It was dinner time when I arrived at my cabin, but I wasn't hungry.
Maybe I was just tired or maybe I was depressed. Things were never easy for me, I always had to fight tooth and claw to achieve anything in life. Whether it be becoming the strongest female in my pack or wrestling with my brothers for the last slice of pizza.
Living and suffering go hand in hand.
Still it wasn't fair considering all the pain and exhaustion I've been through to be beaten so easily by Hunter and then to submit in an instance. What would grandmother say?
Probably something along the lines "Quit this sulking and go get my slippers!" That crazy old coot always could make me smile. I missed her.
My stomach grumbled like a rapid animal gnawing at the end of its chain, despite what I might be feeling I have to eat to keep my strengths up. 'Not that it mattered since you're going to lose anyways' a little voice in my mind sneered at me. I felt a overwhelming sense of panic start to set in, wave after wave it washed over me.
What if I do lose? Hunter will be my mate. He'll want me to be Luna. I'll have so many wolves looking up to me. I don't know if I'm good enough.
A good Luna has to be strong, smart, and caring or else their pack will suffer from a snag in the chain of command. If a female believes the Luna to be incompetent then they could disobey, cause fights, riot, and inevitable challenge for the position. Being Hunter's mate can get me the spot but I have to keep it.
Scampering through the doggy door I trotted towards my kitchen, my favourite room in the whole cabin. Shifting I opened the fridge and stared at the most important decisions I'll make in the next five minutes. Succumbing to my sweet tooth I grabbed a bowl, milk, and the most delicious chemically induced cereal I could find. In a matter of minutes I was efficiently eating my problems with the help of Toucan Sam and his nephews.
My nakedness didn't bother me in the least, no one was in miles of living near me. My closest neighbour lived 5 minutes away and was a lovely old lady who invites me to dinner every Christmas. Definitely not within seeing distance.
Also, werewolves respected the human form as much as the wolf form, even in all its naked glory we found life beautiful. Constantly shifting and ripping clothes, while we don't prance around in the nude, skin was never embarrassing for us. Simply just another part of us.
Chewing softly, I watched the colourful loops bob to and fro between my spoon and in the milk. Tomorrow night at approximately 12:00 am the night of the full moon I'll be hunted for my freedom. It's not an easy thing to comprehend that I could actually not be here in the next two days, but instead bound to a man I know little to nothing about except he's a complete douchebag.
Bringing the edge of the bowl to my lips I gulped the remaining milk and then licked the wet white moustache I acquired by doing so. An uneasy feeling surrounded me and my body felt vulnerable, like I should be on guard of something. The question is, of what should I be afraid of.
Sighing I went to my room and grabbed my favourite black silk housecoat; it felt like I was wearing a air weighing almost nothing. It soothed my nerves like a child using a blanket to shield out the monsters from beneath their bed.
Walking back downstairs I began the dishes and hummed lightly to pass the time, I have never learned how to whistle so this was my only outlet at the moment.
My hands plunged into the soapy water and scrubbed at the dishes with my trusty steel wool. Time passed and the shaky feeling that I was being watched grew stronger, like two hands were inches from behind my shoulders. Drying the last of the plates I placed them ceremonially back into their places and finished up sweeping the floors.
Listening to the sound of bristles brushing along hardwood my eyes drifted towards the large deck situated out front. It was dark outside and I could imagine someone standing at the glass door watching me. Fear bubbled alarmingly quick in my stomach and all I wanted to do was lock every door and run to bed hoping to outlast the scary night. However, something pulled me in that direction, begging me to investigate.
Slowly making my ways towards the door to the deck my hand hovered momentarily over the cool metal handle, a war inside me broke out as whether to see what's outside or go to sleep and wake up tomorrow.
Firmly I swung open the portal to the night.
Cold air enveloped me immediately and I could see my breath in a puff of white. The wood underneath my feet was dusted in a light layer of powdery snow and felt slick like the side of a fish. Stepping cautiously towards the fencing I gazed my eyes at the sky. It was midnight black reminding my of Hunter's hair but speckled with hundreds of shiny white dots twinkling millions of light years away.
I've loved stars ever since I was a child because of what my grandmother once told me.
*Flashback*
Tears streamed down my face and I ran to the only place I could think of. It was a old house more like a cottage but felt like a castle in my eyes because I always felt like a princess when I was there. Running inside I found my way into the living room and saw someone swaying gently in a old rocking chair. Their long boney fingers worked expertly beading special gems, stones, and other pretty things onto a piece of braided fishing line. I rushed in front of the figure and looked up through soaked eyelashes and sniffled.
"Grandma, I'm running away" I sobbed, it felt like the world was over. Their voices sounded in my head like a song and it only made me cry harder.
Setting the string of valuables down Grandma smiled and picked me up setting me on her lap.
"Stop your weeping, peanut," Looking down at me she cooed "it's not right for a queen to be crying, you're not weak so don't pretend to be."
Minutes passed and she combed her fingers through my messy hair as I calmed down and hot tears ceased to fall from my eyes. Only an occasional hiccup escaped my lips.
Grandma hugged me tight and whispered "Now then, what's all these dramatics about anyways, huh?"
"A boy came up to m-me today and said I-I looked like a pepperoni p-pizza because had some fr-freckles on me." I managed to say through the hiccups and tightness in my throat.
It was true I had a few freckles on me, but not many by any standards, only back then it was something I was ashamed of.
"Oh hush now, chickpea." Grandma chided "That's what you were crying about?"
I nodded
"Well then, I guess you should finally be told a story of the Moon Goddess then." Grandma said and my little 6 year old mind was instantly piqued as to what Grandma was talking about.
"Who's the Moon Goddess" I said innocently.
"An old spirit who created the first wolves back when humans still walked the earth, also someone our kind have forgotten over the decades, remember what I'm about to tell you doesn't get repeated back to mother or she'll have my old bones for chew toys." Grandma winked and grinned with a mischievous gleam in her eyes.
"Got it!"
"All right. Once when the night was dark the first men crawled out of the mud, they knew little of this world and the dangers it held, many of them were killed by the harshness of nature. Soon only a small group remained and without any natural defences would soon perishes. Luckily the wolf fell in love with mankind, he'd fallen for their clumsy charm and fragile like existence; reminding him of a flower. Befriending man he vowed to protect them until his last breathe, and so his life of servitude began. Constantly he was chasing off the bear and cougar, never once did he complain. Over and over he'd kill the deer and only allowed himself a morsel feeding the rest to man. Each winter to keep man from freezing he would gift them his pelt. Without needing to provide or protect themselves man had time to multiply and grow smarter, they built huts and spears. They tamed fire and harvested crops, soon the wolf was no longer needed. Though over the years the wolf's love for man faded to nothing except for one, a young girl with silver hair and spots on her body. She was kinder to him then any other. Everyday wolf would walk beside her and listen to her sing, she had the most beautiful voice that ever existed. As the girl grew wolf stayed and protected her, but one night as wolf slept the girl ran into the woods to explore the darkness. She climbed a tree to get a better look but a branch snapped and she fell, wolf rushed to her side. Sadly it was too late, she was dying and wolf didn't know what to do but cry. She said something to wolf in her last breath and it was 'Don't cry, I'll never live in darkness again from now on'. Out of options wolf sang his song for her like she had done for him so many times, unknowingly combining his soul with hers. In the sky a large silver orb and hundreds of little ones appeared that night when the girl died and that light shone upon man for the first time. Some were transformed into shape-shifters able to take the skin of the wolf, others remained clueless to their existence. That girl who died is the Moon Goddess and she lives in each of us and gives us the light of her moon and stars. She's the reason we never live in darkness."
"That's so cool... but what happened to wolf."
"Without his love and part of his soul he grew bitter and became dangerous to man once again, the same can be said for those who never find their mate. The other half of their soul..."
"Wolf can still be heard singing for his love every night if you listen hard enough and the legend goes all incomplete souls will howl to the moon hoping to please the Moon Goddess enough to grant the a mate.
"Wow, that's amazing... Bu-but.." I looked down away from my Grandma ashamed of what I thought.
"But what, dear."
"But how does my freckles have anything to do with that?"
"Oh silly girl, your freckles are your stars and you, child, are their Galaxy."
*Flashback ended*
Coming to the edge of the deck I peered down into the dark woods, only seeing pines shiver in the icy wind. It didn't seem like a single living soul lurked in that forest for miles.
How could I have been so paranoid to have actually thought something was out here, let alone it watching me. Maybe this whole competition was getting to my head a little. I needed a long hot bubble bath with a bottle or two of wine and scented candles.
A overwhelming sense of relief filled me and I checked the forest one last time before turning around to go inside and probably watch a movie with popcorn. Today had been a tough one and I could think of a better way to unwind except that.
Taking my first step towards the door I heard a bone chilling noise which made every hair on my body stand on end. It sounded beautiful but sad, like it was telling story of loss or maybe something it has not yet found.
The noise was a werewolf howl.
Running to the edge I scanned the forest line for anything out of the ordinary. It was pretty dark but the light from my house and the moon lit the beginning of the woods pretty well.
That is well enough to see a pair of two bright yellow eyes staring directly at me. They belonged to a massive black wolf reminding me of the sky which reminded me of a certain someone.
It stared at me for what seemed like years, but then gave one final mournful howl and disappeared in the night like a phantom.
Stunned I stood there unknowing what to do before finally sprinting inside and locking everything I could, tonight I knew sleep would not grace me easily.
Not when I knew a broken soul lurked outside my doorstep and I was its cast.
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Hi! I'm back. I know this took a while but I had a serious case of writer's block. Anyways what did you think about Aspen's Grandma and her story of the Moon Goddess. Just for the books, the werewolfs today in this story no longer believe in or worship the Moon Goddess that's why Aspen's Grandmother didn't want her to tell her mother because she would be mad she is telling Aspen these stories. Also Hunter has gone from showing up in Aspen's room to stalking her outside her house. Hunter why are you such a creep!😂
Don't forget to comment and like, it really helps knowing your guys care. Bye!!!