Her First Full Moon!

"What's happening to me?" Selene whispered weakly as she lay in bed shivering. It was not just the fact that her body seemed weighed down by weakness and pain.

It was not just the physical torment that clawed at her. There was something about her soul that disturbed her. It felt like her very being was unraveling . She sat up slowly and like a magnetic pull she turned to the window in the room.

The full moon was shining brightly and it cast a silvery glow in to the room.

Selene let out a gasp, she slammed her eyes shut and wrapped her arms around herself in a desperate embrace.

"Please forgive me, goddess!" She choked out with hot tears against her cheeks.

She had never seen the full moon before.

She was forbidden to! Even the slender curve of the crescent moon was a sight she was meant to avoid.

The goddess would be furious with her!

Perhaps this was the price for stepping outside days ago.

A wave of nausea washed over her as the weakness intensified. It felt as though something vital was slipping away, her very essence thinning.

She staggered weakly to the door with the intention of hitting the door as hard as she could. But just as she got close enough, she slumped to the ground in a heap.

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The clatter of scattering fruit echoed sharply in the stillness of the prison hallway, followed by Isolde's piercing scream. Pardo, the guard on duty, bolted towards the commotion. His breath caught in his throat at the sight of Selene's still form sprawled on the cold stone floor.

"Oh no! We have to get help!" Isolde sobbed and she whirled, fleeing down the corridor towards the Royal Mansion.

Guards along her frantic path turned in confusion, their initial bewilderment turned to annoyance as she hurried towards the Luna's private chambers. The hallway was guarded and so she was not given permission to pass through.

"It's almost midnight! What is wrong with you?" One of the guards hissed at her.

"Please I need to see the Luna. It's an emergency!" She begged.

"Hush now and leave at once! Stop making such a racket!" Another guard said angrilly.

Their eyes gleamed angrilly warning her of attack and just as she stepped backwards, Alma emerged from the Luna's room.

"What's all the noise for?" She demanded confused and her eyes settled on Isolde who dropped to her knees immediately.

"The prisoner! The prisoner. She's on the floor, dying!" Isolde spoke trembling.

Alma's eyes widened. She didn't need to be told who the prisoner was.

River pack had been so peaceful for the past twenty years that they had no prisoners. Even though Alma was not sure of who exactly that prisoner was, she knew of the strange woman's presence.

"I'll be back." Alma said and hurried in where Luna Vilka was knelt before an altar praying to the goddess for her son's well being.

She turned around when she heard her Companion's footsteps.

"What's going on?" Vilka asked.

"It's the prisoner…" Alma said not sure of how else to address Selene. "They said she's on the floor, dying."

Vilka rose to her feet immediately. For one second, she was unsure of what to do and then swiftly she gave out the orders for Selene to be brought immediately as well as for the healer to be called.

Vilka wondered if she was doing the right thing by bringing the daughter of the dark king in to her personal chambers but when Selene was brought in with the help of Pardo and Isolde, a part of her softened.

She looked so pale, fragile and defeated. She reminded Vilka of her own daughter, Blaize. Alma on the other hand watched warily with a little bit of fear as she caught a glimpse of Selene's bald head before Isolde hurriedly adjusted the scarf back in place.

"Luna Vilka." Channe greeted as she came in to the room.

"What took you so long Channe?" Vilka asked already feeling panicked.

"I apologize Luna. I came as fast as I could but there is so much..."

"Don't worry about that now." Vilka said impatiently. "Please hurry. See what's wrong with her?!"

Channe bowed her head and knelt beside Selene's still form on the bed. A pang of sympathy tightened her chest as she recognized the strange, bald woman. After a brief examination, Channe's gaze met the Luna's with a shadow of sorrow in her eyes.

"This is the work of a sorceress, Luna." She said softly. "I can ease her fever with Luke warm water, but her soul is in turmoil. She needs the sorceress."

Fear and disappointment gripped Vilka's heart. Otsanna was with Zephyr. They would not be back until early hours of the morning.

Vilka's mind raced, desperately seeking a solution, when a sudden, raucous noise erupted from outside.

"Oh, for the sake of the river goddess, what is it now?!" she exclaimed, her eyes snapping towards the door, mirroring the startled gazes of Alma and Isolde.

Channe on the other hand did not look surprised and Vilka noticed it.

"Is something going on?" The Luna asked urgently.

"Yes, Luna." Channe confirmed in a low tone. "There's a mob of angry pack members trying to force their way in to the Alpha's estate. It's possible they have gained entrance now. They looked…..desperate."

Vilka's eyes widened as she read fear in Channe's eyes.

"Did it look so bad?" The Luna whispered and Channe nodded solemnly.

"Yes Luna ."

"What is the problem? What do they want?" Vilka pressed, a cold dread seeping into her bones. Had they somehow discovered Zephyr's cursed state? Had the whispers of the shadow wolf finally reached their ears?

The fear etched on Channe's face deepened, taking on a new, more specific quality.

"They say the daughter of the dark king is hidden here, Luna," Channe revealed, her voice barely audible. "They demand revenge… and justice."