Isla
The warmth of a new day spread across my skin, dawn breaking in the Jewel of the Moon pack. The road trip had been a constant sway, the car rattling over stretches of asphalt and, mostly, dirt roads. Jayce had proven to be a great conversationalist; he really was quite a funny werewolf, describing the changing landscape in his own way.
"My Luna of the oceans," he said, letting out the nickname that, despite my attempts, no longer bothered me to correct, and which also reminded me that, technically, I had never really been a Luna. "I hope you like fir and birch forests; you're going to spend the next few weeks surrounded by them."
I felt his eyes on me, and he returned to his "lesson."
"Let's review the pack hierarchy, île," he pronounced with an exaggerated French accent, managing for the first time in days to make me smile. At least he managed to pull me out of my introspection. "The Alpha, of course, is the leader. He governs over all wolves, and the other members owe him obedience and submission."
He paused for me to assimilate the information.
"The Luna, as you well know, is normally the Alpha's mate. Her respect and obedience are equal to the Alpha's, although her functions are different. We could say she is the maternal ruler, the heart of the pack."
I nodded, listening attentively.
"The Betas are second in command; their main duty is to protect the Alpha and ensure his orders are carried out fully. And then there's us, the Gammas: the proudly brave and, if I may say so, the handsomest!" I perceived the pride in his voice, almost a purr. "We are in charge of protecting and caring for the Luna."
His enthusiasm was contagious, and I couldn't help but smile.
"The Deltas are our war generals, the strongest warriors of the pack and their protectors. And last but not least, the Omegas: they represent the majority. They are the workers, helpers, in charge of businesses and crops, the true axis of our society."
"It's a very easy organization to understand," I said with a teasing half-smile.
Jayce let out a choked laugh, or perhaps a snort. His tone of voice, previously carefree, took on a nuance of surprise and amusement. "That's because it's the most basic caste classification. We haven't talked about the political organization of wolves in general and the packs themselves. That's another story."
"We can leave that for later," I replied, this time without mockery. My tone became more serious. "I'm not interested in politics, and I doubt your 'leaders' would be in favor of you telling a human all their structure."
I hit a sensitive spot. Jayce's smile vanished completely, and his mood shifted abruptly, ending the impromptu lesson.
The sun had disappeared over the horizon, and its warmth no longer caressed the blue orb. Crickets and pebbles could be heard in the forest when we arrived at the pack house. We were greeted by the Head Omega, Becka, who informed us that Alpha Aaron would not receive us until the following morning, so we could rest properly after a long journey. So we decided to go directly to our designated rooms without stopping for dinner.
As I walked towards the Alpha's office, a knot formed in my stomach. My palms began to sweat. I knew that Alpha Aaron and Luna Alice were waiting for me, and that High Priestess Astra would also be present. What would they want from me? And what would they discover?
I suppose I'm minutes away from finding out. Emotions flooded me and, although I spent an unusually calm night, without nightmares, something told me that my worst fears did not reside in my dreams, but in the reality I was about to unveil.
Every day without my son is a challenge. Although these weeks of 'rest' allowed my body to assimilate many of my circumstances, I have actively avoided confronting them. But I know I can't keep running; I must confront all the pain to find the answers I seek.
Jayce guided me through the hallways, his hand light on my arm, leading me safely through a path unknown to me. My other senses compensated for the lack of vision: the creak of the wood beneath our feet, the change in the air's scent in the house, and the echo of our footsteps. Finally, upon entering Alpha Aaron's grand office, the air changed. Three distinct presences enveloped me. One was Jayce's familiar energy. The other two, new and powerful, belonged to the pack leaders.
The weight of their authority was palpable, though they remained silent. The first person I perceived was a woman. Her presence was different; she didn't smell like a wolf, but emanated an ancient and powerful energy. It was High Priestess Astra, the sorceress and priestess of Selene. I could perceive her, feel her, like a whirlwind of energy: reds, greens, and blacks dancing in a spiral, a controlled and powerfully contained chaos. It was an energetic truth that my sharpened senses could capture. Her voice resonated with a calm, almost singsong authority.
"Isla, it's time. The Goddess Selene has ordered your awakening."
I felt a gentle pressure on my eyelids. High Priestess Astra's words were not a question, but an affirmation, a mystical command. The darkness began to crack, not abruptly, but like a mist slowly dissipating. First there were undefined specks of light, then blurry silhouettes floating in my field of vision. I blinked, again and again, and with each blink, the shapes became sharper, the colors more vivid.
It was as if the world lit up again. The green tones of the tree leaves through the window, the pure white of the snow on the ground, the warm glow of a nearby lamp. My mind struggled to process so much information, my other senses, once so dominant, now shared the spotlight with this new and overwhelming sensation.
And then I saw it.
Jayce stood before me, observing me with an expression of astonishment. His eyes. By the Goddess, his eyes! An intense green, like the pine I had smelled so much, framed by dark lashes. It wasn't just the color, but the depth, the unmistakable warmth that I had already perceived in his aura and voice. His face was strong, with a defined jaw and a straight nose, and a lock of brown hair fell over his forehead. He wore an earth-toned shirt that highlighted his robust physique, the same one I had perceived through his movements and closeness.
An expression of surprise formed on his face when he saw me. His lips parted slightly, and his eyes widened even more. I felt a slight tremble in his hand, the same one that had always been near, protective. It was Jayce, the same loyal and funny wolf, but now with an image that would be etched in my mind forever.
But it wasn't just him. My sight was not the same as before. The lines, the colors, the distance... everything seemed strangely clear, sharper, as if every detail was amplified. It was an improved vision, one that surpassed human vision, almost like a nocturnal predator, capable of distinguishing every blade of grass, every nuance in the shadow.
Suddenly, everyone looked at me astonished. I didn't understand what was happening; their faces of disbelief made me think something was terribly wrong. Finally, High Priestess Astra spoke, her voice almost a whisper.
"Your eyes..."
"The rings of the Luna," High Priestess Astra murmured again, her voice filled with reverence. "They have marked you, Isla. You are the first in centuries, and the first human, to be Touched by the Luna."
At that instant, the silence in the office was broken by the gasps of Alpha Aaron and Luna Alice. The news, the revelation in my eyes, was so shocking that their wolves stirred. The weight of what High Priestess Astra had just said, and what it meant for me and for them, was overwhelming. My world had just changed in a way that neither in my worst nightmares, nor in my wildest dreams, could I have imagined.