“Do you want to go to my bedroom? I can show you all my toys.” Carly held out her hand, but I dropped a hand to her shoulder.
“Abby finds it a little hard right now to go up and down stairs.”
Carly looked up at me and then moved to Wendy and Toya. “Can Auntie Wendy and Toya help?” She looked at the others. “It will give you time to explain everything and show them around.”
I looked at Shelly and Rick. “Wendy and Toya are my best friends and would never harm Abby.” I rubbed Carly’s hair. “I trust them with my girl here every day.”
They looked at each other and then down at the two hopeful girls. There was a soft sigh, and then Shelly looked at me. “Promise she is safe?”
“Absolutely.” I nodded. I turned to Wendy and Toya. “Do you mind?”
“Of course not.” Wendy smiled, and she walked over to Abby. “I’m Wendy.” She grinned. “Is it okay if I pick you up to go back upstairs?”
Abby looked up at her parents and then both nodded. She turned back to Wendy. “Yes, please.” She held up her arms and Wendy scooped her into her arms.
“Let’s go Carly.” Toya opened her arms and Carly jumped up. Then the four of them left us alone.
I waved everyone else out the front door. “This is our escape.” I walked out onto the grass and turned to look over the cabin. “This was my great-grandmother’s land. She lived here, loved here, and died…well, close enough.” They laughed.
“This is in your closet?” Ternen looked around wide eyed.
“Sorta. My closet holds a portal here. Always connected.” I brought them around the side. “I know it isn’t much. But it’s safe. It’s far enough that Vince won’t be able to find us. And best of all, there are enough bathrooms for all of us to use.” I turned to them. “There aren’t, however, enough rooms.”
Rick looked at Shelly. “It won’t be forever.”
I shook my head. “No, it won’t be.” I looked at them. “My father’s pack will resurface, and we’ll all join them. You will get a house, a job, and for the love of the Goddess, a fair wage.” I looked at Alannah and Ternen. “There are no rules about Omega pregnancy. There won’t be repercussions for asking for a new position.” I turned back to the land. “And you can watch your children grow up safe and sound after the war is over.”
Shelly gasped. “War?”
I nodded. “There is still so much you don’t know, and we don’t have time to explain it all today.” I turned in a slow circle. “I honestly wish we could. But every time you come over. We can come here, allow the girls to play, and we can talk in more detail. But…” I crouched down, trying to figure out how to make it more protected. “Yes, there will be a war.”
“How are you so certain?” She looked terrified. I could see her twist her fingers.
“Because I know how the king feels. He wants to rip all the rot out at once. The rogues. The Alphas. The men and women that turned their backs on their kind for power.”
“But you could be wrong.” She tried again.
I closed my eyes and I felt the shift. I was no longer alone. “No, my dear girl. She isn’t.” I felt my body turn, almost as if Nix was in control. But I looked beside me and my two wolves were watching with me. I heard a few gasps, and I turned back to watch.
“Who are you?” Rick stepped in front of his mate, but the person sharing my skin chuckled.
“Come now.” We walked closer and I recognized the voice. “I know I don’t appear often, but you have heard my voice a time or two, Rick.” The Goddess raised my hand and cupped his cheek. “I will keep your secrets, as long as you keep Amy’s.”
I watched as the realization hit him. “Moon Goddess.” He whispered in awe, and then dropped to his knees. “Save my daughter.” He bowed down again. “I don’t care if it costs me my life. Just cure her, spare her. I promise I will go with you willingly.”
We watched him on the ground and tilted our head. I realized that, much like when Nix was front, I counted the Goddess as an extension of me. Her voice was light when she called back to us.‘That’s because I am. You come from me, mind, body, and soul. We are intimately intertwined.’
But we turned to Rick and crouched down. “I can not interfere with the lives on this earth directly. I can maneuver, I can guide, but intervention is expressly forbidden.”
Rick looked up and tears were falling down his face. “She’s only ten.”
I nodded, but Shelly slammed to her knees next to her husband. “Please, Goddess, mother. You must feel our need, feel our pain. Can’t you do this for us?”
We cupped both of their faces. “I cannot. I did it once, and this is what it brought.” There was a flash of a memory I saw years ago. The first werewolf, a man in a damp forest, changed for life. The Goddess closed her eyes, and I knew I was right. “I cannot, will not, risk the lives of all of my children.”
Shelly sobbed. “But she’s my little girl, and she’s going to die.” Rick and Shelly wailed, but the Goddess kissed their foreheads. “If you don’t help us, we will lose her.” Shelly clutched at our hand.
“Silly girl.” The Goddess kissed her again. “I said I cannot interfere, but I didn’t say I hadn’t already sent you the answer to your prayers.” She lifted their faces up to meet her eyes. “Amy knows exactly what she needs to prepare and is able to do to save your girl. Trust in her.” I saw in the reflection of their eyes thatmy eyes glowed a soft blue white. Almost like Rowan’s eyes if he had magic. “Follow her. She will show you the way.”
