"Ugh, Ellie, I'm starving."

"Go eat then," I said, trying to figure out the math problem in front of me.

"Do you wanna eat?"

"I'm not going to the cafeteria. Are you crazy?"

She sighed heavily.

I put my pencil down and looked at her. "Fine. Let me finish this up and we'll get lunch."

She smiled big and sat back. "These tests suck so bad."

"We're almost done though."

"Are we leaving tonight?"

"In the morning?" I suggested.

She nodded. "That's a good idea. Did you tell your parents?"

"Hell no. I'll leave them a note. I'm eighteen now. There's nothing they can do to stop me." I shrugged.

"That's not a bad idea. My mom would totally freak out if she knew I was planning on leaving for an extended period of time."

"What if you meet your mate?" I asked.

"That would be awesome because he obviously doesn't live in this pack."

"Neither does mine."

"You've only been eighteen for a day. You don't know that yet."

"Doesn't matter either way. I need to leave."

"Right. While you finish that up, I'm going to the bathroom."

I nodded as she hopped up and left the room. I tried to focus on the numbers that were blurring on the page. My head felt heavy and blackness was creeping in around the edges.

"Oh what..." I muttered.

I sat there, breathing heavily as the room went pitch black. A bright light began emanating from where the wall should have been.

"Hello?" I called.

A woman's form appeared in the brilliant light.

"Artemis."

"Mother," she corrected.

"Right. Sorry. Mother." I sat back, not as freaked out as I was the first time. "Why are you here?"

"I have felt something off since yesterday."

"Okay? What is it?"

"I don't know, but the magic that is involved is greater than even my own. The coming problems are able to mask themselves even from me."

I sat up more and leaned forward. "Who has the power to do something like that?"

"The only ones who have the ability to stop Gods and Goddesses from seeing them are other Gods and Goddesses."

"Oh. Wow. Okay. So...who do you think?"

"I really do not know, child."

"I'm going to the royal city. They have the most comprehensive library of all the packs. I'm going to try and find out information."

"On just the coming threat?"

I could feel my cheeks burning. I quickly looked down.

"I know this all seems so surreal, but you must believe me."

"It just seems so crazy."

"I gave you a mark. Others do not believe it?"

I've been keeping it covered. Those who have seen it haven't believed."

She pursed her lips and cocked her head to the side.

"Uh, can I ask you something?"

"Of course, my dear."

"Why did you mate my sister to Alex?"

"The future alpha and your sister?" she asked.

I nodded my head.

"You are destined for something far greater than the future alpha of Moon Mist."

"What could be greater than being Luna? And being with the man that I love?"

"It is not love that you feel for him. An infatuation. You will lead a mighty army and protect all of my beautiful wolves. You will find your mate, my little love."

"Okay."

"I must go. Be careful as the threat looms over you all."

I nodded and watched as Artemis, my mother, vanished and the room returned to normal.

I blinked a few times and saw Ashley standing in front of me.

"What the hell is going on?" she asked.

"What?"

"You were just like sitting there. Like in a trance. Are you okay?"

"Well, you remember me telling you about Artemis?"

"Yeah?"

"That was what that was."

"Huh?"

"Artemis was here."

"Here? In this room?"

"Yes and no. I went back into that abyss and she was there."

"What did she want?" Ashley asked.

"Apparently there is a threat looming over us all."

"A threat? What threat?"

"She doesn't know. She can't see it."

Ashley sat down. "But she's a Goddess."

"Yes, which is why she thinks another God or Goddess is behind this."

"Oh, my Goddess."

"Yeah."

"What are we supposed to do?" she asked.

I shrugged my shoulders. "Stop it, I guess."

"How do we stop something that we don't know about?"

"Hopefully something will be in the Royal City's archives."

"So this is a lot. Let's go eat and focus on our tests before we focus on saving all of wolf kind."

"That sounds like a good idea."

As we left the library the bell for lunch rang.

"Awesome. Now I do have to see everyone."

"It'll be okay."

I rolled my eyes as we entered the somewhat empty cafeteria. I hurried into line and grabbed my food as more and more people filed in.

"Ellie!" I heard Harmony call.

"You have to be kidding me. Can't she take a hint?"

I turned to look as she and Alex, hand in hand came towards me.

"Ell..."

"No. What don't you two understand? No. I don't want to see either of you. I don't want to talk to you. I don't know either of you," I snapped.

"You can't speak to us like that. I am your future Luna and Alex is your future alpha. You have to acknowledge us and our relationship."

"You can both fuck right off."

"That is enough, Elanor. You will not speak to us this way. We can't help that we're mated and in love."

"Oh, my Goddess. I don't want to hear anymore. Stop talking to me."

"I can banish you from the pack."

"Then do it. I don't care."

I turned on my heels with my tray and left them both standing there.

"Hey, Ellie! Wait up."

I stopped and waited for Ashley to catch up.

"What are you going to do if he does banish you?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Not care? I can be a rogue? I can apply to another pack. I mean I'm smart and useful I'm sure I would be accepted. Maybe my mate is from somewhere else and I'll find him?"

She sighed heavily.

"Don't worry about me, Ash. I will be fine. This is just a new thing and I'm still just really mad at the whole situation."

"I understand. So let's eat, finish up these tests, pack, and leave for the foreseeable future."

I nodded and hurried back to the library. As I ate the mystery meat and some random vegetable that jiggled on my lunch tray, I hurried through the rest of the math testing. The English, Wolflore, history, and ancient tales were simple enough to finish. It was all information we'd been told since the day we were born.

Ashley and I handed the folders to the Dean and left for our separate homes.

"Do you want a ride?" she asked.

I shook my head. "Nah, I think I'll run."

"That's a 10-mile run, Ellie."

"Not human-run, Ash."

"Oh. Okay. Yeah, have fun. I'll be at your house at 7?"

"Make it 6. I want to leave before everyone wakes up."

"Sure thing!"

I turned toward the woods and ran across the field, feeling my bones cracking and stretching as I forced onto all fours. Silver fur sprouted from my body as my wolf took over. She was happy to be out and to run. The smells, sights, and feelings of the earth beneath my paws were heightened.

About a mile from our house I stopped short and sniffed the air. It was a strange metallic smell that assaulted my nasal cavity. It was almost overpowering and burned. My wolf whimpered a bit, but I urged her on.

Let's get home. We can tell dad. He can get a patrol to look for the smell.

She whimpered again.

We can't deal with it. Let's go home. Dad will handle it.

******

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