Chapter 3 Rebirth

When I regained consciousness, it was to the unique beauty of a place that was white all round. I raised my hand up to shield my eyes. My battered and bruised body had been dissolved into mist like form, leaving my spirit free to move fluidly.

I looked around me and took in the beauty that was unfolding before me. The air vibrated with gentle music, tingling my ears with the harmonious whispers.

Ahead of me was a line of other souls. I turned around, and it was the same behind me. Some wore garments from generations that had passed, while others had the scars of battles fought and lost.

It was a strange but magical sight to take in. As the line progressed, my anticipation grew. Somehow, I sensed the presence of something magnificent. It overshadowed the thought of Ryker's betrayal.

Finally, I stood before the portal, face to face with the Moon Goddess, Arachne. She looked heavenly. Her luminescent skin glowed with a soft, silvery light, and her white hair flowed like the night sky. She had a crescent moon on her forehead.

I dropped to my knees, overcome with admiration. "Goddess Arachne."

Arachne's smile was gentle. "Selenae Axel. Your very name symbolizes my status. You were named after one of my great grandmothers, Selenae, the first goddess of the moon."

I bowed. It was a comparison unworthy of me. Yet, I couldn't keep shut. I had to beg for her mercy. "I am not supposed to be here. It isn't my time yet. Please, spare me." I bowed even further.

Arachne seemed amused, instead of put off by my bold approach. "I do not spare foolish people, Selenae."

My heart cracked. "All I did was fall in love, goddess Arachne. Does my life deserve to be cut short because of this entirely normal occurrence? You are the one who preach love and all I did was follow your teachings. I'm not the first and I won't be last either. I did nothing horrendous. Please, consider."

I dared not look up at her to see if she bought my defense. She had the most glowy eyes, it seemed like they saw right through me.

"Your circumstance resonates with me. For I too was betrayed."

I almost snapped my head up in shock, wondering who would have the nerves to turn against her. "By whom?" I croaked out.

"Humans," she spat out. Her usual calm voice was tinted with acidity. "You see, I loved the humans. Maybe I was even in awe of them. Having to navigate the dangers of this world without power aids, it was exemplary. Amazing. Not until they began going against my rules."

I knew just what she was referring to. Werewolves had become used to opening the door to yet another lifeless body of their loved ones, or coming home to a house that was no longer a home having been bombed by the humans. They had basically terrorized us.

We eventually had to go into hiding. It was a catastrophe and one of the things I had been hoping Ryker and I would address together after his ascension and I had been crowned Luna.

The human race were trying to make Werewolves extinct. They had been trying for years and probably thought they had succeeded.

"There have been recent disappearances reported in the pack before Ewan's death," I announced. "Are they behind those too? Have they discovered our hiding place?"

"I released a pandemic in their world, a grave disease to teach them a lesson," she explained. "It was a chance to redo their wrong. Beg for my forgiveness and stop their ridiculous killings. Because humans and Werewolves should be able to coexist without one thinking he is above the other. The punishment backfired."

I gulped, entranced with her vocal cords, but most of all, her tale. "How?"

"Those strange disappearances are facilitated by the humans indeed. The blood of the weres is the antidote to this disease. And that is why you've been reducing in your already few numbers."

My gasp was instinctive.

"So you see, I know just what betrayal feels like. I too have faced betrayal. The Sting of deceit cuts, no?" I nodded, sensing a profound connection with the goddess. "I could have wiped them out instead of giving them a chance. I certainly had the resources to. Now, how do I know I can trust you?"

"Goddess Arachne. I swear on my soul that if you give me a second chance you would never regret it. The humans might not have deserved it but I do," I beseeched, my heart in my throat.

"Look at me child."

I raised my head. Her gaze was penetrative, just like I had thought.

"What can you do for me?"

I blanked. "Do?"

"In exchange for a rebirth, what can you do for me?"

"Anything," I vowed. "I will do anything."

Arachne's gaze softened. "Your devotion to the moon, and your resilience in the face of adversity have earned my respect. I shall grant your wish, Selenae. You will be reborn and your memories of this life will remain intact."

Her generosity did not stop there. "I shall also bestow upon you a gift- a fragment of my power."

My awe stuck silence was answer enough.

"But remember dear one," Arachne continued, her voice taking on a hint of mystery. "this gift comes with a promise. A favor, to be revealed in due time. And with great power comes great responsibility. Do we have a common enemy now?"

I nodded firmly. "We do."

"Approach, child."

I stood up and approached her. She touched the tip of her finger to my head. My eyes shut instinctively as I felt her power course through my veins.

The harmonious music stop, replaced by a dead silence. I knew I had descended back to the mortal realm.

I opened my eyes to the midnight darkness of the forest, wheezing for air. The moon was shining at its brightest, a sign from the moon goddess.

With gratitude in my heart, I checked my body for the wounds Ryker had inflicted upon me.

They had all disappeared.