The Hidden Goddess

45. Returns and Ploys.

"A gift..."

"A thank you and a warning..."

"Protect her well until it is time..."

Warmth built in his chest. Every fiber of his being burned. He felt every molecule of his being die and reborn, a lesson only a Celestial creature would know. He wanted it to end desperately. He couldn't bear another second of the pain.

"Beloved, please do not leave me..."

I would never leave you baby girl...

And indeed he didn't. His eyes peeled open, his back cool on soft sheets. Fear of the pain he experienced paralyzed him instinctively. His throat was raw and his sight blurred. Shattered eardrums and dead tongue. But he was awake, that was what he needed to know. That he didn't in fact, leave her and Silva. He relaxed his mind and drifted again. Another shot of the life-threatening pain pulsed through him. Each time he woke up in peace, he went back to darkness in agony. That is what it meant to die once, twice and three.

□ □ □ □

Selene sat on the ground in the far corner of the bedroom looking at him. Only one phrase escaped her lips the last week.

"Do not leave us..."

On a loop she chanted. Waiting for his eyes to open. The only sign of his transformation progressing was the slow change of the color of his hair. Every locked strand lightened slowly. His once long black thick strands dens with greys.

One week, two days, thirty-seven minutes, two- three- four seconds...
Selene counted how long she sat in the same spot looking looking after him. How much longer she would wait to be in his arms, she did not know.
"A fool. You have given up everything. You could die, Silva would have lost a father and I would live with the eternal pain of watching your soul should I return to the Silver Forest." She sighed.

What am I to do...

Selene knew the risks of mating with her and omitted to telling Erebus of it till the last moment. She blamed herself for his decision to go ahead with something like this without any preparation. Should things work, he'd have to eventually give up the pack and enter her domain with him. She knew not if their son would be strong enough to cross domains. She sighed and stood.

"Beloved would not want me to wait here. The children need to be protected until he returns," she muttered.

Selene walked out of the room and into the bath. A long shower and much internal debating later, she changed into some of her clothes she assumed he left there for her.

She looked at him one last time before she closed the door.

"Another elder child is here," she whispered. She ran into the forest and stopped at the clinic's entrance. She walked in and some pack members bowed quickly. She nodded and moved into the halls quickly. She pried open the door and was welcomed by the arms of Aria and Raymond.

"He did it, that stupid son of mine woke you," she said.

Selene softened for a moment and returned the gesture. "I am sorry to the both of you. I know not what will become of beloved. For now, I sense an Elder child and I need to see my son," she said.

"He's right here," said Raymond. They shifted and a young boy who looked to be at least seven years old looked back at her with matching eyes, her own danced between colors to greet him. Silva ran into his mother's arm and cried Ling tears.

"You have grown a lot little moon, I am sorry," she said. Silva shook his head.
"Mommy, I'm just glad you're back. Daddy left to go get you so I waited like a big boy," the little one said. She ruffled his thick stranded curly hair.

"Aria, your sister I presume?" asked Selene.

"Yeah, I voted to kick her out. The rest of em didn't want to." Aria rolled her eyes and Raymond nudged her. Silva giggled. Selene arched an eyebrow at the child and he quieted.

Selene turned to the hospital bed. A young woman with a light brown complexion similar to hers sat up nervously fidgeting with the messy curls of her head.

"Where is daddy?" asked Silva. Selene frowned and looked back to her son.

"He shall return soon. He promised us." Silva pouted but nodded.

"What has happened?" she asked.

"We have taken over Erebus' duties temporarily. The pack has been reinforcing the borders, scouting for anything strange and multiple external members have returned as a precaution. Our biggest problem however is that the Council has an event coming up, but this time whole packs are invited not the elites alone. She can tell you the rest," gestured Aria.
Raymond picked Silva up and left Selene with the fidgeting and bedridden elder child.

"You are Una, the third child of the Monarch and I," said Selene. She kept her voice calm. Una nodded.

"Mother, I am so sorry for being a member in the centuries of suffering you have endured," said Una. Selene shook her head.

"It is fine. You are here now. Tell me of this plan."

Una sighed, "Machar, the Second Elder child has intention to revive our father and mend his corpse. The ball is a cover for bringing sheep to the slaughter for food. He intends to sacrifice thousands to gain the power to revive father," she explained. Selene sighed, she had an idea of the Council's plan her guess had been right.

"Do they have Eachann's heart?" she asked.

Una shook her head. "Dane took the heart when we escaped, it was stored away somewhere."

Selene nodded proudly. The missing heart would stall the Council by a long while.

"Your mate was murdered," Selene said softly.

"If anything mother, I was the one who killed him."

"I can make the pain stop," offered Selene.

Una shook her head, "I never gave the man a chance and now I must pay for it."

"I shall respect your wishes."

Selene worried about the Council's attempts to revive Eachann. Even if they did not have his heart they would be able to still revive him even if for a short while.

"Beloved, the children are in danger. Return soon."

She walked into the clinic's  lunch room and sat next to Silva. He shifted to sit on her lap, she kissed his fluff of white hair gently.

"The one thing we haven't been able to avoid is the questions. The pack is in a disarray because of out sudden re-appearance, you all's disappearance and why our grandchild is growing like a lettuce seedling and has white hair and moons for eyes," Aria spoke with much annoyance. "You'd think creatures so one with nature would know how to shut the hell up and go with the flow."

Raymond sighed but didn't bothering reprimanding her. It was a frustrating time.

"I do not believe they should know of what I am. It will tilt the way of the Shifters society," said Selene. Raymond agreed.

"Then tell them something else," said Aria as she grabbed a crayon from Silva.

"I do not lie," she said stiffly.

"We don't lie, we 'embellish'."

"Embellish?"

"She means lie." Raymond ducked an angry green crayon being tossed at his head.