Blood Moon: Lunar Eclipse
Ch18 - Gift

21 years ago

Freya

I finally thought we were safe, though all of that diminished the moment I saw a few dozen men belonging to Fenrir march towards my place of refuge.

The winter is vigorous in these mountains, the snow inches thick. I saw them approach from afar, giving me just enough time to exit the small, cosy cottage we had built this last year.

One whole year had passed since I escaped my mate’s clutches. It took an entire year until I believed we were finally safe, that Fenrir had forgotten about me.

Oh how wrong I was.

I was restricted from using my powers. If I had, it would have alerted Fenrir that I was still alive, thanks to the mark he forced upon me.

The only appreciation I had was that Sephora was far from here. She left a few days ago to restock food and supplies. She was hesitant to leave; it took some convincing, but she had to go. There was no other way to survive in these bitter winter mountains otherwise.

I trudged through the snow, deeper into the mountains. My innocent baby daughter, only six months old, was wrapped in a thick fur blanket to shield her from the chill. The only safety I would replace was a cave in the mountains that I happened to stumble upon not too long ago. In case of emergencies, that was where me and Sephora agreed to go.

I peered back.

The men were gaining on me.

The small hope of being free from my mate was slowly wilting.

I wouldn’t make it on time.

Instead, I turned to the trees; the healthy trunks and compact brushes would be my last hope.

I found a vast bush, fresh white snow gently topping the frost-ridden leaves.

I dug a hole in the snow, settling Ariella on top. She was still fast asleep, her vivid red hair, emulating mine, lay vibrant on the snow, and her pale features a rosy pink. She looked so peaceful. She didn’t deserve any of this.

I refused to let him have her.

If I had to fight, I would, even if that meant sacrificing myself in the process.

I turned away, but not before covering Ariella with a thin layer of leaves to conceal her from others.

I walked towards the men, hiding behind a large trunk, praying they couldn’t replace us. With rapid speed, a hand gripped my arm with force and pulled me back, causing me to stumble in the snow. I peered up at my attacker; his plastered grin implied sinister intent.

I reached to my ankle, gripping the small, silver dagger I had favoured since escaping Fenrir. Just as he was about to alert the others, I used the sharp blade and pierced through his throat. He released his grip, causing me to stumble back a few paces. I watched as he grasped his throat, trying to patch the open wound, and then fell to his knees. His lifeless body soon slumped to the floor, the generous blanket of snow almost concealing his lifeless body.

Then the panic settled…

The other wolves would be able to smell the iron odour. I heard the crunch of snow come from all around me until they made themselves known.

“Give up now. We have alerted the Alpha,” one warned.

“There is nowhere left to go… Luna,” another spoke.

Two hands gripped my arms and pulled back, settling me on my knees as my silver blade burrowed in the snow. Another approached from the front with a sickening smirk.

“Alpha did say to teach her a lesson before we brought her back. What do you say men?”

A chorus of laughter sounded around me. I tried to stand, but the man before me started unbuckling his belt. A cold hand knotted in my hair and pulled back as the man was about to pull down his trousers.

Then it happened…

The sound of a cooing baby…

Ariella…

The men turned their heads, searching for the source of the sound, completely ignoring my presence.

Another approached the same place I had laid Ariella whilst another approached me.

“Alpha is gonna love this. Boys, we may be in the presence of the future Alpha,” he boomed, then crouched down to my level. “He might even kill you after this. All he wanted was an heir, and now he has it.”

I lost it.

My skin started to burn a blazing heat. Gentle flames of red and orange lifted from my figure. The men retreated from me. Their wolves had come forth as their teeth elongated, and their extended claws stood sharp and curved.

“You leave my daughter alone,” I warned in a voice abnormal to my own.

One wolf pounced in an effort to capture me. I swiftly flicked my wrist and watched as flames engulfed his body before he could reach me. His attempt at rolling around in the snow was futile as both his body and the snow melted instantly before our eyes.

“Kill her. Just bring the child in alive,” the one from earlier ordered.

Five men marched forward. I called forth fire as I focused on the boiling, internal rage bubbling inside of me. One by one, the men dropped to the floor like flies, their last breath cries of agony as their blood burned from the inside out.

Another few did the same, so I released outstretched flames, akin to thick rope, and wrapped it around their throats until their skin was scorched and heads trundled onto the ground.

More kept coming, and I kept fighting. I hadn’t used my powers in so long, so my energy levels drained faster than I was used to.

Before long, the white blanket of snow was painted a blood-red. Lifeless bodies scattered around me, forming a perfect circle. My legs gave in; I stumbled to the floor as my rapid breathing created small puffs of smoke in the frosty air.

I stumbled towards Ariella. We had to run. Fenrir would know my exact location now I had used my powers. Just as I reached my daughter, a sharp pain pierced my abdomen. A warrior, who must have missed the fight, held a knife dribbling with my blood.

I held out my palm and willed the flames to engulf him, but nothing…

My powers had been suppressed. The carving on the knife only confirmed that. My powers would be null for a few hours at least.

“You will die for this,” the man seethed. I looked down, spotting my silver dagger encased in the snow. I reached for it, pretending to stumble forward on my knees. The man reached down, enclosing his fingers around my throat to finish the job. Before he could, my dagger pierced his chest, allowing his lungs to fill and breathing impossible. Before he could scream, I sliced through his throat, just like the first man I killed.

Ariella was safe. But soon enough, Fenrir would send more men to retrieve me.

I picked up my daughter with trembling hands. One cradled her to my chest whilst the other planted pressure on my open wound.

I needed to replace help; otherwise, I would bleed out.

Hours had passed by. I was far from the mountains as the forest had warmed and the snow evaporated. The sun had set a while ago. My body was growing weaker by the second.

I had yet to spot a single person—no one to help.

I walked until I could no more. My head grew dizzy, my body unable to keep moving. I lay Ariella on the floor, her innocent Amber eyes slowly peeling open.

My cheeks were stained with tears as I hovered over my daughter. I wasn’t going to make it. I had lost too much blood. Even if I did get my powers back, I don’t have the resources to heal myself.

My body gave in; I dropped to the soil ground beside my daughter. I placed my hand on her chest. If I were to leave this world, I would give my daughter one last gift before I do. A gift that would make sure she lived a normal life.

A life free from Fenrir.

I held my palm over her chest. Surrendering the rest of my life force, I cast a sealing spell. It would conceal Ariella’s true powers. No witch would be able to sense her, including my sister. That thought alone made my chest tighten, but it was for Ariella’s safety. Sephora would replace her one day, and then Ariella would know what she was. But until then, she had to stay hidden.

As I recited the words, my hand glowed a blinding gold surrounded by whisps of red. I observed as the last of my magic passed to my daughter.

My breath was snatched once the spell was complete. My head fell back, my eyes drawing heavy.

I heard the voices of two people: a male and a female. My hand moved ever so slightly to pull Ariella protectively into my side.

A man and a woman broke through the trees. The woman looked horrified and ran to crouch beside us.

“David, call the pack doctor!” she yelled hysterically.

The man named David was about to mind-link the pack until I cried out in a voice barely audible, “No, please…

“Take her…” I forced out, “...take my daughter.”

The woman looked at me with eyes sad and full of compassion. Then she looked down at Ariella. The man joined her and did the same.

“Ariella…” I barely croaked out. “Born on the night of the Lunar Eclipse,” I told, using the best smile I could muster.

Ariella’s cooing had resorted to gentle cries. The man now held my daughter protectively in his arms.

The woman placed her warm hand on my cheek and lightly kissed my forehead. She leaned back and softly spoke, “We will take care of her, I promise.”

The look in their eyes was one I trusted. Knowing my daughter was safe, I knew I could finally leave this world in peace.

I felt my head relax against the damp earth; my body became numb, and the sounds around me faded. I held onto my last breath for as long as I could.

My eyes closed until the black void turned into nothingness, and my soul fled from this world.

My life may have come to an end, but Ariella’s had only just begun.

Ariella

My head felt heavy, and my mind was fuzzy as if struck with a blunt object.

I slowly opened my heavy eyelids and found myself staring up at the faces of everyone in the room, each with a look of concern etched on their features.

I remember Sephora telling me about my birth mother. Fenrir was my father. The last thing I remember was collapsing to the ground as darkness consumed me.

“Ariella,” Logan called out, catching my attention. I was lying in his lap, his arms protectively wrapped around me.

“What happened,” I spoke, my voice raspy.

“You blacked out,” Sephora spoke. “What did you see?”

Then I remembered everything.

The wolves from the Shadow Pack…

Dead bodies warped in the snow…

Fire magic…

My parents…

Freya’s last dying breath…

And finally…

The gift she gave me…