Chapter 43

Flora’s P.O.V

A blinding light surrounded us at the instant, making me cover my eyes.

The entire alter was glowing, including the ceremonial circle on the ground, the light bright enough to light up every corner of the room. It turned everything white and even shielding our eyes didn’t help protect us from the glare. But just as suddenly as the light appeared, it disappeared, plunging us in darkness.

When I was finally able to open my eyes, everything appeared to be dark as stars danced in my vision. I blinked several times to clear the haze and then I was searching for Clay. I didn’t have to look long because he was right beside me, trying to shield me from the blinding light. He too blinked several times before his emerald eyes landed on me.

“Flora!”He cupped my face in his hands. “Are you alright? Are you hurt?”

“No, I’m fine.” I told him, searching him in return for any signs of injury, but there weren’t any. “What just happened?”

“Goddess!” A horrified gasp sounded inside the room and we all turned to look at the centre, where the ceremonial circle was supposed to be. But what we found had us all enchanted and horrified.

Her long silver hair reached the floor in delicate waves. Her skin was porcelain white and it glowed with a silvery light, just like the moon in the night sky. Her face was utter perfection and her eyes iridescent silver that made it appear as if she was blind, but she wasn’t. Her body was clad in pure white robes and a silver crescent moon shaped headdress adorned her hair, symbolic of her power, but the most remarkable feature about her was the pair of pure white wings extending from her back that appeared not to be made of feathers but of pure light.

“Selene…” the words came out of my lips in an almost inaudible whisper, but Clay’s arm tightened around me as we face the Moon Goddess herself.

Everyone seemed to be stunned into silence before they fell to their knees in worship, chanting words in a language I couldn’t name. Even Alpha Malachi bowed his head as he fell on his knees in front of her. Clay and I were the only ones standing.

It seemed too unreal…and yet, the power radiating off of her made my wolf quiver as my knees threatened to collapse. This really was Selene, the Goddess of the Moon…the creator of werewolves. And she was standing in front of us in the flesh, in all her glory.

“Goddess.” I heard Clay whisper in awe.

“Clay Scotsman.” The Moon Goddess spoke in return, her voice pure and husky as it echoed around the room. “Son of Nathan and Cheryl Scotsman. Tell me, why did you reject the mating bond?”

Her voice was soft, barely above a whisper and yet, I felt like it could be heard from every corner of the world. A sense of dread settled in my stomach as her eyes roamed Clay up and down. Her lips were tilted up in the slightest and yet I couldn’t call it a smile. There was something sinister about the way she was looking at Clay, about the way she studied him, studied us. It made me feel uneasy.

“Because the bond never formed for me.” Clay’s voice was devoid of fear as he spoke and I clutched onto his arm in fear. “Because I chose my own mate.”

“And who gave you that right?” This time, her lips tilted up in a mocking smile that had a chill run down my spine. “Who gave you the right to choose your own mate? Who told you that you had the right to make such decisions?”

I looked up at Clay to see his reaction as I clutched onto his jacket for dear life. I wanted him to stop fighting, stop arguing and just give in. This wasn’t just a packmate or a fellow Alpha he was talking to, but the Moon Goddess herself! What was he thinking trying to pick a fight with her? But much to my horror, Clay’s lips tilted up in a mocking smile.

“Are you truly angry because I rejected the mating bond that you created to control my life?” He raised an eyebrow at her. “Or are you angry because your powers didn’t work on me; on us. Are you losing control, Goddess?”

“How dare you speak to the Goddess like that, you fool!” It was Alpha Malachi who spoke to Clay, his eyes the colour of lightning.

“Clay, please stop.” I begged him. Getting the Moon Goddess won’t get us anything. In fact, it would only make matters worse. We were supposed to fight for our love, beg for our union…not fight the Goddess that created the mating bond; created us.

“The girl is smarter than you.” The Goddess smiled, her unearthly eyes falling on me as my heart slammed against my ribcage. “You should be begging me for mercy, not arguing with the Goddess. You should know your place.”

“And you should know when to stop.” Clay fired back, much to my dismay. “Werewolves have served you for centuries; worshipped you as our holy mother. Why can’t you let us choose our own mates for once? Why must you have control over every aspect of our lives?”

“You think you can question the one who created you?” Goddess Selene raised a perfectly arched eyebrow. “Remember, the one who creates also has the right to destroy.”

“Then destroy me.” Clay’s voice was clear and strong and I felt my breath catch in my throat. But he wasn’t done, “I would rather be reborn a human than a wolf. I’d rather have the right to choose my own mate than be a puppet controlled by your strings. I’d rather have the choice to love freely than let anyone, even a Goddess, tell me who I can and cannot love.”

Clay reached behind and took a hold of my hand and as soon as our fingers touched, I felt his essence in my soul. We might not be fated mates but we were soulmates, destined to be together…or die together. If Clay could defy the Moon Goddess and stand up for our love, then so could I.

I stopped hiding behind him and came to stand next to him, my head held high as I looked the Goddess in the eyes. “I choose to be with Clay.” I told her. My heart was still beating so fast that it threatened to burst out of my chest, but having Clay next to me gave me strength like no other. “So if you choose to destroy him, I would go with him. Because I am sure that I would never love another man the way I love Clay.”

“Love?” The Moon Goddess threw her head back in laughter. “What do you know about love? What do you know what it is like to be in love? You’re both acting like wolves in heat. This desire you feel isn’t of the heart but of the body.”

“It’s not.” I told her firmly. “I know I love Clay because I would do anything to be with him. My life doesn’t matter if he is in danger and I would go to any lengths to make him happy. My love for Clay cannot be described in words because we can only feel it and I know what I feel for Clay. And that’s how I know that even if we die right now, we will find our way back to each other in another life, not matter how different we are.”

“In another life, huh?” Her smile this time was equally cunning and beautiful. “I would like to see an example of such love. I would like to see you make your way back to each other.”

“Flora!” Clay turned me to face him. He didn’t say anything but the desperation in his eyes told me everything he wanted to say.

“It’s alright, Clay.” I reassured him, his hands held tightly in mine. “We’ll make it. I know we will.”

“I know.” Clay told me. “And I’m so sorry.”

“No,” I shook my head, a smile on my face. “I choose this. I choose you.”

“I love you.” He said finally. “Always and forever.”

“Always and forever.” I echoed his words as we turned to face the wrath of the Goddess.

“We’ll see how long this forever of your lasts.” She said. “Remember, if you fail to find your way back to each other, no matter what the circumstances, you will die a true death and no wolf will ever be allowed to reject a mate ever again.”

“True death?” Clay whispered in confusion but it was already too late.

A ring of light began to circle in front of the Goddess, growing bigger each second. “Foolish children…let’s see how true your love for each other really is.”

Before any of us could comprehend what was happening, the ring of light flew at us with blinding speed, and even though Clay tried to shield me with his body, both of us flew back towards the wall and slammed into it with momentous force.

My ears began to ring as my vision blurred and the last thing I remember seeing was Clay’s face covered in blood as he tried to reach for me…and then nothing.