Rejecting the Future Moon Goddess

CHAPTER 4 Bloody Picnic Part 2

　　Lace pulls my attention back to our conversation as she babbles on about the Full Moon tonight and how, under the full moonlight, the Unicorns will appear and bring their foals out to play in the pink crescent moon-shaped lake. I pretend to be surprised, but Lizaria has already informed me about this. The Unicorns will be celebrating the foals gaining their own powers, blessed by the Moon Goddess. The pink water in our Pack is filled with magic that only the unicorns can absorb, and when foals come of age, drinking the water will help their powers manifest. I had heard stories from Lizaria about her overseeing this event and how years ago, she made a treaty with the first Alpha of Hidden Claws to protect the unicorns during this event. It is probably the reason why Alpha Sorus takes his family and me out for the picnic and camp out tonight. Of course, what no one else knows is that a small stream flows from the lake into a small cave and out to the hidden valley where Lizaria and the unicorns live and into a small pool that mixes with regular water from the river; Lizaria calls it a moon pool. Sitting on the edge of the pool whenever I visit Lizaria, I always watch the foals play and run around the pink water, mesmerized by the shimmer of the small traces of magic in the air, each drop twinkling like diamonds. To say I'm excited to see this at the pure pink lake instead of the small moon pool is an understatement.

　　With a nod from Mika and a hug from Luna Reena, the five of us set off toward the lake. Lace and I chase each other around the trees, giggling. Alpha Sorus reminds us to stay in sight and takes away Mika's Nintendo, forcing him to play tag with us. Now that I'm "it," I chase the other girl, planning to keep away from Mika as much as I can, when she suddenly stops in front of me, causing me to crash into her.

　　"Gemmy, I see the water! It's so pink," My friend squeals in excitement, causing me to cup my hands over my ears and wince. But in front of us, just visible past the trees, is the lake. With a call in unison of "Last one there is a Soulless," the three of us race to the water's edge. We happily spend the day splashing each other and eating the delicious picnic packed by Luna Reena herself. I have a day free from fear of my parents and instead just pure happiness. As day turns into night, Lace and I huddle under a tree, our sleeping bags blending into the background and hiding us while we wait for the Full Moon to reach its peak and the unicorns to come out.

　　"A few more minutes," I jump at Mika's voice as he rolls out his sleeping bag, sits beside me and wraps his arm around my shoulder while grinning. I can't help but blush and nod before looking out at the lake, my eyes blurry with the need for sleep as I manage to catch a glimpse of the creatures I love to watch begin to come out and frolic in the water.

　　Geminie wake up... please, my love...

　　A soft voice flutters through my ears and I yawn, looking around the night, my dream of watching over the forest and some blurred faces now gone. Feeling dizzy, I look around at the still-pink lake and the eery silence of the forest, causing goose bumps to form. Soft snores from my left and right alert me to Mika and Lace still fast asleep, but the Alpha and Luna are missing. That's when I hear it.

　　The sounds of growls and howls echo everywhere. Scared, I turn and decide to wake up Mika, hoping that the twelve-year-old will be able to help. Shaking the sleeping boy awake, the growls and howls get closer, fear closing in on me. What if they are Soulless?

　　"What is it, Gemmie?" He asks as he swats me away.

　　"Wolves and lots of them," I whisper sob with fear, watching him bolt up and silently slip out of his sleeping bag while motioning to Lace. I quickly shake my friend awake, wondering how the blonde can sleep so heavily.

　　"I smell blood," My friend says as she rubs her eyes, and she is right. The copper tang hangs in the air and we both look in fear knowing who exactly this scent belongs to.

　　"Where is she?" A screech echoes across the area surrounding the lake, and all three of us freeze.

　　"I don't know who you're talking about," The Luna is crying… But she never cries. Her answer is filled with fear, fear she has never shown any of us. Luna Reena is strong, always taking on a problem with calm and grace. But the way she sobs now is something I will never forget.

　　"The Future Moon Goddess! Your wolves took her from our Goddess as a newborn." The voice rings again as a loud smack rips through the air.

　　"I don't know anything about this," Luna Reena wails. Mika and Lace are frozen in place, but I slowly crawl forward. I see wolves in both human and wolf form standing around the lake, but I can't see Luna Reena or Alpha Sorus. A dreadful feeling fills me, and the thought that this night will not end well has me shaking with fear.

　　"I do not believe that you know nothing about the k********g of the Moon Goddess' pup, stolen the night of her birth. We have searched everywhere, and the only pack whose wolves gained a new pup that same night is this one. For your insolence in this incident, you will die, just like your husband." A cold voice shakes the trees as the sounds of something tearing and the Luna's screams fill the air. Then all is silent with a thud of something or someone falling to the ground. The strange wolves leave the lake, but Mika, Lace and I are too terrified to leave our hiding spot. The Alpha children are curled up by the tree sobbing while silent tears fall from my face. I know what that tearing sound means, having heard it while my father slaughtered Soulless in front of Alex and me. Someone was beheaded without a second thought. The sun finally rises but the three of us stay huddled together under the tree, refusing to leave the safety of our hiding spot. It isn't until the sun begins to set when wolves from the pack come calling our names and looking for us, my parents being the first to find our hiding spot.

　　"Thank goodness you're alright, Mika and Lace," My mother exclaims the moment we are found. My parents coo over the Alpha pups, helping them from their hiding spot and ignoring me, each one holding onto one of the siblings and forgetting that I, their daughter, also need comfort right now.

　　Alone, I slowly crawl out to see the pack crowding around Lace and Mika, some Omegas already cleaning the mess caused by the intruders as the rest block the sight of the lake from the sibling pair. But, unfortunately, I see everything.

　　The lake is dyed red in spots where the bodies of wolves with the scent of those last night lay, the ground holding small puddles, but not of the lake water. What hurts the most is seeing the Alpha and Luna both missing their heads, both lying dead just at the edge of the lake, where the water slowly laps at their fallen forms. This is a sight that Mika and Lace are forbidden to see and are protected from, while I stand apart from everyone.