The air is shallow with each step I take towards the temple that sits inside the moon itself. I see her, the mother of wolves, the goddess of moons.

She stands with refine grace that my eyes can't look away from such beauty. If I wasn't so hell bent on revenge, I would have felt bliss in this moment. But my blood boils in disgust, the truth revealed finally.

She has the audacity to smile at me, a smile that says she knows everything. Does she really? Have any idea what hell I have been through?

"I know you may feel indifferent towards me." I laugh, roll my eyes at her.

"That's putting it lightly." She doesn't flinch from my tone. She takes it but eyes me with caution.

"I'm wondering why you're here Winter."

"What do you mean?"

"A queen can't rule if she's dead."

I laugh, the kind of laugh that makes me seem hysterical. As if a fanatic that has lost sight of the truth. Here is my goddess exclaiming I'm dead, if I am, so be it. The world is full of pain I no longer want to be part of.

"If I'm dead, then why am I here?"

"Because you're blessed, you are my chosen daughter. The only one that can bring hope to the Lycans and werewolves."

"Yea? Well, you can take that title back because I don't want it!" I feel my blood boil, since life I have been unwanted and abandoned, then Midas entered my life and he brought me nothing but pain.

If I'm dead than it is peace to me.

"You don't understand, the wolves and Lycans need you. You must lead them to peace and freedom, the Lycans are shackled to Odin. He is the reason for all this suffering—"

"Lady... your drama with Odin is your own business. Why the fuck are you dragging me or anyone into your guises bullshit?"

She stays silent as if shocked by my boldness. I was usually loyal to her but for some reason, I just want to rip her throat out. She has the ability to fix everything but she chooses not to.

She could have saved me from Midas, she could have saved Ejnar from his demise, she could have protected my pack. Hell, she could have fought Odin herself if she desires, it is not as if she is lesser than him.

"Excuse me?"

"You're excused, matter of fact, if I'm dead, let me be dead in peace's this war that you may throw at me, keep it. Because I don't want it, Odin can go fuck himself and you can go fuck yourself too!"

"Do you have any idea the gift you have on your hands Winter?"

"Yes, I have tremendous powers that literally can rip my enemies to shreds. That doesn't mean I need it so you can take it back if you so choose to."

"You know what?" She exclaims, also it surprised I'm being a bitch towards her instead of kissing her feet.

"No, what?"

"You can go back, suffer even more and then remember who loves you. I want nothing but the best for you and I need you at your full strength because Odin is coming. He is coming for all of you, and he won't stop until you're destroyed Winter!"

"Great... as if my life hasn't been affected already."

*

*

I awake with a sudden jolt to my mind feeling anxious all of a sudden. I'm not longer with the Goddess. I take in my surroundings, I'm home but somethings different.

I feel a heavy weight on my stomach when I look down to see Midas laying his head on me. His hand holding mine tightly, I've never felt such warmth from him. I'm not sure how to go about this, I don't know why he's here sitting beside me.

I look around to see candle lit everywhere, the room smells of medicinal herbs and blood. I look down at my body and see myself bandaged. I think back to what happened, I remember what happened. Our pack was attacked, by the demons that infiltrated inside. I was helping my people, the men who were patrolling were outnumber by the onslaught of war headed our way. It was futile, the demons were coming more than I could count.

They managed to get inside my people's homes. Women and children were being slaughtered, our men trying to hold them back. I did what I thought was right. My anger took the best of me, the feeling of helplessness made me scream out my paint.

That scream blasted powers I didn't know what I had. My body radiated ice from every directions as if knowing where the demons are, attacking every creature with shards of ice piercing their chest. That much energy took so much out of me everything became black.

But I must have been hurt if there's a bandage around my waist. I try to slowly get up as not to wake Midas, but it was pointless, he wakes up immediately with bloodshot eyes, his face looks disheveled and heartbroken.

I'm not sure how to take this, but he gets up and hugs me. I don't hug him back, I let him take this if this is what he needs.

"Midas..." he lets go and touches my face.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry I didn't protect you..."

"What do you mean?" He points to my bandages and I scoff.

"I think I knew what I was doing when I defended the pack." We both chuckle, but there's a dark aura that clouds his face. He looks almost as if he's angry, is he angry with me?

"What's wrong?" I ask.

"We lost... a lot of our people. The women and men who did survive are not doing good..."

"What do you mean?" My heart aches a little, fearing what I know already. I was hoping it wouldn't be true.

"The demons, it seems, were mostly going after our pups. Not to kill, but to feed."

"No..." I turn away from him, my eyes betray me and tears begin to fall.

"How many pups do we have left Midas?" My heart breaks for the mother who have lost their heart. A pup that was born from them, I know their pain, I may not have birthed Ejnar, but I loved him just as if he were my own.

"The original count was close to 200 pups, now, we have less than 50." I cry like a child, my heart breaks from the news. I thought I had saved everyone, I didn't realize I wasn't fast enough to save them.

"Winter, don't blame yourself. We couldn't have seen this coming." He grabs hold of both of my hands, seeing Midas this way tells me he's slowly changing than what I have come to know him when he entered into my life.

I don't trust him, but I am certain I can rely him. Especially from what the goddess has mentioned. Since I know I've managed to ouss her off, I'm sure she's going to retaliate in some way or another.

"Midas..."

"Yes?"

"I saw the goddess when I was dead."

"What?"

I explain what happened between me and her. He listened to everything I said with no disruptions. He glides his hand over his face, worry etched into his eyes.

"I can't believe you managed to piss off a god..." he begins to laugh, I'm surprised by the sound as I have never heard him laugh. I don't know why but my stomach turns at the sight of his carefree look.

"Be prepared for her to punish us." I mention, if our pack is suffering now, then we truly will wish we started like this when the Goddess Selene decides to throw whatever punishment she inflicts onto us.

"Winter, her punishments are met with disdain and indifference. My whole life I know what and who she is. All gods are nothing but cut from the same cloth, they need us more than we need them."

Something has shifted within him, I don't know when he started to change but he isn't the same as when I first met him. I don't know if I can trust him yet, but in terms of enemies than I'm glad he's not mine.