Chapter 37-The Royal Family

Bright light forces the darkness to fade, and I find myself standing in the field of moonflowers I had just fought in. There is no signs of war before me, and I wonder if what happened was a dream.

“I see you are awake.”

A voice I have longed to hear once more calls out. Turning around, I find my father leaning against a tree, his eyes filled with warmth. I rush to his side, my father pushing off from the tree to catch me in his arms as he hugs me tightly to him. The scent of the moon is on him and I smile, feeling the comforting embrace of a parent calm me.

“You did good, my pup. I am proud of you.”

He whispers, stroking my hair. All I can do is nod, my voice constricted as I allow the tears to flow down my face.

“Am I dead?”

I finally am able to ask after some time has passed.

“No. You are just in the dream-scape right now as your body heals. Now you have some people that want to meet you.”

My father answers, pulling away from me. The scene changes in a blur and I look around watching the trees shift from coniferous trees to deciduous. The blurry scene soon becomes clear and I am no longer in the moonflower meadow.

"Where are we now?" I ask confusion laced in my voice. In the distance a mansion log cabin sits by a lake and wolves lay lazily about, keeping their eyes on us. One wolf in particular catches my eyes—a she-wolf with long, flowing, pure white hair with a slight iridescent sheen to it. In her arms is a newborn wrapped in a white blanket, his black hair short and fuzzy as he sleeps in her embrace.

My father says nothing but places his hand on the small of my back and leads me to the woman. As I grow closer, I can see the shimmer of tears on her face, her prism-like eyes looking over me before turning to look at my father.

“Spirit, is this our Crystalline?”

She asks, holding back sobs.

“It is, Luna. Our daughter is here for a visit.”

Father answers her, his voice soft as he looks down at me. Tears flow in my own eyes as I take in my mother, my true mother. How I wondered what she looked like and if I took after her in any way; it seems I have her eyes.

“Grand Mother, let me hold the pup.”

A woman speaks up, walking over and taking the baby in my mother’s arms. My father pushes me forward and the scent of moonflowers and magic wraps around me while soft arms that I used to dream of hold me tight. Tears spill once again and I take in my mother’s scent, not wanting this moment to end.

“Mother, where am I?”

I ask through sobs as we are reunited for the first time in centuries.

"You're in the domain of the Royal Court." She answers, pulling away to caress my face.

“You and Selene look so much alike.”

She sighs, a soft smile on her lips.

“Am I stuck here?”

I ask, getting a chuckle in response from those around me.

“Unfortunately for us, Sister, you will have to return to your body. Your soul was called here as Morai allowed us to meet with you.”

Turning to the sound of a voice so similar to mine, I find myself face to face with what I can only describe as a clone of me. He hair is just like Geminie, shimmering in the light as if filtering through a prism on a white wall with pure white eyes that hold a hint of mischief.

“Selene?”

I ask, unsure if what I am seeing is true.

“It’s so finally nice to meet my other half.”

She sobs out, rushing to join in the hug. Sandwiched between her and our mother’s embrace, I bask in the glow of love I have always wanted.

To finally meet the twin I lost long ago and the mother whose arms I was ripped out of made my heart burst with happiness. I soon learn that the lady who took the pup from my mother is Celeste, Selene’s daughter and my niece. She became the third Moon Goddess and carried on the Moon Goddess legacy after Selene.

“Is this your pup?”

I ask her, smiling down at the innocent baby in her arms. An awkward silence falls between the four wolves as my mother and father look at each other in apprehension before turning to me.

“This might sound strange, but the pup is Coro.”

Father states. Shocked, I back away from the pup, from Coro, the battle still fresh in my mind. He had done so many horrible things, how could he be alive.

“Don’t be alarmed, Crystalline. Morai and the Goddess of Fate helped to erase his memories. As far as this pup knows, he has done nothing wrong. He will be raised as the youngest of the three of you and will spend his second life here helping the souls he hurt to cross over, under Lisandra’s orders.”

Mother reassures me. I frown but turn and look at the pup to see that the scars of his life are gone. His eyes open and reveal white eyes similar to Selene and father. Gone are his sky-blue and blood-red eyes. He is nothing but a pure soul now.

“Will he gain a chance to be reincarnated?”

I ask, wondering what the previous Goddesses have decided.

“No. Coro will become a member of the Moon Goddess’ Court and do what is asked of him.”

Another voice calls out. Turning, I find Lisandra standing with Geminie beside her, my friend looking around just as curiously as I had.

“Please tell me you’re not dead!”

I exclaim, looking at Geminie who shrugs.

“Nope. After we rushed you to the royal infirmary, my necklace glowed and I was called into the dream scape. Mother brought me here to meet the other Royals.”

I sigh, relieved that Geminie had not died before rushing to my great-something niece and hugging her.

“So I am alive?”

I ask, worried about my body.

“Alive and with Albot watching over you like a hawk, the last time I saw him. Everyone lived on our side.”

I smile, feeling proud that I lost not one wolf to the war. Everyone is alive, although most likely injured, and not only do I have a mate to return to but I have been given this chance to meet my family.

With Geminie now here, we are ushered towards the log cabin mansion where I am met by many wolves. Some are royals that took on the throne, knowing the truth of what Coro did, others were Goddesses that ruled the moon and helped the wolves on earth.

Three days passed in a blink of an eye, with Geminie popping in and out to give reports to those still waiting for me to awaken and reassuring them that I am alright and will return as soon as my body is healed enough. I had learned through her that I had been poisoned with Coro’s blood and my own blood was using the power of the Moon to release Coro’s poison from my body.

Apparently, I was on the verge of turning Soulless myself because of this blood, confirming my theory that his blood was the answer we had all been searching as to why the Soulless were created.

“Why can’t I find Alexander here?”

I ask my mother one day, watching her feed Coro a bottle.

“Because we have a separate realm for Royals that helped Coro destroy packs and create Soulless. Many are of course from Coro’s bloodline, but some came from Selene’s as well.”

She answers, placing my brother into a bassinet and asking Hara, my great-great-niece from Coro’s bloodline to watch over him. She leads me out of the cabin and towards the water, where many of my family members are standing holding a moonflower in their hands as they all look at me with sad eyes. Something feels off, and I look to my mother for guidance.

"My brave girl, you did so good. I'm so proud of you." She starts, Father and Selene coming to stand with us.

“What is going on?”

I ask, Selene resting her head on my shoulder, something that she has done a lot these last few days.

“It’s time to say goodbye, Sister. Your body managed to remove all of the poisonous blood, and you need to return home now.”

Selene answers, taking a deep breath.

"Will I see you all again?" I ask, not wanting to leave my family again. Three days was not enough to get to know anyone, not enough to talk to them. But I don’t have the power like Geminie to go into the dreamscape and see them.

"We will see each other again when it's your time to cross the Moon. You have important things back on earth to take care of.”

My father replies, a sad smile on his face as he holds back his own unshed tears. I sigh and look towards the lake as the wolves that are my family, my many nieces and nephews, wave goodbye to me before one by one, they disappear.

"I know. I have a nation to rule over and a mess to clean up." My reply comes and I turn to look at each of my family members one by one, committing them to memory, so that when the time comes and we are reunited, I can rush into their arms and spend eternity with them.

"Your something important, Sister, is the little one growing inside of you.”

Selene chuckles, poking my cheek. Shock and disbelief fills me as I look at my parents, silently asking them if what she said was true. They both nod, My mother wiping away tears as she looks at me with loving eyes.

"It’s your turn to add to my grandchildren, young lady." My mother says enthusiastically, pulling me in for another hug. I couldn't believe what they were saying as the notion of being pregnant seems absurd. I had never gone into heat, so there could be no way I am pregnant. Besides my body was savagely beaten from the battle. How could any child survive the wounds Coro gave me?

"All answers will be revealed later. For now, our time is up." Spirit's voice breaks me away from my thoughts as I stare at my father, a proud smile on his lips. I can’t help but be sad at the notion that I would not be able to see them again until it was time for me to pass away. I smile back at my father and nod as my mother pulls away from our hug, only for my father to pull me into his embrace.

"Now, close your eyes. When you wake up, you'll be home with everyone." He whispers, his fingers running through my hair and lulling me into sleep.