*Maddox*
The sun is coming up as I sit outside of a makeshift tent near Isla’s Aunt Mary’s house—if one can even call it a house. It’s an old cabin that’s sort of falling over. The other wolves with me have volunteered to fix it up for her in exchange for her defeating the witch who was trying to kill us. Miraculously, none of my people were killed.
Mystica is tending to the gash in my head. We are sitting beneath a giant palm tree, lush and green with plenty of fruit, unlike all of the trees we saw walking into this place before Isla and her aunt lifted the curse yesterday.
I’m ready to leave, but Isla gave me a piece of her mind for even suggesting it yesterday. She called my bluff, so what choice do I have but to stay here and make sure that she and my unborn son get home safely?
“She’s quite brave and strong, you know?” Mystica is still dabbing at the wound with some sort of medicine that smells like mint—and ass. I’m not sure whether it’s meant to be refreshing or make me puke.
“I know.” That’s all I say in response. She’s not wrong. Isla has surprised the hell out of me recently. I had no idea she was capable of coming all the way here to defeat this evil witch. Now, it shouldn’t be too difficult for her to access the treasure that was stolen from my land all of those years ago, considering it seems the curse is lifted.
Then, as soon as the Blood Moon is over, we’ll be able to return to my kingdom and announce to everyone that we are going to be giving birth to the heir soon. Hopefully, no trouble has bubbled up there while I have been away. If it has, I’ll just have to trust in the people that I’ve left in charge to keep things under control until I return.
Having had no sleep, it’s difficult for me to listen to Mystica’s lecture about how I’ve underestimated the princess all along, and I should do a better job of respecting her. Perhaps she’s right. I have a lot to consider.
When I met Isla, she was just a frightened little girl. It hasn’t been all that long ago, not even a year, and now, when I look at her, standing across the yard with her aunt, her arms on her hips in a defiant, strong stance, I have to think she isn’t that person anymore.
The only question is, did she become someone better—or not?
“Well, you’ll probably have a scar,” Mystica says, pulling out a needle and thread. “But I’ll put a few stitches in it to keep it closed up.”
I sit still while she does just that, not really feeling the sting of the needle. At the moment, I feel numb to almost everything.
“You should speak to her,” Mystica tells me as she’s finishing up. “Let her know that you see her as a respectable leader, a strong individual, the kind of person who can rule a kingdom with you.”
I turn to look at the healer, not sure how to respond except for my normal line. “I have said all along I will not be taking a second Luna.”
“Yes, but wasn’t that before you realized you had a second chance mate, Alpha?”
My forehead furrows. “What? Isla’s not my mate.”
A smile brightens her face as she chuckles. “You are further into the stage of denial than I thought you were. We all know that’s not true. Even Isla. And she’s not old enough to feel the mate bond yet.”
I continue to stare at Mystica as she packs up her bag and heads over to another wounded warrior. Has the woman finally lost her marbles?
Or… is she right?
Staring at Isla, I try to consider whether or not the deep attraction I’ve felt for her all along could possibly mean that she’s my mate.
If she is, if I do truly have a second chance mate, that’s both terrifying and compelling. The Moon Goddess rarely gives anyone a second chance. And she certainly wouldn’t give someone a second chance at finding true love if they were responsible for killing their first mate.
But I was there when Rebecca died. I gave her the drugs she took—the ones that killed her. I shouldn’t have. I knew that she had an addiction, but she asked me to hand them over to her….
That night flashes before my eyes, so vividly, it’s like a vision, a dream. I close my eyes and watch it all play out before me again.
Rebecca begs me to give her another hit from her drawer. She doesn’t want to get up to get it herself. I tell her she’s had enough, but she’s pleading for it, saying it’ll make the sex so much better. I am wondering why sex with me is so awful that she needs drugs to make it better, but she always says that’s not why…. I hand it to her. A few minutes later, she’s having a heart attack.
I can’t save her. None of the healers can save her. Not even Mystica.
Later, they’ll tell me that the dosage she had was so high, it would’ve killed a man twice her weight. How did I fuck up and give her so much?
“You didn’t.”
My eyes fly open, and Isla’s Aunt Mary is standing in front of me. Confused, I stare at her for a moment. “I didn’t… what?”
“You didn’t give her that much.” She sits down in front of me, right across from me, like this is an interrogation of some sort.
“H-how do you know….” I begin, but then I remember she’s a witch, and it’s silly of me to ask questions about how she knows things.
“She’d already taken far more than she was telling you. In fact, for months, she’d been taking what would’ve been a lethal amount for most people. Adding it on more and more, playing with fire.”
I shake my head. “Why would she do that?”
“She wasn’t happy, Maddox. She had secrets, things she never told you. Rebecca is not the perfect woman you have in your mind. She knew all along she couldn’t measure up to what you thought she was, and she was terrified you would find out.”
“But—” I stop speaking. Do I even want to know?
“The visions I see are quite clear. The drugs. The men. The broken promises. She was going behind your back and speaking to your enemies as well. You have it in your head that she was some perfect Luna, that she always knew what to do or what to say, but that’s not true. And she had made some deals she couldn’t get out of, so she was beyond depressed and reckless. She loved you, but she loved her family more, wanted to help her father.”
“Help her father… what?”
“Gain the throne, of course,” Mystica tells me. “You must take caution, son. You think that Trinity is trustworthy while she is considering bending the knee to her own father and uncle even now. While you are away, the factions are playing. You have time, don’t worry. We will finish what we came here for, but then… you will return, and you must put a stop to this. Trust in the Moon Goddess. Trust in your mate.”
My eyes go to Isla. She is speaking with Poppy and her brother Ben now. The sun glints off her golden locks, making her look even more radiant than usual. Like an angel.
“Do you think that the Moon Goddess would give you, the Alpha King, a mate that isn’t capable of leading? Isla has been raised to be an obedient young woman, one who follows directions well, but she isn’t a pushover. She isn’t some naive little flower. Not anymore, anyway. She knows her own strengths and powers now. If you allow her to be, she will be the strongest Luna your kingdom has ever seen.” Her eyes are wide, her hands spread on either side of her.
Isla turns and looks at me briefly then before turning away. She’s still angry at me for threatening to leave her and our baby here the night before. I have said some things to her that I shouldn’t have said.
With a deep breath, I tell Aunt Mary. “You’re right. I need to figure out how to respect her as a woman and a leader.”
“And as a Luna.”
I’m not sure my mind will let me process that possibility at the moment, but I find myself nodding.
For the entire time that we are at Aunt Mary’s house, I say very little to Isla, mostly because she is avoiding me. I can’t blame her. I’ve been unfair to her. I do wish she hadn’t made this dangerous journey behind my back, but what’s done is done now. Of course, I never would’ve let her come if I had known.
Finally, on our walk to the waterfall, the spring, and the pool of water that grants new life, we have time to talk. The moon is beginning to rise overhead, and I make my way to her, tugging gently on her arm.
“Can I speak to you for a minute?” I ask in a low whisper.
“Not if you just want to tell me how wrong I am, how dangerous this is. I already know how you feel, and I don’t need to hear it again, Maddox.” She doesn’t jerk her arm away, but she also isn’t looking at me.
“No. It’s not that.” Finally, her eyes are focused on my face. “Isla, I’m sorry I haven’t given you the trust you deserve. This has all been very difficult for me. I’ve always blamed myself for what happened with Rebecca. I never felt like I deserved another Luna. I was always afraid, if I took one, I’d end up doing something to kill her, too.”
“But you didn’t kill Rebecca,” she says, looking me right in the eyes. “Everyone knows that, except for you.”
“No one else knew what really happened. No one else was there,” I remind her.
“Mystica ran the toxicology reports, though, right? Wouldn’t she know? Seth was there when you confided in him what happened. Wouldn’t he know? The only people blaming you are you—and her family. And they’re just doing it because it’s a good excuse to find a weakness in you. Tell me, Maddox, how did you know I’d left the castle?”
The look in her eyes tells me she has suspicions, ones I’m not sure of. “Trinity called me and said she couldn’t find you. She was concerned.”
A laugh spill from her lips as she shakes her head. “Trinity knew exactly where I was. Did she give you the book?”
“She knew?” My eyes widen. Why did she pretend like she didn’t know if she had that information all along? We wasted valuable time looking for clues, and she already knew.
“The book?” Isla repeats.
“I found it. In your room.”
“In plain sight, no doubt.” Isla stops and turns to face me. “I know you care about Trinity. I did, too. She has been playing both of us, Maddox. That only means one thing. She’s in this for herself. When we get back, we’ll have to figure out what her angle is. You can’t trust her anymore—and neither can I. Otherwise, she would’ve just told you the truth. And if I could trust her, well, you wouldn’t be here.”
I’m not sure what to do with that information, but that’s two people with magical powers who have recently told me not to trust Trinity. I’d better believe her.
We walk between some large palm trees, and in the distance, I hear it—the waterfall. A few moments later, we are standing in front of the most majestic body of water I’ve ever seen.
“There it is,” Aunt Mary proclaims. “The pool of life.”
* * *
*Isla*
“The pool of life.”
Aunt Mary stops in front of a crystal clear pool of water that shimmers in the light of the Blood Moon. A slight tinge of pink casts down on it from the crimson orb above us. This is it. It’s time for us to free the treasure and return the Diamond of Faith to its rightful owner—Maddox.
Since I arrived on the island, I’ve found myself to be far stronger than I ever imagined I might be.
I’ve stood up to a witch and defeated her, trekked through the jungle, lifted a curse, and found a sacred pool with life-giving powers.
Perhaps what’s been the hardest task to complete of all of them, though, is telling Maddox no.
I will never forget the look on his face when I stood up to him and told him that I was not leaving until my mission was complete, and if he wanted to go back without me or his son, that was his prerogative, but the baby would be staying here with me.
He’d been bluffing. I knew that. Not only did he care about me getting hurt, but he also didn’t want his baby to be left behind here, even though there didn’t seem to be any more threats to our safety. When the witch of the woods exploded in a dazzling display of light, so did all of the threats. Since then, the only wolves we’ve encountered have been thankful ones who’ve sought us out to thank us for lifting the curse. We hear the sounds of buildings being rebuilt all over the island. Maddox and his people helped rebuild Aunt Mary’s home, and with the treasure we are about to discover, Maatua will have plenty of money to rebuild everything—including the palace.
Now that it seems clear that Maddox doesn’t want me to stay behind, I will be leaving it up to my aunt and cousin to determine who will rule here, but I have a feeling Antony will make a fair and just king. He might not be the most trustworthy wolf I’ve ever met, but he loves this place fiercely, and he’s willing to do whatever it takes to fix Maatua.
I’ll have time to think about that later, though. Now, I need to go with Aunt Mary to find the treasure.
“It’s behind the waterfall,” she reminds me. I nod, remembering I’d heard that before.
The two of us wade into the pool, which is shallow enough for us to walk along the bottom. The water around us glows in a soft blue light, the same color as the magical beams that we shoot from our hands. It only takes a few moments for us to cross to the waterfall. Behind it, there appears to be a sheer rock face of the cliff, but when Aunt Mary lifts her hand, the light shines right through it, and we can see the treasure lying behind.
I hear gasps from behind me, but I don’t turn around. I don’t think it’s just the people that came with us who have been drawn here tonight. I’m guessing everyone on the island wants to see this magical event unfold.
“Give me your hand,” Aunt Mary instructs me.
I do as I’m told, feeling the vibrations of magic flowing off her body.
“Now, lift your other palm toward the moon. You will absorb the magic from the Blood Moon, I will shoot through you and out my hand to the treasure. We will call upon the Moon Goddess to help us release the treasure.”
“What do we say?” I ask her.
With a smile, Aunt Mary says, “You’ll know.”
Nodding, I suck in a deep breath and then raise my hand. I close my eyes, and as the power from the moon heats my hand, I feel my entire body begin to vibrate just as Aunt Mary’s was doing.
I’m compelled to speak; and we begin a chorus of the same words, spoken in unison.
“By the power of the Moon Goddess, we ask you please, unlock this treasure and return it to your people who serve you with love and devotion.”
We say the same phrase several times until a blinding bright light fills the sky. It’s so bright, I can see it through my closed eyes.
It’s just a flash, but when it fades, I open my eyes and see that the rock has been peeled away. In front of us is a cave full of treasures.
Behind us, the crowd erupts with cheering. Aunt Mary wraps me up in a hug. “We did it!” she says. “We did it!”
I can barely breathe—let alone reply. I hug her back, but I’m not looking at the treasure in the cave.
No, my eyes seek out the other treasure that I’ve already claimed for myself. The Alpha King. He is standing near the edge of the pool, ready to leap in if I need him, a proud smile on his face.
I have shown him, finally, that I am not the same timid little girl I was when he first met me. No, I am a strong, capable woman, one worthy of being his Luna Queen. I think, at last, he sees it too.
Antony leads the way into the cave, but others follow him. Everyone is so happy, I don’t think there’s any reason to fear a fight or anyone trying to steal things for themselves. Even if someone did pocket a coin or two, there seems to be plenty to go around.
I’m about to head back to Maddox, to get out of the water and dry off when I feel a hand on my arm. Turning around, I’m looking into a pair of yellow eyes.
“Thank you, cousin,” Antony says. “We couldn’t have done this without you.”
Smiling at him, I think maybe he’s not so bad after all. “Thank you for coming to find me and believing in me.”
Shrugging, he says, “Not sure I always had all of the faith in the world. But I do now. Literally.” He winks and then hands me something before walking away with his mother.
When I look down into my palm, I see the largest gemstone I could ever imagine. It’s huge, almost the size of my hand. Crystal clear and shimmering in the moonlight, I know what this has to be.
The Diamond of Faith.
Closing my eyes, I raise my face to the heavens. “Thank you, Moon Goddess, for this blessing. Let us serve you well for all of our years.”
With this gem in our hands, the other pack Alphas will fall into place. Peace will be restored to the kingdom, and Maddox will be able to reign with no more war or talk of overthrowing him. Rubbing my belly, I realize, so will my son.
With the stone in my hand, I cross the waters back to where Maddox is waiting for me. He has a wide grin on his face. “You did it, Isla. I’m so proud of you. I love you so much.”
“I love you, too.” My lips meet his, and the sparks that fly are almost as profound as the ones that broke the curse and freed the treasure. When we pull apart, I look into his eyes and say, “Let’s go home. Back to your kingdom.”
Maddox replies, “You mean our kingdom, Luna.”