hugging Mother was like hugging the wind. She was gone as quickly as she'd embraced me and even though I was still upset, I missed her warm touch. Her dark hands smoothed the stray hairs out of my face, tucking them into my low bun. Mother adjusted my grey shirt and eyed my raggedy jeans with distaste.

"Mind link me once a day," she murmured. I nodded and shifted closer to her as she picked at a piece of lint that wasn't there. Dragging our time together out, she continued to fuss over me like I was still a child she had to look after. "Watch out for Pride. Make sure you take care of him."

"Yes, Mother." The first light of day peaked between the tall trees of Maine. I knew that we would have to leave soon. Dion wanted to be gone before the Pack was fully awake after our night of partying and gaiety.

Cupping my cheek, Mother's mask slipped away and worry lines seeped into her flawless skin. "I really am sorry for doing this to you."

"Mother-"

"Listen to me, Venus," she interrupted. I bit my bottom lip to keep from talking and nodded. "I made a selfish choice to have you. I didn't think of what Rowena would ask for. I didn't heed the warnings of the stars and I didn't think of how you'd be impacted."

"Magick has a price," I said. Something we all knew thanks to it being mentioned thousands of times in our textbooks.

"I thought I'd already paid for it," Mother chuckled darkly. Her silver hair blew in the wind and she leaned her forehead against mine. Strands of silver hid our breaking expressions from the nearby wolves. I was grateful for that. Her damp cheek brushed mine and I trembled at the feeling of Mother weeping.

I'd never seen or felt Mother cry before.

Ever.

"But it looks like we're not done paying just yet." I ached at the sound of her breaking whisper and grasped her hands still covering my cheeks. Tears lined my closed lids but I refused to let them fall. The sight of me crying would only pain her even more. I couldn't do that to her.

It would've been like rubbing salt in her open wound.

I was still mad and I was still hurt. But I couldn't inflict more pain on her than what she was already carrying. I loved my mother too much for that.

Pushing forward, I captured the older Luna in a tight hug and whispered, "I love you, Mother. And I will come back. You'll see."

Everything was going to be alright.

Mother's strong arms gripped me tightly. Her heavy breathing fanned my hair and I played a willing shield to her crumbling composure. A Luna was never supposed to break in public and yet here we were. Teetering between false composure and shattering veils.

Father's heated body wrapped around his two girls and I sank deeper into my parents' embrace. There were no more words to be spoken. No more apologies to be had. There was only our family saying goodbye while hoping everything would be alright.

Alright was slowly becoming one of my least favorite words second only to moist.

"Venus," Dion called. "It's time."

I reached between us and wiped Mother's damp cheeks free of tears, leaving no evidence of her break behind. Separating from their arms of safety, I squared my shoulders and gripped my heavy duffel bag in hand.

I needed to be strong.

"Tell Malec I said goodbye." Boy was he gonna be pissed that I didn't see him myself. But I knew I wouldn't be able to handle my mother's heartbreak on top of Malec's tear stained cheeks. "And please support Dion's plan for Mera. Beta Ivar might not like it-"