The Moon's Daughter

Chapter 5

I never got a chance to give Zahruk my answer because someone ended up knocking at the door. “Just a minute”, Zahruk yelled. I couldn’t help but giggle as he scurried to get me dressed. He fixed my hair as best he could before giving me a kiss on the lips. He went over towards the door and opened it to find Zakil standing there.

“Brother”, Zakil greeted. “I see you were… Busy”, as he eyed at me. 

Zahruk cleared his throat and chuckled while looking back at me. “What brings you here?” 

“To discuss my return to the Sun”, he said, straight to the point. 

“Of course, come in and we will chat”, Zahruk said as he stepped aside to let his brother in. 

“I can come back if you want me to,'' I told them, wanting to give them their privacy. 

“Nonsense, you’ll be family soon and this is a family discussion”, said Zakil as he took his seat. I flinched at his statement, not knowing how to take it. I couldn't tell if he was serious or he meant it as a joke. He was hard to read, guarded and careful not to show any emotions, unlike Zahruk who’s facial expression makes him an open book. “Come sit, Elira”. He waved to the seat next to him and I made my way over to sit. 

“As the both of you know, Brayan is up to his usual shenanigans again and thanks to the fae you had captured last night, we now know what it is that he’s seeking. The legendary dragon king and the daughter of the Moon. He may have given us a location but I would rather go back home to make sure that the intel I receive is true and not a hoax”. I fidget in my seat which didn’t go unnoticed by the two halflings in front of me. “Do you happen to know something, Elira?”

My mouth opened and closed as I puffed air into my cheeks. I shook my head no and looked up at Zahruk with his brows knit together. “You know I can tell when you lie, right?”

“Have the two of you heard the myth about the dragon king?” 

“The one where he lived in the Bermuda Triangle? That one?” Zakil asked while leaning forward in his chair, intrigued. 

“Yes. Was that the location that Torin gave you last night?”

“No, he gave us a location somewhere in Asia, Java to be exact”. 

I got up and walked over towards the bookshelf and pulled a record about the dragon shifters. Since I had grown up around here, I knew where they archived certain information. I brought the book back towards the desk and turned to the page that had always intrigued me as a child. There were multiple dragon clans that were said to still exist. One hidden in the Bermuda and the other in Java. 

“The location isn’t exactly accurate either, but these are records of the Moon and Sun Alphas when they first made their journeys to Earth. Here this line”, I said while pointing onto a line on the page. “Aomere was the King of the Dragons, he possesses the power to wield all four elements. Tak, possesses the power to wield the fire. He had created a liquid fire around the surrounding lands to protect his dragons while Aomere had the help of the witches and fae to protect his dragons”.

“Fae and witches… Do you think the Royal Library in Faery would have records of dragon shifters?” Zahruk asked Zakil. 

“They might, if it hadn’t already been stolen by the Unseelies. How did you find this anyway?” Zakil asked me. 

“I grew up around here when my dad was still Beta. Since the Luna couldn’t have any kids, she always offered to watch and educate me while my parents worked. That’s how I stumbled upon these books. I was fascinated with the dragons when I was younger, still am”. I explained. “I would always tell my dad that I’ll leave my mate for a dragon shifter one day and he would always chuckle”, I said a little melancholy. I missed him, my dad. Even though he wasn’t mine by blood he still raised and cared for me. I held back the tears that wanted to arise and cleared my throat. “If you don’t need me, is it okay if I go? I need to go do something”.

Zakil nodded and Zahruk reached out to grab my hand. “Are you okay?” He asked while rubbing small circles on the back of my palm to soothe me. 

“Mmhmm”, I nodded. “If you need me, you know how to contact me”, I said while tapping my head. He kissed my knuckles, hesitant to let go but does so anyway. As soon as I stepped out those doors, the tears that I held came rushing out like a waterfall. I bit into my knuckle hoping that the two didn’t hear my cry and made my way towards the car. 

I drove back home only to walk back out into the forest to the oak tree on the small hill. I sat there crying out all the emotions I had held in the last five years. I cried for my dad, my mom, the betrayal I felt when she remarried Beta Yu, and for my real parents. I looked up at the morning blue sky and silently told my birth parents about me. 

“Hey Mom. Hey Dad. You might not remember me now because I’m not a baby anymore, in fact I’m an adult. I recently found out about the two of you and who Hadik was to me, all I can say is thank you for giving me the life I have here. Both Hadik and Eirina loved and spoiled me to death. Sometimes it was suffocating but it felt like home. I know you guys are probably busy up there doing Godly things but I just wanted you to know that I’m okay and doing well. I met my mate! I guess that’s a good thing, right? But seriously Mom? Why him out of all people? Why not a dragon shifter?” I chuckled as I thought about Hadik. I felt a sob coming up from my throat and swallowed it back down. “Is Hadik up there with you? If he is, can you tell him that I really miss him and that I love him? I feel like I never got to say it enough”. I let out a cry and leaned my head onto the oak tree. I closed my eyes feeling the tears slip down to my cheeks and onto the palms of my hands. I took a deep breath before opening them again only to find that I was no longer on the hill but in a hut. 

The hut looked like it was built in a hurry, there was nothing here but piles of fur for bedding and a blanket and a bucket filled with water. I could smell the sea and sound of waves from the inside. Sitting myself up, I looked for the door when a lady with bright green eyes walked through the door. “Where am I?” I asked while studying her face. 

“In the land of the Gods”, she replied as she made her way to sit in front of me. “Hello daughter, my, how you’ve grown”, she cried. My eyes widened with the realization that my birth mother is sitting across from me. She pulled me into a hug and I hesitantly wrapped my arms around her. Was it okay for me to touch a Goddess?

“How am I here?” I asked curiously. 

“Your consciousness brought you here, but your body is still down on Earth. When you called for me, or talked, you had created a direct link to me and your father. I'm not sure if he got your message... He was captured by Odin’s men because Odin still sees him as a threat”, she explained with her eyes saddened at mentioning Fenrir. 

If I wasn’t curious about Diana and Fenrir before, I am now. “Why is he such a threat?” 

“Fenrir was born to Loki and Angora, and there was a prophecy that stated Loki’s offspring would bring the end of the Gods. Afraid that it were to come true, Odin had him captured and tied to a chain. I met him as I roamed the land, aimlessly looking for a purpose and when I saw him, it was like a bell had rung in my head. I removed his chains, and we both fled away from Odin’s territory. We lived quietly for years until you were born and another prophecy was made”. She stroked my hair and looked at me with much sorrow and guilt. 

“What was the prophecy?” I asked, intrigued.  As she was about to tell me, screams and the sounds of metal clashing could be heard from outside the hut. The look of panic was painted onto my mother’s face. She placed a finger to her lip, shushing me and I could feel the panic rise within me. She walked over towards the door as she peeked out within the cracks. Her eyes widened and she turned towards me with her hand raised when a bright white ball shot out of her hand, pushing me back. 

I gasped and panted as I jolted upright to find myself sitting on a bed. I looked around to see that I had somehow made it back to my room. Without even thinking twice about how I got back home, I jumped off the bed and ran out of my room, wanting to tell my mom about what had just happened. 

“Mom! Mom, you would not believe what-”. I paused as I saw Zahruk and Zakil sitting in my kitchen. “What are they doing here?” I asked my mother. 

“Alpha Zahruk and his brother found you asleep in the woods this afternoon. They tried waking you but you wouldn’t wake, so they or Alpha Zahruk carried you home”. I looked over at the Nadan brothers and they both gave me a small nod. I looked out the window and noticed the sun was not high in the sky but getting ready to set. 

“How long was I out for?” 

“An entire day”, Zahruk grumbled. My eyes widened and I looked over at my mother, shocked. I could’ve sworn I had only been up in the realm of the Gods for five minutes, not a whole five hours. 

“I told them about the issues you have had with sleeping”. 

“Yea but that was just with sleepwalking. But that’s besides the point! What are you still doing here? Don’t you have a home to go to?” I asked Zahruk. 

“Eager to get rid of me now? That wasn’t the case this morning”, he teased. 

“Oh my Gods, stop it! I have something I need to discuss with my mother, in private!” 

“I’m sure it can wait, we-”. 

“No it can’t, it’s a girly issue!” I interrupted Zahruk. Both Zakil and Zahruk looked at each other, clearing their throat before standing to leave the room. I pulled my mom to the corner of the kitchen and watched them take a seat in the living room. “Turn the TV on while you’re at it, it’s embarrassing”. The TV clicked on and the volume went up, loud enough that the boys couldn’t hear our conversation. 

Walking back to my mom, I whispered, “I saw her, I saw Diana”. 

My mom gasped and leaned in closer towards me. “What did she say? What did you say?” She whispered excitedly.

“She talked about Fenrir and before I could ask more, we were interrupted. But the crazy thing was that I was only with her for five minutes, no more than that but you guys are telling me that I have been out for a whole day?” 

“Maybe time works differently up there than it does down here? Five minutes is like a day on Earth type of thing?” 

“It’s a possibility”, I whispered as I tapped my fingers onto my chin. But that wasn’t the case at the hospital, it seemed only a minute had gone by. Maybe it had something to do with the white ball she shot at me?

“What are we whispering about?” Beta Yu whispered from behind. We both jumped and let out a small scream and Beta Yu laughed until tears sat in his eyes. Zahruk and Zakil ran to the kitchen to see what the commotion was all about. 

“What happened?” Zahruk asked. 

“I scared them!” Beta Yu said, still laughing. My mom gave him a light slap on the shoulder and he whined, pretending that it hurts. 

“There’s never a dull moment here is there?” Zakil said smiling.  

“I guess not”, I shrugged. 

We all sat down in the kitchen after that while mom and I made dinner for everyone. We laughed and told embarrassing stories from the past. I had forgotten what it was like to be with family like this. To laugh, talk and cry about the silliest and little things. I was doing dishes pretending I couldn’t hear their conversations when Zahruk asked my mother if I had ever dated anyone. I whipped my head back to warn my mom not to tell him about my loveless life when Zakil stood blocking the way. 

“Thank you for today”, he started while helping me with the dishes. 

“Don’t thank me, you guys literally invited yourselves”, as I handed him a dish to dry. 

“You’re right I should be thanking your mom”, he laughed. “What does it feel like to be mated?” He asked out of the blue. 

“I don’t know, I’ve never been mated with”. I said straight to the point. 

“ Aren’t you and my brothers mate?”

“Technically yes, but we haven’t gone through with the mating ceremony. When you’re mated, you leave your mark on one another, letting others know that you’re taken but if you’re unmarked it means that anyone can claim you as theirs. Why the sudden question?” I asked as I handed him a pot to dry this time. 

“Because, I’m curious to why the Goddess would mate him with you. He’s not immortal but he will live a very long time”. I threw the dish I was washing back into the sink and looked up to him. He placed the dish rag back onto the counter before allowing his eyes to meet with mine. 

“How old are you?” I asked abruptly not knowing what his intentions are for bringing up their longevity. 

“28”, he replied with a stoic expression.

“And how old is he?” I asked while nodding my head towards Zahruk.

“25”. 

“What about your eldest brother?”

“101, but he looks 25”. 

“Huh”, I said with a tick in my jaw before going back to doing the dishes. I couldn’t help but feel a little uneasy at the fact that I’m mated to someone who doesn’t age and only dies when he is killed. But why hasn’t he told me? And why still choose me as his mate knowing I age and die? I was actually starting to open up to the idea of being mated to him too. My heart felt heavy with doubt when Zahruk's presence came from behind me, washing it all away.  

“I can feel your unease, Elira. What’s wrong?” He asked while snaking his arms around my waist. He pressed his lips on top of my head and tightened his hold on me. I had to lean on him for balance when he surprised me by kissing the top of my head. 

“Nothing, Zahruk. I’m just doing the dishes”. I didn’t want to ask him all the questions in my head while my family and Zakil were still around. I tried focusing my attention on finishing the dishes but it’s hard when someone doesn’t stop scattering small kisses up and down your neck. “Do you mind? My family and your brother are around”. 

“I don’t mind, plus they know that we are mates”, he said in a sings-songy voice. He grabbed the rag from Zakil and replaced him, helping me to get the task done.

“Oh do they now? I wonder who could’ve told them”, I said sarcastically. 

“I don’t know”, he said as he leaned down to kiss my cheek this time. I couldn’t help but laugh and sprinkled water onto him. He tossed the rag onto the counter and attacked my neck with kisses and tickled me. I turned the sink off, running away from him when he caught me from behind, lifting me before he started his assault again. 

“Zahruk stop!” I manage to squeal out. I bent forward and fell to the ground as Zahruk straddled me. I looked up to him as he looked over towards my mother.  

“Oh Ms Evans!” Zahruk called while he eased on tickling me. “Is it okay if we take Elira down to the Sun? There’s something there that she might be able to help us out with”. 

“Like?” My mom asked. 

“Like helping us read up on dragon shifters because she loves them so much!” He mocked, which caused a roar of laughter to explode around the kitchen. My face turned red and I tried to hide it behind my hands.

“Of course, as long as she’s with you I think it should be okay”. She answered him. Zahruk’s face lit at my mother’s acceptance and he pried my hands off my face and held them above my head to tickle my armpits. “Now would you stop tickling my daughter?” She looked sternly at him. “Because it’s my turn now!” 

“No! No! Mom, no!” I screamed as they both tickled me while both Beta Yu and Zakil laughed at the scene. The tickle fight ended shortly when my mom and Beta Yu decided to retire for the night. Zahruk had left Beta Yu in charge of the pack for the duration of the trip to the Sun. It shouldn’t take more than a week at most, unless something else comes up. Meanwhile I stood flabbergasted at the fact that I had to pack for a trip I wasn’t even aware of until fifteen minutes ago. I mean I wouldn’t have said no, I’ve always wanted to see how much different the Sun was to the Moon. 

The Sun and Moon were wolves and Diana’s most trusted companions. After the death of Endymion and their twins, Diana had lost the will to live and had turned her wolves into human shifters. The Sun was known for his golden colored fur and eyes while the Moon was known for her black fur and blue eyes. Once human, they made their way down to Earth. Traveling the world before deciding on a place to call home. The Sun met his mate down south where California now resides and the Moon met her mate up North where we are now. 

With the Sun being down in California, Zakil took the liberty of buying first class plane tickets for us because he didn’t want to make the 18 hour drive back home. The flight itself is four hours and that doesn’t add the time spent waiting on the runway. Since we had left later in the night, we had arrived in California in the early morning. I was surprised to see how well planned it had become for a trip that was made last minute. We even had a black sedan waiting for us as we exited the airport.   

Traffic from the airport to the Sun was horrible, and I ended up falling asleep from all that waiting around. I only woke from a nasty bump in the road to Zahruk telling me that we were almost there. I looked out the window and saw men in suits standing by a large golden gate with the symbol of a sun in the middle of it. Their warriors in suits eyed the inside of the car before letting the car go through. 

Being inside the Sun made me feel out of place, sure our pack lives in a gated community type environment but not on the level that the Sun had made it. The houses were all luxury homes, with a community pool for their people to use and playgrounds that the kids could play in. There was even a small convenient store located in the middle of the place. My nerves went into overdrive at the thought of meeting the Alpha of the Sun. He must look down on others judging by how he lives in a mini palace. The sun was like a place where the rich and sophisticated shifters go. I wonder what Zahruk ever saw in me to give me a chance. 

Zahruk reached for my hand and intertwined his fingers with mine. The nerves that were created from the idea of meeting his father, died as soon as he kissed the back of my hand. This would be my first meeting with the Sun’s Alpha, Alaric Zay Nadan and I hoped I could make a good impression on him. I looked down at what I wore as we approached the mini palace of a packhouse when Zahruk grabbed my chin, changing my attention to him. 

“You look beautiful, there’s no need for you to worry about anything”, he assured me. He leaned in giving me a chaste kiss on the forehead when I heard Zakil chuckle. 

“Looks like your girlfriend came to greet you”, Zakil sneered. I peered out the window next to Zakil and noticed a tall woman with blonde hair in a red skin tight dress. She would’ve been perfect in my eyes if it wasn’t for her breasts that were pushed up so high that they looked like they were going to spill out of her dress. 

“Zakil!” He growled. “She’s an obsessive stalker, not my girlfriend”. For the first time since I found out that we were mates, I could actually feel his emotions. He was angry and irritated and there was a sense of hatred mixed in there too. I rubbed my thumb on his arm and I could feel his anger slowly let up. Zakil opened the door and we all exited the vehicle. The blonde made her way over towards us while she silently judged me with her blue eyes before bowing down to Zakil and Zahruk.

“Z, I’m glad to see that you’re back”, the blonde said as she stepped closer towards him. Her eyes lit with excitement as she took him in, scent and all. 

“Z?” I questioned while c*****g my brows up at him. I could hear Zakil snicker beside me and made his way up the stairs. Just as Zahruk was about to walk, the blonde stood in his way, hands on his chest. Something stirred inside me and I tore my eyes from them to follow Zakil. Not wanting to show how she had affected me, I mouthed ‘good luck’ and gave him a two thumbs up before he glared at me. I ran up the stairs to catch up to Zakil to ask him some much needed questions. 

“So, who is she?” I asked, trying to hide the jealousy in my voice. 

“Blondie? We grew up with her, she had this idea where if she married one of us, she could become a Princess”. 

“How come she’s not after you?” 

“She has a thing for brunettes”, he shrugged. We reached the top of the stairs and were greeted by more warriors in suits. They all nodded at Zakil while glaring at me as they opened the door for him. My mouth dropped upon seeing the beautiful marbled floors and giant crystal chandelier that was perfectly hanging in the middle of the marbled spiral staircase. 

A tall man with blonde hair and broad shoulders made his way down the spiral stairs, making eye contact with me. He walked towards us and stopped in front of me. There was a strong aura to him that would have made any other wolf grovel but not to me and that had him looking confused. Zakil looked worried for me which had me feeling worried. His eyes glowed green like Zahruk’s as he took in my appearance and his nostrils flared while taking in my scent.