The Tainted Luna

Chapter 2

"Thank you," I said taking the cup of hot chocolate from Cressida.

We had moved into the living room from the bedroom upon her suggested. 'It's much more comfy', she stated and she wasn't lying. The safe house was actually a small little cottage. It's made of two bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom, and a living room. We sit cozy by the fireplace, our features illuminated by the flickering light, the only one present in the room. Cressida took a seat on the loveseat that sat next to the couch; that I was stretch out on.

"Now, before I begin. Has any memory of last night or your past surface?" Cressida question, enjoying a sip of her drink.

I took a moment to rack my brain for any memories of before; but nothing surface, "Nothing."

"You were dead for a short amount of time...maybe your brain has blocked all your memories before," she muse aloud.

"But you mention before that I was cast to forget?"

"Yeah, we'll get to that. You should worry about what's happening to you right now," she instructed candidly.

I nod, "How am I sitting here if I die?"

"I'd found you in an abandon town just south of here. Luckily, I was having my evening run when I heard you scream. I found you in the middle of being a vampires dinner. When I intervene he toss you to the ground and you had bumped your head. You had already lost a lot of blood during the feeding and by the time I had dispose of the vampire you had bleed out."

I took in a shaky breath as her words of last night resonate. Cressida pause briefly eyes searching over me completely.

"You had vampiric blood in your system luckily, I suppose. So, you weren't dead for long; only for twenty minutes maybe."

How did I get vampire blood in my system?

"Do you know what you are, Asena?" She ask me with a raised eyebrow.

A mild rumble made its presence known at the back of my mind. It was like a part of me was finally waking up; and she was pissed.

"Yes."

"When the vampire blood first entered your system it was just static, so it wasn't a threat to your wolf. But when you died; that blood rush to rebuild your internal system, to bring you back to life," she spoke every word earnestly, "now that you're breathing it wants to take over and your wolf is fighting it. It's why you woke up in pain; The simple act of your wolf defending your body from the control of vampire blood can, and will, kill you."

Suddenly, the memories of last night came flowing back. I remember the vampire and how I was too weak to defend myself. I've been running for a while before I'd stumble into that town.

"I remember," I whisper out, "I had been running for about a week then, from who, I don't know. I can't even recollect how vampire blood got into my system."

"I'm sure that tides in with being cast to forget."

I nod subtly, placing my half drunk, cold, chocolate drink aside, "how does finding my mate help me?"

I must haven't had enough knowledge of what a mate was, even before my death. The only thing I can kindle mate to is the term soulmate.

"I think the mark of your mate will give you the strength to carry both your werewolf and the vampiric blood."

"But then that means..."

"Yeah, you're going to be a hybrid."

---

I watch as the trees flew by through the passenger window in Cressida's car. We were on our way to the White Claw pack to start the search for my mate there. Cressida was a traveling wolf, so she didn't really belong to one pack. She apparently has business to conduct with White Claw, and a couple other packs, in the upcoming days. So, she's hoping that we'll find my mate between then before the serum wears off.

The serum, Cressida gave me, disguises the vampire blood from my wolf; but with the sudden injection it knocked her out for a while. She has now fully surface at the back of my mind still a little weaken. I can feel her wanting to communicate with me. I assume it's the serum blocking our connection to keep her from killing us.

"Do you think I have a pack...a family out there?" I question out loud but not really expecting an answer.

I can feel Cressida turn to look at me briefly before turning her gaze back onto the road, "When we get that spell out of you, you'll remember everything about your past life. And I promise to personally take you back to your family."

"Thank you, not only for that, but for saving and helping me."

"Don't mention it," she waved off my gratitude, "Now, pay attention we're arriving at the border."

I sit up in the passenger seat staring out the windshield into the forest before us. Emerging from the blinding thick vegetation came three towering werewolves, immune to the bitter wind that cut viciously through the evening air. From the outset, they were minimal more than outlines and their snarling was nearly diverted in the crying breeze. Yet, as they neared their fur ended up detectable, thick in numerous colors of shade. I gap as the intimidating wolves stop just a few feet away from the hood of the car.

"Come on, get out," Cressida instructed before slipping out the drivers seat.

I look back to the waiting wolves before us slowly following her out the car. My wolf tilt her head with curiosity at the back of my mind as I make my way next to Cressida at the foot of the car. The black wolf that seems to be in charge of the border control step forward. In the blink of an eye the wolf shifted back into his skin, stark naked.

"Oh, God!" I yelp in horror covering my eyes with my hand.

A deep resonating chuckle sound through the forest, "Ah, princess. Don't pretend you've never seen a man in all his glory."

"I can't recollect," I scuff lightly with my eyes still covered.

"Well, I'm not complaining," Cressida purrs next to me.

"Cressida!" I gasp hitting at her shoulder blindly.

"Cressida?" The male wolf question with seriousness, "The Vision Cressida?"

"The one and only."

I slowly lower my hands when the atmosphere shift into one of respect. The male wolves look to the women next to me in complete aw.

"Uh...Yes, the Alpha has been expecting you," the man spoke with a bow of his head.

"Great, tell him I'm here with my niece. Thanks for the pleasurable show but we should get moving," Cressida amused before turning on her heels and climbing back into the car.

I look after her in complete shock before eventually following her back into the car. The male look to Cressida with a sly smirk before jumping back into his wolf and releasing a long howl. The three wolves took back off into the forest while Cressida put the car in drive an continue towards the White Claw Pack.

"Every pack has wolves that patrol the border. They can consist of both trackers and warrior wolves. We'll be stop, just like that, with every pack we visit this week," Cressida starts to lecture.

"Okay, why did they call you, Vision Cressida?"

"It's my title," she answers simply, "some wolves are gifted certain powers by the Moon Goddess. She given me the position of Vision; I can sense and make people see things with just a flick or touch of my hand. I can also sorta look into the future or past "

"Then why can't you just look back and look into my past life?"

"It's more like sensing then actually seeing your past. The witch that spell you to block out your memories must have been a powerful one. I tried back at the safe house when you confessed that you didn't remember. But I did get something you might find interesting."

My wolf perked up her ears and my eyebrows raised with curiosity. Cressida face instantly turn into one of mischief as a knowing smile filled her lips. It cause my wolf to slap her tail onto the grown with impatience.

"I'd sensed that your mate is an alpha wolf."