Hiding Atlantis

Chapter 9

I woke up in the middle of the night with tears richly flowing from my eyes. It's the same scenario every now and then. I'll wake up in the middle of the night with tears in my eyes from the dreams I can't even vividly remember.

I felt the body beside me move and I turned my head towards my now awake best friend.

"Nightmares again?" I asked her. She's not a light sleeper. You can shout at her all you want but no one and nothing can stop her from getting her beauty sleep.

Only one.

"Nightmares." She answered, confirming my thoughts.

I nodded and looked at the full moon from the open window of her room. We had a sleepover again last night and I'm very happy that I did. I don't want to see Atlas and Liliani together on my very own–.

"Happy birthday, Liliana!" My friend happily greeted me. I looked at the digital clock on her bedside table and saw that it's already 2:13 in the morning. Finally, I'm 18!

Elaine hugged me so tight I couldn't even breathe.

"T-thank you," I said while trying to catch my breath. "But you don't mean to kill me on my 18th birthday, don't you?" I ask jokingly, earning a chuckle from her.

She stands from the bed and looks at the bright moon in front of us.

I can feel her sudden seriousness and I lift myself from her bed to join her.

"Today is Atlas' coronation. He'll officially be the Alpha of our pack." She said, voicing her opinion.

I nodded at her before I looked at the moon looking so full today.

"He'll also announce Liliani as his Luna, right?" She continued. My hands balled into fist. I thought I could forget about it. The familiar feeling of cold shattering wind came to my heart breaking it into million pieces, if it's not yet as broken as that.

"My poor, Lili." Elaine cooed and moved closer to me. "How I wish I could take even just half of the pain you're feeling right now." She said while hugging me.

Her arms felt warm around me. It is comforting, but it's not enough to stop the pain in my heart right now.

Hot tears filled my eyes and I didn't make any effort to hide them. I cried. I cried so hard in her arms. I cried so hard in front of the moon. I cried so hard to the Moon Goddess for the painful fate she gave me.

"We can stay here if you want." Elaine told me as she's busy washing the utensils she used to bake me a birthday cake earlier.

Her offer is very tempting. I want to say yes to her and not attend the coronation ceremony but I know we can't do that.

"You know it's our obligation as members of the pack to attend. I also need to be there for Liliani. I know that it's a very important day for her. She's been waiting for her mate for years now." I said.

"But Atlas is not her mate." My friend argued. "For goddess sake, she's just 20! It's not as if the world is ending by the end of this year or later!" She said, rolling her eyes.