So it seems I was the World Luna as everyone started calling me. Life was so bizarre I still didn't know what to feel or think. I had no way to absorb this new information, and when people crowded to touch me I just wanted to run away. In the end I just stayed in the pack house. I had talked to Stephen about what everyone had experienced, and it was like he already said- they all experienced what I experienced. They all had heard my thoughts, felt my feelings, saw what I saw. The wolves of the world had been more connected to me than their own packs, and I thank god we were no longer linked.
The wolves craved this type of connection apparently, and wanted more of it. Well I couldn't and wouldn't do it. I was my pack's Luna and that was more than enough, more than I felt possible. I found myself retreating into myself, I wanted to stay away from the ten-thousand wolves camped on my doorstep. They needed to leave. Stephen scheduled a Beta meeting for this afternoon and I would join them to try to solve this problem. Before the meeting I found myself looking out the attic window, my face pressed against the cool smoothness. I smelled Stephen before I heard him walk up behind me. He put his arms around me and tucked my head under his chin. He loved that, and so did I.
"We need to go to the meeting Danika," Stephen said above my head. "I'm also worried about you," he added.
I didn't know how to respond, I was worried about myself. The whole thing was overwhelming and I hadn't been prepared for the shock. We had both watched the recordings of when I activated the devices... or beacons... or whatever they were. We even watched the 'Tall Man' who walked out of the room with me following. Stephen didn't like the fact that I was trying to protect him, them, everyone by following. I chose to walk out the door and I'd make the same decision again. Time started again after I left the room and shut the door. The video showed Stephen freaking out and trying to figure out what the hell just happened, he knew I was touching the shielding device and no one could figure out why it stopped time.
The recordings showed me how Stephen tried over and over to open the door but it was locked, he put all his strength into opening the door but it remained locked. Elise then calmed him down when she noticed I was trying to reach out to the pack, reach out to everyone and made Stephen focus on that. Focus on trying to help me. I saw their faces as they all watched what I watched, felt what I felt. I saw Elise and Mave start to softly cry when the Tall Man walked toward me at the end, they talked softly among themselves how this just couldn't be the end. And I saw their stunned faces when the Moon Goddess defended me, and the smiles when I beheld her.
After I touched the paw of the Moon Goddess the door became unlocked, the sounds of the locks disengaging was clear in the video. Stephen ran to the door and wrenched it open, the other room was still black. He ran in but stopped since it was pitch black, and Timothy ran behind me with a powerful flashlight. After a few minutes they saw me and Stephen ran in to pick me up, and returned quickly with my unconscious body. I was smoking, bleeding, and looked to be in bad shape- but I was breathing. The door slammed on its own behind him, and when he opened it again the next room was back to normal and opened to the lab.
Stephen bolted with me out the door on the way to the infirmary. That's about all the video showed, but I was curious if there were any readings on the next room, I'd have to ask Timothy. I also had a fleeting thought that maybe the 'beacon' was activated because Gavon was touching me when I touched the machine. We had both never touched it together, we should have thought of that experiment.
But I didn't feel like repeating the experience.
I thought back on all the recent strange events: I linked Stephen before I met him which was impossible, I became a Luna for some bizarre reason, then was able to glow and make the silver flame, then fought Death and the Moon Goddess saved me. I didn't defeat 'Death' or the evil ones, I knew that much. But I prevented Death's entrance, or delayed it for a while. Actually I figured that I mostly just pissed Death off.
A part of me knew there would be consequences and I shuddered slightly at the thought.
Coming back to myself I whispered, "Me too," in response to his question about being worried about me. Stephen stepped back and I turned and took his hand with a smile. It had been a week now since we made love, I just... couldn't. And Stephen didn't press me. He suggested spending some time on the yacht but I didn't want that. I wanted to run, I really wanted to run and run and run until I fell down exhausted.
As we walked down the stairs on the way to the Command Center, I asked him, "Stephen? I'd like to take the chopper and fly somewhere where I can run. I want to be free and away from all these people. I know it's selfish but it's what I want to do." Stephen looked at me and was silent while we walked through the hall and into the kitchen. People were packed there, and they became silent and bowed their heads. I just sighed, my own pack didn't know what to make of me. In the Command Center in the basement the Betas were sitting around a table waiting. When we walked in they all stood and bowed their heads out of respect. I just sighed and Stephen told them to be seated as he sat at the head of the table, with me beside him. The Betas normally bowed their heads but weren't so formal.
Stephen started the meeting and opened it up to ideas for how to deal with the 'pilgrims' that were squatting in our village and surrounding areas. It would be cold soon enough and we needed a solution.
Beta Wallace broke the silence first, "What exactly do the pilgrims want? Does anyone know?"
Stephen replied, "They want Danika to perform miracles." That stunned everyone.
Beta Wallace leaned forward looking at me, "Can you, Luna? Can you perform these miracles?"
I was stunned by his question, he knew me and knew I couldn't do any such thing. And then I realized that he wanted me to have these additional abilities to summon the Goddess. He wanted the connection again, I didn't understand this strange craving or obsession. I was actually repulsed by the idea.
"No," I replied. "All I can do is produce the silver flame and communicate with this pack." I opened my palm and the silver flame appeared. I closed my hand into a fist and the flame disappeared.
Beta Wallace watched this and nodded his head. "Have you tried?" he asked and then sat back.
Why no I hadn't thought of trying to establish the 'World Link' again. I actually didn't even want to try. "What good would that do?" I asked Beta Wallace. I was still trying hard to understand all of this.
"This is all new, Luna. Everyone wants that connection again, the connection that spans packs. We want that feeling of unity, of a world connected." Beta Wallace looked at me closely.
"Why?" I simply asked him.
Beta Wallace thought for a moment before speaking. "Besides the connection, Luna, we felt the power of the Moon Goddess, felt the strength of a million wolves merging together as one people. We all love our packs and this doesn't diminish that. But we all felt you, we all heard you, and we all saw the horrible images of the demons you were fighting." Beta Wallace took a deep breath.
"And we all saw the Moon Goddess as she leapt over you to save you. For the first time we saw Her." He spoke with awe in his voice.
I looked at Stephen as I began to start shaking. He lifted my hand and kissed my knuckles, then rubbed them gently with his thumb. "The decision is entirely up to you, love. You don't have to do anything if you don't want to." I felt his enthusiasm for wanting this connection again also. Then why did I feel so trapped?
Watching him I finally nodded my head in agreement and closed my eyes. I started my Luna link to speak to the pack, to start this communication that I so rarely used. I reached out to the thousands of wolves in the Pine Ridge pack to explain to them what I wanted to try to do. I wanted to warn them, and received waves encouragement back. I included Stephen first, and enlisted his help to boost my energy and help direct 'traffic', to help absorb some of the thousands of replies so I could focus more on the emotions and energy than the actual replies themselves.
And my wolf assisted, she guarded me to keep me safe, lending me her energies to buffer the thousands and eventually a million curious and eager connections. I felt the link expanding to everyone in this room, I felt each of their strong connections. They were strong and proud wolves but didn't hesitate to join me. I absorbed their energy and then... expanded outwards at a phenomenal rate.
I thought of Alpha Fabron and Alpha Bodin and received their surprised responses. I reached out further to all the Alphas I knew and asked them for their help. I knew I couldn't do this on my own, the links only seemed to form with the help of the other Alphas, Betas, and other strong wolves. I then thought of the orange and violet tornados and sent out an invitation to join me again. I also asked them to contact me so we could connect in person. I sent all this out and then went... further. I then started to just expand and let all the energy flow through me as I expanded my thoughts and energy outwards.
I felt this communication spread, I felt the connections build as more and more excited wolves joined together again- this time without threat or the need to defend anything.
I thought of the entire world, I thought of how grateful I was to them, I reminded them of how strong they were and how they were so instrumental in defeating the dark ones. I thanked them and then started to talk to them. I accepted and transmitted this energy outwards, linking wolves all over the world. I reminded them that we were all connected, even when we weren't linked like this. I told them that fighting between packs was pointless and to negotiate any issues. I told them that we were blessed by the Moon Goddess, we were her children and reminded all wolves to show a little compassion for the weakest among us.
Also I told them to consider the rogue problem and to come up with compassionate solutions.
I then started to tell all the wolves the truth about me. I told them I was a simple pack Luna and unable to perform miracles. I told them that any miracles that had occurred were due entirely to their faith in the Moon Goddess and they needed to pray to her and thank her. I told them that I was flattered by their prayers and attention, but it was time for them to all go back to their homes and live good lives. Helping their own packs, helping each other, learning how to live peacefully and solving issues themselves. I would not and could not be helping them with their personal lives. I had my own to live, my own pup to raise, and my own Alpha Mate to devote myself to.
Their presence was in fact hurting me, and I let them feel this disturbance.
I told them I was not special and to go home now. I thanked them again, and if there was ever another crisis I would reach out to them again. But they needed to forge stronger links with their own loved ones, to be grateful for each day lived, to live life fully in service to their packs. This whole time I opened myself so everyone could know the sincerity of my words, to hear my thoughts, feel this truth pour from me.
I told them I could not help them and not to seek aid from me- for I would fail them in that regard since I didn't have those kinds of abilities. I thanked them again and sent a prayer to the Moon Goddess to protect them all. I also told them that if they needed comfort to then sing my little nursery song, pray, and hold on to the blessings that they had.
I then said goodbye and then started to disconnect the tens of thousands of links, quietly and gently disconnecting everyone. I hope I was clear enough and gentle enough- but they all needed to go home.
This took a long time and when I was done I slowly opened my eyes. I looked around the table to twenty astonished Betas staring at me, some with their mouths open. I looked down at my glowing hands, then my whole glowing body, then over to Stephen's glowing body since we were holding hands. I was shaking slightly, and completely drenched in sweat.
I looked back at the Betas and asked, "Next question?"
************
Stephen walked me back to our room and I took a shower. As we walked by the others on the way back, no one said a word probably because I was still glowing. I wondered if Stephen would join me but he didn't, I had been feeling so strange, and it wasn't normal that I didn't want sex. Ever since I met Stephen I wanted him every time I saw him, and all the other times I just thought about him constantly.
What the hell? I was perplexed but couldn't think about it too much and just sighed. I came out of the bathroom in a bathrobe and saw Stephen looking out our window with his arms folded across his chest.
He slowly turned to me and looked at me with his grey eyes, I loved those eyes and they seemed to glow in this light. "I have a chopper ready for us. We can go into the heart of the wilderness and run free." I smiled at him and walked to him and put my arms around his chest. I just inhaled his scent and felt his heat. Where had the passion gone? Why didn't I feel it? I was a little afraid that it might be gone, but that didn't make sense.
"Danika?" Stephen asked me still holding me tight. "Are you ok?"
I thought for a moment then said, "No."
Stephen sighed then said, "Do you want to go for a run?"
"Yes," I replied. I at least knew that much. And then I had another idea, I wanted to run then soak in a hot tub and relax and let all my cares melt away. Maybe a big part of my problem was feeling the pressure of ten-thousand people wanting something from me. I didn't know, but a run and a soak sounded nice.
I got dressed and Stephen and I walked out the back door, avoiding most of the people. We walked to a nearby meadow and climbed in the small chopper that was warming up slowly for us. I climbed in, strapped in and put on my headset, Stephen checked my seat belts and we took off. I watched Stephen pilot the small chopper and liked it when he wore his aviator glasses, I thought they made him look sexy and reminded me of the first time I saw him.
I looked out at the glowing white mountains in the distance and asked him through our link, "Can we take a quick tour of the mountains?" He shook his head yes and we headed there. I watched out the window completely enthralled as we flew over Lake Cushman and toward the Olympic Mountains. These peaks were radiant in the sunshine with their lush forests and snow covered tops. The mountains were all so beautiful. Stephen flew up close and between the lowest mountains, I saw valleys filled with glistening lakes and rivers. The steep canyons called out to me, the wilderness beckoned me. I reached over and put my hand on Stephen's arm.
"Thank you, love," I 'linked' him smiling and he smiled back at me. "Is there a hot spring somewhere around here?" Stephen nodded and changed his course to the west. I could see the ocean in the distance, and he gently put us down in a nearby meadow. The whirring blades slowed as we unbuckled and Stephen came around to open my door. He held out his hand and we both stooped over to walk away, leaving the chopper there.
When we were at the edge of the meadow, Stephen started taking off his clothes. I just watched his magnificent body as his muscles moved and rippled under his skin. He looked at me and smiled as he unbuttoned his shirt and threw it away. He then watched me with a smoldering gaze as he unbuttoned his pants and slid them and his underwear down past his hips. His cock sprang up, Stephen was always ready. He finished taking his shoes and socks off and stood before me completely naked. He enjoyed showing off his body but made no move toward me. He knew I just couldn't seem to want to have sex yet, and he knew I was baffled by this.
"Your turn, love," he said in a low husky voice. I unbuttoned my shirt and let it fall, then unhooked my bra and let it just drop to the ground. I then unbuttoned my own pants and pulled them and my underwear down. I was soon naked as well. Stephen stood and smiled, I enjoyed him looking up and down my body, his eyes growing darker.
"Ready?" he asked. I nodded yes, and he instantly shifted into his magnificent, huge grey wolf. He waited until I turned into my russet-golden one and admired me for a minute.
"You lead," he linked me, and I took off like a flash. I ran and ran fast, I ran and ran zipping between trees, leaping over creeks, startling wild rabbits and scaring the crap out of some grazing deer. I didn't feel like killing anything, I just wanted to run. I finally felt... free. I felt free from all the responsibilities of being a Luna, free from the burdens of my gifts. I felt free in the wild, letting my wolf be in charge for a while.
Stephen ran behind me, just letting me go wherever I wanted. I could tell this was an easy run for him, he wasn't even breathing hard. But I was out of practice, I hadn't run since before my 'event' as I thought of it. I ran and noticed we were by a small cliff overlooking a tiny valley. I could clearly see the other side and the clear creek that ran through the bottom of it. I ran over to the edge and stood there panting. I looked all around, then sat down enjoying the view. This spot seemed so peaceful, I could see some insects flying around, and some butterflies were chasing each other flitting every which way randomly.
I just enjoyed the quiet. Stephen sat next to me, protecting me and letting me just be peaceful. I finally linked him, "Are we near a hot spring?"
He looked over at me, sensing my calm. "Yes, it's a few miles west of here."
"I'll follow you." And he turned around and started trotting there. I assume there was a cabin nearby since hot tubs were fantastic negotiating assets, all wolves loved to soak and relax when we were able. And this one seemed particularly remote and therefore more desirable. I easily followed him until we came to a barely used path. We followed this path along a creek in another valley floor, the afternoon sunlight shone through the forest branches making the trailside flowers glow in their subdued colors. There were violet and orange wildflowers, and some yellow buttercups and I loved to see them
Since my 'event' I was seeing everything through new eyes, I appreciated everything, the scents were all so new. The colors brighter, my bonds stronger and I was grateful for everything. I should have died back there. The 'Tall Man' should have killed me, I knew that. I gave the battle everything I had, I fought off the dark ones but I couldn't kill the malevolent intelligence of the 'Tall Man'. He had defeated me, and the Moon Goddess spared me. And I was grateful.
But I didn't understand anything. No one understood anything. How could such a dimension exist? What were those things anyways? I called them 'Death', but that was just a convenient label, I had experienced their combined energies, the malignant intent of total destruction. How could such a thing even exist? I thought of all of this as I followed Stephen along this small path. I'd been so busy and distracted by my misguided 'followers' that I haven't had much time to think of these things. And there was no way of learning the truth about any of this.
We had to find the Avestan manuscripts, the answers were there. Plus I wanted to know what the 'Azhur Pact' was that Zeke spoke of during our first meeting.
I hoped that the orange and violet tornados responded to me. I had hoped they would, it would make me feel better and less alone. I had Gavon, but he couldn't give me any answers, really. He gave me his support and love, but it wasn't the same. I just sighed a wolf sigh, which came out as a huff.
"Almost there, Mate," Stephen's wolf told me and I just smiled at him. He was my mate also, but mostly the mate of my wolf. I had been thinking all of these things, but my own wolf had been in charge and I held myself to the back of our mind. My wolf adored Stephen's wolf and they couldn't be closer. My wolf had a different perspective from my own, she saw things as an intelligent wolf would see things. She also had an inherent wisdom, but often became distracted like when we found wild game. She wanted to tear after it and loved the hunt, but I had other plans and had to keep her in check. We would go hunting another time and she grumbled about it. But she followed her mate, she was bonded to him as I was bonded to Stephen.
I respected Stephen's wolf. He seemed so... large. Intimidating. Serious. But I was bonded to him in a way also.
I noticed we were crossing a clearing, and on the far side was a small cabin. I smiled to myself, my goofy wolf tongue hanging off to the side. I couldn't wait to get in that hot water, I couldn't wait to be soothed and just sit there for a while. Stephen jogged to the cabin and looked at me.
"Do you want to go inside or to the hot spring?" he linked me.
"Hot spring," I yipped back barely containing myself.
**We hope you enjoyed how Danika solved her 'pilgrim problem'. Please vote, and the next chapter involves fun in a hot tub!
The music above is Bastille - 'Things We Lost In The Fire', and the one below is 'I like to move it move it' from the movie Madagascar (in case there's someone who's never seen this movie). It's fun.
Take care, Olympic Wolf