The Moon Queen

02 - Talking to the moon

02 - Talking to the moon

Hailey´s POV:

Selena is the one waking me up. I’m still held in a solid but warm embrace while lying in the hospital bed.

A gentle smile adorns her face. I can hear her voice even though I don’t see her lips move. “Come with me.”

With a snap of her fingers, we are back on the beach together. The wind is calm but chilly.

“There’s no need to feel cold. Allow me to assist you.” I feel like I’m wrapped in a cosy blanket as a warm wind envelopes me. Satisfied with the warmth that is being provided, I lower my legs.

“I wanted to speak with you before the morning chaos of people seeking your attention.”

I observe Selena, still in the dark about what’s going on.

“Your prediction about the location of the fight with the vampire king was correct. I’m incredibly proud of you for defeating him. You’re not aware of everything that happened that night. I want you to understand that everything you dreamed of was just that, a dream. In every way possible, I attempted to reach your inner self and bring you out of your dream, but it seemed like they trapped you as if you were deliberately blocking me out. Your mates, both of them, have been so worried about you. Even with your discrepancies, put them on hold for the next few days and relish in each other’s presence, love, and warmth. That’s important, Hailey. Your mates are important to you. I met you in March and promised you’d find true love. I thought it was with Aiden until The Mountain Valley Pack; Killian’s cards showed you needed two mates. Kelvin would have never come into your life if Aiden and Theo hadn’t been switched at birth, and you would have been each other’s first mate when the time was right. Kelvin was the loop I had to handle. It saddens me that you were the victim of that. Although Kelvin puts it well, don’t take everything he says at face value. I have doubts about his current feelings for you despite his past love. Cheating or betraying your mate is impossible if you’re fully invested in the relationship. I’ve mentioned this before, but Norman’s character doesn’t align with that of a good wolf. He never has, and he never will.”

Flabbergasted with everything I’ve just been told, I stare at the sea. The water is calm, and the waves are gently lapping on the shore. The sound calms me down and lets me think about what Selena said. Although I feel the need to talk to Aurum, my mind is paradoxically empty and overflowing.

“Aurum is taking longer to recover. Her main goal has been to protect you and help you recover physically as fast as possible.”

“I wish she was here. I miss her.” Those are the first words to come out of my mouth. Saying them is much easier than the plea I made to the man whose name I can’t recall.

“It’s only natural that she’s been a part of your life for eleven years. You have been through a lot of challenges together. If you didn’t miss her, I’d be concerned. You can rely on your friends, family, and mates to support you through this period without having to miss her too much.”

“I don’t recall the reason I was hospitalized.” I confess. Surely The Moon Goddess is the one who can tell me what happened.

“What’s the last thing you can remember?” She asks instead of lending a hand.

“Killian and I were mating and marked each other.” It’s the last thing I can recall, yet it’s still uncomfortable to talk about.

“That’s not what happened in reality. Everyone is starting to wake up, so it’s time for me to get you back.”

“Wait! Can’t you tell me what happened?” My attempt is to prevent her from leaving without answering my question.

“They’ll be patient and willing to explain everything if you ask them where you are.”

Without any chance to object, I’m back in bed. I hear them talking before I even open my eyes.

“Didn’t you get the memo about not overwhelming her?” The inquiry comes from an angry voice.

“Take a chill pill, my friend. She woke up with a start, tears streaming down her face. What other options did I have? Leave her alone? What would have been your reaction? You’re not saying that you would have turned down the opportunity to sleep with her if she had asked, right? Whether it was for her or for yourself, you would have done it, too.”

“Hmm,” I struggled to get my words out, but I wanted to let them know that I am awake.

I hear a whisper in my ear, “Hey honey, open your eyes.”

“I am going to get her something to drink.” I can tell that it’s Zino’s voice I’m hearing.

I open my eyes after blinking a few times to get used to the light. Four sets of eyes were staring back at me with enthusiasm. Although I’m curious about what happened, I opt to begin with a good morning. It’s kind of me, isn’t it? “Good morning,”

Zino’s face lights up with a smile. “Of course, your first words are like that! Hi sis, how are you feeling?”

“Okay, just a bit tired.”

He continues to laugh and shake his head.

“I’m glad you’re awake, pumpkin!” Papi embraces me. The man seems to have aged significantly since the last time I saw him.

That reminds me of Selena’s words. ‘They’ll be patient and willing to explain everything if you ask them where you are.’

“Where am I?”

I expect a useful answer when I ask a question.

“In the hospital,” one of my mates replied, implying the question was obvious.

“No s**t Sherlock!” I snap back.

His eyes widen, and I think he’s mad at me for asking a simple question. I wonder how mad he’ll get if I tell him I don’t know who he is, even though he’s my mate.

“What can you remember?” Asks the person next to me in bed. With narrowed eyes, I gaze at him. Am I going to give an honest answer or am I trying to find out the truth in some other way? I’ll go with “What’s the date today?”

My papi responds dubiously, but answers my question. “Today is Tuesday, November 22,”

“202..?” I leave the end for him to finish.

“2022 Hailey, what’s going on?”

My gaze widened. I want to say many things, but I can’t explain them until I fully understand them myself.

“Starting the day like this requires something strong.” I mutter, half-jokingly.

“Yeah, that’s not going to happen. You can get coffee. That’s the strongest they have here.” The annoyed mate speaks up.

“How about a cup or three?” I suggest immediately.

The other three men stay in the room as he goes to get coffee.

“What’s going on, Hailey? I’m even more worried now than when you were in a coma.”

“I don’t remember anything okay!” I shout in frustration.

“Selena said you would all explain it to me calmly, but every question I ask. I get either an obvious answer.” I gestured towards the door where my mate had just walked through. “Or a question without a response!” I’m screaming, which is inappropriate in a hospital, I know! But how would you respond if you were in my shoes?

“Calm down. Of course, we want to answer all your questions. How about if we do it this way? First, you will take a nice shower. Then you will enjoy three cups of coffee in bed when you’re bright and shiny. You will take a break, and after the doctor has come by, I’ll fill you in on everything, okay?” My mate tries to calm me down.

“Okay,” there’s a lump in my throat. Tears are in my eyes from this helpless feeling.

“We’re going to freshen up as well. Maybe if you’re alone with Aiden, you feel less pressure.” Zino offers to help.

I mouth a thank you while my father gives me a quick hug.

Aiden gets out of bed and walks into the bathroom. “Everything is ready. Do you believe you can stand alone in the shower for a long time?”

“Don’t know, let’s find out.” Excited to refresh, I throw off the covers. Though I’m in a terrible hospital gown, I’m somewhat covered. I see purple spots on my calves’ side.

“The doctor ensures they will become less visible with time.”

“Less visible. That’s not gone. What are they?”

“Later. I’ll keep my promise and tell you everything soon.”

“It’s impossible for me to not look at my body while showering.”

“Would you like me to wash you? You can skip looking. I need to consult the doctor first, then I’ll fill you in. I give you my word, Hailey!”

“Would you do that for me?”

“What? Wash you?” A frown appears. “Why not? It wouldn’t be my first time doing that.”

I can’t maintain eye contact with him. How do you tell someone you have no idea what he’s talking about?

“Your memory is completely blank, not just for recent events, but for everything, isn’t it? Do you have any idea who I am?”

I bit my lip and shook my head no, feeling embarrassed.