29. Epilogue
The wind rushed around me as I flew through the air as an albino white hawk. From the sky, I could see the land of Moirai spanning under me with a wealth of beautiful forests. In the distance, I could see my home village. Members of the Trinity pack were stationed there, helping with building more profitable farms and furthering new relationships between humans and werewolves. Similar things were happening at all human and pack villages across the lands.
After the small battle of Moirai, rumors had spread to all the packs; that the Goddesses had appeared in person to fight among the wolves. Rumors of a blessed Queen Luna who could command obedience from all the wolves in the entire land wherever she was also made their rounds. And so, when I was announced as Queen Luna, there were next to no challenges to greet me. Roman had been pleased.
One of the first things I demanded after being officially announced as Queen Luna was the reinstatement of Oracles into their designated packs, along with rebuilding all temples that had been torn down. Despite prior concerns, this was actually accepted rather easily.
As I flew over Alpha with the sun at my back, I saw my family working diligently towards making a better home for themselves and future humans. I was now able to freely visit them or have them visit me, if I wished. They weren’t brave enough to travel outside the village as of yet, but I knew the day would come when they would.
Cynthia and Cate had left after the war had been stopped.
“Couldn’t kill him, could you? Typical,” Cate had said with her own amusement.
“We’ll be watching over you,” Cynthia had left her parting words fondly.
I missed having them around, but this was a world of mortals and they didn’t feel comfortable staying here. After they promised me that Roman’s curse of immortality was surely broken, they disappeared into the wind. Roman had tested the fact with a rather alarming cut on his arm, but his joy when seeing it not heal immediately was something wonderful to see.
Besides Roman’s curse being broken, with Hecate returning to the realm of Gods, Oracles would be able to receive visions from her once more.
I flew towards the Trinity pack village and saw Roman standing before the clinic, his hand raised towards me as though calling for me. I didn’t hesitate. I folded my wings against myself, falling towards him determinedly. When I was close enough, I shifted back into human form, and he caught me in his arms with a small laugh.
“You shouldn’t do that in the middle of the village like that. Someone could see,” He teased, spinning me around slowly.
“I don’t care,” I responded stubbornly. Roman placed a sweet kiss on my pouted lip, making me forget any negative feelings I might’ve had. I smiled against him delightfully.
“Well, I care about keeping you safe,” He told me firmly before releasing me from his grasp. I bounced from one foot to the other and then looked at the clinic before becoming more serious.
“I think it’s time,” I said, rubbing my hands together. “I think I can do it.”
“Just try your best. If it doesn’t work, we can try again later,” Roman answered, crossing his arms in an equally serious manner. I took a deep breath, but then stepped forward to enter the clinic. Roman stayed with me, just as I’d asked him to do before, and silently followed me as I walked to a specific room.
I opened the door carefully. There were no other wolves except for the one lying on the clinic bed and the one sitting next to the bed. Beta Caleb looked up as we entered the room, his features that of confusion and fatigue.
“Beta Caleb, I need you to leave us for just a little while. The Queen Luna would like to speak to Diana,” Roman requested, much gentler than he would be typically due to the sensitivity of the situation. Beta Caleb looked like he might argue against it, but then only nodded mutely. He reached forward to touch Diana softly, who didn’t respond, and left the room without glancing at me. I could understand. My brother had been the one to do this to Diana, accident or not.
Once it was just Diana, Roman, and me in the room, I began to step around the bed carefully. Diana’s once lively curls were flatten on the bed sheets around her head. She had woken up some time ago, but spent her time just staring in the distance silently after finding out that not only had she lost her miracle baby; she would be unable to have any children in the future.
I sat down next to the bed where Beta Caleb had just been. Diana’s eyes didn’t look at me, as though she couldn’t see me. She lied on her side facing me. I pulled my chair close to the bed so that I could reach out to grasp her hand in mine.
“Diana,” I called to her. She didn’t respond. It was as though she was no longer there. I paused, but then reached for her with my power to call to her. “Diana, come back now. Just for a little bit.”
At my words, Diana stirred. She blinked her eyes as though she were waking up; turning them to look at me with a look of sadness so sincere that it made my soul ache.
“I’m sorry I’m so late. It took me awhile to figure this out for you,” I said to her.
“What?” Diana croaked in exhaustion.
“Will you pray to Artemis with me?” I coaxed her, stroking her hand slowly.
“Pray?” Diana sounded slightly more awake. I nodded carefully.
“I’ll pray with you,” I said to her, “How does it start? Artemis, huntress of the moon…” I waited to see if Diana would continue. Life slowly grew more throughout her as she listened to me.
“…Make my aim true,” Diana continued for me, much to my delight.
“Give me goals to seek,” I said, moving closer to Diana.
“And the constant determination… to achieve them,” Diana spoke with renewed fervor. A deep prayer was echoing in her words; that she’d gain back what she’d lost. I could hear it in her prayer as though I were a Goddess listening to my own disciple. “Grant me communion with nature. Allow me to live surrounded by plants and animals…”
I reached to place my hand on her wounded stomach, a power different from my ability to control wildlife rippling through me just as I’d practiced. I knew it would work this time. I’d been trying to perfect it before bestowing the gift to Diana.
“…that I can grow, protect… and…,” A look of wonder was rising on Diana’s face as she watched me build the power within me, around me, and to my hand. “You’re her. You’re… you’re her.” She looked completely stunned.
I only smiled secretively.
“I’m your Queen Luna,” I said to her, the meaning laced in my words. I abruptly pushed my power into Diana and she jolted back, gasping for air. The power started with Diana, but then exploded outside the room, touching female wolf after female wolf from the Trinity pack all the way to the ends of Moirai. The curse of infertility was officially broken, starting with Diana.
I released her with my own gasp, panting heavily with exhaustion. Diana had sat up in her bed holding her stomach with wonder. For a moment, she didn’t say anything, but then she turned to look at me in bewilderment.
“I couldn’t give you back the child you lost, but I could give you the ability to have a family in the future… I hope this is enough. I wanted the curse to be ended with you,” I told her, a heartfelt sincerity in my words. The words barely left my mouth before Diana leapt towards me and wrapped her arms around me almost desperately.
“Thank you, Mila,” Diana said softly, bringing tears to my eyes. “Thank you, my Queen Luna. I will be loyal to you until death, I swear it to you.” I hugged her back, enjoying the warmth in her now lively and happier arms.
“I’ll send Beta Caleb in so you can tell him the good news,” I said to her, pulling away lightly. I brushed back her hair a bit, fondly. Then I released her before stepping towards the door where Roman stood.
Roman and I left the clinic in silence. When we were far enough away, Roman made a noise of frustration, catching my attention. I turned to look at him in confusion.
“You stole another wolf from me,” Roman said with a teasing tone of false irritation.
“Didn’t you know?” I asked him shortly, walking towards the outskirts of the village with him following. Roman tilted his head at my question.
“Know what?” He inquired curiously.
“They call me the Queen Alpha and you the King Luna,” I lied confidently.
“Name names and I’ll correct their mistake,” Roman growled dangerously, his tone implying deadly seriousness. I abruptly laughed loudly, imaging him spending who knows how much time in the future wondering if people actually called him a Luna.
“Catch me and maybe I will,” I said simply.
I shifted easily into my wolf form, running into the trees. Roman hesitated a moment too long and I could hear him curse behind me before shifting as well. With a feeling of freedom and joy never felt before, I ran with Roman close behind.
All that was left was the wind, the trees, Roman, and me.
The End