Chapter 98: Ariel Almighty

ARIEL

I jolt awake, still feeling Selene’s powers flowing through my fingertips.

I want to go for a run, to let my wolf out. I feel the power in my body and in my soul.

~I haven’t felt like this in forever.~

With everything that has happened in my life—the Hunters, the rogues, Xavier, the fight with the president of the humans, and now Fate—I’m perpetually on guard.

It’s like restless legs syndrome of the mind, having to be constantly moving in case something is on my tail.

But now, I feel like the Moon Goddess has restored my confidence, put my mind at ease.

I take a big stretch while still lying in bed, lightly nudging Alex awake.

“Morning sleepyhead,” I say, leaning over and giving him a kiss.

Alex grumbles at being stirred, tolerating my kiss rather than reciprocating.

I take it one step further and clamber on top of him.

~Goddess I’m feeling like I’m walking on clouds.~

“Come on Alex,” I say as my mate tries to bury his head in his pillow. “Let’s get up; it’s a beautiful day.”

“Where is all this energy coming from? I’m usually the first one up,” he mumbles.

I lightly slap his chest before climbing off the bed and removing all my clothes.

“I’m grabbing a shower; come join me,” I say, padding through to the en suite.

I let the warm jets of water flow over my head and shoulders, and run in streaks across my frame.

I relive the dream I had last night about the Moon Goddess.

I can’t explain it, but touching her changed something within me.

Alex doesn’t come and join me, so I finish up in the shower, dry off, then move to the mirror to begin combing my hair.

And that’s when I see it.

Pulling my curls back exposes a thin strip of blinding white hair, about an inch across, heading from my roots to right down to my ends.

It’s a stark contrast to my usual chestnut brown color.

~Where did that come from?~

~I didn’t see it last night when I went to bed.~

~Did Selene do this as well?~

~I actually don’t mind it. It’s pretty badass.~

It’s my own little slice of divinely inspired style.

I comb my hair to show it off, then get dressed.

I’m almost skipping down the stairs, I feel so alive.

I jump the last three stairs and skid across the recently polished floor of the foyer.

I head out to the breakfast table in the garden, where my sister, mother, and father are currently sitting.

“Morning,” I say, breaking into a wide smile.

Dianne’s jaw drops open when she sees me. Natalia stops in the middle of feeding Xavi, the spoon of baby food hovering just out of reach of his mouth.

“Ariel…you’re…you’re…,” Dianne starts.

“Blonde!” Dad chimes in. “It suits your sunflower eyes.”

I give my dad a hug before sitting down next to him.

“It looks like you’re glowing. Like radiant!” Natalia finishes.

“I feel good today. Like full of energy,” I say, trying to respond in terms they’ll understand.

“And your hair…,” Dianne says again, standing up and moving over to me to get a better look. I playfully twirl the white-blonde lock, feeling my fingers tingle with electricity.

“Hey, what are you—” I start before Dianne places her cold hands against my stomach, making me take a sharp intake of breath.

“I know what it is…,” Dianne says dramatically. “There will be an heir to the Royal Pack throne in a few months.”

I roll my eyes.

“I think I would know if I was pregnant, Mom,” I say, pushing her hand away from my stomach.

“I know better than anyone else at this table. Your skin glows, you feel full of energy, your appearance changes.”

“Your hair changes color?” I say skeptically.

“Well…I haven’t heard of that one,” Dianne says, sitting back down at the table.

“If you’re so full of energy, do you want to take ~this~ bundle of energy to the nursery with me?” Natalia says, getting up from the table. “I haven’t slept all night because of him!”

“Sure thing! Anything for my favorite nephew!” I say, picking him up from his high chair and giving him a kiss on the cheek. “Ready to go?”

NATALIA

“So, how’s Chuck?” Ariel says as we walk to the nursery, each holding one of Xavi’s hands to keep him upright while he toddles.

“He’s good… I’m just a little worried,” I say, looking down at Xavi. His legs give out, and Ariel and I hoist him back onto his feet.

He giggles with delight.

“Xavi?” Ariel says, and I nod slowly.

Ever since we left all animosity between us behind, it’s like she can now sense my emotions.

I never thought I would be close to my sister, but now she’s the only one I feel confident in confiding in.

“How do I tell him about Xavi?”

Ariel purses her lips, looking deep in thought.

“I guess…you just have to be honest and introduce them,” she finally says, looking down at her nephew.

“But what if he rejects him like Xavier did?” I say, feeling tears form at my eyes.

“Oh my Goddess, are you crying?” Ariel says. She stops and turns to me, laying a soft hand on my shoulder.

“No, it’s fine, it’s all good,” I say, dabbing away my tears.

“I guess what I meant to say was that Charlie may find it surprising, but that a lot of wolves never find their mates, so you’re two of the lucky ones.”

Ariel continues: “We all have history—you, him, me, Alex, Marius…all of us. You are destined mates, so you already have a deep connection, but honesty is the best foundation for a good relationship.”

Ariel looks straight into my eyes. “You may be destined mates, but if he is not one hundred percent behind you and accepting of your history and baggage, leave his ass.”

Ariel gives me a wink as we get to the door of the nursery.

~Tell him the truth… There’s a lot more to my story than just Xavi. When he learns about Xavier…how will he react?~

Ariel gives me a quick hug and Xavi a kiss before wheeling round and nearly running into Dom.

ARIEL

“Ariel, we need you!” Dom says, panting.

It looks like he’s just run a marathon to find me; he can hardly finish a sentence.

“The warriors tracking Xavier…he ambushed them. We’ve brought the injured to the barracks!”

I start running without a moment’s hesitation.

I feel my wolf pushing at its boundaries. I want to shift, to get to my injured comrades in arms as fast as I can.

I fly through the door to the barracks and am greeted with a horrifying sight.

The floor is caked in blood.

Six warriors, ones I trained, ones I know, lie side by side on cots, all screaming out in agony.

Pack doctors try to stop the flow of blood and tend to injuries, but the warriors are delirious with pain.

Even Alex and Vivian have been brought in to help, but neither are making much of an impact.

Vivian seems particularly out of her element. But she wants to be a useful member of the pack, so she puts on a brave face and fetches bandages and morphine.

Alex looks up from a young warrior, and his eyes connect with mine.

“Ariel…help us,” he implores.

My heart drops into my stomach.

I’ve never used my powers in front of a large group before.

~Will I be able to perform with everyone watching?~

Not to mention, I’m usually exhausted after healing one person.

~Can I even save all of them?~

~I’ll start with those in the worst condition.~

I take a deep breath and steel myself for the pain I’m about to experience.

I stride purposefully over to a warrior, who has been left alone by the doctors.

His name is Richard. He’s only just turned nineteen, barely at the start of his adult life.

A deep claw mark stretches from his hip to his shoulder, and his jugular looks mangled, as if he has been bitten. Both wounds ooze blood.

The only indication that he’s still alive is that his eyes are flickering open and shut.

~How could Xavier have done this?~

~This is who Fate wants me to be with? What does that say about me?~

~He destroys and I heal?~

Richard’s lips move, but he’s too weak to produce sounds.

I lay a hand down on his chest and close my eyes, concentrating.

~“Selene. Please help him. Please let him survive.”~

I feel warmth flow through my body and into my fingertips.

I wait for the energy to leave my body…but the heat just keeps flooding through me.

I look down to see Richard’s fatal wounds magically stitched back together.

“Ariel…,” Alex approaches and stands next to me. “Are you okay?”

He places a hand behind my back, ready to catch me if I feel light-headed.

“Alex…I’m good. I’m ready for the next one,” I reply, rolling up my sleeves.

I step around Richard to his comrade, David, another teenager I trained, who only graduated training two weeks ago.

I place my palms upon him and concentrate my power.

Alex stays behind me, ready in case I collapse due to the energy draining from me.

But I remain upright.

Over the next ten minutes I move from squad mate to squad mate, my friends and training partners, placing my hands upon them and letting the warmth of the Moon Goddess flow through them.

After I’m done, not a single scratch is left on the squad.

“Ariel, how did you do that?” Alex says incredulously. “Usually you’re exhausted after you heal one person!”

“I don’t know,” I say to him, breaking into a smile. “I’ve never felt this good before. I think my powers are getting stronger.”

We turn to leave, and I catch my reflection in the mirror.

I’m still as radiant as I was at the start of the day, even after healing a whole squad of warriors.

But then I run my fingers through my hair, and discover two new strands of white-blonde hair, in perfect parallel with the first one.

As I go to leave, Richard steps in front of me.

“I thought Fate had a hold of me,” he begins. “You saved me. You are truly blessed. Praise to the Moon Goddess! You are the Almighty Ariel!”

He drops to his knees and bows his head.

My jaw drops open as the entire squad follows his lead and begins to chant…

“Almighty Ariel!”

~Oh my Goddess…~

~They’re acting like I am the Goddess!~