Genesis: (Book One of the True Luna Series)

by Texie D. Freeman

  “A pack is nothing without a luna.”

  Her anger flared and her chest was tight. “And I’m nothing without him.”

  The goddess lips twitched. “There it is.”

  “Pardon?” she asked.

  Nyx glanced at Genesis. “In order to embrace her, you had to relinquish your human ties. You’ve proved your dedication to me by sacrificing yourself for your mate, June Gilley.”

  “I haven’t done anything except help Endymion to return,” she protested, “if this was a test, I failed. Why aren’t you mad?”

  “The way he came back does not matter. He was always going to return, and it was always going to be you who helped him, June.”

  She pressed her hands deeper into Genesis’ fur. The wolf’s snout knocked the underside of her chin, offering comfort. “I never wanted to be special, much less a martyr.”

  “Then you can move on,” Nyx offered, nodding to the other side of the bridge where darkness engulfed the trees. “But you will lose everything you have gained, and your mate will live the rest of his days alone.”

  “That’s not fair.”

  “Fate never is,” Nyx agreed. “What will you do?”

  June didn’t even pretend to think it over as she stood up. “I’m going home.”

  “As you should,” the goddess nodded. Her eyes were kind as she placed her hands on June’s shoulder. “I can see you have questions, and they will be answered in time. For now, embrace the trials that are coming and know I walk with you.”

  June’s throat constricted as she asked, “Will I see you again?”

  “Perhaps,” Nyx replied as she dropped her hands and stepped back, her was voice carried away by a sudden wind. “Enjoy the gift, Luna.”

  Before she could ask what that meant, the forest blurred. When her vision righted, June found herself where Mion had left her. However, the angle was wrong. Instead of staring up at the ceiling, she was looking down at the floor and two golden paws.

  Rearing back, she looked up and caught her reflection in the mirror. Expect it wasn’t her face that stared back but rather a wolf. When June screamed, it yelped.

  The goddess’ last words ran through June’s mind and she snorted, “I always wanted a dog, I just never imaged I would become one.”

  Genesis growled but the sound cut off when their eyes landed on Kade. Slowly, June rose from the floor and walked towards the enforcer, taking small steps. At his side, she vowed, “Endymion will pay for his crimes but for now, the fight is behind us. We have to help the pack.”

  She left Kade and walked over to the unconscious alpha. Tipping her head, she nudged his cheek with her newly acquired nose. Nothing happened, not even when she opened the mind link. Through the bond, Donovan’s side was dark, causing Genesis to whine.

  “Any ideas?” June asked, relinquishing control.

  The wolf surprised her by sitting back on its haunches and tipping its head to the sky, howling. The unexpected power that carried through their chest reverberated, vibrating the windowpanes, and shaking the floor.

  The lingering effect of Endymion’s power dissipated, banished by the frequency of Genesis’ call. Around the room, the frozen pack members came back to awareness, blinking and clenching their hands until they could finally move their limbs. The slight chatter that filled the room came to a sudden stop as their attention was torn between Genesis arrival and Kade limp form.

  June’s sole focus was on Donovan. The wolf sat beside his head, shielding him from harm as he slowly came to. When his eyes moved off the floor to Genesis, he reared back, startled. The wolf huffed and pressed her cheek to the alpha’s.

  Realization set in slowly and he blinked. “Baby?”

  He looked away when Thalia and Creed came forward. The gamma’s eyes glanced at Genesis before snapping to Kade. His curse was drowned out by a sharp scream. The crowd moved aside as a dark-haired woman fell on her knees beside the fallen guard. “No, no, no!”

  Donovan jaw clenched. “Creed, escort Nora to my office, please.”

  The woman, Nora, didn’t fight as the gamma gently grasped her arm and lifted her off the ground. The sound of Nora’s cried echoed around the room and up the stairs until a door shut.

  “Ansley, Shepard,” Thalia called out and two older men approached, “do you mind—”

  The blond of the two nodded. “Yes, Beta.”

  She looked away as they lifted the body. Silence echoed, and no one breathed, as the two men carried Kade out of the house. Thalia stayed put, standing off to the side, her lips forming a thin line.

  June’s eyes were stuck to the ground until Donovan spoke, “Everyone go home and be with your families. We will resume normal duties after the funeral for our fallen pack member. Until then, rest and lean on one another because soon, we may not have that option. A war is coming. There is no sugarcoating the challenges we are going to have to face in the future.”

  The atmosphere around the pack was hard to read as they shuffled outside, taking care to step over the spot Kade’s body had been. It was only when the room was clear that Donovan turned back to the wolf, asking at eye level, “Baby, can you shift back?”

  The desperation laced in his words was gut wrenching. Genesis heard it as clearly as June and closed her eyes. The need to hold their mate won over and warmth bloomed in the center of June’s soul. Heat scorched her body from the inside. There was a slight twinge of pain as her bones reformed but it was over in seconds.

  Donovan quickly pulled her into his chest, hiding her nude form at the same time his hands ran over her, checking for injuries. June grimaced as the memory of bleeding out of her eyes, nose, ears, and mouth came to mind. She decided to not mention that. “I’m okay.”

  The alpha’s head nuzzled into her neck. “Never run off like that again, June. You scared the hell out of me.”

  “I won’t,” she swore, meaning it completely. She assessed his face for signs of disgust over her new form as she asked warily, “Well?”

  Her mate didn’t have to ask what she was talking about. Donovan’s eyes were soft as he grasped either of her cheeks, saying softly, “Strong and beautiful, both of you.”

  “Well, now that that’s over, can we—” the beta started, abruptly cutting herself off. Her hand flew up to her chest, covering her heart at the same time her eyes turned gold.

  “Beta?” Donovan asked, eyes narrowed.

  Thalia’s face had drained of color. Tears leaked from her eyes and a shaky laugh escaped her. “Marigold…she’s awake.”

  /CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE/

  It was no surprise to June that the next three days were spent alone, or mostly alone. During the day she went to Dani’s, finally having the time to meet the estranged Noah whilst her mate was elsewhere, either by Marigold’s side or trying to undo the damage that had been done.

  June’s evenings were often spent in a quiet stupor. She replayed every word Endymion had said along with Nyx. None of it made much sense and she was beginning to wonder how much a supernatural couple’s therapist would cost for the brokenhearted lovers.

  When she wasn’t thinking of them, she was counting down the hours, watching the hands on the clock move like molasses. Since the attack, Ashby had turned into a fishbowl. Outside the pack, the world continued to turn. Babies were born, birthdays were celebrated, and life went on. However, not for them, the shifters, who were burying one of their own.

  On the day of Kade’s funeral, the sky was cloudless. The music coming from the twittering birds didn’t fit the morbid air as June and Donovan moved through the trees. The journey from the packhouse to the burial clearing was a rough two-mile trek through the woods. Although signs dictated the way, Donovan never looked at them once. June had a sinking suspicion that he visited the memorial ground more than anyone else in the pack.

  During her reading, June had never come across anything about shifter burials. When she asked Donovan a few weeks back he simply stated that it was something only one could experience,
not learn about. At the time she had been curious but wasn’t anymore.

  There was a bitter taste in her mouth as she and Donovan passed the last sign. The clearing was larger than she anticipated, stretching a good half mile wide. In the center a makeshift altar rested. Most of the pack, other than the elderly and children who couldn’t make the hike, gathered around the pyre. On top of the wood rested a still figure that had been covered with wildflowers. Someone had dressed Kade in an elegant white and gold robe, his face covered by a thin lilac veil.

  The pack parted as June and Donovan approached, bowing their heads in a show of respect. However, most just stared. No one spoke as they approached Kade.

  Donovan spoke through their bond, “The flowers symbolize his connection to nature and the veil is a representation of the spirit realm.”

  “And the pyre?”

  “Our bodies are cages,” Donovan said. “Fire was created by the goddess as a means to free the souls of those who are no longer among us.”

  Standing in front of the stack of wood was a group of people June had come to know well. Kade’s family had come to a dinner hosted by her and Donovan to discuss how they were going to lay the enforcer to rest. In this modern time, most families opted to bury their dead in the pack cemetery rather than cremate them.

  Kade’s parents, Lydia, and Jerome, stepped forward as June and Donovan approached. Lydia’s voice was thick as she said, “We’re ready, Alpha.”

  Donovan dropped June’s hand to light the pyre, leaving her next to a red eyed Nora and a boy who was a younger version of Kade, no doubt his brother. Neither of them looked at her, their attention focused on the wood that had begun to smolder.

  The scent of pine and wildflowers filled the air as Donovan stepped in the front of the pyre. He held a makeshift torch in his right hand as he addressed the pack, “Kade Larson was a bright, kind, and brave young man. He showed his true colors to everyone he encountered. He was the best of us, and his sacrifice will never be forgotten. May his journey to the goddess be full of light and love as we part ways.”

  Lowering the torch, Donovan touched it to the ground, letting the leaves around the pyre catch fire. The flames traveled underneath the stack of wood and in seconds, encased the entire alter, smoke curling towards the sky.

  The silence had barely begun to settle when Nora stepped forward. Tears rolled down her face in a slow river. She held her head high, speaking clearly, “You say my brother sacrificed himself but that’s a lie. He was murdered. He was killed by…something…because you withheld information from us, your pack. Instead of being prepared, we were set up to suffer. So, I’m asking you right now, in front of Kade and the goddess, to tell us what’s going on.”

  “They won’t believe me,” Donovan spoke quietly through the bond. “It’s going to look bad but there’s nothing we can do other than leave.”

  June’s brows pulled together. Meeting his gaze, she shook her head and responded, “That’s how we got in this mess to begin with.”

  When Donovan stepped forward, June did too. The web they had weaved was tangled and instead of owning up to it, he wanted to run. But between the two of them, she had more experience in that field. Nothing good came out of trying to escape. They had avoided telling the pack to minimalize risk only to have it all fall on Kade in the end.

  His family deserved the truth.

  “We were attacked by what legend states is the father of the dream walkers. Except he’s not a myth. He’s as real as you are and he’s angry,” June stated, her voice carrying out across the clearing, never wavering. “He was once Nyx’s lover, but she abandoned him when he sire his children.”

  Nora’s expression relayed her speculation. She looked over her shoulder to the rest of the pack as if waiting for someone to protest. When no one did, she turned back to June. “Why did he wait until now to attack us? It can’t be a coincidence that all of this started when you arrived.”

  Murmurs among the crowd chimed their agreement. In her head, June willed Genesis to relax, reminding her that Nora was right.

  “I unknowingly aided Mion’s resurrection,” June confessed, praying that the pack would understand. “Marigold and Kade weren’t Lena’s only victims. She and a few hunter’s kidnapped Clark and left him to die in a basement without food or water. He was more dead than alive when we met. I thought I could help him by giving him the bite. But I was wrong. Lena took Clark, not because he was Marigold’s friend but because he was a direct descendant of Mion. When I bit him, I unknowingly strengthened their connection and aided not only in Clark’s demise but Endymion’s resurrection.”

  “Thank you for your honesty but this should have never happened,” Nora said. “None of us may have known Clark but I know most of us would’ve laid down our lives to save him. If the alpha had come to us for help, maybe none of this would’ve happened. My brother would still be alive, and our people wouldn’t be on the brink of war. Which is why I, along with a quarter of the pack, are asking Donovan to step down. We need a real leader, not someone who invites our very downfall into his bed….no offense.”

  June’s head whipped to her mate as he took a step towards Nora. Without thought, she moved in between the two, putting a hand on Donovan’s chest. Bright, glowing hues stared down at her for a long second, seeing her anxiety rise, he relaxed. Only once his eyes had faded back to oceanic blue, he spoke, low and steady, “I’ve been leading this pack for eleven years, since the night my father took his last breath. Under my care, no pack member has ever gone without. No one goes to bed without a roof over their heads and food in their bellies. I’ve sacrificed sleep, my wellbeing, and my life for you, for all of you. I never had to do that. I could’ve left whenever I wanted. Found a nice place in the woods for my mate and I where no one would ever bother us again. But I stay because I’m loyal to what our ancestors built out of nothing. I’m not a perfect man, which is why I now ask for your forgiveness. Give me a chance to fix this. I never asked for this job, but I would die for it.”

  A heavy silence settled over the clearing as everyone went still, waiting, and then, from the back, came one word, “No.”

  Donovan stilled when the crowd moved aside, allowing the speaker to step forward.

  June’s first thought was that Marigold didn’t look much different here than she did spirit realm. She was, however, considerably tanner and her black hair hung limp on her face. Her arm was looped through Thalia’s, her steps deliberately slow as the two made their way towards the burning pyre.

  “You shouldn’t be here,” Donovan gritted out, turning to glare at his beta. “She needs to rest. Take her back to the clinic.”

  For once, the ever-obeying Thalia looked torn. Her eyes shifted between her mate and her alpha. Marigold scoffed and patted Thalia’s arm. “Calm down, he won’t do anything to you. I have as much right to be here than anyone else. More than some, actually.”

  June narrowed her eyes at the jab and fought the snide comment Genesis was screaming at her to say. Instead, she calmly pointed out, “Your brother just wants what’s best for you, Marigold.”

  “Considering who he’s decided to mate, I seriously doubt he knows what’s best for anyone,” Marigold retorted. She glanced over to Nora. “Some members of the pack have aired their concerns to me over the past few days. I’ve come to the decision that Ashby needs to be guided in a new direction. As Rodan’s third born, I’m staking my claim on this land and enacting the Alpha Challenge.”

  The declaration didn’t sound like a big deal to June, but it must’ve been major because the pack broke out in a loud roar of protest and agreement. She was only able to watch the chaos for a second before the mate bond flared with anger and…fear. The emotions coming from Donovan almost had June on her knees.

  “Please tell me you aren’t serious,” Donovan begged his sister, “you know what this means—”

  “And?” Marigold snapped, hands on her hips. “I can’t put my life on hold any longer. It was fine when you
took over when dad died because I wanted to go to college. Now I know how naïve that dream is. I can’t live a normal life until I’m out of your shadow and neither can our people. We all know you’ll pick your mate over any of us which isn’t how this is supposed to be. The pack comes first but look at where we ended up, Donovan.”

  The alpha didn’t deny Marigold’s accusation. When he responded, there was no emotion in his voice, “If this is what you really want then I hope you’re prepared to face the consequences. You speak of the packs best interest but we both know that the challenge will only invite trouble to Ashby.”

  “We don’t even know if he’ll say yes,” Marigold deterred, scoffing. Her voice held no uncertainty, but her eyes shined with hesitation.

  Donovan stared at his sister. “I’ll arrange for a meeting with the elders in the morning. Until then, my main focus is laying our lost pack mate to rest.”

  He turned to the smoldering fire as he spoke through their bond, “What she said was true. If it came down to it, I would pick you over anyone here. I know that makes me a bad alpha, but I can’t live without you. I would sooner watch the whole world burn than have you be the one on that pyre.”

  Moving closer to Donovan, she grabbed his hand. Their eyes met for a fleeting second. “I know. I would do the same. I just hope neither of us ever have to make that choice.”

  Kade’s fire raged on. Hungry flames devoured the dry wood in minutes. When it reached the lifeless body, June stomach twisted and she turned away, burying her face in Donovan’s chest. One of his arms snaked around her waist and a hand cradled the back of her neck, acting as a shield between her and the world around them.

  Squeezing her eyes shut, June fisted Donovan’s sweater, praying to Nyx that this was just a dream. But it wasn’t because the scorched scent of burning flesh and the heat on her back was not something one’s mind could easily make up.

  “Almost over,” Donovan murmured softly, “it’s almost over.”

  June wasn’t sure if he was speaking to himself or her. He was still against her, like a marble statue that hadn’t wavered in centuries. She pulled back and looked up, only to see the reflection of fire burning in two blank eyes.