The Chronicles of Moon
Chapter 60

Truth

Moon lies there wishing she could sleep, but her anxiety won’t let her. She has been watching Colin breathe steadily for over an hour and checking his wound. They are beginning to heal slowly. While that brings her some comfort, she knows they are not safe here, and Caleb or Maddox himself could appear at any moment.

She slowly goes back to the library. Her body is stiff and aching from her unexpected shift. She is also trying to figure out how she will tell Ben about his father. Jake and Ben had grown distant over the years, but she knows Ben will be devastated.

Moon walks to where the revolver still lies on the floor, and she stares at it. What would she even do with that? She avoids looking at the man still lying dead on the floor and shivers.

Kiara, can we shift again? Moon asks, hoping but dreading the answer.

No, I was only able to because you were under the effects of the tranquilizer. I think it deadened the barrier around me, but I don’t think I could do it again. Removing the necklace helped as well. Kiara is quiet and thoughtful for a minute. Looks like we have more reading to do.

Yeah, just after what I already learned, I’m afraid of what else I may replace. Moon sighs, picking up the gun and heading back to her room. She sits on the floor, the gun next to her, as she looks at the journals. The gold dates on the spines make it easy to replace the one from the year she was born. She may as well start at the beginning.

June 20th

Every day since the loss of my Sarah and pup has been hell. I prayed to the Goddess to take me with them, but she never came for me. The years of this ache have been more than any one man can take.

I went for a walk in the moonlight just to clear my mind and try and replace some shred of peace. The moon was so bright and close I swear I could just reach out and hold it in my hand. I have never seen a moon so bright. Henry said we would have a supermoon tonight. I guess he was right. The beams of moonlight streamed through the trees reflecting off the water’s surface, looking like a mirror. It was so beautiful, and I wished Sarah was here to share this with me.

I thought I could hear the gentle hum of Sarah singing like she used to do. I found myself following the sound to the other side of the lake. My wolf was being drawn to it like a moth to a flame. That was when I saw it; a white blanket was sitting in the middle of a beam of light. My wolf showed interest in it he never shows any interest in anything. I haven’t felt this from him in so long. Losing Sarah caused him to retreat into my mind, and while he would still defend his pack, he would not interact with me. Both of us to busy blaming ourselves, but that tiny white blanket had his full attention.

As we got closer to it I could see her, she was only a few hours old. She didn’t cry, just looked at me with the biggest blue eyes I have ever seen. She was so calm and alert, so unlike any baby it was clear she is special. The humming had stopped the moment I entered the clearing.

My little Moonbeam. I knew the moment I held her what she was; she was a gift from the Goddess herself. Holding the tiny baby in my arms and looking up through the trees, I knew then that she was special and given to me to protect. She is my little Moonbeam now, and the pain of loss has become bearable again. I have something to live for.

***

A tear rolls down Moon’s cheek as she reads on. She reads how he covered up how he found her and only told his Beta Jake about what really happened. Moon grimaces, reading Jake’s name, the betrayal still fresh.

Mark ordered him to see that she become the next Alpha, but apparently, he had new orders. Or perhaps he just wanted her to be the Alpha of all the packs. Moon shakes her head, skipping through more of the journals.

She replaces the one from the year she turned ten and begins looking through it for anything to help her.

June 26th

Moon shifted in her sleep. I didn’t even think a girl that small could do that, but my Moonbeam is special. She has been sleepwalking since her birthday, always back to the spot I found her all those years ago. It’s like she is waiting for something. But tonight, she shifted, and when I tried to stop her, the wolf snapped at me, and the little bugger was strong. Ordering me to stay away, I had to listen to that tiny pup. It commanded me, and I had to obey it. I need to replace a way to protect them. Perhaps Jake will have some idea what to do.

***

Moon rolls her eyes, and Kiara scoffs. Yeah, he sure helped, didn’t he? Why don’t I remember that day? If I did order Mark like that, why don’t I remember it?

That is an excellent question. Moon replies, skimming on through the pages. Her stomach growls, but she ignores it. She is not about to leave the room. The sound of Colin sleeping still brings her comfort. He winces in his sleep every now and then, and Moon checks on him. The sun is starting to set, and she is just waiting for Caleb to return and finish the job.

Well, keep reading. We need to learn how to break whatever this is holding me, prisoner. Kiara is growing restless, feeling that they are so close to discovering the truth of everything.

She reads on about Mark’s growing fears that if she was found, people would want to use her power of obedience to control all the wolves. She only needs to command the wolf, and no matter their pack or orders, they will have no choice but to obey her. The same will go for her mate. He will gain the same power to command that she possesses.

Well, I can see why that would worry gramps. Moon tells Kiara, who was thinking the same thing.

That is a heavy burden to know that every wolf is compelled to follow your orders no matter what they are. No wonder he didn’t want you to replace just any mate. Kiara muses thoughtfully.

As they read on, Moon can begin to see the influence Jake was trying to have on Mark and how he was pushing Mark to forge an alliance with Maddox. However, Moon can’t replace out why Jake was so set on the union.

Everything else in the journal skips over anything they may have done to seal her wolf until Moon picks up the last journal, the one where she learned that Mark was losing faith in his Beta and beginning to put the pieces together that Jake had plans for Moon. The necklace was given to Moon to hold her wolf at bay. It suppressed her power of command as well.

Okay gramps, now what was the spell, and how do I break it. Moon huffs, feeling frustrated. She skips further into the journal, and there on the last page, she sees something that stops her heart and makes a tear roll down her cheek again.

My sweet Moonbeam,

I know if you are reading this, I am gone. I don’t know if it is my age or some other means that replaces me gone from you now. I am sorry I am not with you to tell you all this in person. You have been my light in the dark and the only thing that has kept this old body of mine going. Just know how loved you are, my girl.

Everything I have done, I did to protect you not just from your power but from those that wanted to use you. I think Jake has his own ideas of what path you should be on, and I plan to deal with that soon. I just hope I can do something before the end replaces me. The necklace I gave you tonight helps hold your wolf back while you sleep. Even with the binding spell placed on you as a child, the closer you get to your birthday, her power grows and you started sleepwalking again, and starting to try and shift the necklace helps with that. I know you don’t remember but the memories are just sealed like your wolf. They will come back to you.

I know you will replace your mate, and I know in my heart you will replace a good man. As far as the spell that keeps your wolf locked away while you are awake. That, too, should be easily broken. You just need to go to the place I found you with the same moon shining down. Call to the moon and trust yourself, Moonbeam; your mate can help you with the rest if he hasn’t already.

I’m sorry that I am not there with you to see you become what you always were meant to be. I know you must be angry with me for locking your wolf away. I didn’t even tell Jake how to break the spell. I don’t trust him to not share that knowledge with the wrong people even though I have ordered his silence.

Maddox seems too curious about you even though I ordered Jake that he can’t tell anyone what you are. I think he has hinted to Maddox enough to gain his curiosity. He wanted you to meet his youngest son. While I don’t know the older one, Caleb is not someone I want you to meet, let alone join with. He is a rotten apple if I ever saw one selfish and indulged.

You are meant for so much. You can join every pack under your rule and stop all their selfish squabbles. Most of the packs act like children just wanting to outdo the other. Bunch of Alphaholes trying to prove who is bigger and better than the other. Makes me ill to think that we once lived and worked as one protecting our own. When the last white wolf and her mate died, and another didn’t appear, the wolves began to fight amongst themselves, dividing all of our kind into their own packs.

We are not meant to be that way. We are stronger together, and you and your mate, that I hope you found if you are reading this. If you haven’t then you better because he is the key to undoing what I have done. I think you can figure out how he’s meant to help. I’m not going to say it. You are my granddaughter, after all.

The Moon Goddess gave you to me to save me, and I have done my best to protect you from those that would use you and force you to be theirs just so they can have the power you possess. The pups know what you are. It’s why they all follow you so willingly. Children always see the truth.

I love you, my little Moonbeam. Never forget that. I may be gone from you, but my love for you will always be there.

Gramps.

Moon is crying as she closes the book.

Isn’t there a supermoon soon? Kiara’s question makes Moon gasp.

Yes, I think so.