StarShine (Temporarily On Hold)

Prologue

"Come out, Come out wherever you are," Elara watched from the closet as her mother searched under the bed and behind the door for her. 

A giggle escaped her lips and she froze not wanting to be found yet. The game had only just begun and Elara was clearly beating her mother at it. 

Her mother lets out a huff of air before throwing her hands onto her lips with a small smile. 

"Wherever could my little lightning bug be, this close to bedtime?" Elara covers her mouth to stop the next giggle as her mother dramatically falls on to the bed, dropping her head in her hands.

"Here I am!" Elara squeals, jumping out of her closet and into her mothers' arms. 

Their combined laughter fills the small purple room as Elara's face is peppered with kisses and her tummy tickled. 

"Time for bed, my little lightning bug." with her arm still holding Elara tightly, her mother pulls back the light pink comforter just enough so that Elara can climb in. 

Elara didn't bother arguing with her mother like she normally did with her father. Although she loved her father very much, it was her mother who told Elara bedtime stories. Her father only kissed her forehead and wished her a good night. 

"Storytime!" the five-year-old giggled, squirming under the blankets and placing her head on her mothers' lap.

 Elara's clear blue eyes stared up at her mother's identical ones, expectantly. A small smile sat on both their lips as one waited for the story and the other pretended to not know which one her daughter wanted to hear. 

"Cinderella?" her mother guessed, tapping her chin thoughtfully.

Elara quickly shook her head in refusal. It's nothing against the princess, but there is only one story that she loved to hear before bed. 

"No mommy! The girl and the moon!" her mother laughed and with a small nod, leaned over to switch off the tableside lamp.

The mother couldn't help but smile at how similar she and her daughter are. Because if she was being honest, it was one of her favorite stories as well. 

The soft glow of the nightlight and the hundreds of glow in the dark stars that Elara's father had put on the ceiling for her, creating the perfect atmosphere for this story.

"There once was a girl with pale eyes that were a perfect reflection of the full moon," her mother's voice echoed around the room softly as her fingers begin to comb through Elara's brown hair. 

"One day the girl met a poor village boy. He was different than all the other boys the girl had ever met. The way his green eyes twinkled in the light of the fire or the small dimples on his cheeks when he smiled at her, always had her heart beating for him. To the girls' delight, the boy promised his heart in return for her own. 

"As years passed the boy grew into a man and with that, his promised changed as well. No more was the girl the only one he had promised his heart too.

"Broken and alone, the girl ran from her family, from her village but mostly, she ran from the boy who deceived her." Elara's eyes had closed and if her steady breathing was any indication, her mother knew she was asleep. 

Just for good measure, I'll finish the story.  Her mother thought, leaning back to rest against Elara's headboard. 

"The girl had run until she found herself in a clearing by the lake. Everything was clear and open. The moon reflecting off the water, illuminating the world entirely in its pure light. 

"The girl became angry at the moon and begged it to stop mocking her heartache. She begged the moon to just take her pain away. 

"The moon watched on and saw the pain the girl was in. Finally, the moon felt compelled to answer and offered the girl the peace she most wanted.

"The village never saw the girl again but she saw them. 

"She saw him.

"She watched from the sky as the boy who broke her heart, continued to leave a trail of broken promises in his wake. As time passed and the list of broken hearts grew, the girls' heartache cried out for revenge.

"The girl had always admired wolves. They were loyal creatures that she could tell relied on their instincts. Something she ignored when the boy smiled at her for the first time. 

"She meant to only curse him, but she unknowingly cursed them all. Guilt ate away at the girl over the curse she had created. She never meant to punish everyone for the sins of the one. She just wanted the boy to stop; to learn his lesson. 

"A curse can't be undone. No matter how many times the girl tried, the village remained half man, half beast. So, she decided on the next full moon, she would gift the village with the one thing that she wanted most during her life there; Love. 

"She gave them mates. Someone who would know instantly they belonged together. Someone who would love you unconditionally and who'd keep the promises they made." The mother gently took Elara's head off her lap and laid it on the small pink pillow.

"Is Everett asleep?" She whispered into the darkness, knowing her mate was there and could hear her even if she barely spoke. 

"Yes, my love." his arms circled around the waist of his wife and they both stared down at their youngest, and only, daughter. 

They didn't have high ranks in the Lunar Crest pack, but they were insanely happy. They had two amazing pups who were caring and smart and they had just enough to give their kids a good life. 

What more could they ask for?

Elara's father leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, pulling the blanket up to her shoulders, before pulling his wife from the room. 

The moment the door clicks softly shut, the man has his wife in his arms, his head buried in her neck. 

"I'll make ice cream sundaes if you care to join me on the porch?" She whispers as her mate presses soft, open-mouthed kisses to his mark on her shoulder. 

"I'll follow you anywhere, my love." The husband said with absolute certainty, before sweeping his beautiful wife off her feet and carrying her to the kitchen. 

The woman giggled as if they were once again two sixteen-year-olds. Her arms encircled his neck and as she gazed lovingly at her handsome mate, she couldn't help but thank the Moon Goddess for blessing the wolves with mates. 

No matter the real reason.

<3 <3 <3 <3

Just a little teaser to get you all excited for the story like me. I won't start posting more until one of my other stories is complete!

Just a reminder, it might help if you read the prequel, Moon Goddess.

Tell me what you think so far!

You're Beautiful and Thank you for Reading!