Zeus sat next to the bed where his son and mate were sleeping. He observed for any signs that his son, the demigod, his mate goddess, and his cousin to Zeus' bodies were not accepting the changes being made to their systems. His son, the earth realm dweller, was strong and had no problem protecting what was his. He had been protecting his younger sister for a few years now. Ever since their parents were killed in a rogue attack, Nathan's mother never knew she had slept with someone other than her mate, and Zeus' conscience would not let him forget it. Zeus had decided to look for his cousin, who was again in this realm, trying to obtain the gift bestowed upon her and her sister. He had come upon Nathan's mother walking along the waterfall, crying. He had looked into her mind and saw she had a mate. He disguised himself as her mate, going to her and wrapping his arms around her. She stood leaning against him and crying for a time. While she did so, Zeus watched her memories play out in her head. She desperately wanted a pup; however, she kept losing them. The pack doctor did not know why. Both she and her mate were healthy. There was no reason she could not carry a pup to term. Each time she had become pregnant, she made it to her second trimester and then miscarried. The last was a few months ago.
Zeus looked through her system and found remnants of bloodbane, a mix of wolfsbane and angelica root. Someone was poisoning the pack Luna and killing her offspring. He had done this only that one day and loved her from afar. He loved his goddess mate Hera, but something about the young Luna fascinated him. He gave her the child she wanted and erased her memories. They were a young mated couple, and Zeus knew their bond ensured that they mated that night or the next. She would discover she was pregnant and never knew Anyone but her mate was the father. When Nathan came along, the couple was ecstatic, and then Dalia came along. Zeus had discovered that a young she-wolf was the one causing Luna to lose her babies because she thought the alpha would reject her for not giving him an heir. She would make herself available to the alpha and give him his heir. He would then make her his mate, Luna. Zeus killed her, and no one ever asked what happened to her. She was thought to have gone rogue because her mate had rejected her.
Zeus' heart wept for Nathan's mother when she had been killed. He spoke with Hera and told her of his indiscretion with the she-wolf. He had paid dearly for years before Hera forgave him. She did agree to help watch over Nathan and his pack. Hera was furious with him for what he had done to get his way with Nathan's mother and felt the pups did not deserve her anger. Over the years, she loved the two children like her own. When they needed to hide Kane, they went to Nathan and spoke with him. He agreed immediately, which did not matter. He did not know he would be hiding and protecting his cousin. The two were best friends and were never far from one another. Kane is part wolf because his father has an affair with a she-wolf before falling for his goddess mate. Kane was hidden in the Snow Moon pack to protect him from his grandfather, Uranus.
The two demigod cousins grew up together and were best of friends; now Zeus is taking his turn to watch over the alphas, Lunas, and the wolves that fill out the pack's hierarchy. His son and his mate lay peacefully in a deep sleep Gaia has them in. Zeus worries about the two and what this may do to their relationship. He is worried Nathan may have issues with the new abilities they will have and how to control his wolf counterpart. When they come out of sleep, Gaia informs Zeus that the wolf counterpart will work more closely with the human counterpart. The wolf will be as strong as the human and share everything. It wasn't just Nathan Zeus worried about, though; it was all the wolves and their pups. If Nathan could not show how to adjust and work with having their wolf a part of them at all times and not resting curled in the back of their mind part of the time, then this prophecy may wipe out this pack.
Katia and his son have been through so much in this lifetime and the others that they do not remember their souls being together. Would this change bring those memories into the light? Would Katia be able to handle those memories returning? Zeus had personally made sure they were buried during the time Lucifer kept Katia and Selene's souls bound to his. He was worried she would be unable to tell the difference between a century-old memory and what had happened to her in this lifetime. Sometimes, being a god, goddess, or titan was worse than not being one. If the girls were ordinary wolves, they would not have lived so many different lives in this realm. If they had been born titans to their titan parents and not goddesses like them, they would not be able to remember everything from those lives. Although they dealt with Uranus and fulfilled the first prophecy, this second one surprised Zeus, and it wasn't enjoyable to find out that his mother was a part of it and knew about it. Rhea could have told him she knew Gaia's plans and helped her with some of them. Zeus sighed and looked at his son once again.
"I am sorry, Nathan, that I tricked your mother to have her. It was selfish of me, but I cannot be sorry for giving her a child and having you as my son. Now that you are figuring yourself out, you have become more than I could ever be as a man. I wish I could tell you this while you were awake, but I know you want Nothing to do with me as your father. I was happy to be there and fight with you in Uranus' little games he was playing. Maybe we could be friends for at least one day. I know you tolerate me for Katia's, Selene's, and Kane's sake." Zeus said as he watched the couple snuggle closer to one another and sigh.
Hera walked into the room where the alphas and the rest of the ranking wolves were sleeping. She knew that Zeus had the duty of watching over them today, and she was worried that he would get lost in sorrow over things he could not change. She heard what Zeus said to his youngest son and smiled at how loving he sounded to the man. Hera believed that Nathan was proud to have Zeus as his father. It hurt the boy deeply when Zeus told him he was disappointed in him and his treatment of Katia. Nathan does not know how to reconcile his feelings for the man who raised him, thinking that Nathan is his son. She spoke softly as she approached her mate, putting her arms around his waist, "He doesn't hate you, you know? He feels he is betraying the man who raised him, thinking he is his son. He is doing his best because he doesn't know how to deal with those feelings right now."
Zeus lifted her chin and looked into her eyes, "He spoke with you about it?"
Hera said, "No, I heard him speaking with Kane."
Zeus grunted, and Hera chuckled, "He will come around. Stop worrying; everything will be fine."
"I don't know, they have been so quiet and peaceful; I feel like this is the quiet before the storm," Zeus complained to his beautiful woman. She could be so angry with him one moment for his stupidity and loving to him the next when she knew he needed her. She always forgave him. After Nathan's mother, he swore he would never wander again, and he did not. He did not want to tempt the fates. They could be vindictive S.O.B.s.
Gaia appeared suddenly, saying, "You are correct, Zeus. This is the calm before the storm, as you put it. Within the next few days, the fun will begin. Their bodies will start morphing into what they will become. It will not be pleasant. I am sorry they all will have to endure the pain. However, when it is time for them to awaken, I will remove those memories."
What will we need to do to help them?" Hera wanted to know. She hoped she was misunderstanding and that Gaia did not mean all of these wolves were about to suffer painfully.
Grimacing, Gaia replied, "Nothing. There will be Nothing you can do but speak to them and reassure them that all will be well when this is over. I am sorry, but they must suffer to become what they are destined to be."
Hera whispered, "Mother, the children too?"
A tear ran down the mother of earth's cheek as she imparted, "Anyone under 16 will not suffer too terribly. They will feel as if their bodies are on fire. Their bodies are being prepared for the first time they receive their wolves and shift. Anyone 16 and older, unfortunately, will suffer tremendously as their bodies completely change so they may become what they are meant to be."
She explained what little she had done to them and opened a communication link to everyone involved in keeping the wolves and other supernaturals safe. That way, she did not have to explain more than once. Gaia started walking toward the door; she wanted to be with Sir Demon during this next part; he would suffer more than any of them. She stopped, telling them, "Those not of the wolf's blood will suffer the most during this portion of the prophecy. I am sorry; this is what must happen." She left the room and hurried to Sir Demon's room.
Just as she arrived at his room, she heard a roar and scream come from the room she had just left. Gaia drew in a deep breath and let it out. For once, she was not heavy with new life. Her daughter believes it is because she is creating a new life differently now. A blood-curdling scream and roar came from someone else in the alpha room just as a roar was sounding from the occupant in the room she was about to enter.
Gaia turned the knob, pushing the door open she walked in and gently shut the door. Rhea was calmly wiping the demon's forehead and whispering calming words. She waited for Gaia to stand beside her as Sir Demon roared in pain again. Gaia took hold of the man's hand as she stated, "It has begun."