Moon Born

Chapter 5

"Ugh, Ellie, I'm starving."

"Go eat, then," I said, trying to figure out the math problem in front of me.

"Do you wanna eat?"

"I'm not going to the cafeteria. Are you crazy?"

She sighed heavily.

I put my pencil down and looked at her. "Fine. Let me finish this up, and we'll get lunch."

She smiled big and sat back. "These tests suck so bad."

"We're almost done, though."

"Are we leaving tonight?"

"In the morning?" I suggested.

She nodded. "That's a good idea. Did you tell your parents?"

"Not yet. I honestly don't even know what to say." I shrugged.

"That's not a bad idea. My mom would totally freak out if she knew I was planning on leaving for an extended period of time."

"You didn't tell them yet?"

"Kind of I did. I left my dad a voicemail," she laughed. "He's intense."

I nodded. Gamma Arthur was a very intense man who didn't have much of a sense of humor. Luckily for Ashley, she took more after her mother. She had a great sense of humor and was fiercely loyal.

"I'll tell them tonight. What if, by some miracle, you meet your mate?" I asked.

"That would be awesome because he obviously doesn't live in this pack."

"Neither does mine."

"You've only been eighteen for a day. You don't know that yet."

"You've only been eighteen for six months." I rolled my eyes.

"And I've had six months of roaming the streets of the pack, searching and searching and searching." She feigned fainting and lay on the floor.

I laughed again. "Doesn't matter; either way, I need to leave."

"Right. While you finish that up, I'm going to the bathroom."

I nodded as she hopped up and left the room. I tried to focus on the numbers that were blurring on the page. My head felt heavy, and blackness began creeping in around the edges.

"Oh, what..." I muttered.

I blinked as the room around me dissolved into darkness, the air growing thick and heavy. My breath caught in my throat as a bright light began emanating from the space where the wall should have been. The light wasn't harsh—it was pure, almost soothing—but it filled the room entirely, swallowing every shadow.

"Hello?" I called, though I had a sinking suspicion I already knew what—or who—was coming.

The figure of a woman materialized, her form silhouetted against the brilliance. She moved with grace, each step deliberate. Her presence commanded respect, but this time I wasn't as scared as before. I knew who she was.

"Artemis."

She frowned slightly, a knowing look in her eyes. "Mother," she corrected, her voice gentle but firm.

"Right. Sorry. Mother," I muttered, shifting in my seat. Despite the calm tone in her voice, there was an underlying tension in the air. Something was wrong.

I sat back, glancing at the glowing figure before me. "Why are you here again? Is everything okay?"

Artemis hesitated for a fraction of a second, which immediately sent my heart racing. "I have felt something off since yesterday," she said, her tone measured, but there was no missing the weight behind her words.