The cursed Moon.

Reign had returned to Moon far sooner than she had expected, she heard her sweet humming echoing through the bars. Reign sounded content, she felt content, with a note of excitement. The melody she hummed reflecting her mood.

"I have wonderful news." Reign's excitement was palpable by the time she entered Moon's cell.

"Atlas has spoken with the Alpha. Today, you get to leave this horrid place." The news overjoyed Moon, but uncertainty soon began to plague her.

"Where will I be going?"

Moon thought back to the village.

The first time Mena had left on a hunt, they had forced her from the orphanage. It was her sixteenth birthday, with no one in the village was willing to take her in. Instead she was placed in the stables, with just a bed of hay. The nights were cold, she spent a week there. She had felt isolated, aside from the odd occasion when women would come to tend to the horses, but they never spoke to her. Their thoughts had said enough.

"Atlas and the Alpha agreed, you need protection, you need to be safe.They both decided you would be safest with me, with Atlas. We would be more than happy to have you in our home." Moon was instantly overwhelmed with emotion, no one had ever wanted her in their home before now, no one had opened their doors for her. She was floored by Reign's compassion for her.

"I would love nothing more." Moon gushed.

It was the truth, Moon felt a connection to Reign, a bond, she already cared for her deeply. Her first friend, shifter or not, Reign was good, she felt it in her bones.

"You must be starving, come, I will show you the grounds along the way. Atlas is preparing some brunch as we speak." Reign slipped her arm into Moon's, a warm smile stretched wide across her face, and soon the two women stepped out into the mid morning sun.

As they walked Reign pointed out unfamiliar sights. The pack lands were enchanting, there were extensive gardens filled with vibrant flowers. Fountains of water littered the grounds.

The pack house itself an actual castle. Moon had never seen one before, and she studied every inch obsessively. The way the wild vines climbed its vast height, the way the bricks had been so carefully placed, fitting together to make the most magical building she had ever laid eyes on.

She felt watchful eyes on her as she stared, something she could not shake. She heard the thoughts of the men inside, no different from the men of the village at home. One however seemed to scream at her, wanting her to look in his direction, a haunting plea, she almost gave in to the beckoning when she was saved by Reigns voice.

"It's beautiful, isn't it? I wish I could show you the inside, but the Alpha isn't very fond of humans. Most shifters are not, they will be wary of you for awhile, it's better to keep your distance for the time being."

Moon wasn't offended, she was accustomed to keeping her distance, to the wariness of others. She was also relived that the Alpha of this pack wanted to distance himself from her, she had heard many stories about him, none of them good.

She may have found a friend in Reign, but she certainly didn't wish to test her limitations with the rest of the shifters. She remembered the stories, remembered the fear instilled in her.

Moon did notice, however, as she passed shifters walking the gardens, laying in the sun, that although they were curious about her presence, not one found her frightening. No one thought her a disgrace, nor a freak, they simply saw her as human, something they inturn feared.

The longer she spent here, the more she came to think that maybe it was only the Alpha and his warriors who were beastly.

The women headed further to the edge of the grounds where the forest met the grass. It was then that Moon noticed log homes nestled in the trees, a village of its own, the houses seperated by branches and trunks.

"This area of the grounds is reserved for mated pairs, it allows us..... privacy." Reign said with a mischievous grin on her face.

"Mated?" Moon questioned.

"Oh yes, how silly of me, humans don't have mates. You have marriage, I guess they are similar."

Reign's explanation had confirmed what Moon had already suspected, Reign and Atlas were a couple. They complemented each other perfectly in temperament, and in heart.

They reached the largest of the cabins, the perks of having a beta as a mate, as Reign had put it. Atlas was already waiting for them, his large build lent casually against the open door frame. He reached for Reign first, pulling her into his embrace, sniffing her hair, both breathing each other in as if they had been separated for days, not minutes.

Their feelings for each other hit Moon with an intensity she had never felt before. This was not like marriage, Moon had been around married couples in the village. Some had love for each other, but what they felt embracing the other, was something more.

Moon felt the waves of their mate bond crash onto her once more. Their hearts were beating only for each other, their bodies completely relaxed in each other's arms.

Love is what it was, but not in the way she had ever experienced love before. It was pure, unmatched by any romance she had read in all her books. Moon found herself yearning for that same love.

Atlas turned and smiled widely at her, and again she couldn't shake the feeling of familiarity, like their paths had crossed before.

"Moon, we are so happy to have you here at our home. Come inside, the food is ready. I hope you are hungry." Atlas spoke as he ushered the women through the door.

Once inside, Moon felt instantly cozy. She had never been inside an actual home before, and she knew this home was filled with love. The whole interior was polished wood, like a farmhouse, and the aromas of cooked food made it even more inviting.

Atlas gestured to a wooden table nestled under a large window, Moon salivated at the sight of the food on display. There was bacon, fresh bread, fruits, cream, and cuts of meats and cheeses. She hoped the stories of wolves having larger-than-life appetites were true, she wouldn't even make a dint in this feast.

"So, Moon, do you live with your family in the village?" Atlas asked as he filled his plate for the second time.

"My parents died when I was just a child. I have a place, I wouldn't exactly call it a home, this is a home. May I just say I appreciate your kindness so much." Reign and Atlas shared a glance.

"I am sorry to hear that, I lost my parents when I was just a child also. What is your place in the village if not in a home?" There was concern in Atlas's voice, he cared for her as she cared for them.

"I grew up in an orphanage, after the orphanage I was allowed a hut on the outskirts of our community. It's not much, but I made it my own. The other villages aren't too fond of me so I never got adopted or accepted into anyone's home. It's fine really, I have my sister. She is very well respected in our village." Moon explained.

"If you ask me, the other people in your village must be dense, how could they not like you?" Reign cut in, she was hurt that Moon had been made an outcast.

"I'm different to them, different is scary for most. It's not their fault, they just never took the time to know me, because of their fear. I understand." Moon felt guilty, although they had been unkind, she hated to speak ill of anyone.

"Its remarkable you understand them without explanation on their behalf. You may not know it by sight alone, but I am also diffrent from my pack members." Atlas was right, he did not look any different from his fellow shifters, but he definitely felt different, more than anyone she had encountered before.

"Different how?" Moon flushed immediately with embarrassment at her invasive question.

"It's okay to ask Moon, we are friends now, at least I would like to be. I am more in tune than most of the pack, I feel things, hear things that most others cannot." It was then that Moon knew why he felt familiar.

They were the same, he was cursed like her. Only here it seemed to be seen as a blessing.

"I understand what you mean." Moon replied.

"I thought you might, so you have a gift like me?" Atlas had felt it the moment he laid eyes on her, but hearing her thoughts confirmed it. 'The cursed child' is what they called her, he read it in her mind. Typical of humans to be cruel to those that have abilities they don't.

"I wouldn't call it a gift, not when the thoughts of others can be so ugly." Moon had been an outsider in her village because of it, she could never see it as a gift. It had been the reason that everyone despised her, and the reason she knew they did so.

"That is true, but feeling another's joy, especially when I have had a bad day, feeling how much Reign loves me even when I am at my worst, these are gifts. The problem was never your abilities Moon, it was the people in your village's inability to see what you really are that's the problem; I would say it is them who are cursed for missing out on the gift of getting to know you." Reign stared at her mate with love, at how beautifully he saw the world. He was always looking at the good, never the bad.

Moon saw it through his mind too, through his thoughts. To him, it was always a blessing, even the ugliest parts.

Atlas knew when someone meant him harm, he knew if they were good or bad, and so he was always able to choose whom to surround himself with. He wanted Moon around, her aura was calming for not only him, but also for Reign.

"I know you are in my head now Moon. When you accept your abilities, learn to use them, then you will know when I am in yours too." Moon felt herself flush at being caught, but she also read the humor in his tone.

She knew why he felt safe, they shared a bond, not a romantic one, but they had been touched by the same hands, the hands of the Moon goddess.

"You are a very intriguing person being Moon. I can tell we will be the best of friends, but first Ive set up a room for you. You can wash, help yourself to anything in your room, it's yours. I had some clothing bought over from the pack house, I hope it fits. If there is anything else we can get you to make you feel more at home, please let us know." Reign was speaking fast in excitement, she was happy Moon had come to this place, to her.

Moon already felt at home, this was the most at home she had ever felt. The joy in her radiated around the house, touching even Reign.

When Reign opened the door to Moon's room, all she could do was gasp. Books so many books, there were shelves and shelves of them lined against the walls. A large window with a cushy bench underneath, the sunlight streamed in, she could see the leaf's of the trees, hear the birds. The bed was twice the size of her own, and a rack with stacks of clothing hanging from it. Off to the side, was a private washroom just for her.

Moon had never imagined a room to be this beautiful, especially not one she would occupy.

"Do you like it?" Reign asked.

"Reign, I love it. I wish to never leave it!" She almost meant it. She could easily curl up on the bench all day reading books. Moon soon found herself teary, she had never cried from happiness before. This kind of crying, she welcomed it.

"I am glad you like it." Reign embraced Moon, the very first person outside of Mena to ever embrace her, it was an oddity, one she enjoyed.

Moon bathed, it was the most amazing bath she had ever experienced, she had never felt more relaxed, more safe.

Moon then slipped a white night shirt over her damp head, before crawling into the bed. She hadn't slept well overnight and the bed she now lay in was, for her, like laying on a cloud. Moon fell asleep quickly, happy. She had hope that today would be a better day. It was more than better. It was perfect.

••••

A howl, a long drawn out howl, filled with sorrow, pain and anguish, woke Moon from her slumber. Her heart sunk to the bottom of her stomach. Usually, shifter howls terrified her, but this one only made her sad.

Moon knew she would not sleep through it, it would be impossible to ignore. It was as if the wolf were in her room, pleading with her, begging her to help ease its suffering. Before she knew what she was doing, she left her bed, quietly opening her door and slipped into the hallway.

Moon moved on tiptoes. She didn't know if she was permitted to go outside, but she needed air, something to relief the pain that echoed into her. She had just reached the front door when she was startled by Atlas's voice.

"Can't sleep?" He asked gently, Moon turned to face him, he was bent over the counter, defeated in posture, he looked as affected as she felt.

"Not at all, that poor creature. Should we not help him?" Moon had trouble understanding why no one had answered his call.

"No one else can hear it. Its surprising you can. It's a howl of insanity, a wolf trapped in his mind. That is what happens when you lose your mate. No one can help him, he has grieved this way for many years. I have tried to help, but soon I almost drowned in his pain. I couldn't lose myself to save him, not when I had Reign to think of." Atlas looked exhausted, it had taken more of a toll on him then he would ever let on.

"That is awful, for both you and him. I could never imagine living a life with that much suffering, it's a little overwhelming." Moon still so desperately wanted to escape into the early morning air, the walls closing in on her, was she the one going insane? Or was this the feelings of the pained wolf?

"You can go out Moon, you are not a prisoner in my home. Just please be careful, stay clear of the pack house, and I would prefer if you didn't run away, the Alpha would have my head." He smiled at her lightly.

The way he was so in tune with all of her thoughts was something that would take a little to get used to. Before now she had been the one to read minds, it was strange having hers open to someone else.

"I would never, you and Reign have been so kind. I would never do anything that may bring you harm." The very thought of it made Moon upset.

"I know." Atlas smirked. Of course, he did. Atlas knew everything.

Once out in the fresh air, Moon decided the safest path to walk would be through the woods. It was far from the pack house, and without Reign she wasn't so sure how the shifters would feel having her wandering around unsupervised. She had to be mindful that they were still to be feared. Anyone of them could kill her on the spot as wolves, or attack her the way Grey had.

The woods were full of magic in this place, something she felt the instant trees surrounded her. It was odd for her, the day she was taken she thought for sure it was her last day alive, and now, here, only a day later, she was feeling a connection to a place, it's people, that couldn't be ignored. It felt right, it felt like home.

She soon sat on a log as the morning sun poured through the branches. She basked in it, wishing she had bought a book, instead she sat listening contently to the breeze. This was freedom, this was right.

It was then she smelt it, the undeniable scent of the meadow, the wildflowers, the grass. It filled her senses. Was this homesickness? Was she feeling guilt for being happy among the enemy?

She sniffed the air again, deeper, standing to follow the sweet aroma deeper into the trees. She needed to find it, swim in it. The meadow smelt of freedom, always, but never had she yearned for it this badly.

Moon closed her eyes instinctively, letting her senses take over, to lead her where her body so desperately wanted to be. It was a craving she had never experienced before now, like air, she needed it.

The scent became more intense, she wasn't walking blind, even with her eyes closed something uncontrollable led the way, until she crashed into something solid, it felt like a wall. She bounced off it, she braced herself, ready to meet the ground, but instead she felt a large hand wrap around her waist, catching her, pulling her in.

The touch set off a sensation under her skin. It was electric, a bolt of it coursed through her entire being. Her eyes opened, and she first caught sight of a broad chest, her hands pressed to it, feeling the heart inside beating with her own.

Moon slowly lifted her gaze to his face, his strong chiseled jaw, his perfectly sculpted cheeks, hair that fell around on to his head in wild black curls and then his eyes.

They connected with hers, and it was if all time stood still, it was only him and her, an instant bond.

She breathed heavily, completely dazed by the brilliant lavender in his eyes. Every inhale she took, the aroma she had followed, filled her lungs.

It was him, he was the source of the scent, it was him she craved.

His eyes quickly turned into a frown. She tried to read him, but she was met with nothing but darkness.

"What are you doing out here?" He asked, his voice rough, masculine.

"Um.... sorry I, I." Moon fumbled over her words as he pulled away, leaving her feeling empty.

"You weren't trying to run away, were you?" His frown deepened. He was mad, it was written on his face, but she didn't feel it, she couldn't feel him.

"No, I just.... needed air." He made her nervous. She wasn't afraid of this shifter, but for reasons unknown to her, she wanted him close again.

"It's not safe for you out here alone, you could be hurt." Was he concerned for her? The very thought made her surprisingly happy.

"Come, I will escort you back to the grounds." It was an order, not a request, his skin touched hers again to pull her in the direction of the pack grounds, the sensation of his hand on her wrist was unexplainable. A humming, tingles, like a transfer of energy, of themselves.

"Odd." Moon said with almost a whisper. He looked at her with questions, longing, then snapped his gaze away and marched foward, only releasing her from his grasp when he was sure she would follow.

"You are either very stupid, or very brave for being this far in the woods alone. Shifters aren't very warm to humans, you know?" he spoke as she walked behind, struggling to keep up.

"Reign and Atlas are the warmest beings I've yet to meet. I suspect the only coldness towards me would come from their Alpha, he did choose to steal from my home after all." Moon knew when the words tumbled from her mouth that they were a mistake, to talk about an Alpha to his pack in an unkind manner could mean death.

"Well, maybe the Alpha has the right to take you. I have heard tale your sister has killed many of our kind." He was an enigma, she couldn't reach his mind, his walls were built high. He spoke with certainty, but nothing in his tone suggested he was talking down to her.

"Shifters killed our parents, it made her who she is." She muttered quietly, it was the only excuse she had, not that it was much of one at all.

"And humans killed my mother.

If you only knew what they did to Reign.... well, then maybe you would understand."

Moon understood the ways of war, people died, shifters died. But to hear that something had happened to Reign, that thought hurt a lot, innocence was lost in battle.

They walked in silence the rest of the way. She stared at his back, it was as if he refused to look at her. Had she imagined the intensity they felt when they collided? She hadnt but maybe it was not reciprocated.

Once on the edge of the grounds, he gave her one last glance and gestured towards the log homes.

"Be more careful next time you take a walk, and just so you know, the Alpha isn't all bad." He smiled at her, and she wanted to burn it into her memory, to always see that smile.

"Thank you a" She returned his smile before he turned towards the pack house, leaving her wanting, waiting for their paths to cross again.