A soft breeze whispers through the leaves but is the only sound other than the rush of the waterfall in the night's air. My surroundings feel like a nice summer evening at the heart of the lake, with its pristine blue water and rainbow pebbles, but this is the Dreamscape...

I can make it wherever I want.

Everything is perfect except for one very important detail... I'm alone.

Selena the Moon Goddess is painfully absent once more, as she has been every time I've tried to reach her. In fact, I can only feel the people within the palace and the surrounding town, nothing past the valley. I feel a pull to her, more now than ever, but I just can't reach her.

My eyes land on a scrap of paper on the beach. It's tattered edges look worn by age and when I bend down and pick it up, I see detailed cursive writing. A small simple phrase with heavy meaning.

Come find me.

Has something happened to her? Can a goddess even be hurt?

I didn't know the answer to my questions but the concept makes my blood run cold.

Most days I can barely function anymore, what good could I possibly be to her, and where would I even start to look?

This trail of thought just feeds my exhaustion, making my eyelids and body heavy. With a final look around, I close my eyes and feel myself slip back out of the dreamscape and back in the abyss.

-----

Sparks run across my cheek as a warm hand gently caresses it, bringing me out of my deep slumber. Chris' gold ringed green eyes are locked on mine as my eyelids flutter and take in my surroundings. He's crouched beside the bed, his handsome face a mixture of concern and relief.

"Hey," I whisper, bringing my hand to cup his.

"Hey," he replies with a soft smile. "How do you feel?"

"Groggy," I mumble, licking my dry lips. "But better."

"Understandable, you've been out for a day. I'd have let you sleep, but you really need to eat something. Come on," he urges, helping me sit up. "Anything you want, waffles, soup, ribs, you name it."

"Beef and veggie stir-fry?" I mumble, my stomach growling now that it too is awake.

"Done. It'll be here in about a half hour, so you have time to clean up and shower if you'd like," he offers, nodding to the bathroom.

He holds a hand out for me and holds me steady as I gingerly step out of bed, feeling the stiffness in every muscle. Suddenly, the previous day's events come rushing back, making my heart race as my wide eyes lock on Chris'.

"Shhh, baby," he coos, pulling me closer. "Everything's okay and been dealt with. I'll fill you in while you eat, after your shower. I promise, there's nothing to worry about."

His words have me relaxing and I can feel his calm through the bond. He's not lying, but still I can't fully feel at ease. I head to the shower and quickly clean up, then throw my hair in a loose braid before walking back out wrapped in a towel. Taking the lazy way out, I just grab Chris' hoodie and a pair of yoga pants. No sooner than I finish changing, there's a knock on the door.

"It's open Doc," Chris calls.

"Ah Luna!" He greets, cheery as always. "It's good to see you up and about again, that was a doozy wasn't it." His eyes rake over me, taking in every small detail before coming back to my eyes to evaluate my answer.

"Yeah, it's been a while since I've had one that bad," I admit with a sigh.

Doc walks over, gestures to the bed for me to sit, and starts his evaluation, checking my pupils first. I can't help but flinch away from the light, clearly still in the post migraine hangover. He works away, dutifully checking my vitals before having me lay down to check various spots on my abdomen.

"Hey Doc?" I call, earning an inquisitive 'hmm.' "I know you're a medical doctor and gifts aren't really in your purview, but..." I trail off, not even knowing how to phrase my question.

"Go ahead, I'll give you any insight I'm able, though very little is known about gifts and yours even less so," he admits.

"Could something be messing with mine?" I ask, furrowing my brows. "I'm losing control too often. Even with the crystal and meditation, I can't keep everything out... I think that's what triggered my migraine today."

Chris crosses his arms over his chest and rubs his chin thoughtfully. There's nothing but concern in his eyes as he watches us. Dr. Phillips, on the other hand, slowly nods like he's working through a concept.

"It would make sense that the added hormones in your system are amplifying your gift... You are empathic of sorts right?" He asks and I nod. "My understanding is that you will pick up on moods and what not around you on a good day... Normal shewolves can become temperamental during pregnancy, it stands to reason that the two are linked."

"Is there anything we can do to help her?" Chris asks, clearly catching the gravity of the situation.

"I'm afraid the Guardians might be a better source of help there... The best I can suggest is to keep your stress as low as can be and for you-" He looks pointedly at Chris "-to keep your temper in check, especially when around her."

"Low stress," I scoff, palming my forehead. "Does that mean like bed rest for the next however long?"

"Are you feeling unwell?!" Doc asks, snapping to attention.

"I'm fine," I dismiss. "It's just that these people can be a lot to handle... The one I thought would be the worst has been no trouble, Eli?"

"Ah yes, the Master of Lineage... I wonder if he won't be able to discover something about your parentage," Doc muses. "The little that I do know about gifts is that they are often passed to offspring, so your mother or father could have had the same, or a similar, gift."

Chris lays a reassuring hand on my shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. "If anyone can find it, Eli can. The man is like a bloodhound."

The idea of finding out about my birth parents both intrigues and terrifies me. My adoptive parents never hid the fact that they didn't give birth to me, but my file was very light on details. Eventually, I had just come to terms that my birth parents either didn't want me or couldn't take care of me and focused on the fact that my adoptive parents both wanted and loved me.

Obviously the fact that I'm not even human has thrown me a curveball. This world can be dangerous and violent at times and I can't help but wonder if that had something to do with how I became another kid in the system.

Was my mother a rogue? Does my father know I exist? Are either of them alive, and if so why did they abandon me, and in a human world no less.

My limited experience in the wolf world has taught me just how important their family structure is. The support offered to each other is inspiring. For as uptight as the old royal rank wolves are, they haven't given Chris or Xavier an ounce of flack for him spending so much time with Claire being late term and struggling. Jace, Jude, and Nex gladly stepped up to fill the gap to make sure things run smoothly so Xavier can focus his attention where it's truly needed.

Even when Claire first found out she was pregnant, the joy and excitement that radiated off of Chris and Jace was heartwarming, you'd think it was their pup she carried. Even orphans like Ethan; there were many who tried to adopt him but he was too wild and refused until I came along.

'Pups mean a future,' Ember pipes up. 'You'll have the support of the entire pack the whole way.'

'If pups are so important, then why was I thrown away like trash?' I ask, unable to hide the hurt in my voice. 'Packs go through great lengths to keep pups safe even taking in rogues, but no one wanted me but humans...'

'There has to be a reason,' she whispers, lacking conviction. Even she wonders the same. For so many years I thought Ember was a figment of my imagination or a very vocal subconscious...

If I was raised among wolves then I would have embraced her instead of suppressing her for so many years.

"Eat something and plenty of rest Luna," Doc says, drawing me out of my self reflection. "If you need to avoid people to manage your stress level, blame me. And if the migraines are going to be a problem, come to me at the first sign. I'll order extra of your medication. It seems to work well and is safe, though it will make you sleep."

"Thanks Doc," I say, flashing him a smile.

"Their doctor is on vacation next week, I'll be able to get you in for a full work up including imaging," he says with excitement dancing in his eyes.

"Thanks Marty, your discretion is appreciated," Chris replies, shaking the man's hand.

"Of course, Alpha," he replies, always formal. "This place is like a soap opera, nosey gossip hounds too busy prying in everyone else's business to worry about their own." To hear Doc talk negatively and with such a tone of disgust is sobering since he's always the model of prim and professional.

Just as Chris opens the door to let Doc out, an Omega is there with dinner and my stomach growls loud in anticipation. He grins at me, setting the tray down and passing over a steaming plate of beef stir-fry.

"So what happened?" I ask, not wanting to be left out of the loop.

"We were actually hoping you could tell us," Chris replies, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I'm afraid I can't be of too much help, I was already in rough shape when they got there," I admit, taking a bite of the delicious food.

"All we know for sure is that the three crossed in and infiltrated the town, killing a squad of four guards before crossing paths with you," he says, ticking his jaw.

"Wasn't accidentally I don't think," I mumble, furrowing my brows. "It felt deliberate, like they were waiting for me."

"Aiden is convinced they were just rogues out to cause chaos," Chris adds with a frown.

"No." I shake my head, focusing back on the interaction and the way they felt. "Wait... they weren't even wolves!"

The realization shocks me. My impaired state left my brain sluggish but now, fully rested and mostly back to normal, how their energy was wrong stands out like a sore thumb.

"They smelled like rogues, but they weren't," I murmur. "What was the woman? Something was seriously off with her." Just the memory of her energy makes me shudder. Bad rogues have an oily feel as madness sets in, she felt like soot and ash.

"Right as always," Chris sighs. "The Guardians traced them back to a rogue camp where they killed the residents and stole their clothes before making their way in."

"And the woman?" I press on, most concerned about her.

"A dark witch," he reluctantly replies.

"She tried to knock me out," I whisper, wrapping my arms tightly around myself.

"Shh baby, you're safe now," he coos, pulling me onto his lap and loving embrace. "Mira took care of her, She's not coming back."

"Took care of her?" I question, twisting to look at Chris. "What do you mean not coming back!?"

"You only killed her vessel, Mira destroyed her essence and talisman," he explains.

"Why do I get the impression there's a very big but here?" I groan.

Chris sighs, his eyes narrowing away from me like he's arguing with himself internally about something. "Because there is... Dark witches never act alone, according to Mira..."

"Which means there's another one out there..."