Forever Luna

Mollify

verb ~ to appease the anxiety or anger of someone

POLLUX

I don't know what was worse; waiting for a phone call from Phoenix or waiting for sleep to take me away. I received his frightful message at seven, and it was now nearing eleven. I was hunkered down in a tree tonight, the floor cold and damp from rainfall. It smelled wonderful, but I did not want to be down there when all the critters came out looking for fresh bugs.

My legs swung anxiously toward the earth as I watched the rain drip from the leaves onto the tarp I hung earlier. It was easing up now, and the very thought of being dry excited me. I mindlessly strolled through my phone, looking at the various pictures people posted on their grids. When the phone suddenly darkened, my breath hitched as I awaited to see the caller ID.

It was Phoenix, and without a wasted breath, I answered.

"Where the heck have you been? I've been waiting for four fucking hours!" I snapped.

The person on the other line hesitated, clearing their throat. I paused when I recognised it as someone more feminine than Phoenix, and when my sister's voice travelled through the speaker, I felt myself relax.

"Sorry, Polly." Nova whined. "It's been a lot."

"Are you okay?" I breathed.

"Yeah, I'm okay." She murmured.

My head fell against the bark of the tree as relief flooded through my veins. If it wasn't for the sudden torrential rain, I would've started making my way back to Blood Moon pack instantly.

"What happened?" I wondered. "Why did Phoenix text me something bad when you are fine?"

"Because I wasn't fine." She sighed. "Calida was attacked."

My eyebrows rose. "Is she okay?"

"She was dying, Polly. And I had no choice..." Her words wavered with emotion.

Tensing up, I assumed the worst. "What did you do?"

"I turned her." She squeaked. "And it worked."

Flabbergasted, I fell silent as I tried to process her words. She actually turned someone. Then why was she in trouble? Did the message Phoenix sent mean just Calida?

"Tell me everything from the beginning." I stated.

Nova agreed, her voice soft and emotional as she told me what happened. I remained silent, completely taken aback by everything.

Calida and Charlie had a fight. Calida ran away and crossed the wrong border. Three wolves attacked her. Charlie killed one, but the others got Calida first. Nova and Sean came, and Nova killed two. That was surprising on its own, but then her biting Calida to turn her may as well have turned me to ice.

Shock was lightning down my spine, and I couldn't move through the entire twenty-minute storyline. It was Phoenix who coaxed her to hang up. Otherwise, I feared we would talk about possibilities and the future until tomorrow.

Hanging up the phone half an hour later, I felt exhaustion creep up on me. Pocketing my phone, I sagged into the sturdy tree and closed my eyes.

In a matter of days, Calida would turn into a wolf. Little was known, but Nova claimed she was going to try to conjure a vision for help. Apparently, she spoke to our grandmother whilst healing, visiting her in the past. Nova was strong, and trauma gave her things from the past she needed to use in the present. A little fine tuning, and she would be one of the strongest people on this planet.

Sighing, I let my mind shut down. I have been walking all day and the stress of waiting for Nova or Phoenix to call was tolling on my energy levels.

I didn't wake until the sun rose; the birds singing as they shook off the nightly rainfall. I slept so dead that I woke in the exact same position. My body, barely tied to a tree, was either exhausted or instinctively aware of the precarious situation.