Page 18 of Shifted Fate (Broken Luna #1)

Chapter Eighteen

T

he next morning was much the same. I awoke to my father’s knock, and we made our way through the woods. He’d nudge me into the clearing, I walked to the stump, and sat down. By the time I looked back up, he was already gone.

“I don’t know what the fuck is going on, or what I am supposed to do here.” I shook my head and took off my shoes. I planted my feet and took a cleansing breath. Then I closed my eyes and focused, like my father explained.

The air was a soft, gentle breeze that danced across my skin. It played with my hair, tangling my curls as it blew through the clearing. The early morning sun crested the tree tops and I could feel the warming light hit my skin.

I wiggled my toes in the grass, and it tickled the bottoms of my feet. I opened my hands, palm up on my knees, and settled deeper on to the stump.

“This is stupid.” I opened my eyes and looked around, but I was talking to myself.

“Is it?” I whirled around to see my father’s grandmother walking towards me.

“How is this possible?”

“Magic, granddaughter, magic.” She smiled as she made her way in front of me and then sat down. “Your father is foolish.” She crossed her legs and placed her hands palm up on her knees.

“Why do you say that?”

“Because he had years of training with me before I stuck him in this clearing with no guidance. You did not.”

“I have no idea what I am doing here.”

“I know, and that is why I am here.” She looked at me and gestured.

“You are in the right position, well, almost. Get off the damn stump. It’s dead, and you need to connect to nature.

Not death.” I got up and sunk into the grass and mimicked her, crossing my legs and flipping my hands up.

“Better. Now close your eyes. Look inside yourself. Clear your mind of every thought, ever worry, and focus on your breathing.”

“How is this going to connect me to nature?”

She giggled, and I cracked an eye. “Nothing granddaughter, this is connecting you to you. You have gone far too long without knowing your true self. I think it is time you look inside. Once you know yourself, nature will come easier.”

“I know myself.” I sounded a little offended, but she just laughed at me again.

“Do you? Truly? Before you were sent here, you didn’t even know you had magic and now, you know yourself…come granddaughter. Give it a try.”

“Fine.” I closed my eyes and silenced my thoughts, which took longer than I would like to admit.

Then I waited. But connecting to myself seemed a little more active than just waiting.

So after nothing happening for however long, I started digging deeper.

The deeper I went, the darker it got. “Where are you?” I don’t know what I was looking for, but I could feel something waiting.

“Hello Amy.” A giant dark wolf walked out of the blackness and sat in front of me.

I don’t even know how I was seeing the wolf, but it was like she gave off an inner light.

Her golden eyes stared into mine and I lifted a hand.

I touched the crescent moon of white fur on her forehead and I knew this was Nix.

“Hello Nix.”

“How do I look?”

“Big. Bigger than any wolf I have ever seen.”

“That’s because I am,” she chuffed, and then turned to walk away. “You are not done. Keep looking.”

I walked deeper into my inner mind and I came across a brown shaggy wolf that reminded me of my mother’s wolf. “Who are you?”

“I am your wolf. Well, one of your wolves.” The soft voice rang out and I looked deeper into her blue eyes and lifted my hand.

“Megan…I have never heard you.” I softly stroked her fur.

“I am not an Alpha wolf, so Nix speaks for the both of us.”

“How do I have two of you?” I sat down and pulled her head into my lap. I stroked her head over and over, forging the bond that I felt was needed here.

“You have to wait to find out, but magic isn’t your only surprise.” She hopped up and licked my face, and I felt the bond snap in place. “You will hear me now that we have a bond. But you are not finished. Go deeper.” I stood as she walked away, and I started down deeper.

I walked for what felt like an eternity, and then I felt a spark. I turned in a circle, waiting for the spark to ignite again, and then I was running. Deeper into my very soul and there I found it.

A glowing green orb that shined like the sun. As I walked closer to it I could see the orb was pulsing. With every step closer, I could feel my pounding heartbeat, in time with the orb.

“What are you?”

Nix and Megan walked out and sat beside me. “This is your power. This is the center of your soul. The power that runs through your body comes from this orb. Your entire being is in sync with this piece of you.” Megan nudged against my hand.

“Megan and I are a part of you, but separate.” Nix spoke up, “We are our own souls that share your body and mind. But this part of you would still be here if we weren’t.

It is woven into your very soul. Your human soul.

This is your gran’s legacy for you, the very power that ran in her veins, your father’s veins and now yours.

It will pass to your pups and beyond.” Nix leaned forward.

“If werewolves were to even die off, your line would continue to hold power.” Megan followed suit and leaned toward the orb. Ribbons of power floated out and stroked each of their faces.

“This is me?” I held up a hand and waited for the ribbon that was slowly coming forward. This couldn’t be me.

“Yes.” Both wolves answered at once.

The ribbon pulled back before it reached out to me and the orb grew dim. “What’s wrong?”

“You are not ready for it.” Megan got up and walked back into the darkness.

“You do not believe yet.” Nix bumped against me and then got up and walked away.

“When you truly believe in yourself and your power, it will come to you. For now. Sit and observe. Open yourself to the possibilities. Open yourself to you.” Her voice faded and once again I was alone in the dark with the flashing orb, but the light was fading.

“I did this.” I was saddened by the fading light, and I didn’t know why.

Everything faded away and I opened my eyes to the clearing. And I was once again alone. Always alone.

“Never alone, granddaughter. I am here, watching over you, always. In this lifetime and your last. Open yourself up to the possibilities and believe in yourself. You are stronger than you know.”

Her voice faded, and the clearing grew still. There was a soft drop of water on my leg and I looked up to the sky, expecting to see clouds, but the sky was blue and clear. I realized I was crying. I wiped my face as a second tear fell.

“What is going on?” I wiped my face again, but I couldn’t stop the flood of tears that kept coming. “Why am I crying?”

I got up and made my way out of the clearing as sobs racked my body. I didn't understand why I couldn’t stop the tears. I wasn’t hurt; I wasn’t sad.

“Why can’t I stop?” I dropped to my knees and keeled over. I stayed like that until I felt my father’s arms wrap around me. “Why can’t I stop?”

“When you doubt the power inside of you, something that is woven into your very core, you hurt yourself. Like you shoved a dagger into your heart. It is a soul wound, and it hurts. The crying will pass.”

“How do you know?” I looked up at my father, but I couldn’t see him clearly through the vale of tears.

“Because I was where you are once upon a time. I did the same thing.” My father shook his head. “I am surprised, though. I thought this would take you longer.”

“Grandmother helped me. She said you were stupid to put me in the clearing without teaching me anything, as she had taught you how to dive inside yourself before she sent you in there.”

My father froze mid-step. “My grandmother?”

“Yes. She guided me on how to dive into myself. So I could see my wolv-”

I know he is your father, but don’t tell him you have two wolves yet. Come to terms and figure out why you have the two of us. You can tell him when you have answers.

Megan’s soft voice interrupted me, and I corrected myself. “Wolf.”

A tear fell from his eye on me. “She was always a meddler, that woman. Even before I met my mate, she told me I was going to have to make a hard decision and when I needed council to find her here. She never came to me like she did you, but I heard her voice inside my head. Guiding me to what I should do. ‘One pup is better than none. And you can always have more once the truth comes to light.’ I miss her.”

“I know.” I hugged my father tighter and then we headed back.