The cursed Moon.
Chapter 13

Moon lay dreamily in Zions arms, his heart beat a soothing lullaby. She felt safe, whole. She felt a lot of things, all of them wonderful.

Making love to him, the closeness, the passion, the way he made her body tremble for more. It had been beyond anything she had ever experienced, it was real, it was him and her, they were one.

There were not the words in any sonnet, any poem, to describe the depths of her love for him. It made her heart soar and sink at the same time. She could no longer live a life that was not for him.

With his walls down to her Moon could wonder freely in his mind, but she wouldn't. She was excited to have him tell her his life stories, his thoughts, in his own voice. She wanted to learn about him the traditional way, she wanted to respect her mates privacy, the way he had respected her. Asking to touch, allowing her to consent, it was foreign to her; most human men took what they wanted from women and apparently so did rouges.

He was gentle, tender, but at the same time filled with lust, a deep hunger, just like her. Now she was marked by him they were tied together for eternity. She now had a love exceeding anything she had ever read about in any of her books, but the story hadn't finished. Soon they would both march into battle, life's would be lost and she couldn't help but feel responsible.

On one hand if she had gone to Max, before Zion, there would be no war. Even now she could subdue the gods wrath, she could throw herself at his mercy.

On the other hand things had changed, Zion would come for her, the battle would be inevitable. There was no possible future where she could be apart from him, them from each other.

If she perished, if she ended it like her mother, her grandmother, the cycle of hunters killing shifters, torturing them, it would never end. That had to end, she needed to end it, it had to be her.

She felt her panic rise, before feeling Zions hand brush upon her cheek, soothing her. He continued brushing his hand on the skin of her bare arm, and soon she feel asleep, dreaming of him.

When Moon woke her mate lay sleeping, her hand rising and falling against his chest. The morning sun creeping in and lighting up his face, she stared in complete wonderment.

He looked like a marble statue she had once seen in a book, chiseled and carved by talented hands, hours poured into perfecting every detail.

"Are you watching me Moon?" He asked with a smile, as he opened his eyes looking down at her.

"I may have been, you looked so peaceful." she admitted with a blush.

"I have to admit I found myself staring at you when you slept in the night." He answered as he wrapped his arm around her tighter, bringing her closer to him.

He inhaled her, before letting out a deep sigh, Moon could feel the shift in his mood.

"What is it that's making you sad?" She asked gently.

"I have to leave today." Zion rolled over to face her, propping up onto his elbow, his face showing he was pained.

"I know, how long will you be?" Moon hoped it wouldn't be a lengthy journey.

"Ronan lives near the Alps, snow storms can make travel harder. We also have to cross the forbidden lands, it could be days before I return. If we make it, Ronan may need some coercion." Zion was worried, and that worried Moon.

"I assumed he was like Reid, that he wanted a war with the humans, with the hunters?" Moon knew Alphas were wildly protective of their packs, hunters were a threat. A threat Alphas instinctively eliminated, they had no control over that instict. She was learning more and more about shifters the longer she was here, the thoughts of other wolves around her were educational.

"He does, Ronan, and Reid, they are elders, centuries old, both have never found their mates. Reid manages, he has hope that at any moment he could find what he has being missing. Ronan, he is more unpredictable, he has bouts of insanity. He has no hope, instead he obsesses over pain, mostly inflicting it on others. He likes to work alone, only trusting his pack, paranoid of outsiders." Zion felt sympathy for Ronan now he had found Moon, he couldn't picture a life without her, without his mate.

"I cannot imagine. I felt what your father felt, loosing love was rough on him, torturous. But to never find love at all, that is a tragedy." Moon knew the loneliness of not having someone to love, not feeling loved. She also now knew how complete finding it made one feel, she felt despair for the man she had never met.

"It's not so bad, without tragedy dear Moon, we may never feel true joy." Reid had appeared at the doorway, leaning against the frame. He had a knowing look on his face. Moon didn't need to read him to know that he knew she had been marked.

"You almost ready to go Zion? We will want to pass the forbidden lands before nightfall, sunlight is precious." Reid continued, breaking the awkwardness in the room.

"As soon as I am decent I will join you." Zion answered with some humour in his tone.

"Moon I would love to see your wolf when we return, otherwise stay safe, you never know what the day may bring." there was tenderness in Reid's tone, he cared for her. Moon had been overwhelmed with love since coming here, Reid another person she had grown fond of.

"And so you shall, I look forward to your return" she was sad to see him leave, he was family, family she had just found, but at the same time she felt comfort that Zion would have this shifter by his side.

Reid joined Atlas and Reign in the living room while Moon and Zion dressed. Her eyes scanning the body that had been intertwined with her own just hours before. She would miss him, miss his touch, how he made her feel. Just the very thought of being separated from him made her anxious. Days would seem like an eternity without him.

"Zion....I, please." Moon felt her words catch in her throat, she couldn't bring herself to say goodbye.

Zion wrapped his powerful arms around her, inhaling her before kissing her gently on the head.

"I know Moon, it's difficult. I will come back to you as soon as I can. Keep out of trouble, it seems to follow you around." he was trying to make light of the situation but Moon could feel it was weighing on him just as it was her.

"I love you." Moon spoke into his chest, it had become her comfort, his heartbeat her home.

"I love you too my Moon." Zion lent down and gave her one more affection kiss, this time she returned it. It would be their last for too long.

Then he left, and Moon felt a hole open inside, she knew it wouldn't close until he returned to her.

It had all seemed like a whirlwind, how quickly she came to love him. It was instantaneous, as soon as their eyes connected. Before she knew what it meant, what the mate bond was, she knew that she would love him unconditionally till death. She found comfort in the fact that he felt the same for her.

Moon washed herself gently, letting the water run over her body, not wanting to wash off Zion's scent but needing to ease the pain that had come with giving herself to him. It hadn't bothered her until he left, but now she felt why he wanted her to be sure, why he was gentle, he didn't want her to hurt too much. Although the pain from her first time would be inevitable.

Her body was tender, but so was her heart. She could still taste his mouth on hers, she touched her fingers softly to lips, giddy remember every kiss he placed on them. She stood from the water, stepping out, small pools of water seeping round her feet.

She dried, then wrapped herself in a towel. Her eyes found the mirror, and when she saw her reflection she no longer saw a freak, a burden, an outcast.

Instead she saw herself how he did, her lips plump, her eyes magnificently green. She was unique, but there was a almost timeless beauty to it. That is how Zion made her feel, beautiful.

She ran her fingers gently over her collarbone, the mark he had left behind wasn't just teeth marks. It had transformed into an intricate design of meadow flowers showered with rain, symbolising them both. It was delicate, pretty. Moon loved her new mark, she had grown to love her old one too.

She reached to her clothing, finding a pale lavender dress, intricate flowers sewn into the hem, sleeves and bust, as she pulled it on the birds outdoors began singing, just as they did every morning. But on this dawn their songs sounded sweeter then ever before. She wove her hair into a thick braid, not bothering to hide the crescent Moon on her skin. Despite the birds, and her new found contentness with herself, she felt a deep ache. She longed for Zion, the distance too vast already.

Once she dressed she walked to the kitchen. The night before had given her a healthy appetite and she could smell Atlas's cooking calling to her. Reign was already at the table, a large smile on her face.

"Good morning, where is Atlas? I smelt his cooking, I thought he may still be in." Moon said in a light tone.

"He has some business at the pack house, he will no doubt return soon. So.......you are marked." Reign was beaming as Moon sat next to her with a full plate of food.

"How can you tell?" Moon asked, it seemed strange that Reid knew instantly also.

"We just can, it's just a knowing we have, it's no more explainable then the bond. Now you are marked you belong to each other, no shifter, or any being otherwise can come between you. If you are in danger, Zion will sense it, and vice versa. It is truely is an unbreakable bond, you know that now." Reign explained.

"When he is gone, when we are apart, will it always...." Moon began

"Hurt?" Reign finished.

"Yes, its like a hole has opened, like air isn't enough to sustain me, like I need him to survive." Moon yearned for his safe return already.

"You will always feel that way, over time it will become less intense. You belong together, it is suppose to hurt when you are apart. It is what drove Apollo insane, knowing that he would feel that way till his own death. There is of course good in it too, the intense love, the feeling of completeness, the way you feel wrapped up in their arms, their scent. You cannot have the good without the bad, life is about balance, duality." Moon admired the way Reign spoke of the bond. To Reign it was her saving grace, Moon now felt that way too.

"I am grateful I have you." Moon reached out and squeezed Reigns hand, she was thankful Reign was not only her friend, but was the one bonded to her brother. Reign loved him just as she loved Zion, her brother was blessed.

Once they had eaten they both began to wash and dry the dishes. Moon quickly realized the distraction eased the pain. If only a little. She needed to keep busy.

"Can we see the pups again today Reign? It feels like forever since I have seen little Mila and her friends. I just know it would lessen the aching I have." Moon missed them, she missed the children at the village too.

"As much as I adore that idea, we have a visitor today Moon. They should be here any minute." Reign was nervous, Moon could feel it. Who could make her feel this uneasy? She was always collected, but there was a panic rising in her that Moon wanted so badly to ease.

"Who? Your upset, who is it?" Moon asked inquisitively.

Before Reign answered Moon heard the door open, followed by footsteps. She looked to the doorway, Atlas appearing first, followed by a hooded figure. Moon strode across the room throwing herself into the red fabric, feeling her embrace returned, it was Mena, she was here, she had come.

Moon couldn't help but weep, it was uncontrollable, joyful. She had missed her sister, dreamed of her. Having her here made Moon feel complete, that she now had everything she could ever need. She never let herself believe that it was possible, but here she was in Moons arms.

"Moon....I can't believe it, it's you, you are alive! You have no idea what this means to me. When Max told us the shifters had taken you, I didn't think....I only hoped this day would come." Mena spoke through her own tears as she held Moon at arms length, studying her for any harm, there was none to be found.

"How.....? When.....?Mena there is so much to tell, so much to say, you need to hear every last word." Moon spoke as she led her sister to the table, urging her to sit, Atlas joining them.

"Dean came for me, he found me near the border, luckily he still has his life. Moon I was looking for you, I've been looking since you disappeared, and he just came from thin air. I was ready to kill him until he said you were here, you were safe. I knew it to be a risk to believe him, but I had to hold onto the slither of hope I had, so I came. Moon what happened, you look different, happier?" Mena asked, Moon being alive was surreal to her.

"I think it would be easier if I showed you, there are many stories to tell, this would be a quicker way." Moon explained.

"Show me how?" Mena asked.

"With my gift." Moon smiled.

"You mean your curse?" Mena had never heard anyone refer to it as a gift, let alone Moon.

"No, her gift." Atlas corrected

"Do you trust me?" Moon asked Mena.

"With the entirety of my heart." Mena replied.

Moon placed her hands lightly on Mena's temples, showing her everything. How she came here, what Grey had done. How kind Atlas and Reign had been, how she collided with Zion. Then she showed her how she met Apollo, what he said, what Reid had said. Every last detail of their family history. Next how Zion made her feel, how he felt for her. Moon didn't want to leave anything out, she wanted Mena to know it all, she had too if she was to understand.

Mena had the right to know the truth, even though it may cause her pain, anger. She showed Mena how she had shifted, solidifying the fact that shifter blood run through her veins, through their veins.

Once Moon lifted her hands Mena sat in a shocked state for a few moments, Atlas and Moon exchanging glances waiting in anticipation for her to speak.

"So he is...?" Mena pointed to Atlas.

"I am your brother." he replied with warmth.

"And we all are...?" Mena continued.

"The descendent's of the moon goddess, of shifters." Moon cut in.

"And Max is.." Mena couldn't bring herself to say the words.

"He is your father, and the God of war. Mena it is no coincidence that you are the only female hunter in history, battle is in your blood, it's your destiny. Who and what you fight for, that is your choice." Atlas reached over the table and rested it on Mena's, using his gift to soothe her.

"I think I just need a minute. It's a lot to process, my whole life, it was a lie wasn't it?" Mena's reality had crashed down and all that was left was guilt, Moon felt it hit her with force.

"Mena take all the time you need. Know you have nothing to feel guilty for, we were taught lies, the villagers were taught lies. The whole race was created to be disposed of, to be used as a weapon's against shifters. A weapon is not all you are, you are so much more." Moon wanted to ease her sisters pain, all she give her was the truth.

"Moon I have killed because I believed the shifters to be monsters, to be a danger, a threat. I wanted to avenge our mother but all I have done is dishonoured her memory. I am the monster Moon, guilt is the only thing I can feel." Mena's emotions weighed heavy on her siblings. She needed time to process, they would give her that.

"Mena, I have suffered deeply at the hands of hunters, at the hands of Max. I have seen evil, I have felt it. You, you are not evil." Reign had remained silent till now, her tension had eased and just as she had trusted Moon, she trusted Mena.

Mena's eyes brimmed with tears as they all sat in silence, processing all that had come to light over the last few days.

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