My eyes widen in astonishment when it responds with a fluid voice.
“Greetings, Laura,” it whispers, orienting its body towards the woodland. “We must hasten. She awaits us.”
“Who?” I enquire, although the wolf remains silent, darting into the forest.
I hasten after it, circumventing small stones and branches scattered across the forest floor as I sprint barefoot. After a period of running, the thick forest yields to a clearing featuring a substantial tree at the periphery. Several large stones are positioned around a much larger stone, resembling chairs encircling a table, and the wolf occupies one of the stone seats. I approach the wolf and lean against a stone, inhaling deeply to regain my breath.
“Greetings, Laura,” a soft voice murmurs from behind the tree, and as I glance up, an exquisite woman with porcelain complexion and hair as dark as night materialises before me.
She is barefoot and dons a modest yet gorgeous white dress adorned with blue embellishments at the hem. A warm grin graces her flawless red lips, and her black eyes shimmer like stars.
The wolf leaps from the stone and lowers its head before the woman, the exquisite figure caressing the wolf’s fur affectionately.
Uncertain of my actions, I rise abruptly and clumsily bow to her while awkwardly manipulating my hands.
“H-hello,” I respond quietly, eliciting a chuckle from the woman.
“Aren’t you going to enquire how I am aware of your name?” she enquires, rendering me speechless.
“Am I deceased?” I respond with a nonchalant shrug. “And are you here to guide me to the afterlife…? Or to my designated destination? Heaven, perhaps? Hell, I suggest hesitantly, as the woman settles onto a stone with the wolf resting at her feet.
“You are not deceased,” she whispers, stroking the wolf that purrs contentedly beside her. “It is not your time yet. Jadi and Bray still require your presence.”
“What is my purpose here?” I enquire, surveying the expansive woodland.
She hums to herself prior to responding. “You are markedly distinct from your sister. Whereas she endeavoured to alter her destiny, you appear disinclined to request anything from me. In fact, quite the contrary.”
“I am unaware of your identity or nature, thus how can I request anything from you?” I murmur. “Moreover, I shape my own destiny. At least, I prefer to believe so.”
“Is that the reason you resisted your mate bond with Jadi? You sought to forge your own destiny?”
I arch an eyebrow at the woman, my tolerance dwindling. “Who are you?” I enquire.
“The Moon, the Mother of the Wolves, the Daughter of the Night, Selene, Diana, Coyolxauhqui, Hanwi, Huitaca, Moon Goddess, take your pick,” she shrugs. “Peoples across the world have given me so many names that it does not matter what you call me. All that matters is that you respect me and my work.”
“Thus, you are their Moon Goddess,” I state, recognising the implication, my gaze shifting to the wolf at her feet. “I presume that is your companion?”
The wolf snarls at me, while the Moon Goddess casts a disapproving gaze onto the creature to enforce proper conduct.
“Devina, like all of my wolves, is a product of my love, my own creation, my child,” the Goddess says, caressing the wolf’s head. “Werewolves all contain a spirit, a soul that I create. She is a soul without a vessel.”
“Ah, so you are the matchmaker who assigned me not one, but two wolves,” I murmur, shaking my head at the goddess who has significantly complicated my situation. “Thank you very much for that; you have bestowed upon me two headaches.”
“Do you refute your affection for Jadi?” enquires the Moon Goddess with an amused expression.
“Of course not,” I huff, measuring my words carefully. “But even you must admit Aldo was a mistake. Why did you do that? Why did you match me with a man who was incapable of cherishing what we had? Why did you let him hurt me? Why did you let him break me?” I scream, several tears spilling onto my cheeks. “I loved him! I loved him with every fiber in my being. I trusted him! I trusted you and you both failed me! You both broke me! And then you screwed me over by giving me another mate. I didn’t ask for one! I didn’t ask for any of this, so why? Why did you do this? Why can’t you just leave me alone? Why do you insist on touching every aspect of my life? WHY?!?!”
The celestial Goddess remains silent for an extended period, tenderly caressing Devina’s snout with profound love and devotion, leading me to suspect that she may be disregarding me completely.
“You are exceedingly angry…” she finally murmurs. “So am I…” she exhales. “Like any mother, I desire only the best for all my children. Each of them deserves their own happily ever after, and I strive to facilitate that for every pair I create. However, plans do not always unfold as anticipated, particularly in a realm where free will prevails. As any mother would, I endeavour to instill love and respect among my wolves, yet sometimes it remains beyond my control. Even the most devoted mothers cannot assist a child unwilling to accept help. I cannot dictate my children’s behaviour; I can only hope they glean wisdom from their missteps. It pains me to witness their conflicts. It pains me to see my wolves suffer. It pains me to observe my efforts disintegrate at the hands of my own offspring. Being a mother can be excruciating. Yet, I endure it all with the hope that one day my wolves will rediscover peace.
