Chapter Forty-One
“The closet is the escape plan?” Ternen looked about as confused as Rick did.
I laughed. “Just follow me.” I walked into the closet and they all followed. “Close the door behind us, Ternen, please.”
“Okay.” I heard the door shut before I opened the next door, and then the one on the other side.
“You have a door that leads to a door?” Abby giggled.
“I do. Do you want to know why?” I asked, still using the other door to block their view.
“Why?” Abby came up behind me, and I opened both doors wide.
“Because this is a magic closet. Follow me.” I waved them forward, and we walked through my bedroom, down the hall, and down the stairs.
“You have another house in your closet?” Shelly’s words were filled with awe. She turned to Rick. She elbowed him. “We can barely afford the one and she has a huge house in a closet.”
I laughed and winked down at Abby. “Come on, I have someone I want you to meet.” I held out my hands and she lifted her arms.
“Sorry.” She whispered as we started down the steps.
“Why are you saying sorry?” I turned to her as we hit the ground floor.
“Because stairs are hard for me and make me tired.” She looked down at her hands. “I don’t want you to think you have to carry me.”
I poked her cheek. “I will never be mad, or annoyed, or upset if I carry you.”
“Amy!” I heard the squeal before I turned in time to catch Carly.
“Hey baby girl. How was your day today?” I brushed back her curls and kissed her head.
“It was great. Aunt Wendy and Aunt Toya took me on a run. And we had lunch with daddy.” I smiled.
“That sounds like an amazing day. But I have a surprise for you.” I heard Wendy and Toya pull up short as they saw everyone behind me.
“You said that. What is it?” Carly finally looked behind me and her eyes widened.
“This…” I stepped aside and pulled Abby to my side. “This is Abby.”
Carly’s eyes grew wide, and she wiggled in my arms to get down. “Hi.”
Abby smiled shyly. “Hi.”
“I’m Carly.” Carly smiled. “Do you want to be my friend?”
Abby smiled. “I would like that.”
“Do you want to go to my bedroom? I can show you all my toys.” Carly held out her hand, but I dropped a hand to her shoulder.
“Abby finds it a little hard right now to go up and down stairs.”
Carly looked up at me and then moved to Wendy and Toya. “Can Auntie Wendy and Toya help?” She looked at the others. “It will give you time to explain everything and show them around.”
I looked at Shelly and Rick. “Wendy and Toya are my best friends and would never harm Abby.” I rubbed Carly’s hair. “I trust them with my girl here every day.”
They looked at each other and then down at the two hopeful girls. There was a soft sigh, and then Shelly looked at me. “Promise she is safe?”
“Absolutely.” I nodded. I turned to Wendy and Toya. “Do you mind?”
“Of course not.” Wendy smiled, and she walked over to Abby. “I’m Wendy.” She grinned. “Is it okay if I pick you up to go back upstairs?”
Abby looked up at her parents and then both nodded. She turned back to Wendy. “Yes, please.” She held up her arms and Wendy scooped her into her arms.
“Let’s go Carly.” Toya opened her arms and Carly jumped up. Then the four of them left us alone.
I waved everyone else out the front door. “This is our escape.” I walked out onto the grass and turned to look over the cabin. “This was my great-grandmother’s land. She lived here, loved here, and died…well, close enough.” They laughed.
“This is in your closet?” Ternen looked around wide eyed.
“Sorta. My closet holds a portal here. Always connected.” I brought them around the side.
“I know it isn’t much. But it’s safe. It’s far enough that Vince won’t be able to find us.
And best of all, there are enough bathrooms for all of us to use.
” I turned to them. “There aren’t, however, enough rooms.”
Rick looked at Shelly. “It won’t be forever.”
I shook my head. “No, it won’t be.” I looked at them.
“My father’s pack will resurface, and we’ll all join them.
You will get a house, a job, and for the love of the Goddess, a fair wage.
” I looked at Alannah and Ternen. “There are no rules about Omega pregnancy. There won’t be repercussions for asking for a new position.
” I turned back to the land. “And you can watch your children grow up safe and sound after the war is over.”
Shelly gasped. “War?”
I nodded. “There is still so much you don’t know, and we don’t have time to explain it all today.
” I turned in a slow circle. “I honestly wish we could. But every time you come over. We can come here, allow the girls to play, and we can talk in more detail. But…” I crouched down, trying to figure out how to make it more protected. “Yes, there will be a war.”
“How are you so certain?” She looked terrified. I could see her twist her fingers.
“Because I know how the king feels. He wants to rip all the rot out at once. The rogues. The Alphas. The men and women that turned their backs on their kind for power.”
“But you could be wrong.” She tried again.
I closed my eyes and I felt the shift. I was no longer alone. “No, my dear girl. She isn’t.” I felt my body turn, almost as if Nix was in control. But I looked beside me and my two wolves were watching with me. I heard a few gasps, and I turned back to watch.
“Who are you?” Rick stepped in front of his mate, but the person sharing my skin chuckled.
“Come now.” We walked closer and I recognized the voice. “I know I don’t appear often, but you have heard my voice a time or two, Rick.” The Goddess raised my hand and cupped his cheek. “I will keep your secrets, as long as you keep Amy’s.”
I watched as the realization hit him. “Moon Goddess.” He whispered in awe, and then dropped to his knees. “Save my daughter.” He bowed down again. “I don’t care if it costs me my life. Just cure her, spare her. I promise I will go with you willingly.”
We watched him on the ground and tilted our head. I realized that, much like when Nix was front, I counted the Goddess as an extension of me. Her voice was light when she called back to us. ‘That’s because I am. You come from me, mind, body, and soul. We are intimately intertwined.’
But we turned to Rick and crouched down. “I can not interfere with the lives on this earth directly. I can maneuver, I can guide, but intervention is expressly forbidden.”
Rick looked up and tears were falling down his face. “She’s only ten.”
I nodded, but Shelly slammed to her knees next to her husband. “Please, Goddess, mother. You must feel our need, feel our pain. Can’t you do this for us?”
We cupped both of their faces. “I cannot. I did it once, and this is what it brought.” There was a flash of a memory I saw years ago.
The first werewolf, a man in a damp forest, changed for life.
The Goddess closed her eyes, and I knew I was right.
“I cannot, will not, risk the lives of all of my children.”
Shelly sobbed. “But she’s my little girl, and she’s going to die.” Rick and Shelly wailed, but the Goddess kissed their foreheads. “If you don’t help us, we will lose her.” Shelly clutched at our hand.
“Silly girl.” The Goddess kissed her again.
“I said I cannot interfere, but I didn’t say I hadn’t already sent you the answer to your prayers.
” She lifted their faces up to meet her eyes.
“Amy knows exactly what she needs to prepare and is able to do to save your girl. Trust in her.” I saw in the reflection of their eyes that my eyes glowed a soft blue white.
Almost like Rowan’s eyes if he had magic.
“Follow her. She will show you the way.”
“Yes, Goddess.” Rick said instantly.
The Goddess turned to Shelly. “I came today for one reason. To reinforce what Amy is telling you. War is on the horizon. A war like now we have never seen and if it isn’t handled in the next moon cycle, then all will be lost.” The Goddess’s voice turned sad.
“The ones that are moving in the shadows are poking the hornet’s nest. Humans are taking interest where they shouldn’t.
My children have hidden away, but nowhere will be safe if they keep pushing. ”
Her words bounced around in my head but I could feel her pulling away.
“What do you mean?” Ternen called.
She turned to Alannah and Ternen. “Congratulations on the pup. If you make it through the next month, he will be so loved.” The Goddess smiled at them.
“He?” Alannah’s hand shot to her belly, and then I saw her face harden.
We nodded. “To answer your question…” She sighed as she fully stood again.
“If this war goes on too long. If the Alphas keep pushing for power. You will be found. And no place that I can give you will be safe, not anymore.” No where she gave us?
Where was she talking about? But she continued.
“The humans will find you, and you will be killed.” I could feel her shiver.
The sound of tiny running feet was all I heard before a soft voice finished. “And the ones that survive the human extermination will beg for death, they will make sure of it.”
Everyone turned in horror as Carly stood in the grass, white eyes blind to the world, voice too deep for a freshly seven-year-old child. Rick turned back to me, because the Goddess left my body, and we were once again alone. “Is that who I think it is?”
Carly chuckled in a voice that sounded like she was grown. “If you are asking if I am the Shaman, I am indeed.” She turned to me. “High above us, where the stars can reach, the secret you are searching for has taken root.”
Something in my chest loosened. Something my soul has figured out, but my brain was still trying to catch up. “What do you mean?”
“You know.” She smiled, and then I watched her start to fall. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head and before she could slam into the ground, I caught her.
“Holy shit, you have the Shaman here?” Rick paced.
“Abby is playing with the Shaman?” Shelly looked confused.
Ternen, sweet Ternen, just looked at us. “Who or what is the Shaman?”
Everyone froze for a second and then all of us, including the newly awakened Carly, laughed. I think the comment broke through everyone’s heightened emotions and brought us all back down.
Wendy, Toya, and Abby all came out of the cabin and walked up to the laughing crowd. “Everything okay?” Toya sounded worried.
I nodded. “Why?”
Toya pointed to Carly. “The girls were playing with the dolls and this one sprinted from the room.”
Carly wiggled to get down from my arms. “I felt a vision coming on and I needed to be with Amy when it hit.” She looked up at them. “I’m sorry if I scared you.”
Wendy crouched down with a smile. “It’s okay, sweetheart.” She tickled her side, earning a giggle. “We understand that your power pushes you to do things. We just worry, that’s all.”
Carly hugged her and then turned to me. “You remember my words?” I nodded. “Good.” Then she turned to Abby. “Do you want to go back to playing with dolls?”
“Yes.” Abby danced in Toya’s arms.
“Hold your horses, girls.” My mom’s voice carried from the porch.
We all turned in surprise. “Ma?”
She laughed. “Morgan and Shannon are gone. The house is locked up and I came through with dinner.” She waved us over. “Come on and eat, and then we can figure out our next steps.” She walked back into the house.
“Morgan left the house?” Toya lifted her brows.
I nodded. “You missed the bomb that dropped today.” Toya and Wendy looked intrigued. “I’ll tell you later.”
“Porch wine?” Wendy offered.
I nodded. “Porch wine.” I winked as we all turned and headed to the door.
“Porch wine?” Shelly caught up to me.
I laughed. “Yeah, after Carly is in bed, the three of us will catch up on the porch with a glass of wine. Toya started calling it porch wine after the first night.” I slipped my arm around hers. “When you are here, you are more than welcome to join us.”
“Oh I can’t.” She shook her head with a chuckle.
“Why the heck not?” I shook her lightly.
“Because I have Abby.”
I snorted. “Rick will be here, and she will be cured by then. I’m sure the man you mated can handle her for one night.”
She looked at me through her lashes. “You promise?”
I distractedly nodded. “Promise what? That he can handle his kid for a night. Goddess, I freaking hope so.” I laughed.
Shelly chuckled with me as we went up the porch steps, but she shook her head. “No. About Abby being cured by then?”
I pulled her to a stop before the door. “The only reason I’m not curing her instantly is because Vince would feel it. Or whoever he asked to wield the curse. It’s connected to the caster, and if any die, or the curse is lifted, they are instantly alerted.”
She quivered in my arms. “I can’t lose her.”
“And you won’t.” I squeezed her.
“Mommy, come on. Grandma Ainsley made lasagna, and garlic bread.” Abby bounced on her toes.
I looked at her. “Is lasagna your favorite?” She nodded. “My mom makes the best lasagna ever.” Abby looked at her mom.
“I think my mom does.” I smiled.
“Well, I guess we have to find out. Tonight we will have my moms, and maybe soon, we will get to have your moms.”
She grinned, and we headed inside. But instantly, something felt off. I left everyone downstairs as I made my way upstairs. Nix’s and Megan’s hackles were up. I started to run, but something was wrong.
I ran to my bedroom and realized my mom had left the connecting doors opened in her haste to come over with her hands full. I went to close them, but I heard something scraping against metal.
I slipped through the doors, closing them as I went, and made it to my bedroom door when I heard it again. A soft scrape of something against my lock. I spun the lock and wrenched my door open.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”