Chapter 26 Five Months Later
In the five months that followed me opening up the trade route, so much has continued to happen.
My blessing on our farm lands seems to be holding solid as we now have many crops.
Some of which will stay here in the Pleiades Pack and some will be loaded into the wagons that head through the Wyrmtooth Mountains.
Aylin and the construction teams have successfully completed 15 of the 25 new homes and we are housing the awaiting families in the Inn, in either the resident wing or the guest wing.
We are allowing them to stay free of charge as long as they help with the farming or construction.
Everyone seems to be getting along well with one another and even though he is busy Aylin is still working on relations with the Bloodmoon pack.
We have begun to follow the treaty with Vervain bringing the rabbits as offerings and we have a small group of people researching in the library tombs to find out what would be a suitable offering for the new year.
Vervain has kept his end of the deal keeping my people safe and keeping the passage open.
After healing the farm and facing Vervain, my body went into shock.
I had drained all of my power and strength in such a short period of time that my body gave out.
It took a week for me to recover. Aylin stayed with me the whole time from what our staff tells me and he practically jumped out of his skin when I woke up.
Since then he has been very protective. He only leaves when he works on the new homes, and even then he keeps our link fully open so I can reach him whenever I need to.
About four months ago I started to attend school.
After taking a placement test I found out that I actually knew more about the world than I originally thought.
English was the same and I was advanced with my math knowledge.
When it came to history I learned that even though my Mrs. Heaton only taught in human history, she actually taught me about true history.
When she taught about wars the flags of the ‘humans’ she talked about always had symbols on them which after being in college I learned were the symbols for the different nations.
After I figured that out, history was a breeze.
I will be done with this semester in a couple days and I look forward to a small break before jumping back in.
Zeta has jumped into her role as my ‘mother’ as well.
She has been showing me the ins and outs of being a Luna, all while coming to the end of her pregnancy.
I have met with women trying to get pregnant, women who are pregnant, women giving birth, and I have met all of the pack's children.
I have been to weddings and funerals, and shared laughs and tears with my people.
I have seen our emergency shelters and found land for the elderly and childcare center.
I have also been working with the merchants on what we should and shouldn’t trade, and I have continued to make sure our people stay happy, and unafraid to ask when they need help.
Every month when the full moon arrives we continue the tradition of ruling as a pack.
Capella is the happiest these days. Even though she comes out often, I give her free reins on the full moon.
She loves to hunt, swim, and run. Sterling and her are wonderful together, and they make a wonderful pair just as Alyin and I do.
She commands our pack beautifully, and her howls are loud and majestic.
She is my rock, and anytime I need someone to talk to she is there and always helps me to stand proud of who I am.
The one thing I feel is the most unexpected is that Luna Marcella wrote me a letter explaining some things to me.
I don’t think I am ready to open that door, but I do hold this letter close to my heart.
Dearest Queen Celest, I write this with a shattered heart, praying this letter somehow finds its way to you.
I need you to know the truth about the night you were taken, and I need you to know that, despite everything, I have never stopped loving you.
The day my precious baby, Laney, passed away at the hands of Alpha Marcus, my mind fractured from grief.
In my absolute darkest hour, he spun a plan for a new baby to me.
One that would be better than the original, because you were a lycan.
You would be the strongest and most beautiful wolf anyone had ever seen.
I didn’t want a new, better baby, I wanted my daughter, but I knew he killed her.
He came closer to me and he had such anger in his eyes and I knew if I refused him I would be the target of that anger as I was frequently.
Marcus planned the kidnapping on the night you were to arrive at the Hutchens Burge Inn.
He had obtained a blood red crystal that blocked communication with the Moon Goddess, so he knew Zeta would not receive word of your arrival.
Our guards waited for Marcus’ signal and then began to fight the guests, residents, and workers while he snuck up to your room and stole you away into the night.
He was right, you were the most beautiful baby I had ever seen.
I still grieved my daughter but I knew I wanted to love you, and show you all the love you deserved.
We had mother daughter days, where I took you to the carnival, beach, or just out walking the pack lands.
I would spend hours singing to you and combing your beautiful brown hair.
We were great friends until right before your fifth birthday.
You were humming the Queen of The Cosmos song and Marcus heard you.
Something in me changed that day. His anger made his eyes turn red and he went to hit you and I jumped in the way.
Everything in me changed and the Rage Wisps descended upon me.
They fed on my despair and manipulated my broken mind, twisting my sorrow into a dark, uncontrollable haze.
I was entirely consumed by their malicious magic; they took the steering wheel of my body, and I could not fight them off.
The Rage wisps whispered dark promises in my ear and used me as a pawn.
I was powerless to stop them, trapped inside my own mind as you were taken and beaten by Zion, and Marcus.
Eventually the wisps won and I too began to abuse you.
I have spent every waking moment since then fighting the Rage Wisps influence and searching for a way to free myself.
Anytime I came close my thoughts would get jumbled up and all progress would be lost, that's one thing the wisps were good at.
Two years after you were taken, I became pregnant again.
Another baby girl, Abby. She was so small and beautiful.
Her hair like yours was brown and I hoped the two of you would grow together.
Marcus thought her birth would be the perfect coverup.
He drowned her, claiming that since we didn’t take our children out in the public eye until they were twelve, we could say that you were that baby.
Making you younger than you were. He said it would be the perfect cover up if anyone came around asking questions.
That's why when you were kicked out you thought you were 18.
Please know that I always thought of you as my daughter, and the love I hold for you is the one truth that has kept me breathing. I am so sorry for everything Queen Celest, I hope that one day you can find it within yourself to forgive me.
With all my love,
Luna Marcella