The cursed Moon.
Chapter 6

It had been two weeks since Moon had arrived to the pack lands, and she was yet to scent nor see the man from the woods, although in her mind she thought of him often. Every morning she would wonder into the trees with the hope she would replace him waiting for her, his beauty framed perfectly by the picturesque woods. She relived their collision obsessively, the want to do much else gone. Sleeping, eating, these were things both Atlas and Reign now almost had to force her to do.

Reign worried for her friend, her solution today was a distraction of sorts. After Moon had told her of her work with the orphans Reign insisted she must meet the pups. Moon had missed the company of children, the presence of their innocence, she welcomed the idea warmly.

Moon was excited about her outing, even if it was an attempt at distraction; HE had occupied her thoughts more and more, invaded her dreams, her mate that is. Sometimes when she stirred in the night she felt his presence, smelt his sweet aroma, even if she imagined it these were the only nights she would sleep peacefully. Maybe she had already begun to go mad like Atlas had said. She sighed thinking that perhaps today she may finally cross paths with him again, like everyday before she held onto hope.

Since their encounter Moon had, for the first time in her life, wanted to be seen, wanted someone to notice, that someone being him.

Her hands searched through the clothing Reign had bought over from the pack house, the task of choosing from the garments always overwhelming her at first. There were many more chooses then she was accustomed too, all beautiful, and utterly feminine. Moon wanted to keep it simple, effort with the appearance of none. She had never been extravagant; it wasn't something she desired to be; she didn't want to draw any more attention to herself in the past, and yet she found herself yearning for his attentions. As she searched through the dresses, she would battle her own thoughts. Did he desire her? Want her? And if he didnt, and hadnt come to her yet what could a pretty dress do to change that. She worked herself into a fluster and decided that it was better just to enjoy her outting with Reign then obsess over the stranger any longer.

Moon settled on a blue gown. It had buttons all the way up the front; it sat perfectly on her hips, flowing all the way to her feet, the sleeves billowed and fell, white flowers were sewn into the bodice, like the white roses that grew in the woods.

She studied herself in the mirror and for the first time, she didn't dislike what she saw. She felt strangely comfortable with the way she looked.

She swept a few curls behind her head, pinning them there. Being cautious that there was still a significant amount down, she had to hide her mark; she had to hide her shame.

•••••

Moon let the rays of the sun soak into her skin as she strolled through the grounds with Reign. She had always believed that shifter land would be cold, dark, a shadow looming over it. Where unspeakable evils were committed in plain sight, and the cries of pain would ring into the air. But the picture that had been painted for her by the hunters was far from the reality before her. Here it was vibrant, bright, warm, and colorful, as if it had been enchanted by some otherworldly magic. Moon had not been many places, or seen a variety of lands, but she felt she could not of dreamed up a place that would ever compare.

Each shifter she passed felt pleasant to her, only a little felt uneasy. Once she was mindful to give them a friendly smile, she felt the uneasiness melt. The first few days had not been easy, the strain to calm them had been exhausting, now they knew she was no threat.

When Moon finally caught sight of the pups running throughout the gardens, she wondered how anyone could ever consider them beasts.

Black hair shined like silk on each of their heads, their eyes were large, filled with joy and wonderment, all a spectacular shade of purple. Dimples painted each of their cheek's, they were simply the most magical children she had ever seen.

Once the children saw Reign approaching their excitement flew in the air around Moon. Reign had the same effect on everyone, her energy drew you in, the love she radiated brung undoubted joy.

“Reign!” a small girl squealed as she ran towards them. She reached Reign as quickly as her small legs would allow, stretching out a hand to her. Reign took it, and the child began pulling her towards the rest of the group.

“Reign, who is your new friend?” the girl asked as they walked along the path and past a patch of tulips.

“Her name is Moon, she has come specially to meet you all today. ” Reign answered as she smiled down on the curious creature.

“Moon, that's a funny name, but I like her, she can play.” Moon smiled about how honest, how innocent the small girl was.

“I am pleased to meet your acquaintance” Moon curtseyed fanning her dress, this caused the little girl to smile at her widely.

“My name is Mila, and I am Reign's bestest friend in the whole world, but we can share her.” Moon giggled at her words. She knew she would really like the other pups if they were anything like her.

Moon and Reign ran around with the pups for most of the afternoon, making flower crowns in the gardens, playing tag in the open training grounds. She had never laughed so much, each one as adorable as Mila.

The pups soon, growing hungry, all headed back to their individual homes, leaving Reign and Moon laying in the grass, watching the sunset overhead.

This day for Moon, had been bliss. She had only thought of her mate a handful of times, which was twice as less as the day before.

“Moon, do you think it strange we were instant friends” Reign asked with a smile.

“Not at all, you were kind to me, when you didn't have to be, when I needed it most. Friendship is the least I could give in return.” Moon answered with the truth.

“Well I never thought I would befriend a human, not in a million years, but now I know you can adore a being for who they are, not what they are.” Moon felt it then, Reign needed a friend just as much as she did.

Moon then thought over her mate's words in the woods, “If you knew what they did to Reign”, she didn't know, but she wanted to, she needed to know if Mena had any involvement, she needed to know her sister wouldn't hurt such an innocent soul.

Moon reached inside the depths of Reigns mind, hidden in the back a dark memory. Moon delved in further, something she had never done before, letting that day flash before her, losing herself in something Reign had long burried.

Reign was in the woods, she was collecting water from a stream. She was young, not a child but not yet a woman either.

She was humming softly, as Moon had known her to do, her thoughts with her mate. He was out there somewhere; she yearned to replace him.

That's when it gets dark.

A thick black cloud rolls in overhead. Reign hears the frightening screams of her pack. She drops the water, smashing the urn, before rushing back to her home.

As she gets closer, she hears the cries for help ring louder. She was fierce, ready to protect the ones she loved, but Reign was not ready for the scene that she was confronted with.

Hunters….they had swarmed her small pack. Chaos unfolded before her, homes were aflame, fire devouring the pack house. Reign's most treasured memories burnt to the ground.

She spots her mother, her father, shifting to defend themselves, their wolves were majestic, beautiful.

Reign ran towards her mother, not old enough to shift yet, but brave enough to enter the fight. She reached her arms out, wanting to embrace her, to feel her reassuring touch. But a second is all it took for her mother to crumple in a heap before her, arrows hitting her with precision, her eyes clouded with death almost instantly.

Reign's father let out an agonizing howl, his mates life was gone. He stood in front of Reign, desperately trying to protect her from the onslaught, even as his grief swallowed him.

A hooded hunter approached, bow in hand. Reign's father let a low growl, “Run!” He screamed to his daughter through the mind link, but Reign would not leave her father. He was all she had left, the hunter pulled back his bow, filling Reign's father with arrows.

Moon knew this scene. She had studied it just weeks before, the murder painted on the ceiling of her sister's home, the girl was Reign.

Reign then felt impossibly large hands wrap around her mouth and waist as she stood. Shocked, she kicked and fought. It was to no avail, a hunter pulling her further into the forest.

He threw Reign to the ground with such a force that it knocked the breath from her lungs, then the hunter lifted his hood back.

Moon knew this man, she knew his aura well....... Max, the man Luke would have her marry.

“My aren't you a beautiful monster. Not quite old enough to shift I see, a shame for you, but a gift for me” his eyes leered at Reign, the same way they had leered at Moon.

Reign fought back tears, still defiant. She would never beg, she would never plead, she wouldn't allow him that pleasure.

Moon wanted to pull away, she was reliving it. She felt everything Reign had that day, she was sinking into the darkest hours of Reigns life.

She heard Reign screaming her name, but she was trapped. She could only watch on as Max's attack began.

Max teared Reign's clothes from her body. Each time she tried to fight an enormous fist would plow into her head, her body. A body he was now defiling, using, for his pleasure.

Moon tried to scream at him, but her voice was silent. She attempted to punch at him, anything to stop him, to save her friend, but it was a memory, her hands only swiping at air.

He tortured Reign for hours, leaving her for dead. Moon could only sit beside her, invisible, she felt helpless, not able to prevent something that happened long ago.

Reign's breathing was shallow, her body purple, and blue. How she had survived this, how she came out of this alive, was all because of Atlas.

The moon was shining through the trees when he approached. He had word a small pack had been attacked.

He was searching for survivors, instead he found his mate.

The pain Atlas felt seeing her broken on the forest floor was incomparable to any pain Moon had felt before. His mate, he had found her, he may lose her.

Atlas scooped her up in his arms, breathing her in. His rage almost took over, but he needed to remain calm, he had to for Reign, and so he forever would.

••••

Reign couldn't comprehend what was happening, one minute herself and Moon were laughing, and the next Moon was in some sort of dazed shock, her body trembling, her eyelids flickered, she was screaming Reign's name.

Reign called hers in return, wanting to pull her from whatever she was experiencing, but Moons condition only became worse. She found herself in a panic, begging for Atlas's through the mind link.

Reign held Moon's head in her lap, weeping. All she could do is hope that Atlas would answer her call for help quick.

To Reign's surprise, it wasn't Atlas who came to her rescue, it was the Alpha. His face distraught with concern, leaning over her like a shadow, his breathing heavy. She looked up at him uneasy; she didn't want his wolf this close to her human friend.

“I won't hurt her Reign, I swear it. I only want to help.” Zion pulled Moon from her arms and into his with ease, his body looked tense as he held her. Reign knew he had control issues when it came to Moons kind, the strain in his body reflected that.

Reign moved quickly, trailing behind the fast-paced Alpha, she would not leave Moons life in his hands.

She caught Atlas's scent before she saw him. She had never seen her mate move so fast, he was almost a blur, wizzing, before coming to stand infront of them.

“Alpha? Here, pass her to me. You shouldn't be so close to her, you could kill her.” Atlas stretched out his hands to take Moon and to Reign's shock, Zion growled in response.

“I can handle it Atlas, she is mine, my responsibility.” Zion barked.

Atlas shrugged it off quickly, he wouldn't challenge the Alpha, he just wanted to get Moon to saftey.

“Take her to the house, the Dr. can't heal what she is suffering with. It will have to be me.” Reign understood then what Atlas meant. Her condition wasn't physical, it was a condition of the mind, no healer could help.

Once inside the house Zion lay Moon on the bed, stepping back, putting a safe amount of space between them.

“Atlas, what is happening to her?” Reign asked, her voice shaking.

Maybe she was in shock too.

“She's in a dark place, she has a gift, one she has never learned to use. She went into a memory too deep, she doesn't know how to separate the past from the now.” Atlas explained rapidly, taking a seat by Moon's side.

“A memory? Someone hurt her?” Zion seethed, his irritability visable increasing.

“It's not her memory, it's Reigns. She is feeling everything Reign did the day her parents died. It just keeps replaying in a loop. She will suffer just as Reign had.” Reign felt guilty, this was her fault. Atlas had taught her to build walls, but she had wanted to be open to Atlas, always.

“Help her Atlas, what can you do?” Reign was almost pleading with her mate.

“It would be simple if we could replace her mate, he could bring her back. If he lay with her, called to her, the way I did with you. Then he may be able to bring her out. Without him, I will have to reach in, I will have to relive it too.” Atlas's voice was strained, it would be torture for him, Reign knew that too.

“Humans dont mate, we both know that.” Zion spoke, his arms crossed defensively across his chest.

“I have told you Moon is not like other humans, she mate bonded. I should of told you sooner, but im still trying to come up with an explanation myself.” Atlas explained.

“And she felt it? She feels the effects?” The Alpha asked quizzically.

“Probably stronger than anyone I've come across. She feels everything deeply, which makes this situation all the more dangerous. There is noway to replace him, he is resisting her.” Atlas spoke as he slipped his hand in Moons.

“But you can help her?” Zion breathed out through a clenched jaw.

“To lead her out, I need to hold her hand. Trying to do it in a memory is like trying to catch wind in your hand. We don't have enough time, she needs to come out now, the shock could kill her.” Atlas was trying to calm his Alpha, the room would need to be peaceful for this to work.

“Alpha, are you certain that you don't want to step out, you dont need to be here for this.” Reign placed her hand on Zion's arm, setting out to bring him back from the edge.

“I am not leaving her, so you can stop pushing Reign. She is under my care, her death, her life, she is my responsibility.” Zions hostility increased, a sign the beast was taking control, a beast that would tear Moon to shreds.He was capable of almost anything once the wolf was out.

“Reign is right, get some air, regain some composure. Alpha or not, I will not let you harm her, nor would Reign.” Atlas was calm as he spoke, he didn't want a fight, Reign knew that. He was only trying to make Zion aware.

“You think I would hurt her?!” Zion seemed distraught at the very idea.

“Not you, but your wolf may, Atlas needs calm to work.” Reign was trying to reason with him.

“Im staying, she is in no danger with me.” the Alpha seemed so sure of it.

“Zion, I am asking you kindly, please leave." Atlas remained collected, even if Zion was testing his patience.

“She is mine, my MATE, im not leaving her side!” Zion lost control of his words, the secret he held so close was out in the open, hanging in the air.

Reign looked at her mate to see if he was as surprised as she was by this revelation.

He wasn't. He smiled and rose from his chair.

“I knew you would cave, eventually. Come Reign, let's leave them alone.” Atlas said with a smile.

Reign stepped out of the room dazed, and shocked. Moon had abilities like her mate, powerful ones. She was aware that Moon had an influence on her, she healed parts of Reign that she had thought to be dead long ago. Now she had mated with a shifter, not just any shifter, but an Alpha.

Atlas had been right all along, as he always was. There was something unique about Moon, something magical. Reign felt a feeling of privilege, of peace wash over her. This creature, whatever she may be, had choosen Reign as her friend, as someone who was worthy of her prencense. It was then Reign felt that maybe she was worthy herself.

Not just of love, or friendship, for she had these things. But worthy of happiness, she would not deny herself that any longer, she was not damaged or broken. She was whole, she was a survivor.