Curse of the Moon Goddess
The Truth

The pain of the memory forced me back to reality. I hadn’t thought about Aleina this much in a long time. That wolf downstairs kept stirring up these painful, but cherished memories. If only I could see her again. To smell her scent. Hold her in my arms.

As if on cue, a pair of arms wrapped around me. A pleasant scent reached my nose. It wasn’t the scent I was desiring, yet it seemed to calm my wolf all the same.

I tugged one of the arms, pulling the person attached to it to face me. I pulled her into a hug. We were in front of her door, all the others getting settled in their rooms by now. I buried my face into her hair, breathing deeply in. I craved the touch of Aleina which was causing me to crave the touch of my mate too.

This serenity was shattered as she muffled into my chest, “This is what you’re supposed to do. I was beginning to think you would reject me. I wouldn’t survive if you did.”

I jumped back as if she was suddenly something poisonous. Her face of shock and hurt was enough to tell me I needed to get things figured out sooner rather than later.

“Sorry. I…”

I didn’t finish my sentence as I heard yelling come from downstairs. I was down the stairs in an instant. The sound of other pairs of feet rushing to follow me.

“Are you insane?!”

I walked in to see Sage wearing a furious look on her face. Lukas looked like a beaten puppy. I would have laughed if the situation didn’t look so serious.

“What’s going on?” Lizzy demanded, pushing past me.

Sage shot a glare at Lukas, then pushed past everyone, grabbing my wrist as she walked past.

She was practically dragging me up the steps. I could feel my dumb wolf acting a little too happy about the touch. It took everything I had to keep a smile from forming on my lips. This girl was something else. I’ve seen her scared, powerful, ridiculous, and everything in between. I was beginning to think she really did hit her head and was experiencing mood swings.

“Which room will be mine?” she asked, turning to face me. Her face was still fierce, yet there was a desperation in her eyes and a hunger I couldn’t identify.

I nodded towards her room. She dragged me inside, locking the door firmly behind her.

I opened my mouth to protest, only to be stopped as she raised her hand. She was now shaking uncontrollably. I rushed over to her hunched over body. She was cradling herself. I wrapped my arms around her, rocking back and forth with her.

“I know what you said downstairs, which is why I don’t see you trying to take advantage of me. I just, I just…”

Tears started flowing down her cheeks as fear seemed to grip her. She was no longer in this room, but somewhere completely different.

“Who did it?”

She looked at me, her eyes still glazed over, blinking rapidly.

“How did you…”

I glanced away as I whispered, “I knew someone once. It happened just on the other side of my door and I had no idea. I should have seen the signs to save her then, but… I pushed her away instead. I thought I was being ridiculous. It was her mate after all. I had no right to step in.”

“Aleina?” she whispered.

I nodded. It wasn’t a complete lie. It had been her in a previous life. I only realized it after I found the crescent moon on her body as she was taken away from the spot she had landed. She had jumped from the roof of a building to escape her abusive mate. He had forced her to be with him. They were already together by the time I entered the scene. But it hadn’t been her choice. Instead, she had chosen to take her own life to escape him. I’d vowed after that I would never ignore the signs again. And Sage had exhibited all the signs that someone had abused her in possibly multiple ways.

Her eyes moved downward.

She took a deep breath as if deciding whether she should tell me or how much to tell me.

“My uncle.”

“What?!”

Her lips perked up in a disheartened way.

“At least, that’s what he asks me to call him. He’s actually my adoptive guardian,” she spoke bitterly.

I felt my anger rise, but I decided to keep calm and see how much she was willing to tell me.

“You were adopted?”

“Yeah. No one knows what happened to my parents. I just showed up at the orphanage one day covered in blood. I wouldn’t speak and I never cried. Years later I was adopted by my current guardians. A.K.A. my aunt and uncle. I’m the only one thankfully. But that meant I had no one to turn to for help.”

I squeezed her shoulders tighter. Like a lemon being squeezed, more tears emerged.

“The first time, he came barging into my room drunk. He started yelling at me to take off my clothes. When I tried to fight back, he started hitting me in places he knew no one would ever see the bruises. Thankfully he was so drunk he ended up hitting his head on my closet door, knocking himself out. After that, he’d randomly try barging into my room whether he was drunk or not. I learned to keep my door locked. He eventually started breaking down the door. So, I would escape out my window. He never did anything to me, but I’ve lived in constant fear that one day he’ll catch me off guard and I won’t be so lucky,” she finished with a trembling voice.

I was furious. Not at her, but at her so-called guardians. I couldn’t hide my anger as I spat out, “Does your aunt know?”

She nodded defeatedly.

“You’re old enough now. Why don’t you leave?”

She winced as I asked. I was afraid I went too far until she replied, “My grandma. My uncle is her only child which makes me her only grandchild. She and I became best of friends instantly. Then, a few years later, she was diagnosed with dementia. She’s slowly lost her memory and I’m the only one who takes care of her. As long as I come back, they watch her for a few days. But they don’t take good care of her. She’s probably been suffering without me these past two days. I’m so worried about her, but I really don’t want to go back yet. Especially since I have my wolf. I’m afraid I will do something I’ll regret.”

I didn’t know what to say. I had never had someone share something like this with me. I wasn’t sure what I should say or do. Thankfully, Duncan was not so clueless.

I smiled as he told me the plan.

I stood up suddenly, holding my hand out to Sage.

She looked at it in confusion.

“Come on. We’re going to fix this once and for all.”

She still looked confused, but she took my hand. My breath caught at the touch. I really need to stop being so affected by her. This was driving me crazy.

We snuck out her window, knowing she didn’t want to face Lukas right now and I didn’t feel like explaining to everyone where we were going. We headed into a garage where I grabbed the keys to my favorite mode of transportation and two helmets. She stared at my motorcycle in what I assumed was apprehension. Her eyes were wide open, giving her face this funny and cute glow. Like a deer caught in lights.

“We’re going to ride that?” she asked as she took in my sleek black motorcycle. I’d built it from scratch, did the paint job myself, and was proud of how it turned out. Until now. I kept shifting my weight from one foot to the other as I debated out how to respond.

“I was thinking we could. Is that ok?” I asked, feeling shy and uncertain, which was not a feeling I liked having.

“Are you kidding me? This is awesome! I’ve never seen a motorcycle design like this. You must have had it special made. I’ve never been on a motorcycle before, but I always dreamed of owning one,” she nearly squealed as she talked and walked around the motorcycle.

My ego instantly flared up.

“Thanks. I actually designed and put it together myself.”

She smirked at me as she commented sarcastically, “You sure sound humble.”

I shrugged. I guess I didn’t hide my pride in my work very well. Either that, or she was able to see right through me.

“If you aren’t too disgusted at my humility, want to hop on?” I asked, offering her a helmet.

Her smile was answer enough.