Chapter 9~ Running ‘round
Alexis POV~
Helena yelled up the stairs “Come on Birthday Girl! Max is meeting us at the Den! Your birthday is in exactly three hours and 37 minutes!!! The blue moon will be at its zenith…exactly like the night you were born! Let’s get to celebrating!”
I took a quick spin in front of my mirror…my dress fit perfectly.. as violet as my eyes. I have black heels on…my hair done in a messy chignon. Aunt Helena did a beautiful job on it! “Coming now, my crazy Aunt!” I laughed!
We got to the club and Max was waiting for us, at the door… He swung me around, kissed my forehead and wished me happy birthday. In such a short time, he has found a permanent place in my heart! He’s such a good man! We ordered dinner and were enjoying our after dinner drinks, as the band warmed up. Max reached across the table and handed me a small square box and said “Happy birthday! I want to thank you for letting me love you as my own” I got a little teary eyed and opened the box… it was a beautiful tennis style bracelet set in amethyst instead of diamonds…with a card that read ‘to match your eyes’..and I looked at him….feeling a tear roll down my cheek…and whispered “Thank you! It’s beautiful and I love you, too!” He grinned from ear to ear!
The band began their first set and Max grabbed each of us by our hands and we were dancing. I was feeling no pain…the dancing..the drinks.. the moon! I heard my aunt….yelling my name and realized she wasn’t yelling…she held the microphone…and said “My niece has a birthday in exactly 30 seconds…the exact time of her birth…on the night of the last blue moon… history repeating itself! Everyone count down with me!” And she counted down from ten! Everyone shouted Happy Birthday and she pulled me outside to bask in the blue moonlight! It was breathtaking and magical and warm! I felt my entire body infuse with warmth and swell with the addition of my mother’s powers! It was crazy wonderful.and a little frightening. But I loved every second of it. I turned my face to the moon and a soft voice sounded in my mind “He will come…and he was made just for you… do not fear…he will never leave you! Go home, my daughter…the answers you seek will be revealed “
I turned and looked at my aunt…she nodded, and smiled. Taking my hand, she led us home! We sang all the way home. I thanked them a hundred times for making it a perfect birthday! The blue of the moon had faded away and now she was her usual self..hanging low in the sky.
Finally home, I kicked my heels off and danced into the kitchen…wanting coffee and a snack… while coffee was brewing, I ran upstairs to slip into my jammies! As I stepped into my bedroom…there was a light glow from the corner of the window seat. I edged my way over… a little nervous. Only to see a book. A beautiful leather bound book. With a white wolf engraved in the cover. It was that giving off the glow. I picked it up and read the title. The Legend Of The White Wolves.
My breath caught in my throat. I was frightened..and nervous…and not at all sure I wanted to know what was inside… I raced downstairs and launched myself into Helena’s arms… “ What is it, my love? Why are you trembling?” she askex me…as she held me. I backed away…enough to show her the book. She nods and smiles… “You will find answers… I wasn’t sure how the Goddess was going to tell you the things you need to know…but I guess that question is answered for me now!” She chuckles…
I breathe deeply “I didn’t even know I had questions…so how can I need answers? My life has been good…with only two dark events! The only questions I might even have would be why my father would desert his true mate, and why my mother had to die the way she did? Are you saying the answer to those are in this book?” Aunt Helena nods…”yes…but also answers to questions you don’t know you have” I feel Arielle moving in my head…
What is it, Ari? I’m not sure..I feel your anxiety..but I’m calm. I know the book is about me, and I know we have to read it.. but it doesn’t feel like a priority to me. If you aren’t stressed out about it..I will do my best to calm my anxiety, before we read it. Maybe we can run? That may help clear our minds? That could help..it’s been a few days since you’ve stretched your legs.
“Aunt Helena, Arielle and I are going out.. we need to clear our minds before I open that book” I told her. Max asked if I needed him to run with me… I told him I would be fine. Stepping out of my clothes, I leaped off our back porch, landing on all fours.
We ran like the wind. Dodging branches…darting around trees, under brush and over fallen logs. I let her have her head..and relaxed back in her mind. Arielle was in her element, and loving her freedom.
We came to the river..the one I had painted.. following it along to the west, we could hear the roar of a waterfall..and I realized that was where we were headed. Reaching the waterfall…it is magnificent! Arielle dove under it…she bounced, chased bubbles..snapped at fish. Letting her be herself. I worry sometimes that she feels trapped…in a cage. And I never want her to feel that way. She is my best friend! I love her and will do anything for her happiness.
Swimming out of the falls, she stopped at the banks and laid relaxing. She was so cute…every few seconds she would splash her paw in the water lapping the edge. All of a sudden, we hear a branch snap.. and she stands…searching the woods behind us. A gray wolf steps out of the wood line..crouching low and growling.. Arielle gets into defense mode and growls back. The wolf lunges and she dodged..he spins quickly and swipes his claws down her side. She yelps and backs away..looking for an opportunity to run.. he pounces again and catches her right front leg.. biting hard and breaking the bone. She stands again..backing against a tree, as three more wolves come from the woods and block her in. The gray wolf shifts. He rises to his full height and demands “Shift” I tell Arielle no..she laughs and says Yeah! Not happening! I won’t have you naked in front of this asshole! He yells at her again “SHIFT!” And she just lays down.