Mae POV
When I get home from my double shift, I am relieved to find that Tish has already left for work. She can read me like an open book, and I am not sure I would be able to keep this colossal secret to myself.
I tell Tish everything. She is my person. I cannot imagine my life without her. It is possible the reason I am running from Kieran is because I know I will have to leave Tish behind, and that is not something I am ready to do. As much as I hate to admit it, she is a staple in my life.
After spending the night with Tish and working an unexpected double shift, I am dead on my feet. Usually, I would want to wash the filth of the hospital off me, but today, I am too tired.
My feet drag as I walk to my bedroom. I shed my clothes as soon as I get into my bedroom and climb into my bed in just my bra and panties. My eyes grow heavy, and I immediately drift off to sleep.
I am sitting in a field of wildflowers. The sun is warm on my skin as I look at my surroundings.
Suddenly, there is a rustling of leaves, and it startles me. I glance behind me and see a massive black wolf sitting in the distance. Its piercing blue eyes are a stark contrast to its black fur. It doesn't look real.
The wolf whimpers and takes a step toward me, but I freeze where I stand. I am too terrified to move. This wolf could rip me apart quickly.
Even though fear is rushing through my veins, I feel myself being drawn to the wolf. My fingers twitch eagerly at my side, itching to run through the thick, black fur.
I take a step toward the wolf, and he immediately lays down. His big, fluffy tail is beating the ground behind him with anticipation.
He doesn't want to hurt me, I tell myself as I take another step toward the wolf. The closer I get to him, the harder his tail bangs on the ground. He lifts his head from the ground, and his tongue hangs out of the side of the mouth.
The look on his face is almost human. I have to do a double-take. "Kieran?" I whisper aloud.
"Actually, that is Kieran's wolf, Karr," a voice comes from behind me.
I squeal at the sound of someone else's voice and spin around quickly. Standing behind me is a woman with beautiful golden blonde hair and icy blue eyes. She is wearing a white gown that flows in the breeze. There is a golden circlet with a crescent moon in the center on top of her head. She is breathtaking to look at.
"Hello, Mae," the woman says as she pats her knee.
The black wolf, Karr, comes rushing past me, and she runs her fingers through his fur. A surge of jealousy washes over me as I see another woman touch Karr.
My emotions must be written all over my face because the woman chuckles and sends Karr to my side. He sits obediently at my side and looks up at me with wide blue eyes.
Hesitantly, I reach down and pet Karr on the head. He leans into my touch, and the same tingles that I felt when Kieran and I touched rush across my skin.
"He is very fond of you," the blonde woman says with a smile. "He doesn't take to people lightly."
I continue to run my fingers through Karr's fur, thinking about the woman's words, but I do not respond.
"He needs you," the woman continues. "Kieran and Karr both need you. They spent too much time in the darkness, and now you are their light."
I look at the woman and sigh. "Who are you?"
The woman chuckles lightly, and I swear the breeze picks up when she does. "I thought that would be obvious."
"You are the Moon Goddess," I say quietly.
"I am," the Moon Goddess says sweetly. "But you can call me Selene."
"This is real, isn't it," I respond. "This isn't a dream."
"Why can't it be both?" Selene smiles.
"Why are you here?" I ask.
"To ask you to give Kieran a chance," Selene says with a serious face.
"We are from two different worlds," I laugh. "It would never work."
"It will only not work if you don't give it a chance."
"What about Tish?" I practically cry. "I cannot leave her behind."
Selene sighs and opens her mouth to respond, but before she can, a loud banging interrupts my dream.
My eyes dart open, and I try to make sense of what I just dreamed. But perhaps it was just that, a dream. My wild imagination has been taking over since I met Kieran today and is invading my dreams.
Suddenly, the loud banging from my dreams echoes through my apartment, and I realize someone is at the front door.
I look out my window, and it is still dark outside. I groan as I get to my feet. I pull an oversized T-shirt over my head and approach the door.
Standing on my tiptoes, I look out of the peephole and see my ex, Jameson, standing in the hallway.
Leaving the chain lock attached, I open the door wide enough to speak with him.
"What do you want?" I say, peeping through the crack in the door.
"I have missed you," he replies. His words are slurred, and I know he has been drinking.
"Go home, Jameson. You are drunk." I say as I try to shut the door in his face.
But Jameson squeezes his hand in the doorway before I can shut it all the way. "I just want to talk about us," he slurs. "Just let me in."
"No," I grumble. "Go home."
"I said I want to talk," Jameson growls, and he pushes his body forcefully against the door.
The chain lock breaks away from the wall, and I am standing nose-to-nose with Jameson.