Chapter 22

Cheyenne's POV

"Koa? Koa, what's going on? Where are we?" I had no idea where I was. I couldn't feel Koa in my head anymore. My eyes fluttering to adjust to the bright light. Once I could keep them open, I scanned my surroundings. I had been here before. "Hello? Anybody there?" The field of wildflowers dancing with the slight breeze that was blowing in from the sea off in the distance. You could still smell the saltiness of it.

"Hello sweetheart." Her soft flowy voice wrapped around me but she was nowhere in sight.

"Selene? What…what's going on? Why am I…here?" I stammered out.

"My child, it's ok. Relax." I felt her warm soft hands grab my shoulders and slide down my arms to my hands, like she was holding them.

"It would ease some tension if I could at least see you. Please?" I asked softly. Selene appeared after a light laugh that you couldn't help but smile when you heard it.

"This better?" She asked with a smile on her face as she appeared in front of me.

"Yes. Thank you. I don't feel like I'm going crazy now, talking to someone who wasn't there." I say looking down at my hands that she was still holding.

"Sweetheart look at me." I reluctantly looked up into her eyes. "I know you're scared, but everything will be ok as long as you stay strong and focused. Please, come with me."

I followed her to the bird bath fountain, and she waved her hand over it showing me my parents. They were sitting in Alpha Nik's office with Alpha Brock. I was confused, why were they there? What happened? I tried to remember what happened to me, but the last thing I could remember was running through the woods, trying to get home and away from…my mate!

That word rang in my ears and echoed in my head. I couldn't believe it. My birthday wasn't for another couple weeks yet. I was only 17. I shouldn't have shifted yet. Omegas don't shift until they're 18, and we couldn't find our mates until we shifted.

"Selene, I'm so confused. How did I shift? I'm not 18 yet, and my mate? Please tell me what's going on?" I asked trying to fight back the tears. I was so frustrated that I was just ready to give up, on everything. "All these riddles and clues and all my hard work, for what? To end up dead before the war even started?"

"Sweetheart, you are not dead." I forgot, she's the Moon Goddess and knew all. "I will try my best to explain and fill in the gaps, but unfortunately I cannot reveal the future to you without possibly causing major consequences. Do you understand?"

I nodded my head to confirm that I did in fact understand what she was saying instead of voicing it out loud in fear that my voice would betray me and show how weak I really was at the moment.

"Right now, your parents and Alpha Brock are with Alpha Nik and they are getting details on your biological father. When Alpha Nik ran out on your meeting, he had went to the Doctor's office to learn about the results of your blood work. There it was discovered that you, my child, are the daughter to high ranking Lycan. One of the Originals."

I'm pretty sure my jaw hit the ground, or cloud, or whatever the bottom was in this place I was in. Selene's light laugh at my reaction surrounded me.

"How is that even possible? What does this mean then?"

"This is why you are my chosen one, sweetheart. You have the power from your father's side, but the knowledge and understanding from your mother's side. There will be no stopping the war from happening, but you will stop it from going too far. The outcomes of this war, they are unmeasurable at this point in time. I have seen multiple outcomes from this, but only a select few of them are promising. Which is why I called you up here. I need you to understand what is happening in order for you to make the right decisions along this path I have put you on."

"Oh so no pressure or anything right?" I rolled my eyes. "What about my mate? Won't I be weak without him? I only just found out moments before I…"

"Gunner will be just fine, sweetheart." Selene laughed. She's trying to help me win this war for our kind and I'm over here like a love-struck pup. "He will make you stronger and you will make him stronger. I paired him with you because of his strong nature, and his drive. He will not give up on whatever he sets his mind to, but he also does not forget who has wronged him. You two together will be, what's the term you kids use these days? A powerhouse?"

I had to chuckle at the fact that Selene was trying to use slang terms. She's a goddess and has been around as long as we have existed.

"Ok let's get down to business, shall we?" Selene said while moving her fingers through the water in the fountain. "Your father is the Lycan King. He is the most powerful of any lycan or werewolf. His health is deteriorating and that's why he has been hunting you down and sending others to hunt you down and bring you to him. He wants you to take his place. You are his only offspring. He had tried for decades but to no avail. He needs you so he can name you his heir and teach you their ways. Unfortunately, if you took him up on his offer, your mate would not be able to follow you, as they have very strict rules about not letting werewolves into their kingdom." Selene went on to explain everything and I couldn't believe any of it.

It just all seemed so surreal. I just found out that I'm a…princess? Yeah, every little girl always dreams of being a princess I guess, but this, this was just too much to process. What about my mate? How would he feel about this? He's only a beta in a werewolf pack. Would he reject me now because my status is actually higher than his? Do werewolves even recognize lycan status? I had so many questions. I was standing there looking into the water when I felt something soft touch my hand.

When I looked down at my hand, I saw solid white paws. Huge solid white paws. I would say they were bigger than my hands, but I was tiny all around for a human so that wouldn't even do it justice as to how big these paws actually were. I started to slowly look up the body of the wolf, taking in everything I could. The solid white continued up its legs, chest, neck, head; it was solid white toe to ear tip, nose to tail. Sparkling green eyes were looking back at me. This wolf was towering over me. It had to be at least 9, maybe even 10 feet tall. I stood there, rooted to my spot.

"Selene, why am I not scared? Why am I not even in shock at the size of this thing?" I asked without taking my eyes off the wolf in front of me.

Selene just chuckled, "Darling, do you want to tell her or should I?"

"Huh? What?" I twisted my head around to look at Selene. Who is she talking to?

I felt the wolf's nose on my shoulder and I looked back at it. "Sweetie, it's me." Was all it said, but that voice. I've heard that voice before. No, it couldn't be. Could it?

"Koa? Is that you?" my face contorted into shock now.

"Yes sweetie. It's me." She said as she lowered her head. I raised my hand to pet her between her ears. Her fur was so soft and thick.

"Although you are half lycan my child, Koa agreed to be your wolf. Her spirit has seen one of these wars before, and if there is a chance to end them forever, she will help you do it. She is the most determined wolf I have that wants to see these wars end. Koa lost her mate and family in the 3rd war." Selene explained to me while I was still lost in the size of my wolf.

"How is she so much bigger than even an alpha wolf?" I asked.

"That would be because of your lycan half sweetheart. Koa knew it would be a risky move to try to merge a wolf spirit with half of a lycan, but she fought and won for her place with you."

"Fought and won? Fought what?" I asked confused.

"No time for that now. I will let her tell you about that later. Right now, you are about to wake up. You will feel Koa there with you but only slightly. The witches used wolfsbane to subdue you to take you back to your father. Please do not be scared. The poison will wear off quicker with your lycan side then it does with regular werewolves. Do not push yourself. Not until you hear from Koa. In the meantime, play this to your advantage and gather all the information that you can from them. Your mate and the surrounding packs have already issued the alert. It won't be long until they find you. If you can, to help aid their process, reach out through the bond to connect with Gunner, and try to stay outside as much as possible so he and others can track your scent."

I nodded my head trying to remember everything she said when everything started to blur around me. I hugged Koa as tight as I could and whispered, "See you soon." At least I hoped I would.

Once again my eyes fluttered opened, but this time there was no bright light. I looked around the dimly lit room trying to figure out where I was. The Moon Goddess' words still ringing in my ears about connecting to my mate. It looked like I was inside a cave of some sorts, but it could also be an illusion. Knowing that they were working with witches, who knew what kind of spells were placed on me. Was I seeing what they wanted me to see?

I could feel Koa starting to stir in my mind and I couldn't be happier. "Koa, you ok?"

"Still weak but we'll burn the poison off soon. I will reach out through the bond to try to contact Gunner."

"How is it I've spent a whole day, plus first day of training, and never knew his name?"

Koa started laughing, "Oh sure, we're in a life-or-death situation and you're thinking about that."

"What if I don't want to think about the current situation?"

"What do you mean?" Koa asked confused.

"I don't think I want to be the chosen one, Koa. I'm not strong enough to do this. I'm overwhelmed and just want to give up. Just want to curl up in a corner and die." I was fighting back the tears at this point. I was thinking about my parents and Ty and Kira. They're all suffering now because of me; a nobody. I was nobody special.

"Sweetie don't think like that. All of werewolf kind is depending on us. Not just you. You are not alone in this. You have me. You are the Lycan Princess for Pete's sake. You think your family and friends are suffering now? What do you think it'll do to them if you just give up?" Koa was trying to keep her calm, but I could feel that edginess to her voice.

"I'm just tired of this already and it hasn't even started yet." I admit.

"Actually it has already started. They've got you. The emergency alert has been issued. Every werewolf is on the lookout for us. Do not give up hope sweetie. We have to fight through this. We have to play our cards right if we want to get out of here." Koa sounded so sure, but I still wasn't. "Now, let's get to work. Look around. Tell me at least five things that you can see?"

I sat up on the bed and crossed my legs, scanning the room I was in. If I had normal human sight, I probably wouldn't have been able to see shit with the light being so dim.

"Ugh ok. 5 things? One, oil lantern from the early 1900's. Two, oak Dresser. Three, queen size bed. Four, oak nightstand. Five, fireplace."

"Ok, good. Now what doesn't belong?" Koa asked.

"What do you mean?" I asked still scanning the room.

"Ok let's move on, maybe it'll help make sense. Name four things that you can feel." Koa tells me. I can tell she knows something, but she wants me to figure it out on my own.

"One, silk sheets. Two, cold draft. Three, my flannel shirt and shorts. Four, soft fur weighted comforter."

"Is it clicking yet? What doesn't belong?" Koa asked me again. I looked around the room again but was still not getting anything out of place. "No? Ok next step. Name three things you can hear."

"Is this really necessary?" I argued.

"Name three things you can hear." Koa sticking to her guns on this.

"Ok, Ok. Gesh." I closed my eyes and focused on my hearing, "One, trickling water that's echoing. Two, some people talking but I can't make out what they're saying. Three, some type of squeak? Bats maybe?"

"Ok, what doesn't belong?" Koa repeats. Holy sweet mother of baby Zeus. She's going to drive me insane. I didn't understand how this was going to help us get out of here.

"I have no idea Koa!" I let out a deep sigh and fell backwards back on the bed.

"Next, name two things you can smell." Man, I wish I could keep my cool like Koa was doing right now. She didn't seemed phased by any of this, and I wasn't sure if that was aggravating me more or not.

"One, earth. Two, salt water."

"I'm not even going ask. So just name one thing you can taste." Koa still calm as ever.

"I'm not sure what I'm tasting. It almost remind me of a musky smell if that makes any sense." I run my hands down my face, getting more and more aggravated.

"Ok good. Do you remember everything that you've named off for each of the 5 senses?" Koa asked me.

"Yeah?" I said more as a question than a statement.

"Ok now let's put them all together. Where does it look like we are in?" Koa asked.

"A room?"

"What kind of room? Come on Cheyenne, you're a smart girl. Think. I know you can figure this out." Koa taking on that motherly tone again.

I pulled the signature move from Winnie the Pooh and tapped my head saying 'think, think, think.' It was something I've always done since I was little. Every time I would have "special" moments, as Tyler called them, they would tell me to think about it and I would mimic Pooh Bear.

"Ok. I'm just going to think out loud here. Looks like we're in a cave den. I can feel the cold draft coming from the door over there," I point to the left side of the room. "Cold draft in a cave would explain the flannel pajamas. Wait, the fireplace…"

"Keep going…" Koa said.

"Well for starters, how do you get a fireplace in a cave?"

"Could've been blown out with explosives?" Koa asked but it didn't sound like she was actually asking, but more like leading me on.

"No, doesn't make sense. I'm in flannels. All my other senses point to being in a cave. The heavy comforter, flannel pajamas, the trickling water, the earth smell. So how do you get a fireplace in a cave?" I got out of the bed and walked over towards the fireplace. "And what kind of fireplace doesn't put out heat!?"

"Ding, ding, ding. We have a winner!" Koa said with more of a sigh of relief. "Took you long enough."

"You know I think I liked you better when you were acting sweet. There's only room in this body for one smartass." I said, and Koa actually laughed at me.

"Back to business sweetie. So we know your father, the Lycan King, had you abducted with the help of witches. Now there's an illusion of a fireplace in here. Would it be a stretch to assume that the witches have put a spell on at least this room to make us think that we're somewhere else?" Koa asked for real this time.

"I don't think that would be a stretch at all. I think you're actually right on point with that. So we can't really trust what we are seeing. Does that mean that they might have messed with our other senses?" I asked as I was still examining the fireplace, that wasn't really a fireplace.

"I don't think they're that smart. Unfortunate for them, but good for us. Now it's time to play the game. We have to play their game if we want to get out of here alive. I know that the Lycan King would have no issue lopping our head off." Koa said and I could actually feel her shudder at the thought.

"How do you know that Koa?" I asked. It wasn't what she said, but how she had said it that raised the question.

"That's another story for a later date, at which I promise I will tell you. For now, let's just focus on getting out of here?" She states.

"I'll hold you to that promise. Are you strong enough to try the bond thing?" I asked.

"I do feel a little stronger. We can give it a shot."

"Ok what do I need to do?" I asked heading back towards the bed. If I was going to pass out from this, I wanted to make sure I had a soft landing.