Beyond the Rift

Adrian

I pace in agitation through the healer hall waiting room, wearing a path in the woven rug carpet depicting a scene from one of our legends.

The moon Goddess, Aurora, was the loneliest of the two sisters, Moon and Sun. Her Father, the Great One, had commanded her to rule over the night realms but from afar. So every night Aurora gazed at her Kingdom, never close enough to touch. One night, Star Claw the wolf father, sang to the Goddess of the night sky, until she came down from her perch to investigate. Star Claw professed his love to Aurora, claiming her as mate and forging a bond made of love they lived happily for a time. Their 9 children Moonblood, Shadowborn, Starsong, Fireclaw, Evernight, Blacktooth, Dawnsbane, Howlfury and Darkhunt became the first alpha shifters and started the packs. But Meya, Goddess of the sun ruler of day, was jealous of her sisters mate. So she banished Aurora to the sky and chained her to the moon. Star Claw sang for her each night but she did not come, finally, made mad with grief, Star Claw leaped into the sky after his love abandoning his children and vanishing for all of time.

Ripping my gaze away from the bright haired Goddess, who looks remarkably like Lyssandra, I resume my pacing with renewed fury. My father and alpha, Irial, sits in the chair opposite me, watching my progress with concern.

"Adrian, son, get some rest. At least sit down?" His low voice, soothing like when I was a pup. I glare at him and he raises his hands defensively, "Its not like I care about you or anything, but your mother would make me sleep on the couch if you passed out from exhaustion." He grins at me as I sit down reluctantly. "She isn't supposed to wake up until tomorrow anyway." Irial reassures me, cheerfully.

Suddenly there's a flurry of motion coming from Lyssandra's room.

"Your awake!?" I hear our top healer Mila, bark in surprise.

"No, I'm sleep walking." The sarcasm in my mates voice has me laughing in relief.

"Well," Mila huffs, "I can see you've quite recovered."

"I hope you had a nice young stud undress me, Doc, I didn't go to those nude beaches for nothing." Mila's giggle is drowned out by Irial's booming laugh.

"I want to meet her." His eyes sparkle with mischief and he bounds to his feet.

"Dad," I whine, "she's probably checking herself out in the mirror." He chuckles but let's me go ahead. Thankfully, Lyssandra is sitting up in bed and decently clothed in a fresh shirt, as soon as my gaze touches on her I feel a grin spread over my face. I stride over, taking her face in my hands and just looking at her.

"I was checking myself out, by the way, before you made that rude comment." She mock glares at me.

"Shut up and kiss me, you amazing creature." I growl hungrily, cupping her face with my hand and tilting her chin up. My lips press against hers softly and they part with a sigh. Her teeth pull on my bottom lip making me groan, I feel the curve of her smile and it drives me crazy. Mate. I growl softly through our bond. Mine.