Flora’s P.O.V
“One day, Selene, the beautiful and serene Goddess of the moon was riding through the sky in her beloved silver chariot, driven by two stunning steeds whose coats were as white as snow and they bore wings of the same pristine white on their backs. Morning was almost upon her and she was travelling back home to rest. But while crossing a large grassland near the hills behind which the sun would rise, she saw something that immediately caught her attention.
“Or, rather…it was someone.
“It was none other than Endymion, the shepherd who lived nearby. But what made Goddess Selene pause in her way was the stunning beauty of the mortal man that outshone any God she had ever laid eyes on. Golden haired and blue eyes, but in her eyes his beauty outshone even Apollo, the God of the Sun.
“Selene fell madly in love with Endymion at first sight and the two started a relationship. She gave birth to fifty of his daughters, but as days passed, Endymion grew older and even more gorgeous. It worried Selene for he was a mortal, bound to return to dust from which he was created. So she went to Zeus, the King of Gods, for help.
“Zeus took pity on the lovely Selene, who had born him two lovely daughters and offered Endymion eternal life and youth. But there was one condition. For if he was granted eternal life and youth, he must be put into a deep slumber forever. He would remain unchanged in his sleep while the world changed around him.
“Since Selene and Endymion loved each other dearly, he decided not to part with his beloved and chose eternal sleep. Till now, he is supposed to be asleep in a hidden location and each morning, after the Goddess of the Moon has performed her duties, she would go back to her eternal lover, her consort and lay next to him, telling him of her day and how much she loved him.
“That is the story of eternal love between Selene and Endymion, and that is why, the Goddess has given us mates. So that we too can have someone that would love us with the same passion and devotion with which the Goddess loves her Endymion.”
Ezra, the Shrine Maiden of the Lindersay Shrine, finished narrating her story to the seven beautiful children sitting in front of her as they looked up at her in adoration and devotion.
Her hair was tied in a lose braid that was casually slung over one shoulder and her white robes were in pristine condition as she sat with her admirers on the marble ground of the shrine and indulged them in their daily story telling sessions.
To be honest, I didn’t think the children came here every day because they wanted to know more about their Goddess. The little hellions were smitten with Ezra as was the rest of Lindersay and they wanted to visit her just to spend time with her.
But till date, I had never seen Ezra complain or scold them. Ezra never scolded anyone for that matter and people still obeyed her. It was the sense of peace and serenity around her that drew people towards her like magnets, and despite her busy schedule, she always made time for everyone.
“Flora.” Ezra looked up at me with a gentle smile on her lips. “Come, I was waiting for you.”
“Children,” she looked down at the little hellions who gave her puppy eyed looks. “Your session for today is. Go on now.”
They made sad faces but obeyed her as they left one by one, promising Ezra to come early the next day. She simply smiled and waved them goodbye. I came inside the shrine only after everyone had left, lifting up my robe to make sure I didn’t trip on it. It had been two years since I arrived at Lindersay, but I couldn’t quite get accustomed to the gowns yet. Ezra, on the other hand, appeared to glide across the room in her floor length robes without any problems.
I bowed to her once she was in front of me and Ezra held out her hand once I straightened myself. “Come,” she smiled gently as I took her hand. “Do you want some chamomile tea? I left some to brew before I was swarmed.”
“Thank you,” I told her. “I’d love some.”
Ezra’s parlor was towards the back of the shrine, which was attached to her own room and bathing area. All Lunar Maidens had extravagant rooms just like the rest of the palace, but as the Shrine Maiden, Ezra enjoyed a few extra privileges than the rest of us. So naturally, her room was bigger and prettier than ours.
“So,” Ezra asked after we had taken a seat on the mahogany chairs in her parlor and she had handed me a cup of warm chamomile tea. “How are you feeling today? Did you remember anything at all?”
I took a sip of my tea and thought about how to properly answer her. “I’ve been well this past week.” I decided to go with honesty. “But that feeling seems to have intensified.”
“Feeling?” Ezra sipped on her tea. “The sense of loss and longing that you have been feeling since you woke up?”
“Yes.” I nodded. “Sometimes, I look at the woods and I feel like someone is calling for me. It makes me want to run over…search for whatever is calling out to me.”
“Absolutely not!” The sharpness in Ezra’s voice had me startled. “The woods are extremely dangerous and I shouldn’t have to be the one to tell you this, Flora. There are rogues everywhere who will love to give you a slow and painful death. So, no matter how strong your urges, ignore them as best as you can and meditate.”
I blinked several times to clear my head. I had never heard Ezra get angry and I never imagined I would be the one to make her mad. Ever since I woke up from my coma two years ago, Ezra has always been by my side. Even though I had lost all my memories and could hardly remember my own name, she had never treated me any differently. In fact, she had pretty much taken me under her wing and become the mother figure in my life that I desperately needed at that time.
I had been so lost and confused and so, so scared. I couldn’t remember who I was or who my parents were or which pack I had belonged to. But then Ezra had helped me heal. Not my physical wounds, since they were healed by a healer, but my mental wounds. She had quite literally saved my life, just like how Alpha Malachi had saved my life after he had found me stranded on the middle of the road.
I didn’t know what I was doing there but I was informed after waking that I had been attacked by rogues. Because of the traumatizing incident, I had lost my memories and they were showing no signs of coming back.
Maybe that was a relief? Maybe it was my mind’s way of keeping me safe?
“I’m sorry for worrying you.” I told Ezra now, ashamed of my desires to venture into the woods. “I know just how dangerous the woods are and I promise you, I will never mention them again.”
Ezra sighed and placed her cup on a nearby table before she knelt before me, taking my hands in hers. “I’m so, so sorry for getting angry at you. It’s not your fault; it’s my worry for you that caused my sudden burst of anger. But I appreciate your honesty. I don’t want you to feel like you can’t come to me with your problems anymore…it’s just that, whenever I remember you blood covered body…I get scared.”
Even as I watched Ezra shudder, I couldn’t recall a single incident of my past, not even a glimmer. But if it made Ezra feel like this, then I must have gone through something horrible.
I went to comfort her but a sudden knocking on the shrine doors startled us both.
“Who is it?” Ezra asked as she stood up and faced the door and the knocking became urgent.
“Healer! We need the healer!” Came a panicked voice from outside. “Rogue! There has been a rogue attack.”
I felt my eyes widen in shock as the cup fell from my hands to shatter onto the floor.
Flora’s P.O.VI hurried behind the soldier as he led me to the healing room with haste.I had never once heard about rogue attacks on any of the soldiers since I came here, and to be honest, I was a little worried. I had treated small wounds before, usually scars that the soldiers faced while training or a few sprains here and there. But I had never seen a soldier getting injured by a rogue before. So I had no idea what horrors I would come to.“In here, healer.” The soldier who had been accompanying me stopped suddenly, almost making me bump into him.When I had regained my composure, I noticed that we were outside one of the healing chambers and there were drops of blood all over the floor. Swallowing my nervousness, I entered the room only to have my heart almost leap out of my chest.The soldier was lying on the bed unconscious and there was blood all over him. However, the scariest part wasn’t the blood
Alpha Malachi stood on the balcony of the southern tower of Lindersay that overlooked the shrine on one side and the vast forest that surrounded the castle on the other.He was deep in thought as he watched the shadows move inside the jungle. He knew what they were…who, they were. Rogues. And yet, in his three centuries as Alpha of Lindersay, this was the first time he had seen them act bizarrely.“An isolated attack or a warning?” Malachi mused to himself as he watched the shadows with narrowed eyes. He got the vague feeling that he was being watched, not by the woman who had come to a halt at the top of the stairs, but by someone inside the forest. But he couldn’t pinpoint the direction. That was another first for him.“Come, Ezra.” He spoke softly as he heard the soft footfalls turn back. “I was about to leave myself.”“It’s alright.” Came her soft, melodic voice. “I thought I mig
Flora’s P.O.V“Is everything ready?” Ezra asked as she peeked her head through the door to the ceremonial hall.The giant overhead chandelier scattered its golden light on her hair, making it glow and I wasn’t the only one who thought she looked beautiful as several giggles went around the room.“Flower garlands are ready; the incent sticks are burning and the celebratory dinner is being prepared in the kitchen.” I listed off my completed duties to her as I went to greet her at the door. “Daphne finished cleaning everything this afternoon and Rosa is taking care of arranging the rooms for the soldiers.”“She isn’t back yet?” Ezra looked a little concerned. “The soldiers are supposed to arrive in half an hour.”“I’ll go ch-”“I’m back!” Rosa called out before I could finish my sentence, as she came to stand next t
Flora’s P.O.VGetting past security was surprisingly easy.I don’t know if it’s because they were excited for the feast or something else was the matter, but security was low and even though the entire palace was buzzing with activity, we seemed to go unnoticed.Joshua looked thankful as we made it past the gates without any complaints. Although we were stopped by the guards, I explained to them that I needed herbs for the injured soldier and we were immediately allowed through, but with an extra guard. I felt relieved that now I had two escorts instead of one and both had guns to defend us in case any rogues were lingering in the woods.It was a ten minute walk to the destination where most herbs were found. It’s not that herbs didn’t grow near the castle, but with constant picking, the herbs had stopped growing as much near the castle and now, we had to walk further into the woods to get the necessary
Flora’s P.O.VEverything around me seemed to disappear, as if we were the only two people in the world. My heart was beating wildly inside my chest, but I didn’t understand why. I felt a pain in my chest, a strange kind of longing.The red took a step forward and I instinctively flinched back, making it halt with its paw mid-step. My eyes once again connected with the red rimmed gold of its iris and I saw confusion swirl in them.The wolf wasn’t just a rogue, but a powerful one. I could feel its strength by the way he held his body, even in wolf form. And the shove of power I got from him was very similar to Malachi’s…the power of an Alpha. But how could that be? How could an Alpha become a rogue?Suddenly, I saw flashes of images dance in front of my eyes.A red wolf chasing me across the forest. I was running away from it, as fast as I could. The sun was setting in the horizon but there was no s
“Ricky’s body was found near the patrol parameter half an hour ago.” Malachi looked down at the woods as he spoke; the world covered in a veil of darkness. “He’s dead. It looks like the Alpha got rid of the newbie.”“A Rogue Alpha?” Ezra looked puzzled and worried as she stood behind Malachi.It was unheard of, just as unheard of as the fact that rogues could now turn other wolves with a bite. Rogue killing rogues however, wasn’t a new phenomenon.But how did these rogues turn it into a disease? Or was the soldier already on the verge of becoming a rogue? There were too many questions and very little answers.“I had heard legends of them as a child.” Malachi said now as he turned to Ezra. “They were a myth no one wanted to believe in, especially the Moon Goddess. She always thought turning her back on the wolves who worshipped her would be the ultimate punishment, leading them to beco
Flora’s P.O.VA necklace? The heaviness felt like a pendant but I didn’t open my eyes until he whispered in my ears to open them. My hands instantly went to my throat as I felt the chain and then the pendant…It was a heart. The pendant was attached to a silver chain and the heart was a beautiful emerald green, with a touch of blue at the centre…the exact colour of my eyes. It looked impossibly beautiful…it was a symbol…Pendant…Emerald green…eyes…his eyes…Flora…“Thank you… I’ll cherish it forever.”Flora…“Flora?”Gasping, I sat up in bed, only to clutch my head as the world began to spin.“Easy, easy…” Soothing voice, calming hand on my shoulders.“Mercy?” I looked at the aged wolf in
Flora’s P.O.VI held the pendant in my hands two hours after I had found it and I couldn’t find it in me to let it go.I had taken a long, hot shower and was now dressed in a night gown in white as I sat on top of my soft, comfortable bed and looked at the pendant with unbroken focus, as if it could simply start talking and give me all the answers I was hoping for.The dream I had when I was unconscious…was it even a dream or was it a memory? If it was a memory…then why didn’t I remember more? Why didn’t I remember the face of the person who gave me this necklace?A heart shaped pendant symbolized love, right?I had a lover in my past? Was it someone I truly loved? Was it someone I couldn’t live without? Was it my mate?Were the speculations really true? Daphne and Emma had told me after I had woken up that there were a lot of speculations about my past. That a lot of rumors were g