Two

~ 19 years ago ~

The wind howled, the atmosphere chilly while it's violent blast went through the trees swirling the leaves to the ground. The candles which were set up by the seer to illuminate the night, took turns in going off gently, allowing darkness take over the surrounding slowly.

She had been preparing for this day all along, doing rituals, praying to the moon goddess to give her the powers and let her see what she had in store for them. The black moon was nothing to joke about and no matter whatever preparations she had done, it didn't seem like it was enough.

Immediately, the last candle went off and the wind stopped for a brief moment, everywhere became calmer and just like that, the vision came.

There were two babies crying in their loudest voices, who had just been birthed during the black moon, a girl and a boy who had an invisible string that had joined their fate together and linked them together forever. And just like that, the vision left. Nothing else. No other information.

The seer fell back to her knees and sat in dismay in the dark. Why hadn't the vision shown something more? Why wasn't the moon goddess telling her more? She didn't understand what it meant and didn't understand why that was all the vision had.

But one thing she knew for sure was that the black moon harbored no good news and whatever it was that was in her vision, wasn't good news.

*

~Present~

AVENA

I Heard the window pane slid open and the sunlight danced into the room. Knowing it was Aunt Mona, I groaned.

"Avena, being rejected by your mate isn't the end of the world, get your hairy ass up right now." I heard her say.

Oh Aunt Mona, the queen of positivity.

I sighed in my sleep, the previous night coming back to my memory. "You wouldn't know that," I replied lazily. Immediately my answer came out and I realized what I had just said, my eyes shut open and met hers.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean that. It's just... You know..." I trailed off, looking elsewhere to hide my guilt.

I had always felt pity for aunt Mona. I mean your mate rejecting you was one thing but at least you could have other mates you just needed to find. But losing your mate? Losing your mate was one thing I couldn't fathom how excruciating the pain would feel. Aunt Mona had lost her mate the same night I had lost my parents and on top of that, she had to take me away to safety to keep me alive. How could I tell her about pain?

She laughed a bit and folded your arms, "I understand sweetheart, trust me. It must be hard for you I know, but imagine if you found another mate?"

"Who'd like someone who has Nyxian blood in them?"I said with a tone of disappointment bringing my legs to my chest.

Aunt walked over to my bed and rubbed my back,

"My mate was from another pack. He didn't mind me having Nyxian blood either. So you'll be fine. I'm sure the moon goddess has kept someone who loves you for you, not that asshole that can't handle a bit of power," She replied.

I laughed, "Yeah right. That was before Nyxian blood became a bad omen."

She only smiled back at me.

We left the room and headed to the kitchen, everywhere was pretty much empty and I was guessing everyone had gone to their training again without informing me. I mean who would do so after what had happened the night before. They would only see it as a means to gossip about me and laugh. But I didn't care again. I was tired.

I took the cereal and poured into my plate with a little milk and started to munch hungrily as Aunt Mona began making breakfast.

After a few minutes of silence, she turned to me. "You know, the black moon will appear again soon," She said leaning on the kitchen island.

"No one has seen that in like eighteen years, Aunt," I replied back taking another mouthful of cereal.

"They're sure this time," She said with an affirmative nod.

"They were sure the past four times as well."

She frowned at me and I shrugged.

"What if Your uncle Gray wants us back, you used to love him when we were younger,"

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah right. The same person I can barely remember what he looked like?" I asked.

I'd heard this countless of times before and at first I used to get excited but with time, the excitement faded away. I was never going to get back there, I just had to come in terms with it.

"Avena-"

"It feels suffocating," I started. "Not knowing if I'd ever get my powers in control. If I'll ever even discover what my hidden powers are. If I'll ever live up to the name of a Nyxian blood and all the tales I've heard about them. I mean I'm pretty much hated here but at least I know what to expect," I said.

"Avena-"

"But going back there gives me lots of things to think about and wonder about," I continued. "How much everything has changed, how everyone's going to look at me, the child of the man who committed the unbelievable. I'm not so sure I'm ready for that, I swear."

I took another mouthful after my sharing and started to munch away as if that would take away the anxiety I felt thinking about everything.

"Well you better start thinking and wondering hard then," Aunt Mona told me dragging my attention back to her. "I mean if you actually want to learn to control your shifting as well as discover your unique abilities."

"What did you say aunt?" I asked, eyes and mouth wide open and within a few minutes, I felt the milk from the cereal dripping by the side of my mouth.

"Pack your bags sweetie, we're moving back to the UPC. The United Pack Coalition."