Everyone sat mulling over the words of the prophecy, Hyperion suggested going through the prophecy line by line. He gruffly addressed Mother Luna of the Starlight pack and her fey friend, "Ladies, would you mind repeating the first two lines?" Theia smiled encouragingly at them; she wanted to allay any nervousness her mate's gruffness created. He was not happy that, once again, their youngest children were thrown into more turmoil, and they were still recovering from the last battle of wits.
Mother Luna, as the elders were calling her, and Yanylla stood once more. Mother repeated the first line, "Where there should be one, there are actually two." She stopped and looked at her friend.
Yanylla spoke the second line: "Two becomes four and evens the score." They both stood waiting to see what would happen next.
Kane stood and started pacing; he stopped to impart his thoughts, "I believe the first line is obvious; it is talking about the moon goddess. Almost everyone believes there is only one moon goddess, and she is the creator of the werewolf species. However, those who are close to the family and of the trusted packs, know that two individuals make up the moon goddess. They are two of one and one of two. Meaning that they are twins which make up the one moon goddess and one soul split into two."
When Kane was finished explaining, everyone else started talking and agreeing that he was on to something. "Alright, that is the first line, but how do the two become four?" Crius asked his son.
Kane admitted, "I am not sure. I think the twins, who are the two, would become four if you count their wolves. The problem is I do not understand how that evens the score. What is the score? I am having trouble working it out."
Talon frowned as she kept turning it over in her mind. However, it was her sister Amara who chimed in, "No, the wolf and the human or god are one. The two halves make the one for all of us. So if the two halves make the one, then the twins, who are two who make the one, would need two more to make four. I think that the score may be the three packs and the reason they have been brought together. I just do not think we have figured out that reason yet."
"Wait," Rose exclaimed, "If the twins and their wolves are only two, what would make them four?"
Lorna jumped up and down excitedly as she announced, "Their mates! Each having a mate turns the two into four, evening the score. But what is the damn score?" Glancing over at Zeus she squeaked, "Sorry, Mr Zeus." Zeus nodded his head while trying to hide his smile. He was sure he had done the right thing in giving her to Crael. Lorna would keep him on his toes. Mentally, he patted himself on the back; the moon goddesses are not the only ones who make matches.
Hyperion interjects at this point, "Ladies, could we hear the next line, please?"
Mother spoke again, "Two side by side, One spread afar."
This time, Cronos jumped in: 'That's easy. Snow Moon and Moon Touched live side by side. Starlight pack lives further away. So if we are going on the theory that the prophecy involves the three packs, well, there is your explanation for line three.'
"Okay, then the fourth line, please," Hyperion ordered softly to avoid sounding domineering to women reciting line by line for them. He had already had his mate chew him out through their link for being so gruff with them. He even smiled at them but wondered why the fey looked like she wanted to run as fast as she could in the opposite direction of him.
His mate suddenly demanded through their link, "What are you doing? I said to be a little softer with your words. These women do not know you and your ways." He snarled back at her, "I am. I am even smiling at them as I ask them for the next line."
Theia laughed as she instructed, "Well stop it. You look like you have been constipated, and the slippery elm has kicked, and you can't find a toilet." Hyperion grumbled back at her, "Sometimes you can be so crude, woman." He then asked Yanylla to continue.
Yanylla stammered at first but stopped and repeated more firmly, "One of starlight travels the land to find the moons."
"Again, simple, if staying with our theme, the Starlight Pack just traveled from their land to here to meet up with Snow Moon and Moon Touched, the two moons, to discuss the prophecy."
"Once they arrived, Alpha Lorn met his mate, Selene, who is one of the twins. They became two, as did Alpha Nathan and Katia, reuniting to become two. So two plus two makes four. Hold on a second. Alpha Mark is mated to Luna Talon. They were mated strong. The other two couples—one set had not met yet, and the other was separated due to unfortunate circumstances — were separated due to unfortunate circumstances." Evelynn stopped there and checked to see Alpha Nathan's reaction to her explanation of his mating troubles. He just nodded his approval, and she continued, "The other two couples are now mated, so things have been made even. An alpha and luna for each pack. The score is even." Cronos leaned over and whispered something into her ear that made her blush, but she was beaming when she looked around at everyone.
Theia smiled at the young woman and addressed Mother Luna instead of her mate doing so, "Mother Luna, could you tell us the next line, please."
Mama nodded and recited, "The starlight and moons become one."
"Continuing on with the theme, it would seem to me that the three packs merge and become one big pack," Cade, Lorn's father, specified. At that, everyone started chattering at once about the three packs merging and whether the werewolf council would allow it. Is that something they all wanted to do? Who would be the alpha and Luna? How would that be decided?
Hyperion cleared his throat and stated, "I think the next line helps with some of the answers you all are asking for. It makes you all become one pack. Lady Fey, if you please."
Yanylla spoke once more, "Three pairs will rule with love and resolve."
Finally, Katia said, "The six of us, three alphas and three lunas, would rule together over one large pack. Love and resolve are the two most important traits needed to be an alpha or a luna. What is most important to Moon Touched is that everyone is loved no matter who they are and what they have lived. As Alpha Luna, I have the resolve to enforce the rules and move us forward to become what we want as a pack." Taking a breath and giving them all a chance to think about what she just said, Katia went on, "The alphas and the lunas all do the same thing for each of their packs. Merging them would make it easier for us to focus on the different things the packs want to accomplish and change."
Her father interrupted her, "Katia, my sweet girl, let me stop you there. I know you are excited to see what this prophecy will bring. Let us finish trying to decipher it first. He walked to Mama and said once more, "Mother Luna would you please tell us what the final line is?"
Mama repeated one last line, "And then the species will evolve." She and Yanylla sat down in their chairs once more and listened to the others interpret what they thought the final line meant.
This is where Nathan finally decided to express his thoughts: "I believe this line leaves things open to see what evolution we create with new ways of doing things and living together. Only time will allow us to see our evolution." All were in agreement with his analysis of the last line of the prophecy. Once all the wolves quieted down he suggested, "I think we should call it a night and reconvene tomorrow evening to discuss and vote on merging the packs. Once we decide that we can move on from there."
Katia agreed with Nathan's suggestion, adding, "Yes, let us all return to our homes and think about all we have learned. Think about questions to ask tomorrow night or suggestions. Everyone will be welcome to speak and help make this huge decision before us." She felt Nathan squeeze her hand in approval under the table, and she smiled at him. As the pack members left the pavilion area they said their good nights to their alphas and lunas. Once the last pack member had left, it was just a normal group of gods, angels, fey, vampires, and high-ranking wolves. They all sat there for a few moments, gathering their thoughts.
It was Hyperion who confronted Zeus, "I noticed that you were quiet throughout the night, Zeus. Was this not something you wished to be part of?"
Zeus sighed and revealed, "This is one of those times that I am not able to interfere with the outcome of a situation. The outcome affects the evolution of the werewolf species, and I cannot take part in that. This species is made up of two moon goddesses, and another god may not take part in shaping the outcome. So, I remained aloof and quiet from the conversation tonight. I just wanted to bear witness to the wonderous outpouring of compassion and love from this species towards all others."
Selene and Kaita both smiled at Zeus's compliment to their werewolf children. Lorna had something to impart and apparently thought it important, as she had her hand in the air and was waving it around. Cronos smiled at the young angel and informed her, "Lorna, you can just speak. You do not have to raise your hand and wait to be called upon."
Lorna grinned, "Thank you, Mr. Cronos, but I did not want to interrupt you elders. Anyway, all of the pack members among these three packs are compassionate and loving towards others, but some in the world are not. Many are here because of individuals like those I speak of. Those individuals are not just in our world but also in the human world. I just wanted to mention that."
Katia stood from her seat to walk to Lorna. Nathan released her hand and watched his mate make her way to the pretty girl angel. He watched as she scooted around some of the men she did not know and stopped in front of her new friend. She reached out, taking Lorna's hands. She pulled her from her seat, and his little mate threw her arms around the angel and just hugged her. Katia was murmuring to Lorna, yet they could hear her perfectly, with their supernatural hearing. She was thanking Lorna,"Thank you, my sweet angel friend, for making it known that there are those out there that mean us harm for no reason. I am sorry that you had to experience that and it ended your earthly life so young. However, I am glad that Zeus has brought you back to us in this way and that I have had the opportunity to get to know you and count you as a sister."
They each wiped the tears from each other's cheeks, and Lorna hugged the moon goddess back, saying, "I am sorry I was not strong enough to stop Thomas so he would never have the chance to hurt you. I am so happy you recognized me and found it in your heart to want to know and be my friend. I do not want to see anyone suffer the things you and I have suffered under another wolf or anyone."
Nathan came up behind Katia and wrapped his arms around her waist like Crael had with Lorna. Their woman needed a break from this, as he was sure Selene did. He cleared his throat and announced that the meeting would reconvene the next evening. He made the announcement by wishing everyone a good night and promising that the men would have a strategy meeting in the morning for the tag game with the children and that the woman would not interfere this time.
The women snickered and winked at one another, signaling that they would have their own meeting in the morning at the agreed-upon place.
Everyone dispersed and agreed they would see each other in the morning.