FATE OR LOVE

"Life and death were so unpredictable. They are so close to each other. We existed moment to moment, never knowing who would be the next to leave this world." Richelle Mead

Welcome home

Such a strange thing to say to someone whom you never met. Time is so funny in this world I seem to be wrapped up in. I couldn't tell if I was coming or going. I was either standing still or moving at the speed of light—so many pieces to a puzzle that just kept getting more prominent with every step I took.

"What do you mean when you say 'Welcome home?' Do I know you? And if I do know you, why is it that I can't remember you?" I wondered if all my convoluted questions made sense to this beautiful witch in front of me.

"Why don't you and your overprotective mate come with me into the parlor." She motioned to the door to the left of us. I started to move forward, but Elijah quickly snaked his arm around my torso, pulling me back as he went in first. His eyes darted around the room as his nose sniffed the air. He signaled me to enter the room a moment later, guiding me to the loveseat in the middle.

With a skeptical look, I sighed, "Is this seat acceptable for you, Elijah? Or shall I find a kitty litter box to set in?" He scoffed and raised his eyebrows at my comment. I turned to see the witch sitting in the chair across from us with an amused expression on her face. "Are you going to answer my questions, ma'am?" I cringed a little at my sharp tone, still irritated with Elijah.

"How about we have something to eat and drink first." With a wave of her hand, finger sandwiches and glasses of tea suddenly appeared. I admit I was startled, but my hunger outweighed my confusion, and I politely stuffed two sandwiches in my mouth as I grabbed a glass of tea.

"Enough with the theatrics, Sarafina! We are here to get answers, not obtain more questions. My mate might be impartial to your parlor tricks, but I assure you I am not. How do you know, Helena? What is the nature of your relationship?" I was shocked at the venom in his voice.

"Elijah, you're still the same no manners Alpha you were previously." He gasped. "Let's get one thing clear. You're a guest in my home, and I will not tolerate disrespect. You have no idea how easily I can sew your mouth shut with a flick of my wrist, but I will not act with such open hostility. But please do not mistake my kindness for weakness." A devious smile spread across her face, and I was afraid for a moment.

I interrupted before he could make a rebuttal. "We appreciate your help Ms. Sarafina, and any advice you can give us is greatly appreciated." Elijah glowered at me, but I acted as if I didn't notice. I probably would have to hear about this shit later.

"Still, the same sweet girl trying to make everyone else happy. But I can see a little fire in your soul now. What questions should I answer first, my dear Helena?" She cocked her head to the side.

With so many questions in my mind, it was hard to pinpoint which one to ask first.

"I suppose we can start with the easiest one. How do you know me?" I sighed.

"I first met you in 1510 as a small child. You were about ten years old, rummaging through the trash, looking for food, if I remember correctly. One look at you, though, and I could feel that you were special. There seemed to be an omniscient glow about you, so my coven and I decided to adopt you." She smiled.

Could you adopt me?

I don't remember that.

I can only recall living with one person.

I breathed, "Rosa?"

"Yes, Rosa was a part of our coven, and we assigned her to be your Mother Hen. She was one of our most talented and trusted witches." Her bright tone seemed to be forced, as if maybe I was missing something.

"What happened to Rosa?"

A look of dismay flashed across her face.

"A group of rogue werewolves killed you and your mate, and she deflected from our coven. I assume your death was more than she could handle."

Something about her attitude and demeanor rubbed me wrong. But I couldn't figure out why.

Why would my death be so much trouble for Rosa? She knew that I would be reborn but not when.

"What am I? Am I just a human or something more? I know I have a connection with the Moon Goddess, but how can that be?" My head was throbbing with every question that spilled out of my mouth.

Her face took on a thoughtful expression.

"I thought you would remember more than you do, especially since your soul was reunited with your mate. The mental block that Rosa placed on you is still as strong as it was in your previous life." My mouth hung open. "I assume you remember the spell that you and Rosa wove to ensure that your soul was carried to the place where the Goddess rests?" I nodded my head. "For your soul to stay intact and not become...damaged, she had to repress your memories. It would have been dangerous to have all that hate, shame, and guilt bubble over to the afterlife. And it didn't help that you would die a violent death."

"Wait a minute; Rosa knew we would die violently? Why the hell didn't she stop it if not for my sake for Helena?" I could hear the strain in his voice as he tried to calm himself physically. I almost giggled from hysteria at the thought of him transforming into a wolf and wreaking havoc on this room.

"What would you prefer she had done? Perhaps, allow you to be murdered while your mate commits suicide from the violent break of the bond. You should know as well as anyone what happens when your mate is forcibly taken from you. It was better for both of you to die the way you did together than separately." Her hands waved dismissively as she spoke. I could visibly see Elijah wince at her words. He must have remembered when Miranda damn near took my life.

"Explain my connection to the Goddess. I don't understand how or why I could be connected to her. I'm not a wolf." I absentmindedly grabbed Elijah's hand as I spoke.

A smile broke across her face.

"You, dear one, come from a long line of female descendants of Selene and Endymion. Endymion was a shepherd in ancient Greece, and for all his beauty, the Goddess would ride down on her chariot and watch him sleep every night. An obsession turned to more, and she subsequently bore him 50 daughters. They were scattered across the world, their offspring, and so on. Some of the Goddess's essence lives inside of you. We could say you're her conduit to this mortal world somehow. Surely, you must feel the power that resides in you! I am surprised you don't already know this story since it has been the source of many plays entailing our Goddess." She shrugged.

I did feel the power. Anyone can look at me and tell me something different about myself. At my very core, I could still feel that undeniable attraction to whatever was inside me. I shuddered as I thought back to that day with Cal in the meadow, how tempting and addicting that power was, and the destruction I could cause. The countless lives I could probably take at will. No one should have that power—the ability to become a judge, jury, and executioner.

Cal?

How the hell is he connected to a God?

My heart rate spiked at the thought of him, causing Elijah's head to turn slightly towards me with a worried look.

Oddly, I wasn't sure if my increased heart rate was because I feared him as an individual or the physical attraction that I still felt. Of course, it was nothing like how I felt when Elijah would caress me, but I couldn't deny how my body reacted to Cal even if I wanted to.

And despite him being a giant asshole, I wanted to believe there was more to him than that. I mean, people are not born evil. There taught. I wondered what made him the way that he was. Why did he need to have so much control? Cause so much damage?

"Do you know who Cal is? Or what he is?" A note of shyness crept into my voice.

Elijah's posture went rigid, and a low growl rumbled in his chest. He relaxed partially, but the underlying tension was still there. I reached out, placing the palm of my hand into his.

"Humm, Cal, he is something else entirely. I honestly do not know his original tale or his connection to you, but I know that he has been around for almost a millennia, and there is no single act of war he hasn't committed. It is rumored that his appetite for destruction and mayhem is even more than Ares, God of War himself. He is cunning and brave, and he is always well-hidden. You don't live that long without gaining some anonymity."

Goddess, millennia of bad behavior. How the hell does someone correct bad behavior after so long?

Why did he want me so badly?

"I would be very cautious of him, Helena. I am sure word has spread to him that you have been reincarnated. He will come for you as he did before, and I doubt he will allow you to be killed this time." Her warning tone did not escape my notice.

"Why the hell does he want me so bad? He said we were created for one another, but how can that be when I have a mate?"

She sighed heavily as she crossed her legs.

"He's right. You are his equal in almost every way and whichever God bestowed their blessing on him has a gripe against the Goddess. I can't sit here and pretend to know why he is fascinated with you so much or his plans for you. I can only tell you to be careful and watch your back. He has many followers and some that will do unspeakable things for him."

Instantly Elijah got up, "I wish that asshole would try to do what he did last time. I am not the same wolf as before, and I will be damned if I lose her again. If I have to murder every last one of his fanatics and him to keep her safe, then so be it." He growled as his eyes turned red.

Wow, that was fucking hot.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Murder this, murder that. Please sit down; your Herculean Aura is making my head hurt." Sarafina said as she sighed with an annoyed expression.

" Am I safe?" I felt a sudden surge of panic.

Panic for me. Panic for Elijah. My mom. Anyone that I hold dear to my heart.

"No one is truly safe from their fates, sweetheart. But you can't let this stop you from living. A universe is a vast place in which one could get lost in the darkness." She snapped her fingers, and a flame appeared at the tip of her thumb. "But like this flame, the fire inside you can be ignited within a split second. But you must determine how or what you use your power for." She glanced between Elijah and me before continuing. "Life and Death are the two most unpredictable things. You can't have one without the other, but love is more than either."

HEY EVERYONE!!!! PLEASE VOTE, LEAVE COMMENTS, AND SEND POWER STONES. I REALLY WOULD LOVE TO KNOW WHAT EVERYONE IS THINKING. LOVE YOU GUYS 🥰❤️❤️❤️