"We will not disappoint you."
A dull ache still radiated through her head and the bright light peeping through her closed eyelids didn't help.
Selena scrunched up her face and at once one of her hands moved to her head. With the other hand, Selena guarded her eyes to stop the lights as she slowly sat up. She groaned lowly at the feeling of pain engulfing her own body as she looked around.
Where was she?
She noticed the floor to ceiling window right in front of her when she sat up. Thin, milk-white curtains flowed wind against them. The thin material was doing very little to stop the bright light from outside.
Even the simple task of standing up seemed to be needing too much energy as she let out another groan while trying to get on her feet. With small, careful steps, she walked to the window. The outside was too bright to be normal, Selena decided when she couldn't see anything but bright light.
She needed to find out where the hell she was. She needed to go back, to her family, her mate... Xavier needed her.
After staring out the window for a few more seconds, the view out the window shocked Selena. The brightness was still blinding. But as her eyes got used to it, she managed to realize that there were clouds floating around just outside, close enough for her to just extend her hand and catch it if she wanted.
"Come to me, darling..."
Selena frowned as she turned to look around. She noticed that the room was huge, bigger than her and Xavier's suite which was saying something.
'This has to be a palace,' Inara mumbled in her head. She could feel the presence of both Inara and Izzy, which calmed her down only a little.
The voice came from the door opposite the window. With the frown still intact, she turned towards the door and took slow, cautious steps.
The chilly air sent shivers down her spine and she wrapped her hands around her bare arms. Outside the door, there was an open corridor. On one side, once again there was the bright light with the clouds floating around. Selena couldn't help the wow that escaped her lips as she looked around.
It looked like a palace in the clouds. She was tempted to step out and test if she could actually walk on the clouds, to see how it would feel. But she decided not to take the risk. It isn't the time to be wandering around in the clouds, she reminded herself.
The palace looked majestic, she thought while observing the beautiful designs on the wall, her speed slowing down once again. The sound of someone clearing her throat inside her mind got her to stop looking around in amazement and realize that she needed to hurry.
'Woman, our people are dying. Stop appreciating the beauty and get going.' The sound of Inara groaning broke her out of her reverie.
'Right...' she whispered and started walking again. On the other end of the corridor was another door with another one of those thin white curtains.
Selena pushed it away slightly and entered the room. There was a lit fireplace and opposite to which was a woman dressed in all white gown, facing away from her. Her long, dark brown hair reached her thighs.
"Excuse me?" Selena whispered softly, scared that if she was too loud she would disturb the peace of the place.
She met with silence as there was no movement from the other side.
"Excuse me," she spoke louder, this time with a bit more urgency. The last thing she remembered was asking Xavier to move away before she lost consciousness. Above the confusion clouding her mind, she was now getting restless.
She was just about to ask where she was but the woman in white decided to turn around right at that moment.
She was blindingly beautiful. The aura of beauty and purity that exuded from her left no doubt in Selena's mind about who this lady is. Her mouth opened in wonder before she reminded herself and knelt on both knees in front of the woman.
"Goddess..." she whispered with her head bowed, still in shock.
"Rise," she said as Selena felt two hands on her shoulders helping her up.
"I-" Selena whispered as her eyes rapidly took in everything in the room before returning to the Goddess in front of her, "I don't understand."
The Goddess smiled at her.
"Did I-I die?"
"Heavens, darling, of course not!" She exclaimed before chuckling slightly, "You are very much alive."
"Then how am I here? Is my family okay? What is this place?"
"These are questions you don't need the answer to right now. You are here because I summoned you."
Selena remained quiet. How was she supposed to react? She couldn't understand anything. She didn't know or anyone having met the Goddess yet, let alone being summoned by her.
For a second, she wondered if she had been injected by that mysterious poison too and was hallucinating. But then the voice of the goddess interrupted her thoughts.
"You are not hallucinating," she said with a mischievous smile.
"How do I know you aren't lying?" Selena took a cautious step back.
The woman opened her mouth to speak but then closed it again. Her eyes became glassy and Selena heard her voice in her head, loud and clear, 'What is Izzy saying, Selena? Does she also think this is a hallucination? What about Inara?'
Selena gasped and her eyes met the Goddess's, "I am as real as the war you just fought." The goddess ignored the astounded look on Selena's face and continued with a small smile, "The hunters... they had grown stronger than ever, this group. If you and Alpha Xavier hadn't defeated them, they would have ruined the whole species, making them go extinct."
Selena shivered in horror, but then her mind went back to all that they lost. She wondered how she wasn't freaking out and concluded it was because of the divine presence calming her down.
"And yet, we lost so many wonderful souls, Goddess. I lost my whole pack, my mate lost his mother. Seth... he was such a pure soul."
"That is why I summoned you here," the goddess said as she walked back and sat on one of the couches in front of the fireplace.
"I know this might be too much to ask, but," Selena paused. She was taking a risk here and she knew that. Asking something like from the goddess was something not many people will dare to do. But for the sake of the people she loves, she had to try. Selena bit her lips nervously and walked to stand in front of the goddess, "Can I request you to spare their lives? We have already lost so many warriors. And now, the whole family is struggling with some sort of poison which no one knows what."
"I handpicked you and Xavier Martinez, as mates." She looked at the fireplace in a steady gaze, never looking away, and continued talking as if Selena hadn't said anything. Selena took the hint and dejectedly, chose to remain silent. "You two struggled. You questioned my decision to pair the two of you. You questioned my divine gift to you."
Her blazing eyes now landed on Selena, making her wolf whimper and the werewolf knelt again with her head bowed.
"I apologize from the core of my heart, Goddess. I was in too much pain and I wasn't thinking straight. In no way did I mean to question you."
Goddess sighed and looked back at the fireplace as if that was the most interesting place. "Every wolf goes through hardships, every relationship has to overcome challenges. To question the basis of your relationship because of a few struggles..." the goddess scoffed not so friendlily.
"He hurt me," Selena said, now in disbelieve. It felt like the goddess was plain ignoring the pain she had to endure.
"Do you know what was going on inside his mind?" The goddess stood up, now coming face to face with her. She pulled her up by her shoulders again. Her soft touch didn't give any inclination towards the hardness in her eyes.
Selena stood up, the curiosity lightening her face, and she listened to the goddess's melodic voice continuing to speak.
"He raided the woods, like a mad man. He went on several searches, alone, for days to find proof, anything, to use in your favour, to help your case. He regretted his decision to be rash and demote you, so he punished himself by not eating, not sleeping, not taking any help, while he obsessively tried to find anything. His reason – he is the one who caused you pain, he needs to be the one to mend it.
"He spent days outside the pack. When every other lead would only come to a dead-end he would blame himself. The wolf never shed a tear, he kept it all in, he thought he didn't deserve to feel sad about himself, he didn't deserve to cry, to feel remorse while he did it himself. I am surprised he is still holding on so well."
Selena took a sharp breath in before her eyes turned teary. She knew he went on a hunt for proof, but she didn't know he punished himself like this.
The goddess smiled in sympathy. She placed her hand on her cheeks before speaking again, "I am not invalidating your pain, I saw everything. I know what both of you thought and felt. You knew you would have done the same thing if you were in his place..."
"I wouldn't have humiliated him," she said in a croaking voice.
"Not everyone is the same, not everyone is perfect."
"I know. I-" her voice broke as she took a minute to compose herself, "It's not like I don't want him! I love him, I never want to live without him." She looked at the eyes of the goddess.
"I know," she smiled, "But lying to yourself is not gonna help, my child. You say you forgave him, but ask yourself, did you really? Your decisions, your thoughts, your actions - they all influence what will happen in your future. So I am guiding you to not be rash. And convey this message to your stubborn mate as well. He needs to keep a reign on his impulses. He needs to forgive himself too."
Selena smiled and a single tear slid past her cheeks. The goddess's hand moved as she wiped away the tear gently.
"You both have gone through a lot," she continued, "My children, my heart cries out for the both of you. However, I cannot bend the rules of the universe for you. I cannot bring back the ones who have passed. But I can save the ones still fighting."
Selena's eyes widened in hope as she listened to the goddess in utmost silence.
"However, I will need something from you in return."
"Anything," she said without a single thought.
"It is something I will ask of you when the time comes. However, I need you to promise that you will not deny me."
Selena remained quiet. Her wolf told her that the goddess, the mother of all wolves, will not ask for anything irrational. However, after everything that she lived through, she had the right to question it.
'What if she asks for your soul?' Inara asked.
'As long as she doesn't ask for Xavier's, which I feel as a mother she won't, I don't really care.'
'That makes no sense. I am pretty sure our man will not be happy with that.'
Selena sighed.
"I promise."
"Well then, travel back safely, my wolf. I will see you soon."
Selena didn't get a chance to say anything. She had barely just smiled in relief when she felt her eyes growing groggy and she lost consciousness.
"Why do you make them go through that? When the time comes? Really?"
An instant smile lit up the Goddess's face as she turned around to look at the man who owns her heart, "It's so boring up here, Morpheus. Who says I cannot have a bit of fun?"
With a click of her fingers, she got a live video feed of everything going on in the Ferocious Shadows pack.
Morpheus smiled in adoration. "Is that where we are going tonight?" He asked while pulling her into his arms and sat on the couch with her on his lap, "Are they worth it?"
The goddess smiled on remembering the thoughts of the she-wolf who just left her company. "They have earned it, rightfully so," she said, paying more attention to the video playing in front of her.
Morpheus watched his mate in awe and placed a soft kiss on her cheeks before resting his face on the crook of her shoulders, making her smile, "I love you, Selene."
The goddess smile in delight and accompanied it with a giggle.
____|~.~|____
Xavier, on the other hand, was sitting in the hospital room with his whole family. He was sitting near the foot of the bed where Selena was. Evelyn sat by Connor whose bed was beside Selena's. On the other side of Selena was Jayce, and beside Jayce was Aiden. Damien was sitting beside Aiden, his head held in his own, a blank look on his face.
Xavier couldn't shake off the thought of his mother and Seth. When he saw her, Adriana looked like she was sleeping, like she was peaceful. Seth, on the other hand, looked haunted. The veins in his body were visible and were completely black, the skin had dark, burnt patches and his eyes hard sunken in.
Xavier shivered as he sat back up and leaned against the chair.
Is that what is going to happen to all of them? Aiden, Jayce, Connor...?
Zion growled in his mind and was just about to scold his human when a loud gasp disrupted the silence of the room and Selena sat up.
She took a deep breath and looked around to see where she was. Her wide eyes fell on Xavier, who had instantly stood up. He walked to her side and held her tightly against him, scared to let her go.
Damien sighed in relief as Selena sat up and seemed okay but looked away when his heart clenched with the need to hold his mate.
"I thought... I thought I-" Xavier's voice broke as he gave up trying to talk and just held her close.
"It'll be okay, I am not going anywhere, not without you," Selena whispered as she too pulled him close, the words of Selene reverberating loudly in her head.
By the time night rolled in, the wolves still hadn't woken up. Selena was getting worried now. They were all still sitting in the hospital room waiting for them to wake up. She hadn't told them about her vision? Dream? Hallucination? Summoning? She didn't know for sure. But one thing she was certain about was she didn't want to give them false hope.
A loud rumbling sound of thunder caught everyone's attention. Lorcan, who had been resting in the packhouse, appeared in the hospital. He said he felt some unimaginable power, which confused the wolves even more.
"C'mon, princess, we need to keep these wolves safe," the warlock whispered to Selena while pulling her out with him.
Lorcan and Selena together spelled the hospital to be protected from any threat no matter how strong. Slowly, everyone else also rushed outside to see what was going on.
A huge, bright light was glowing in the middle of the field, shaking with power. It only seemed to be growing in intensity before it burst. Even more light erupted from the ball before they finally dimmed and two figures were seen standing where the light once was.
Selena's eyes widened as she recognized the woman, and the others stared with wonder as well when they felt the powerful aura of the couple.
"Goddess," Selena whispered, making everyone's widened eyes snapped to her. They all seemed to be brought out of their reverie finally. When she knelt, everyone followed suit.
Selene rolled her eyes playfully, "Rise."
The wolves stood up, their heads still bowed, not daring to look at her. Xavier and Selena were the first ones to look up, "Is this..."
"Real?" Selene interrupted Xavier, "very much so, I am afraid. I have some wonderful news for you all so Morpheus convinced me to gives you the news by ourselves and not by some dream."
She turned to look at the warlock who leant against the wall and couldn't seem to care about the divine presence.
"Lorcan," the goddess greeted with an amused smile.
"Goddess Selene," Lorcan nodded like he was meeting an acquaintance.
If Xavier and Selena were shocked by his behaviour, they didn't let it show on their face.
Selene shook her head and turned to the wolves. "Well, I won't be able to stay in this form for long so let's get to it, shall we?"
Everyone looked at each other confused. Selena guessed it was time for her side of the deal. Even though she was no idea what she owed her, she tried to prepare herself as best as she could. However, all she could think about was she didn't get to take to Xavier about it. She thought she had time.
"Xavier Kian Martinez and Selena Nigelia Genevieve Wilson," her voice echoed loud inside the minds of every wolf in the whole world, "As chosen by Goddess Selene and God Morpheus, are henceforth, the king and queen of all werewolves to walk on Earth. Every wolf is to, from now on, pay them the respect they deserve and treat as you should a king and a queen."
Xavier and Selena both groaned as they fell on the floor on their hands and knees. Lorcan and Damien took a few worried steps towards the couple but a single glare from the superior couple had them stopping on their tracks.
Their bodies were undergoing changes to be fit for a king and queen.
A bright light of the shades of golden and purple started glowing around them as well and it kept on getting brighter until no one could look in that direction before the lights went out completely. Xavier and Selena were now kneeling side by side. Both of them looked taller, more muscular, and more majestic.
"Oh Adriana," Damien whispered overwhelmed, the tears in his eyes visible for all to see, "If only you could see this."
Xavier and Selena looked up, at the Goddess in a very robotic manner, their inner beings also making an appearance. Selena's eyes remained the glowing purple and Xavier's turned a glowing blue. No wolf's eyes were known to be blue and purple, and neither did it glow like fluorescent lights.
The werewolves around them knew they were witnessing a once in a millennium event. No one could look away from the newly proclaimed royal couple as they witnessed their leaders undergoing the major alterations.
"I, Selena Genevieve Wilson..."
"I, Xavier Martinez..."
Both of them spoke at the same time before continuing, "Promise to serve Goddess Selene and God Morpheus as the King and Queen of all werewolves. We pledge to take care of our kind and rule with kindness, care and patience. We pledge to secure the safety of our kind and make sure that peace reigns over the kingdom and the packs."
Their eyes stopped glowing slowly but they still remained where they were.
Selene took a few steps towards them and placed her hands on both of their heads before allowing her hands to slide down and tilt them up to look at her.
"Morpheus and I handpicked you, once again, to be the rulers. Make us proud."
Xavier and Selena bowed their heads, one of their hands held in a straight line across their chest, "We will not disappoint you."