Forever Luna

Repudiation

noun ~ denial of the truth or validity of something

POLLUX

I didn't stay in the café long after the odd encounter with Lilith. I drank my coffee with my sunglasses on, keeping myself to myself as I gulped the scorching liquid.

Lilith.

Clover.

Who was who? Who was she? Who was they? Who was I?

Where was I?

Why am I here?

Why did I bother?

It's been years. Clover must be gone. Lilith must just be their clone to replace the space missing in the café.

That was it.

That was the only explanation.

I'd have to stay a few more days just to make sure no one locked Clover up in a cellar somewhere.

Perhaps this Lilith did a Phoenix. Clover was being held accountable for something. Maybe they've been in questioning the past four years after our fight?

No, now I was being stupid.

Sighing, I walked down the rocky road toward a familiar bench. My lips quirked as I eyed it, remembering it as the one I often sat on with Clover to people-watch. The wood groaned softly as I sat and I sighed, staring down the street. It was a couple of hours until sunset, but I needed a moment to get my thoughts together.

When distressed, my gift acted out and I had to breathe deeply to rein it in. My head fell into my hands, propped up by my elbows. I groaned softly, removing my hat to scratch at my scalp with frustration.

Why did I come back here?

I cursed softly.

I don't know anymore.

Perhaps a part of me hoped to see Clover and everything else the way it was. That I could enter Arleybay without repercussions, as though nothing bad ever happened.

I was naïve and stupid.

Clover... Lilith was different. They looked the same, smelled the same, but yet... didn't.

Sighing, I rose from the bench and walked towards the woods.

***

The next day, I was hesitant to go back into town. I wandered the trees for a while, even passing a hiking couple. They had stared at me in shock, but I merely greeted them softly and kept walking. My gift strained, so I let it out to double check, but thankfully they were just surprised and not filled with loathing.

Was I walking the wrong way up the trail?

Or was it perhaps my lack of walking sticks up such rocky terrain? Did my Converse shoes not look good enough?

I snorted a laugh, pulling myself up a large rock face. I was on the front of a mountain, I think, and there was a lot of upper arm strength. Thankfully, I had a wolf, and he was strong enough to counteract my slight frame.

He grunted at me as I reached the top and sat down. The mountain was large, but from up here you could see the entire town below and even the ones in the distance. I sighed, dangling my feet off the edge and staring out at the landscape. I took a few pictures and sent them to Nova, who replied with a few emojis before explaining she was busy working and would talk soon.

I wondered how Charlie was keeping. The days were drawing nearer, with only four to go before the full moon. Calida's life would soon change forever, if she even survived it. Of course, it was not the first time a lycan turned a human. There would be no werewolf lineage if it didn't happen. Nova was a third generation lycan female; a strong blooded, royally mated lycan. Plus, Phoenix inherited the magic of Abelia Hala herself; mine and Nova's grandmother.