Chapter 17: The Moon Bearer
This is absurd. Esmee's mind screamed at her. There is no way that I could be the descendant of the mother of werewolves, the chances of that are astronomically slim. And yet, she approached the monument. Overwhelmed by the size of both the monument and the responsibility that loomed before her, begging her to take the leap. The concrete felt cold beneath her bare knees, as if the sun had never warmed it. Taking a deep breath, she unfolded the note Shilo had passed her and started to read.
"Master Moon, I am here." She said in a trembling voice. "I am here for your help. I face a challenge I cannot face, a challenge bigger than myself." The concrete started to warm up beneath her knees. Feeling emboldened, she continued. "Master Moon, I am here. I am here for your grace. Give me the power to face my challenge, and let me become the Bearer of the Moon." It was as if the moon on the monument that she knelt on was meant to become a street lamp, it glowed so brightly. What the hell is going on?! Esmee thought as she looked at Hunter. Is it meant to glow like that?
Hunter, meanwhile, was completely transfixed. In fact, it looked as if everyone who had gathered was completely enamoured by this glowing light. Hunter, for whatever reason had danced across his foriegn brain, knelt at the sight. And apparently it wasn't just Hunter. Soon everyone that had gathered, including Claudia and Savannah, was kneeling.
As soon as it had ignited, the light in the moon vanished.
"Well I guess we have our answer." Hunter broke the silence. "Respected Elders, Members of Sabercrown Pack, I would like to present to you the beautiful Esmee, The Moon Bearer."
"NOOOO!" A shriek tore through the sacred forest. "TELL ME THAT I AM SEEING A LIE!"
"I am sorry, ma'am." The peasant cowered in front of the terrifyingly shadowed figure. "The pensive is working perfectly. She really did become the Moon Bearer."
"Guards! Jail this useless peasant." She ordered. "Messengers, bring me Jason, Liera, Theodore, Harold, Parsiphe and Braria."
"Yes, Ma'am."
"Do you know how royally you FUCKED UP?!" She screamed as Jason and Liera were brought before her. "Guards, bind them and make them kneel."
"We're…"
"SHUT UP! DID I ASK YOU TO SPEAK?!" She yelled. "You have let the first part of the Pairs of Triplets prophecy happen, while not doing your part in MY PLAN!" The pair cowered in fear. "What do you have to say for yourself?"
"We didn't know about Hunter's plan." Liera responded. "Honest."
"Honest? HONEST?! BULLSHIT! You two are very lucky that I might be able to come back from this."
"Did I come at the wrong time, Your Majesty?" Harold asked as he entered the clearing.
"No, Harold. You came at just the right time. Is Theodore with you?"
"I am here, Your Majesty." Theo replied as he entered the clearing, kneeling in front of the throne. Penelope and Bella followed him.
"Good. That Esmee has completed her part of the prophecy. Make sure she doesn't survive till the Autumn Equinox. The sooner the better."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Harold, make sure that Savannah doesn't become the Sun Dancer."
"Yes ma'am."
"You know the punishment for those who fail me."
"We will not fail you." Theo, Harry, Penelope and Bella replied in unison.
"Good. You are dismissed. Guards, take Jason and Liera to the cells." The shadowed figure ordered.
"So, what now?" Esmee broke the silence by asking as she, Hunter, Shilo, Valentina, Claudia and Savannah sat in the living room of the pack house.
"Just because you are the Moon Bearer, my dear Esmee," Hunter replied. "Doesn't mean that you should become a werewolf at this stage. There is too much we don't know about the Pair of Triplets prophecy." Esmee could feel the knot of nerves in her slowly start to untangle.
"Is there anything else I should know about being the Moon Bearer?" She asked.
"Not that you don't already know." Hunter replied. "But if something does come up, you have access to the entirety of the pack library any time you need it."
"I think it is time for us to leave." Claudia said. "We will see you the day after tomorrow, Esmee." She kissed the top of her sister's head, just like Esmee used to do.
"I love you guys." Esmee replied.
"We know." Savannah said. "We love you too. See you then." With that, the pair of them vanished through the portal that was the front door of the Sabercrown packhouse.
"Well I guess that we should be hitting the sack." Valentina said as she and Shilo got up from the couch. "Good night."
"Are you okay?" Hunter asked once they had left the living room.
"How can I be okay? First my cruel parents arrange my marriage, to a werewolf no less. There are not one, but two prophecies about me, maybe even more, and now I have such an unpredictable future that I don't know up from down anymore. That scares me." She replied, bursting into tears. "At least under my parents roof I knew what was coming next."
"Come here." He said as he pulled her into a hug. "Is that better?" He asked after a few minutes.
"A little."
"Would you like me to come and spend the night with you?" He asked. "Not in a sexual manner, naturally."
"Yes, please."
"Alright. Let's go get ready for bed."