Second Chance Luna
Chapter 83

Sharing a surprised look the pair let themselves in. The cottage was just as small inside as it looked outside. It consisted of a single room with a dirt floor. In the back a wooden platform remained swept clean with a rolled up bed and short table where one could kneel and eat. In the center of the room was a small fire pit with an iron pot set over it quietly bubbling away over the warm embers.

The walls were crowded with roughly made shelves laden with jars and bottles, wooden bowls and bundles of dried herbs, feathers of varying color even rocks of various sizes and shapes. Some paragraphs are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on Ebookex.com. Visit Ebookex.com to read the complete chapters for free. Iron pots and pans were arranged in one small corner where there was also a counter for food preparation. Surprisingly, there was a small fridge as well though Christina had no idea how it was running. She didn't hear the telltale rumble of a generator or smell fuel...solar perhaps?

"Well, are you going to sit?"

Christina jerked to attention and looked again at the fire pit. There an old woman sat quietly stirring the pot and studying them with equal amounts of apprehension and amusement.

Like their guide her clothing was homespun and brightly dyed though the dim light of the interior made the color dull overall. Just as with their guide it was difficult to judge her age. Witches aged slower than humans but not nearly as slow as wolves or vampires. Christina guessed her age to be in her sixties but she could certainly be in her seventies or eighties. "Aren't you going to sit?" she asked gesturing to the mats on the floor around the fire.

Belatedly they realized there was no furniture aside from the table: no chairs and no benches. Sharing a glance they warily joined their host and sat cross-legged on the floor. The old witch nodded still stirring the concoction in the pot.

"Is that some sort of potion?" Christina asked.

"Stew. It's nearly dinnertime. You are late."

Emily smirked. Christina shot her a disgruntled look. With all the herbs contained in the small space it was exceedingly difficult isolating any one scent which was enough to unnerve any wolf.

The old witch softly chuckled, "You can call me Juniper. Now then, what can an old witch like me do for a pair of wolves?" "Shouldn't you already know that? You were expecting us," Christina snorted.

"It is the prerogative of the old to test youth," Juniper smiled. "Besides, I need to make sure you know the reason you are here."

Christina opened her mouth to retort but Emily quickly placed a hand on her arm before answering, "Several generations ago a wolf king sought out a witch for consultation. Any record of why or what information he gathered has long since been lost or destroyed. As this is the oldest Coven remaining we hoped he might have come here and that you would have records of the visit."

"And why is this information important to you?"

"The current king wishes to harm our Luna."

"Ah," Juniper nodded. "Yes. A Luna is the heart of every pack, in many ways more important than the Alpha." Christina and Emily let out an uneasy breath. It seemed the old witch had a working knowledge of wolf packs. Since Wiccan society itself was matriarchal they hoped she would have sympathy for their Luna and be willing to help.

Juniper paused before speaking again, "As you may know every witch is born with a gift. Some specialize in barriers, others in protective amulets, some can manipulate the elements and cast offensive magic, and others have the gift of foresight and divination. "My great-great-great-great-grandmother was such a witch. It was her ability that allowed us to escape the persecution of the Church. Toward the end of her life a wolf sought her for consultation on a matter of great concern. Apparently his grandmother had a gift of prophecy unusual for your kind but perhaps not for hers."

Christina frowned and glanced at Emily to see she was equally confused. Just what did the old woman mean? It was highly unlikely his grandmother was anything but a wolf. Wolves very rarely found their fated mates beyond their own kind though it had been known to happen occasionally. In a mixed pairing there was no guarantee their offspring would be a wolf. It was a fifty-fifty chance.

"As for what he discussed with my grandmother I cannot say," Juniper said. "It is the code of those with prophecy never to make a record of their insights and never discuss the prognostications they provide."

"So we came all this way for nothing," Christina sighed moving to get up.

"Don't be so impatient, wolf. I'm not finished."

Christina settled back down with a huff. She stifled an actual growl having been raised to respect her elders. The witch in front of her certainly had the weight of experience to hold her ground even in front of a werewolf in their prime.

"I don't know what they discussed; however, when the wolf left my grandmother passed these words to her daughter instructing her to pass them down to her daughter," Juniper said. "She said one day someone would come and ask about the king and when they did we should tell them these words: the line will end with the white and a new line will begin with the silver."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Christina asked.

"I have no idea. It was a prophecy made for you," Juniper said.

Christina wanted to argue but Emily held her back, "Thank you, Reverend Mother. You've been very helpful."

The witch nodded as they stood and took their leave. Still confused Christina trailed after her mate who was deep in thought. Emily had always been the most intellectual between the two of them and loved puzzles. There was nothing she loved more than a good brain teaser.

No one tried to stop them as they followed the trail back the way they came. Though they needed a guide to enter leaving was a far simpler task. Christina shivered as they neared the barrier. She wasn't looking forward to walking through it again." "Excuse me, wolf."

Christina turned with a growl to see their guide had returned. The witch hesitated a moment before stepping forward. She draped a woven necklace over her head and settled it around Christina's neck. Confused Christina gripped the white, shiny stone nestled in the net-like holder. Raising an eyebrow she looked at the witch.

"My specialty is amulets and charms," the witch smiled. "Selenite is protective and cleansing. There is much in your past that causes you pain. Until you confront it, it will continue to haunt you. Our experiences shape us but they do not control us. Let the resentment and pain go. Not for benefit of the ones who hurt you but for yourself. They cannot hurt you anymore, not if you do not give them the power."

Christina stiffened biting her tongue. How could this stranger know so much about a past she never spoke about? "You don't have to forgive or forget, but let it go," the witch gently intoned before stepping away and leaving them. Christina watched her retreating form as her gaze blurred and her cheeks felt damp. Reaching up she wiped away the tears that came unbidden. She hated feeling helpless or weak and tears always made her feel that way. But these ones, for some reason, didn't. They didn't feel hopeless at all. "Chris?"

"I'm fine," Christina turned back to her mate. Remarkably, she actually did feel fine.

Gripping the iridescent stone around her neck Christina followed Emily through the barrier. From this side it didn't feel as oppressive as before. They found their jeep exactly as they left it. The woods were just as thick as before with a slow moving mist rolling through. It was as if their interlude in the Coven never happened.

"Well, I don't know about you...but that was a waste of time," Christina said.

Emily paused at the passenger door with a pensive expression, "Maybe not."

"What do you mean? Nothing that witch said made any sense."

"The line will end in white..."

"And a new one begins in silver. So? What line? What's white and what's silver?" "It's us."

"What?"

"Well, not us, but wolves."

"I don't follow."

"Chris, really?" Emily shook her head. "White wolves and Silver wolves! Come on!"

"So what? They are both super rare, big deal."

"They are rare, but we know both," Emily reminded.

Christina hesitated. That's right. They did know of a white and a silver wolf. What were the chances of that?

"The line will end with the white," Emily said. "The princess is a white wolf and she's the youngest of the king's progeny. And neither of the princes or the princess have pups."

"The line is the royal line?" Christina hesitantly surmised. "But what about the last part? It says a new one will begin in silver."

"A silver wolf," Emily nodded, "and our Luna just had her heat cycle."

Christina's mouth dropped open, "You mean Jason and Phoebe..."

They stared at one another before declaring in unison, "We need to get home."

They practically leapt into their vehicle. Christina spun in her seat looking out the rear window as she reversed down the trail as it was too narrow to turn around. Beside her Emily tried her phone only replace it had no service. "Damn it," she cursed.

"Are we sure about this?" Christina asked. "I mean, really? Jason is our new king?"

"You have a better interpretation?"

"No."

"It explains why the king is so fixated on silver wolves," Emily explained. "All he cares about his bloodline continuing but it isn't destined to. People in power never willingly give up that power." "Yeah but the king doesn't have any real power," Christina scoffed.

"In his mind he does. Just hurry up and get us out of these mountains. We need to get somewhere with service so we can warn them. They need to know. The Luna must be protected at all costs." "We'll never get there before they make their move," Christina said, "and if they figure out we know it will probably spur them into action."

"I'll send a message to my brother. He can warn them ahead of us and get us a flight home. The royal family is probably watching Blue Moon but it won't be watching his pack. Hurry up!" "I'm going. I'm going. Ben is going to s**t kittens when he replaces out about this."

"Better him than the Alpha."

Christina grunted reaching an area where the trail widened and quickly whipped the jeep around. The vehicle practically growled as she jammed her foot on the accelerator. Emily gritted her teeth enduring the g-forces. Once they were straightened out she tried her phone again.