Ezra’s P.O.V
I paced back and forth on the tower balcony, feeling dread settle in the pit of my stomach. Something bad was about to happen and the stormy winds were a harbinger of bad omens.
I knew there was going to be something happening as soon as Flora rejected Andre this evening. That man was nothing but bad news and the second he had stepped inside the castle, nothing good has come out of it. He had upset the balance that Malachi and I had maintained since the start of this pack. And now, Flora’s rejection might mean he was about to do something drastic once again.
I couldn’t blame Flora though. Poor girl had too much trouble to deal with since the beginning and Andre’s appearance had caused her nothing but hurt. I can only wish I could do something to help her. But what can I do when I am bound by the same strings as her?
“Shrine Maiden!”
I halted mid-step, my restlessness was making my heart race and my fingers tremble. I clutched at my skirt to stop the trembling, but it didn’t help much.
“Did you find any news?” I asked Daphne urgently, my voice coming out rough.
“Yes.” The girl almost squeaked, but then I noticed the horror on her face. “Andre has overthrown Malachi just now. He’s been taken somewhere.”
That feeling of dread inside my stomach intensified and it felt like my heart would burst out of my chest. “Where? How? He is the Alpha of Lindersay!”
“Forgive me, my Lady, I do not know where…I wasn’t able to follow.” Daphne bowed her head as I saw her fingers tremble before she too clutched her skirt. “But Andre has proclaimed himself Alpha now and the soldiers have no choice but to supports him. He killed one of our packmate in cold blood just to prove his point.”
My legs gave out from under me as I collapsed onto the floor.
For a few seconds, my mind went completely blank. My ears began to ring and my eyes became unfocused.
“My lady! My lady! EZRA!!”
I snapped out of my trance and came face to face with Daphne. She looked just as panicked as me as she shook my shoulders but her eyes weren’t unfocused. She was trying her best to keep from collapsing. And her determination gave me strength.
No! I couldn’t collapse right now. I had to stay strong! I was the Shrine Maiden, I was their guiding light! I couldn’t lose now! Malachi was gone and we didn’t know where, so I had to make decisions in his stead.
“Tell me.” I told her once again, but this time my voice didn’t tremble.
“Andre…from what I gathered so far, he’s planning on doing something on the next full moon, but I didn’t get what it was.” Daphne told me calmly, drawing strength from me. “I think he’s furious that Flora rejected him. But this couldn’t just be because of the rejection, could it? There seems to be something else at play here.”
Suddenly, everything became very, very clear to me.
“Daphne…I need your help.” I told her calmly as I got off the floor with her help. “I need you to gather all the Lunar Maidens and tell them to come to the shrine immediately. We are going to hold a prayer and no one must disrupt us.”
Daphne looked confused for a few seconds but she didn’t complain. Instead, she bowed her head in respect. “As you wish, my lady.”
“And there’s no need to call Flora.” I told her before she left. “I’ll call her myself.”
“Yes, my lady.”
Without wasting any more time, I headed straight to Flora’s room, knowing she wouldn’t be asleep now…not after today’s events. And my suspicions were proven right when I found two guards stationed in the hallway where Flora’s room was. They weren’t being obvious that they were guarding her, but they gave me a stern look when I approached the door. I had the impression that if anyone else had come to fetch Flora, they would’ve been immediately rejected.
I knocked on her door and as I had expected, Flora came out looking weary, but her expression changed as soon as she saw me. “Ezra?”
“We are holding a prayer for turbulent times.” I gave her a tight smile.
“At this hour?” Flora looked at me intensely for a second before nodding her head. “Of course, Shrine Maiden.”
“I’ll wait till you get ready.” I gave her a tight smile as I held my ground and thankfully, Flora got the hint.
“Please, wait inside, My Lady.” She moved away from the door to let me in and then shut the door immediately before facing me. “What is going on? Why are Andre’s men outside my door?”
“We do not have time, you must hurry-” that was when I noticed it, the bruises around her neck. “Flora?”
She tried her best to hide it from me but I pried her hands away and got a closer look at the bruise. They were in the shape of a hand. “He did this to you?”
“I’m fine.” Flora shook her head, pulling away from me. “I’m not concerned about what he did.”
“You should be!” I wanted to rip this man’s arms off his body for hurting my child! “No man is allowed to hit a woman, wolf or otherwise! That is not how women deserve to be treated!”
“Ezra!” Flora snapped at me. “Malachi is gone! He took Malachi to-”
She cut herself off, placing her hand in front of her mouth in shock.
I placed a hand on her shoulder, comforting her. I offered her a smile even though dread settled in my stomach. “I know, my child. I know what he wants. And I will gladly sacrifice myself if it means you and Clay can be together. I know Malachi would do the same.”
“You know?” She looked at me with wide eyes; eyes that she got from her grandmother. “You knew?”
“Yes.” I nodded. “I understood the second I heard what happened to Malachi. I had been preparing for this day for centuries. I have accepted my fate already.”
“No!” Flora took hold of my shoulders. “I will not let you or Malachi get hurt! Lindersay need you both! So many lives depend on you! How can you abandon us like this?”
“Flora, child…this is my destiny.” I tried to reason with her, but she shook her head and pulled back.
“You think you can give up this easily? Fine, then I’ll tell you what else is at stake!”
The dread intensified as if I was physically in pain. I placed my hand on my abdomen in hopes that it would feel better…it didn’t. Whatever Flora had to say, I knew I wasn’t going to like it. Andre did something. Something horrible.
“Andre gave me two choices today.” Flora finally disclosed to me. “I can either die at the Blood Moon ritual, alongside you, Malachi and Clay…or I can become Andre’s mate and Clay get’s to live.”
My heart thrashed against my ribcage. “Those aren’t choices!”
“I know.” She nodded. “That’s why I need your help. I don’t plan on losing to Andre after coming this far and neither will you. We save everyone and get rid of Andre for good. But I can’t do it alone. I don’t know how.”
Can I really do that? Could we really save everyone?
“There is one way,” I told her after thinking long and hard. “It’ll be filled with risks and it might not work in the end.”
“But it’s a way nonetheless.” Flora added. “I’ll settle for anything right now, any way that gives us the slightest ray of hope. Tell me what I need to do.”
“Not here.” I told her. “Change into your robes. We need to head to the Shrine. It’s time.”
“Yes, my Lady.” Flora bowed to me and went inside the bathroom to get dressed while I waited outside, debating if I had done the right thing.
It has been centuries since I last remembered my Goddess. She might despise me at this point for betraying her, but I didn’t have any other choice. I must turn to my creator and my guide as a last resort.
After ten more minutes, Flora and I made our way to the ceremonial hall where the prayers are held. Every single one of the Lunar Maidens had appeared in the hall, despite the late hours and I was grateful for it. I watched as the gates to the hall were closed and Daphne and another one of the maidens locked it securely. Good. I motioned for Flora and she joined the other Maidens while I made my way to the Dias.
“My lady…why are we having a prayer now?” Asked a dark haired maiden.
I gave her a smile before standing in front of the crowd and addressing the entire room. “Thank you for coming on such a short notice, but today I have summoned you all here for some matters of utter importance. It’s now time to reveal the truth to all and expose the myths and legends that had bound us for centuries. It is time to tell you about my origin.”