Princess of Wolves

Ch. 108 - No Goddess of Mine

Elena POV

"Oh thank the goddess!" Hope shouted, jumping in my arm.

"Sorry I took so long. Between your brother's rage and Tyler trying to attach himself to my hip I didn't think I would ever get away. We have to be quick and you can't leave Nate's side until you're back home. Promise me Hope!"

"Nate's side is the only place I want to be. Thank you Elena, my Queen. I know this is foolish, but I need to see him."

I looked at her with a confused expression. She seemed desperate to by his side and I didn't know if it was normal. They were fated, but they didn't finish the bond. She hadn't marked him yet, and even then it would be hard being separated, but not impossible.

We began walking through the woods and I masked our movements from any prying eyes. I could feel how the anticipation of Hope getting closer to her mate was becoming overwhelming.

"Is everything ok?" I needed to know what was happening between them. Was this a normal Shadow thing? Would I become obsessed with Elijah this way if he marked me?

Hope took a hard gulp then stopped walking to look me dead in the eyes. "I'm pregnant. The fear of losing my mate." She rubbed her belly. "The fear of my child never knowing her father is killing me. I can't lose him Elena and I can't leave the Shadow world. Our child will be a Shadow too, and Ryker will soon know of it. I messed up." Hope broke out in tears.

I pulled her into a hug. "This doesn't make sense Hope. Please tell me why you fear your brother this way? How could he harm his little sister or his niece or nephew?"

"It's not that simple. He wouldn't want to and if the goddess forced him, it would destroy him. We follow strict orders and our laws are of the goddess. They are not to be broken or abused. If Elijah defies the goddess she could kill ever Shadow for their disobedience."

"No! I won't believe our goddess is so cruel."

Hope gave me a small smile at my ignorance. "You don't know our true goddess, Elena. She is a fair and loving being, but she is also righteous and not of our world. She isn't even a she, our goddess is beyond our knowledge. Like Ryker, she has to think of all her children, all of her kind. She can't let a few live while hundreds die. It's a responsibility that will lay on your shoulders one day too."

"How could Nate marking his mate or you both having a child cause hundreds to die. The goddess made you fated mates for a reason."

"She did, but we used our will against her. This isn't the way and we could set a new order in motion. A new order that disobeys the goddess and her gifts. Shadows are powerful wolves that once tried to rule this world. If we abuse our power, defy her order, then she will remove Shadows from this world to save her children from the tyranny we could bring."

"Well, my father is a regular wolf and he has been nothing but a tyrant his whole life. He had destroyed so many lives, including your families. Where was the goddess then? How could she let him live, but take you and your child away."

"She isn't all powerful like you think. She can't kill any of us, but she can bring her creations home. Ryker does her bidding or she locks away all the Shadows from this world, like the Fae. The goddess sent Ryker here to remove your father as she has for past generations of our families."

"I don't understand."

"Our goddess can't directly intervene in our life. If she could then we wouldn't really have free will. She guides us through her visions. The gifts she gave a select few werewolves with the shadow of the moon is to keep our species in line. She can remove her gifts, banish our species, but she can't kill us."