Alice openned her eyes and was blinded by the light. She forced her eyes to adjust to it and was awed after. She's in a very vast meadow filled with various flower and the air almost tastes sweet. It was surrounded by trees but those are too far to even clearly recognize in the night time even if the moon looks really big and bright from there. Fireflies fly around leisurely. There was a wisteria tree in the middle and underneath it was a gazebo like a half bird cage made of vines and flowers.
"Child. What is it that you seek?" She immediately turned to where the voice came from. There she saw a lady with flowing light yellow dress and a silky mantle covering her eyes. Her glowing platinum blonde hair remind her of sun rays and her stance were elegant and proud almost arrogant. Something about her made Alice step back for the reason she don't know.
"I hate repeating but I will still do so. What is it that you seek? " her hot yet cold snark made Alice shiver. Then she remembered Gil's story. That werewolfs are created by the moon goddess thus made her the mother of their race. One will feel her motherly love and attachment to her once you met her. And she don't an feel an inch of attachment to the lady in front of her.
"Who are you?"
The lady's lips twirled into a chilly mocking smirk. "You're the one who went here, child of moon. You have no right to answer my question with another question.
She looked down unable to decide whether to answer or not. It felt wrong to even answer to her. Alice looked up and yelped when their distance shrinked and she was able to grip her by the throat and made her kneel. Alice choked and struggled to be let go.
"Child of moon. You are arrogant to make me wait and ignore me. I will have to teach you a lesson." Out of nowhere, an arrow swished past Alice and through the lady. The lady slowly vanishing and air enveloped Alice then she floated towards the wisteria tree. She looked back at the fading lady and saw her eyes. Flame like blue eyes. Just like Gil's story.
She nursed her injured neck and was astonished again. The wisteria tree wasn't as big as she thought. It was so huge and so is the gazebo made of vines and flowers. She will look like Thumbelina when she stand into one of those flowers.
She looked inside and found another lady sitting inside on a very wide bed. She was a titan. She is so big and beautiful. She is wearing white and her very long silky black hair almost shine like silver. Her fair skin is glowing at the moonlight. Her face is without flaw and her slightly open lush green eyes looked like jewels filled with specks of million stars. She looked serene and gentle that Alice made want to cry all her pain and sufferings. She feel so connected to her.
Speaking of pain. She don't feel the pain in her head anymore. Just her throat.
"My child. How have you been?" Her voice is husky like a mother comforting her child.
"Please save me." She said crying her heart out. The goddess held out her hands and the wind put her down on the goddess' hand.
"My child. My little warrior. Are you tired already?" Alice became confused. Then she thought all that happened to her. How her own father never loved her. How Anya started to be difficult and started hating her. How her own mate never loved her and tormented her for years. How her wolf wanted to kill her and her baby.
But then she remembered her old pack that adored her and she laughed and fought with. Anya was her partner in crime then. Then she met Gil and Felix. Then her incoming baby. Despite whatever odds, she love it already. There are good things left in her life.
"No I'm not tired. I have some people I love there. I need to go back."
The goddess smiled. "Then what do you need with this old lady then? Only those who have a very deep believe and in need of me can come here. It's been almost a century since someone visited me."
"I don't know what to do exactly my dear goddess. Gil told me stories about splitting me and my wolf. She wanted me dead and take over our body. She also want to appease Jared by killing my cub. Please. She wasn't like this before. She used to be my bestfriend. I just want us to separate our bodies."
"I know your situation. I've been watching. But I can't interfere with the string of fate too much. It was Fate's territory. But I can make your wish happen. Your cub will be fine." She sadly said. Her hands went down and Alice floated in the same place she was in.
The Goddess showered her with light and Alice closed her eyes feeling something inside her being pulled out. She felt no pain. But she could hear the goddess slight grunts and pants.
She felt the magic stopped but she remained suspended in the air.
She opened her eyes and the first she noticed is the moon goddess laid in the bed as if she lost energy. Then there were violent snarls and barks beside her.
Her light brown wolf was there fighting the vines that are trying to keep her down. She must've felt her gaze and snarled at her. Gil was right. She never noticed it before but Anya have blue eyes that almost as if blue flames.
"Iridessa?" The Goddess whispered in disbelief. "I thought Gordon Ylmir was just over thinking but as I can see you now it really was you." Gordon Ylmir was Gil. Felix made a pet name since his name was too long.
Anya snarled louder and talked through mental telepathy.
"Oh look at you. You seemed to be dying. You are getting too full of yourself. Trying to take all of the damages while separating us. You are a crazy playing the hero again. When we both know you are not. You're self-righteous skits really make me want to barf."
The Goddess smiled sadly. "It was nice to see you again Iridessa." Her voice is strained with sadness guilt and so much more. But it only fueled Iridessa's anger.
"It was so unpleasant to see you ever since forever! You're always trying to interfere! I loathe you and curse all your creations. I will make them suffer and I will never stop until you die!"
Anya or Iridessa slowly faded so is her voice. Alice looked up to the moon Goddess and saw her shed a single tear.
"So that was what I failed to see. I did not notice it was her. And my incompetence made my people suffer if what Gil told you was correct. Will you hear my story as well my child?"
Alice nodded. "Centuries ago, my brother, the sun god married a winged sorcerer. My arrogant brother fell for an equally arrogant woman. That is how I see it back then. I see her as a cunning and ambitious witch. I fight her and she always fight back. Then I went too far, enough to destroy their marriage. That is when I acknowledged her love for him. I tried to fix my mistake but it was too late. Brother married another one. Goddess of plaque this time. Even though she is the Goddess of plaque, she is very beautiful and gentle beyond compare. Iridessa attempted many times to get him back but brother's new wife turns out to be a cruel lady sometimes. She murdered Iridessa. Blinded her black eyes and turned blue as fire. That time she became blind. Days later Iridessa did not give up. So the Goddess of Plaque Ripped her beautiful wings. Tore her mouth apart. All in front of me. That time I know I made the biggest mistake of my life.
I never knew she reincarnated. She killed my friends on land. I turned a whole kingdom into vampires. I interfered again. It only made the situation worse back then, didn't I?" She looked at Alice and tried to smile again. "I just hope I don't mess up with yours."
"I talked to a lady earlier. Her eyes are covered with clothe but when an arrow hit her and slowly faded her eyes are like Iridessa's. That is her right?"
"Yes. What you saw are shards of time. If a shard of past saw you then your time and her time crossed for a brief moment. That is when I tried to hunt her. She was so good at answering my hunt back. There is only one time I grazed her. So it was you who had distracted her back then. Now I know."
"Child as much as I wanted to chat with you more, you need to go back now. My power is not enough to keep the connection to your world any longer." Alice remembered what Iridessa said earlier. She took all the damages of the separation. Alice cried again.
"Thank you for saving me and my child. Thank you very much." The goddess chuckled lightly.
"Silly child. That's normal. I'm your mother." She turned serious. "Iridessa is not supposed to be your wolf. I will find your wolf and bring her to you when the time comes that you needed her. For now, I need to rest. Goodbye my child. See you again some other time. Remember that everything happens for a reason. Fate can be cruel but it always have a reason. " she blew her a kiss and everything fades to black.
Alice gasp when she woke up. She was riding another wide brown furry back. She was sandwiched between Enelia and Berry that are securing her in place. The sunlight is peeking through the leaves in the trail they running to. They were blasting away again but she can't see Gil's black wolf.
"Berry where is Gil?" She turned behind her to ask Berry. She jolted a little when she saw her awake and hugged her tight.
"Thank goodness your awake. You need nutrition. You always pass out."
She did not answer the question. "Where's Gil?" She repeated.
Berry sighed and hesitantly answer. "Your wolf emerged first. She tried to attack you but Gil stopped her and fought her. We ran out of time when we sensed the pack coming nearby. He ordered us to take you away."
"That did not answer my question. Where. Is. He?" Her heart beated fast that it felt like it was about to burst out of her ribs.
Berry cried and held her tighter. "He pushed us to leave him behind to stop them from following us. Then a couple of hours ago, we heard his last howl. I think he is dead."she cried harder. Alicefelt that she blocked out her surroundings. All she can hear is 'he is dead.' It kept ringing in her ear. She can't see Berry shaking and yelling at her frantically.
Alice stared at Berry in disbelief. "No... no. That's impossible. He is strong. He was a former king. He made friends with vampires. He punched a ceiling open. He looked like a bear.... no... no he can't be dead." She said breathless. She will never believe that Gil can be taken down by Iridessa and Jared's pack. The man was a giant and a former king so it means he is very strong.
Felix came in a full halt and motioned them down. He went behind a tree and came out in a pair of trousers. His eyes are puffy and red. He is grieving silently. The look in his eyes are enough ti make her stop from ranting and let the truth sink in. She cried hard in his arms.
"He told me to take care of you. He told me to always say he loves you like his own daughter. That you are the best that happened to him since everything he built fell apart. He told me to keep you healthy. To keep you protected and cozy. To have you laugh all the time. To always make you move forward and never look back. God that man have said a lot. I will just write it down later, aye? " she nodded but continued sobbing and crying hard. Felix hugged her tighter and she felt his own tears fell on her head. His voice is really shaking.
"That dumb old coot. He should be here. I don't know how to take care of a brat. Only he can do it. I only plan to keep my mate from standing from our bed for the rest of my life and let him do the other work you know. I should be angry at him. He ruined my life plans. I have to have a punch on him. God this is horrible." Alice lightly punched him but didn't say anything.
"He's not dead. That's impossible. He's not dead... " Alice whimpered more and started crying louder.
He inhaled sharply and struggled to gulp a big lump in his throat. "I wish I could say the same lad. But I-I heard it clear. Very c-clear that my ears will forever be imprinted with his dying howl. I wish I could have a little hope but-" his voice trailed off and squeezed her tighter that it hurt. But Alice needed it. They needed it.
When she calmed down a little after a couple of hours of crying, she finally realized the two of them are not alone. Berry and Enelia are cuddled together silently grieving as well. Another batch of tears fell down her eyes. Berry saw her looking at them so she guided her daughter to hug them as well. Alice can feel her motherly love. She could feel their concern and sincerity. She will forever be thankful of the moon Goddess for giving her other people that loves her more than she think she deserves.
'You will forever be my dad Gil. I hope you're in a paradise coz you deserve it. I love you to the moon and back.'