Chapter 23 ~ She whispered Sleep
I’m losing patience! I know Jacob is coming for my son. I’m not sure why! He didn’t care about me.. he only wanted to take my virginity and jump his forced mate’s bones! But I’m fed up! And we need to figure out what to do.. I’m not one to sit and wait.
Angie and I are watching the women spar.. and some of them are exhibiting real promise. I look at Angie.. she’s literally watching every move and analyzing where to help them improve. I turn, when the door opens and Alice is bringing Matthew to me. He’s been fussy all morning and now it’s afternoon. She hands him to me and I realize he’s really hot..feverish. I link Blake to meet me in the infirmary. He doesn’t respond..but I know he will be there. He never questions me. And I love him for that!
I am taking his temperature when Blake walks in. And as soon as Matthew sees his dad, he’s all he wants. His temperature is up around 105 and while it isn’t dangerously high for a wolf.. it’s still high. I run a tepid bath.. going to try and drop it naturally. He keeps fussing and saying “Daddy, I hurt!” And Blake shushes him, rocking him and rubbing his back.
I come from the bathroom to see he’s dozed off..and I’m torn. Do I bathe him..or let him rest? UGH! Motherhood is confusing! We agree to let him rest awhile..and I was quietly discussing my frustration with having to sit and wait to be attacked and he’s talking me off the ledge. We are a good pair! He knows what I need to hear..and that means so much!
Matthew sits straight up and his body completely stiffens.. it scares the shit out of me and I immediately reach for him.. I want to take his pain. And Blake snaps “NO! He has to feel it!” I start crying and Blake says “Baby! He’s shifting. He has to feel it!” Shifting?
I scream “He’s a baby! How is he shifting!?” He shakes his head and indicates he doesn’t know. We run out the back doors and we both lie him between us and Angel is whimpering . I let her shift so she can nuzzle her baby..and Odin does the same. We curl around him as he cries and screams out his agony. We are alone with him because Odin told everyone to stay away. Angel is laving her pup.. Odin is curled around us both… then, we hear the first bone snap.. Angel sends calming energy and his breathing slows.. more bones are breaking and rearranging..within fifteen minutes…a tiny wolf pup lies inside the circle Odin and I have created. He is beautifully snow white! Like Angel..and Odin speaks into his mind. We learn his name is Frost.. and he is here early because Matthew is the Goddess’ chosen healer. His power is too great and many people will try and capture him.
And all I can think is I want to lock him in the proverbial Ivory Tower. Odin links the king and Damien runs to the side yard of the infirmary. He stares at Frost in awe..then he shifts into Demon..and Demon bows before him. What The Fuck? The pup finds his feet and bounces around his Daddy..biting his ears.. rolling on his back and pawing at Odin’s muzzle. Then he does it to Demon.. and both huge black wolves just let him do it. Then he walks over to me and I lick his ears and clean his face. He snuggled his tiny body onto my front paws and I lay my head on top of him. Within seconds, he’s sleeping. And poof..he’s changed back to our precious toddler!
All three of us shift back, and Damien reaches for him. He carries him to the nursery room..and I step ahead to open his door..when all three of us stop in the doorway. There.. in the middle of the room.. stands Selene. My mouth drops open… Blake and Damien look frozen. She smiles so beautifully..walking over she lifts Matthew from Damien’s arms. Kissing him tenderly, she looks at us all, as she lays him in his crib. She tucks him in..saying “We need to talk!” And she glides…yes!… glides into the hallway and toward Blake’s office, while we all follow like the good pups we are.
She sits down and demands Blake call the ranks. Then tells Damien “King Damien..we need Lynette..and call for Liam” Within seconds, Lynette has stepped through a portal just as all the rest of our people come through the door. Every one of them pulling up short at the sight of the glowing Moon Goddess seated in the office. She waves her hand “Yes! Yes! I know.. Mother Moon.. Selene.. shocking! Sit! All of you. I have much to say and little time.”
“Jolene, my child… you have been through so much. When I watched you suffering..and my sweet Angel struggling to save her son.. my grandson.. it nearly destroyed me. You have always been able to channel me..to feel me.. It is how you heal others.. take their pain.. mend their hearts. You have been my strongest daughter and have proved your worth, again and again. The night Jacob and his Whore nearly killed your son.. I came to you. I fed you my blood.. I gave you something no human has ever had. Angel was my wolf..when I walked the earth.. essentially..she was me. When she asked to be reborn.. so that we may have a child.. I searched. For years. To find the purest soul to become her vessel. It took centuries. And then.. there was you. And your heart was so kind. So gentle. So loving. Angel and I decided it had to be you!
Now.. understand this.. Lynette.. Hecate has a twin sister. Her name is Morgana LeFay. She is an evil sorceress. And she’s been playing in earth’s realm for the last century. Hecate and I have been close to capturing her many times. We thought we had succeeded.. but she escaped. She has been wreaking havoc with my wolves! Jolene, Jacob was never your true mate. You were under Morgana’s spell. Blake, Crystal was never yours. In fact.. they are each other’s true mates! Odin imprinted on Frost, because he recognized his own pup. When I kissed our boy just now..his DNA adjusted to its true configuration. He is now…just as he should always have been..your pup in every way.
Blake.. you and Jolene are true mates. Just as Odin and Angel have been mates since the beginning of wolves! Matthew is powerful. He won’t come into his full power until his 18th birthday. But Frost. He knows things. He feels things. Before any of you can! Damien… Jacob is amassing an army. He will be coming. He doesn’t really want Matthew.. he wants the throne. He has been enthralled by Morgana..and she is the driving force behind the taking of Matthew. If she gets him.. it will end all wolves. He is my last surviving family. He is the only living being born of my blood. Your next children will be my grandchildren..and born of my blood..but nowhere near as powerful as the firstborn. Jolene… Blake… you have surrounded yourselves with good people. A strong team. With Damien and Lynette.. and their team.. your armies are the strongest anyone has ever seen. Stand together. Trust each other. Believe in your strength! Blake.. I am giving you a gift.. and your strength will match that of your King’s.”
She stood and walked over to Blake.. she told him to open his mouth and when he did, she bit into her finger and dropped two droplets of blood on his tongue. She turned to me and kissed my forehead then wiped her bloodied finger on my lips.. She whispered “Sleep”