The Fragmented Luna

Preview to The Beta's Mate Returns

Ever since I was a little girl, I had a particular fondness for all types of flowers. It wasn't so much the flowers themselves I loved, but rather the way the flowers died and were reborn every year.

Yes I watched them grow; from the moment that I had placed the little seedlings in the earth with my bare hands and yes, I watered them everyday, to the moment the flowers spread their wings open and showed their true colors to the world.

I also watched them whither away to nothingness, as their buds closed again, and the light that had shone on them for months disappeared into nothingness. It was important the flowers died because, they needed time away from the world to gather their strength again, they needed to stay out of the darkness until the light shone on them once more.

The great part about flowers was that they were always reborn and I guessed that's why I loved them so much because they could be reborn.

I was not like those flowers. I was never going to be reborn no matter how many times I ran from the darkness. My petals were permanently torn off and my stem ripped from the ground so violently it would never find a home again.

I brushed the dirt off my knees as I admired my own garden of flowers with that longing to be a flower so strong.

"Mom", said the voice of my teenage son from my side. "How long are we going to be stuck out here gardening", my son asked as he tossed the dirt aside with a frown marring his innocent face.

I loved Matthias but sometimes, when I looked at him, I would see the memory of something dark. So I would come out and look at the flowers for a long time to remind myself that Matthias was a pure iris. He was untouched by everything that had haunted my life and he was the light.

"Oh stop complaining, you love it here", I said as I ruffled my fingers through his wispy blond curls affectionately. I watched a smile form and those signature dimples form on his cheeks and I felt the light from him.

"I know, I just have some plans", Matthias said as he stepped out of my embrace gently. I could see the question on his face as he looked at me with that pouting face he knew was my weakness.

"Fine, just tell Chase and his mom that I say hello", I said with a smile. I turned to face the garden with a wistfulness, my sweet little baby boy was almost ready to bloom, and I needed to protect him from the darkness that was always near.

"Thanks mom. I'll be back home in a few hours", Matthias said as he enveloped me in his wide arms.

"I love you", I said as I pressed a kiss on his forehead. I wanted him to be my precious little boy forever but his future was drawing nearer everyday. I wanted to enjoy these special moments because it wouldn't be long now.

"I love you too mom", Matthias said as he pulled away from me. I watched him run down the garden path and I knew we would be safe.... for now.

I looked back at the garden with its' array of blooming flowers that I would use to make some herbs later and I heard the sound of my phone ringing quite loudly. I reached down to the pocket of my overalls to grab the shiny work phone that Matthias convinced me I needed last year and I answered.

"Hello, this is Mrs. Price speaking", I said into my work phone. I listened to the sound of sirens in the background already knowing why the person was calling. It was part of my job to be prepared for these types of incidents in Serenity Falls.

"Hello, Detective Price. This is Bernie from down at the station. We need you here as soon as possible, there's been a murder", the worried man said over the phone. I could almost smell his fear through the phone.

"I'll be there in twenty", I said as I left behind the garden. I didn't want to taint my beautiful with the stench of fear and death. "How bad is it", I asked the man as I started for my bedroom.

"It's bad", Bernie said in a shaky voice. "I was the first to arrive at the scene of the crime", he said matter o'factly.

"I'll want a list of updates when I get there Officer Bernie", I said to the scared sounding man in an attempt to calm him down. I needed him to secure the perimeter so I could get my job done quickly and efficiently.

"Alright, I'm going now. Just send me the location and I'll be there as soon as I can", I told him in my calming tone. I could sense the fear leaving him and his breathing settle. It was a special gift I had been blessed with as a child that I tried not to use often because I didn't want people to find me.

I grabbed my suit from the closet, I placed on my shiny back hiking boots, and grabbed my gun from the lock box. I felt secure leaving the house and looked down at the phone when it pinged with the address from the crime scene.

I looked outside and marveled at my perfect garden with the blooming flowers longingly. It looked like I was heading to the woods and I just wondered what madness might be waiting for me there.