Apprehension falls over me like a shadow. I clutch the wheel, forcing the intrusive thoughts to the back of my head.
I can’t go back. Whatever lies before me is less of a risk than what lies behind. Gritting my teeth, I push down the accelerator. Leaning forward, I take in air through my mouth as the air in the car grows thin. As the distance between me and the others grows, my breathing is more labored.
Why did I think I could do this on my own?Everything has been planned and sanctioned. This is my first chance at going it alone, and I’m crumbling like a stale graham cracker. Sharp disappointment brings tears to my eyes.
An acute ache in my chest has me pumping the brakes.No. What am I doing?I struggle with the urge to return to the familiar.
How can I even think of going back?Setting my jaw, I ignore my discomfort and motor ahead. Shaking like I’m in the middle of an ice bath, I steer the car along the curvy roads through the woods. Tall trees blot out the sun, and my eyes play tricks on me. I see shadows moving through the trees out of the corners of my eyes.
The hairs on my neck stand on end, and I feel as though I’m being watched. Shrinking down in the seat, I keep my eyes fixed on the road ahead. A figure darts before me, and I jerk my car to the right. Tires squeal. I struggle to control the car.What the hell was that?
Unnatural darkness sweeps over the road. A sense of urgency strikes.Damn the speed limit.Slamming my foot on the pedal, I dart forward, desperate to escape whatever’s stalking me. Like lightbulbs exploding, the light around me dims.
Cold settles into my bones, and my body grows stiff. A lone howl sounds to the left.They know I’m gone.How? Answering howls come from random places around the car.I’m surrounded.Unsure what to do, I continue to drive. Would the punishment be less if I turned myself in now? I slow the car as my brain works overtime.
No.A powerful feminine voice fills my head, piercing the anxiety clouding everything. I wince.
Keep going.The command is impossible to ignore. I press forward. Pain bursts throughout my body as I reach the outskirts of pack land. I swerve as my muscles lock up. Slamming on the brakes, I steer the vehicle to the side of the road. I throw the car into park, and the tattoo on my back begins to burn. Screaming, I arch as the searing sensation strips me of all rational thought.
Becoming is painful. But it will grant you the freedom you’ve long been denied.The voice holds power and conviction. I peel my eyes open and see a glowing figure hovering above me. I gasp. The blonde figure is nothing like the goddess we’ve been taught to worship, but her sister. The jealous, evil being who sought to destroy everything we built.
“Your powers have been bound, but I will set them free.” Her words don’t make sense.
“No. please.” I shake my head as she moves forward. Her cool hand presses against my forehead. The mental fog is ripped away as my body is plunged into iciness. The cold burn replaces the fire, and I inhale as I’m submerged in darkness.
The light slowly pierces the absence of light, and I watch as two girls, one fair and one dark, race along a well-worn path between trees. Clad in fur dresses with crude leather boots and belts around the middle, they’re wild children of the hunt.
My skin prickles from the powerful aura they exude. Their legs lengthen as they run, and their bodies go from thin and shapeless to curvy. The competition becomes fiercer. They bump into each other, trying to get the edge. The brunette throws an elbow that plows into her sister’s side. She stumbles and clutches the injured area.
The love I originally sensed begins to wane. Replaced by something cold and evil. The dark-haired girl stops and turns; her bright yellow eyes pierce mine.She sees me.Frozen to the spot, I hold my breath, afraid to move. Her thin red lips pull back to show her sharp teeth. Pointing her finger at me, the brunette throws her head back and howls.
I cover my ears with my palms as my eardrums pulse, ready to explode. Dropping to my knees, I scream.
Silence settles over me, and I open my eyes to find the vision faded. Slumped over in the car set, I’m unsure how much time has passed. The pain in my body is gone. Blinking, I sit up and gape at the glowing green square carved into the space in the middle of the road.
Why did they have wards to keep us inside? I shiver as something cold slithers its way up my fine. Things are wrong and off.
Go forth, daughter of the moon; I will hold them off.It’s the voice of the woman who’d come to me before. The blonde.How can I believe her to be evil when she’s saved me?Maybe she’s leading you astray.
I’ve turned my back on the ways of my people, and I know I will suffer for it. Two wolves war in my head, and I’m unsure which one to feed. I need to sort through what I saw, but I don’t want to marry a stranger today.
Decision made, I drive forward, through the barrier into the unknown. The moment I cross, everything changes. The world outside is brighter and lighter. The weight on my shoulders has been temporarily lifted.
“Oh.” The vivid colors of flowers in bloom in the grass surrounding me are stunning.
Why was Moon Creek so different?I glance behind me and find the road has disappeared. The path I’m looking at now differs from the one I traveled to get there.
I knew we hid our land from other people, but this is different. I see a shimmer in the sunlight, revealing the hidden entrance. I feel the pull toward it, but not as strongly. Rolling down the window, I marvel at the light we’re never afforded living so deeply in the dense forest.
I begin to formulate a plan. I’m clad in a wedding dress with no money to my name. A full tank will only get me so far. I scan the car’s interior and flip open the compartment of the center console. A thick wad of cash wrapped in a rubber band makes me gasp.
Canyon thought of everything.How long had he been planning this? What had he uncovered that led him to do this? Who were the two women I saw in my vision?
If the golden goddess is our enemy, why did she help me? Have I fallen into her clutches so willingly? I lick my dry lips.
The only person I know is Moss. And her welcome is questionable. I bailed on the one person who’d always been there for me the second she stepped out of line. How can I expect anything but contempt from her? There’s no room for pride. She’s my only hope. I need to go to Wolf Canyon.
I’ve traced the path a million times on a map. I know the way. A tingling in the base of my spine urges me to hasten my travel. The wolves will be after me soon. You don’t walk away from the Fellowship of the Moon.