The drive to Montana was long. Seemed many times longer for the girl as her wandering thoughts took the sleep away. Although being almost at the hotel door the trip in her mind now felt not long enough. Like someone had magically erased the hours upon hours of walking, driving and car sharing with strangers.

Finally at the hotel door she took a deep breath and walked in. The cool air of the air conditioned room hit her the second the door was ajar. A little bell sounded and an older lady's head popped up from behind the grand front desk. Her grey hair in one long ponytail swung around her shoulder. With round glasses and a tanned wrinkled face she smiled invitingly.

"How can I help you young lady?" Her voice was cheerful.

"I booked a single room under the name Jones" The girl replied.

"Ah yes dear. Let me show you the room, if you will after me." The older lady reached into the old fashioned, glass front, key storage cabinet and retrieved a key with the number 8 on it.

The new tenant noticed that it was the last key available in that cabinet. Which makes complete sense as there were so many people milling outside in this town.

They both stepped outside. She has never seen so many werewolves in any form human or otherwise being in one place. There have been a couple 'real' humans gathering around too. Distinguishing from humans and werewolves didn't come easily to her. It took a lot of concentration to be able to smell past the normal human scent. She's heard stories from other weres about being able to instantly tell if someone was a wolf especially if the wolf was their soulmate. Joining a pack of wolves never crossed her mind. She always taught that her life is complicated enough without the extra rules that come with the membership.

The hotel was made into an 'L' shape. With the reception and kitchen at the short side and rooms lined up on the long side. All with a step up to the wooden rustic looking doors. The lady stopped at one of them, opening it up and switching all the lights in the cabin.

"There's the mini fridge, bathroom, bed." She pointed to each thing with her wrinkled hand as she spoke.

"Dinners served at 7 come to reception for it." With that she smiled and dropped the keys on the double bed. The olde lady seemed worried with her eyebrows furrowed and lips pressed together forming a line.

"You don't smell like a human, darling" Concern filled her eyes.

"But not like a wolf either." She gave out a quick chuckle.

"It must be my old senses, age makes everything wonkey, sweetheart. Don't mind this old lady." With another sweet smile she left the room leaving the door open.

The girl had realised the masking smell of smoke and the dogs from her last place probably worn off by now leaving her scent exposed to anyone close by.

Calliope dropped her bags on the floor and walked towards the open door. She peeked through it watching the old woman walk away. She closed the door quietly and stood in front of the window watching the scene of nature and people walking around. Greeting each other. Kids playing catch around the fountain in the middle of the hotel square.

After a while she flopped down onto the bed face first and fell fast asleep.

There were no dreams. Only the dark endless void of nothing. Which was the best kind of sleep. When she woke up it was only an early afternoon as she decided to pay her respects to the family.

Deciding to take a shower she jumped into the bath as The lukewarm water hit against her pale skin. Leaving it feeling refreshed and clean. Her mind wandered hundred miles an hour about the events of the past with not one question answered.

Soon after the water turned from warm to cold and she shot out from the bath almost hissing at the sudden change. Wrapping herself with a large white towel, her feet took her back to the main room where she got dressed and ready to leave.

Looking over at herself in a full length mirror that was stuck behind the main door. The black high waisted jeans hugged her legs and hips. With a cream wrap around crop blouse and a v-neckline. A delicate three heart, gold necklace, hung laying on her collarbones. That was the last gift from her mother before she fled five years ago. Ever so often her hand would wander up to it stroking it, reminding herself of home.

Now fully ready she left for the deceased Alphas home to pay her respects. From what she found out the Alphas family lived in the main village that was twenty minutes walk away from her accomodation. She followed the directions of strangers until her eyes landed on a clearing in the woods a little out of the way. With a field full of wild flowers growing graciously in the sun she stopped to wonder. She picked up a few red poppies and with the black ribbon from her hair she tied them together thinkin it might be a great symbol of the fallen warrior Alpha.

She has never been to a funeral let alone a funeral of one of the most influential Alphas on earth. Getting closer she realised her grief intensified to the point where her heart hurt almost as much as the day the Alpha died. She could feel her destination being close before her eyes could spot it.

The grand house was swarmed with all kinds of people. Some young, some old. Poor and rich. Humans and most not. Her nostrils flared at all the different scents under one roof, to the point she had to turn it off or her inner animal would go crazy. On a day today basis the girl and her wolf did not coexist well. The wolf was dormant until the full mood when she'd take control over Calliope's body and roam around in the night. So feeling her wolf there now in broad daylight was a complete shock written all over her face too.

Advancing deeper into the house Calliope felt the sorrow radiating off every creature present. She walked deeper and deeper, turning into one of the rooms where an older lady sat along with a few younger versions of herself. There was one empty chair placed right beside the lady. Her greying long hair was plated and hung on the right shoulder.

All newcomers would come up to her kneel and whisper short typical funeral attendee lines.

"I'm sorry for your loss" or "He will be missed by all that knew him."

But as Calliope stood in front of the woman now, her mind went blank. Couldnt form any response. As if her mind was completely erased of any appropriate phrases. She looked at the flowers in her hand shaking with nervousness. Kneeling down she lay the flowers in front of the woman's feet and a small tear fell down her cheek, her small heart breaking in two. The woman bent down still sitting on her chair and with her hand she propped Calliopes head up to meet her gaze.

The world seemed to go still and a cold shiver down her back kept on trailing with no end. The girl looked up at the Alphas wife and she was the only one alive or moving in this house.

"Don't be afraid, my child." She whispered. But her voice was different. No pain leaking through her words. It sounded calm and sweet. The girl's eyes were the only part of her body that moved. She was now staring into the ladies eyes that were definitely not her own . Everything else around them seemed whitewashed in mystical fog.

"I, Selene, The Goddess of the Moon, choose you, Calliope Jones Carmine..." Her voice trailed and sounded defeated. Like the spirit possessing the woman was hurt.

The worry was evident in Calliope's eyes. "Don't worry my child. Our power is yours. It will protect you until you're..." A cough echoed through her. "Until you're ready my sweet girl." A groan of pain escaped her lips with a slight stain of blood seeping out. " Be careful who you trust, my precious one. Look back before you run again." For a strange reason Calliope wanted her to keep talking. The velvety voice was soothing her pain. No matter how strange this was, it made her feel better.

The world around them slowly seeped back to life and with that it unpaused continuing on its natural order of things.

"Thank you." She said in a broken voice. They stared into each other's eyes for what seemed like minutes after which Alpha's wife let her chin go and she bolted out feeling overcome by grief and confusion. Her face now covered in tears as she ran out past everyone gathered and into the woods. All eyes following her rapid exit.

When her lungs burned with exhaustion and her legs numb from the run she stopped. Her legs gave in and now kneeling on all fours she propped her behind on her heels. Breathing in fast short bursts. 'She... It...' Her thoughts trailed off. Once her heart body relaxed and she was able to breathe again, her thoughts consumed her.

'I could feel her energy radiating at her touch. How is that possible?'

Her hand touched her chest feeling the fast paste of the heart picking up again. At which she stood up slowly and began jogging back to her hotel not wanting to think about all the questions piling back up.

*** *** ***

At the Alphas house the vacant seat was filled again right after Calliope stormed out. A man in black suit pants and midnight blue shirt with a top button opened up. He could not sit still feeling his mothers distress. His gaze fixed on the flowers laying at her feet and the black ribbon tying them together. It took him right to the event from the past when a girl wearing a red ribbon in her hair was dying in his arms. He snapped out of it hearing a phone ring.

"I'm sorry, have to take this" He whispered in a low voice into his mothers ear at which she nodded. He picked up the flowers and walked out the house taking the call. It was brief running through the details of the funeral that was happening tomorrow morning. Hanging up he looked down at the small bouquet in his hand feeling on edge. He shrugged it off and blamed the resurfacing of old feelings on the recent events and went back inside to his family compressing his feelings to get through this day.