The Moon Phase Trilogy | Protected
Thirty-Six

A large, dark colored wolf emerged from the den. Their eyes glistening violet as they stared into Ericka’s blue ones. They sensed something was wrong. They guided her into the den and curled up, their head laying in her lap. ‘What’s wrong, my child?’

“Everyone has lied to me...and I don’t know who to trust anymore.” Ericka sniffled.

‘Trust your heart.’

“My heart is torn into too many pieces, Raz. I don’t even think I can trust my dad anymore. I’m sure I can’t trust my mother, since she tried to kill me.”

‘That wasn’t her. The venom of a vampire does strange things to werewolves. She had no idea what she was doing.’

“How do you know that?” She narrowed her brows.

Raz stayed quiet. They closed their eyes feeling the tug from the back of their mind. ‘I need you to not get mad at me.’

“Okay...?”

‘So help me Selene Varu doesn’t kill me.’ Raz whispered in her thoughts. ’I know your mother...really well. She is...an allie of mine. The reason I know what I know about the venom of the Vampires is because she came to me for help. She was in a panic, telling me she couldn’t see right. She told me she could only see red, nothing else.

’When she realized what she had done with you and Dusk, her body felt like it was being torn a part. She felt like she was being controlled by two different beings inside of her.

‘The wolf and the newly formed bat were arguing in her mind. She was going insane, which caused her to do what she hated doing the most. Harming you and your wolf.’ Raz explained.

“Why didn’t you tell me you knew my mom before?”

‘Because I know you wanted a safe place to be without having to deal with family. Ricky, I know you better than you think I do.’

The poor girl’s mind spun. She had come to know the wolf standing in front of her well, but her nickname and secrets were always unknown to the she-wolf. “How? I haven’t said much of anything to you life wise. And I have never mentioned my nickname to you.” Ericka backed away deeper into the cave. She could hear Dusk trying to calm her down, but nothing was working. Ericka was about to explode. “You were the wolf I was hoping I could trust.” She snarled. “But, you have lied to me too. Just like everyone else in my life.” She walked to the entrance of the cave, “I guess the only person I can actually trust is myself.”

Ericka fled once again. She wasn’t sure where she was going to go. She just needed to leave. Tears filled her eyes as she tried to keep them straight. Not being able to see in front of her well, she ended up running into a large tree. Her hands instantly went to her head and she felt something sticky on her head. “Damn it.” She cried even more.

“Are you okay?” A girls voice asked from behind her.

“I’m fine.”

“She’s not. I can tell just from her voice.” A young mans voice answered. She recognized that voice. It was Tyne!

“Can you two just leave? I’m having a really bad time right now.” Ericka snapped.

“I can tell. Now what happened?”

“Nothing.”

“Come on, Ericka. It’s not nothing. You can trust me and my friend Ember.”

“Can I? Cause it seems like everyone has lied to me lately. Trust is not on my great list right now.”

The bright blue eyed girl gave a small smile, “I promise. You can trust Tyne and I. I don’t break a promise or trust.” She held her hand out for Ericka to take. Her left forearm revealing the same symbol her siblings and Shaun had in the same spot.

“How long?” She eyed the symbol as she took Ember’s hand.

Ember chewed the inside of her cheek, noticing where Ericka’s eyes went. “Seven years.”

“I’m sorry.”

Their hands released, “It’s okay. Tyne helped me escape. I am grateful for him and my close friend Meraki for keeping me safe, even if Tyne is a Falconer.” Ember smiled softly. “Trust is a weird thing to earn, but once you earn someones trust, you never lose it.”

“Even if those people you thought you could trust lie to you?” Ericka asked sourly.

“Absolutely. Meraki has lied to me more than once, but he was protecting me by doing so. Tyne has too. But again, he was trying to protect me.” Ember pulled down the hood she had on and continued, “Ericka, they are all trying to protect you. Those lies aren’t necessarily bad. They are secrets that you may not be ready to learn just yet.”

“So you’re telling me lying is a good thing.”

“No, not at all. Lying is bad, but the lies that protect you from what lies ahead of your journey aren’t. They are walls that you aren’t ready to break down yet.”

Ericka sighed, “Even if I feel like I am ready to bust down those walls, everyone else knows better for me. Yes?”

Tyne shook his head, “That’s not what she is saying at all.” He sighed, running his hand through his light hair, “Ericka, no one knows what’s best for you besides you. Those that fibbed to you did it because whether you may be ready or not, it’s too dangerous to know the whole truth yet. Whatever they are lying to you about, it must be really bad. Otherwise, I’m sure they would have told you the truth.”

Ember nodded, “All they want to do is protect you.”

“I don’t need protecting. I have Dusk. I can take care of myself.” Ericka argued.

“I thought that too, but after I escaped, six year ago, I was always a target for him. I will never stop being a target. This is why I have Tyne and Meraki to protect me. Neither of them look at me like I’m a helpless leader. They see me as a strong leader that may need some help along the way.” Ember pushed her blonde hair from her face, “I am sure that is what everyone around you is trying to do.”

Ericka rolled her eyes, “I’ve held my own against Zandyr. I can do it again.”

‘Ericka, quit being so stubborn. Can we please just go back to the mansion and have them explain why they did it?’ Dusk butted into her mind.

Ericka snarled. She was about to argue, but she suddenly felt dizzy. “You hit your head pretty hard. Why don’t you sit down? We will stay here until you feel okay to be on your own.” Ember offered.

She did as she was told, leaning against the tree she smashed her head into. She felt her forehead. It had a huge cut across it. “Don’t touch it. Let me dress that up for you, so you don’t lose more blood.” A handsome guy offered.

“Okay.” Ericka agreed weakly.

She closed her eyes as soon as she felt nuke warm water on her face. Dusk panicked, itching to shift so she could heal faster, but the man in front of them was too strong. He wasn’t pinning either of them down, but Dusk didn’t want to risk either of their lives by shifting and getting tackled to the ground.

~*~*~*~*~

It seemed like a few hours had passed. Ericka woke up in a familiar room. The room she was in with Ruby and Skull a few months ago. “How did I get back to the mansion?” She groaned as she sat up. Her head pounded so hard she almost screamed.

“Good evening, flower.”

Ericka saw her dad sitting in a chair near the far wall. “Why are you here?” Her tone was hostile.

“Because I care about my oldest daughter and her health.” He spoke. “A large gentleman that seemed to know Shaun brought you back. He told me what happened.”

“I still don’t trust you. Or Shaun.”

“That’s fine.” Mr. Bluhm lowered his head, “I only did what I had to protect you and your sisters, Ericka. I hope you can understand that.”

“Fleeing was not the best way to protect us.”

“To me, it was. Once Zandyr sent someone to come after you, your mother and I discussed the plan. Sadly, the plan fell through when she was bitten. That’s when the Connerton’s came onto my mind.

“They were happy to help you girls and me. I had no idea Zandyr had taken a hold of the twins to attack you. And then Asher intervened, just to get to the pendant.

“I would have come sooner, but the pack needed my help more than I realized. I was thankful that Shaun and Jayden were always at your side to help you.”

Ericka raised her brows as she turned to face him, “How did you know all of that?”

“I have spies hidden everywhere around this territory. They have always kept me in the loop. That’s how I knew about the home attack before it happened. That’s why your mother stayed behind. I found out about the venom from her wolf. That’s when I went back to write the note and help you to your bed.”

Suddenly, it clicked in her mind, “Wait a second. You’re the one Max and Alyx were so excited to see earlier? You’re the large wolf that actually carried me to my bedroom the night of the incidnet?” Her dad nodded. “Ember was right....” It dawned on her that she was wrong about everything. “All you were trying to do was protect us. That’s all anyone was doing. Protecting me...”

“Yes.”

“...and I screwed it all up...I put everyone else in danger at my own risk.” Tears filled her eyes again. “Tobais said I was too quick to run head first...I didn’t believe him...but he was right...”

Mr. Bluhm raised his brows, “When did you see him?” Ericka glared at him, “Nevermind.” He cleared his throat, “But he’s wrong. You may go in head first, but you’re a Bluhm. We think about our actions before we run in head first.”

“Dad, he knew I have two Protectors. He told me that was the reason I needed two.”

“That’s not the reason, moonflower.” Her dad gave a smile, sighing, “The reason you have two Protectors is because of what you are. You’re royal blood. Just like your cousins.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? And I’ve never met my cousins, so I have no idea who you are talking about.” Ericka was beginning to grow irritated with her dad. He wasn’t giving her a straight answer.

“You are a kin of an Alpha and a Luna. In werewolf terms, what that really means is King and Queen. This is because when the Alpha and Luna step down, their eldest kin takes their place whether they have a mate or not.”

Ericka scrunched her face, “So, that would make me a princess? Dad, you can’t be serious. This sounds made up.” She paused, “In all the werewolf books I’ve read, none of them speak of royalty in packs.”

Her dad bellowed a big belly laugh, “That’s because all of those books are written by humans. They don’t know what goes on in pack life, or how ranks actually work in a pack.” He looked at his daughter with a spark in his eyes, “I want you to look up the book ‘King’s Paradise’. That book is written by actual werewolves. It explains everything.”

Ericka smacked her palm to her forehead, forgetting about her cut. She sucked in a breath through her teeth and flinched, “Damn it...I forgot I did that.”

Before she could say anything else, Shaun came bursting through the door. A smile gleaming on her face, “The boys are awake!”

Ericka raised a brow, “How long was I out for?”

“A few days.” Her dad responded nonchalantly.

Before Ericka could respond, Shaun grabbed her best friend by the hands anxiously, “Come on! Let’s go see them!” She pulled Ericka up.

“Okay, geez. It’s like Grant has taken a huge hold on you.” She giggled.

Shaun glared at her, “No he hasn’t. Blu just misses him.”

“Uh huh, sure.”

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