Ariana groaned, lifting her hand to her temple as she massaged it with her fingers. Prising open her ey Moving her hands, the sorceress could feel des of grass against her skin, frowning, she held her ha A groan from beside her, made the young witch roll onto her side, beside her was the young she wolf Pushing herself into a sitting position, Ariana took in their surroundings, they were both sat in arge Above them was a bright blue, cloudless sky, the entire ce felt tranquil and safe.


    Alessia lifted her head, her eyes meeting Ariana''s as she gasped, her body stiffening before she looke ''Where are we?'' the she wolf asked softly.


    Ariana shrugged, ''I don''t know, I hoped that you would.


    Standing up, the sorceress swept her gaze over their surroundings, faltering as she spotted a young w ''Maybe she knows'' Ariana muttered as she pointed, the young wolf following her finger until she focus Standing up next to the sorceress, Alessia nodded, the pair silently walking toward the woman who wa Dragging her daily slippers on the ground, the woman brought her swing to a stop, her long blonde ha look almost angelic.


    ''Wee my children'' she said sweetly as she sped her hands in herp, ''I have been expecting yo Ariana frowned, ''where are we?'' she asked warily, keeping her distance from the stranger.


    The woman gazed at the sorceress tenderly, ''you are in my garden Ariana'' she replied.


    The young witch took a step back whilst Alessia gasped, falling to her knees as she gazed up at the wo The woman nodded happily, ''I am'' she said softly, ''but please call me Selene, Moon Goddess feels so Alessia bowed her head to the Moon Goddess, her hand pushing her hair behind her ear nervously as Seeing the witch''s uncertainty, Seleneughed, her voice filling their surrounding with the musical so ''Are we dead?'' Ariana asked, her throat catching as her eyes pricked with tears.


    e snapped them shut again immediately as the bright light around her made the pounding in her head ten times worse. ve her eyes as she opened them, squinting against the sunlight.


    e remembered had ran at her, she was sat up holding her head in her hands.


    hat was covered in daisies that dancedzily in the warm breeze that swirled around them.


    nd them in confusion.


    swaying back and forth on a swing that was tied to one of the branches of arge oak tree that sat in the corner of the field.


    the figure to their right.


    them approach, her serene smile widening as they reached her.


    braided down her back, flowers weaved into the it. Her in white dress entuated her figure and contrasted against her wless pale skin making her


    awe, ''Moon Goddess?'' she asked tentatively.


    hal.''


    I watched her in confusion.


    he bows because I am the mother of all Werewolves'' she exined, ''they are all my children and I wee them home when their timees.


    Selene looked at the pair sadly, ''Alessia is, yes'' she replied as she reached out a hand to the she wolf who took it immediately. ''I am so proud of you my daughter'' she murmured, ''you had a hard life but you used your losses to strengthen your spirit and keep your spark alive.


    Alessia smiled up at the Moon Goddess, her lip trembling slightly as she replied, ''thank you mother, I just wish I had found a mate to love me before I was called home!


    Selene nodded, patting the girl''s hand with her other, ''life is not always fair my child, but you can rest knowing that I and your parents are so proud of who you became.''


    Turning to Ariana, Selene sighed, ''you my dear, are not dead, you still hold a thread to the mortal world. The killing spell worked on Alessia, but you know how this works, this she wolf gave her life selflessly..'' ''The spell rebounded onto me'' Ariana breathed.


    Selene nodded sagely, ''it rebounded, if you were not such a strong version of your kind, you would also be unable to return. As it is, you are barely clinging to life, your heartbeat so faint that no mortal will be able to feel it. Ariana shuffled her feet in the dirt, mulling over the Moon Goddess'' words, finally she looked up again, ''why am I here?'' she asked.


    ''Because you are close to death my dear'' Selene replied, ''all of my children who are near to death or pass through,e here to me before moving on into my eternal realm.


    Ariana shook her head, ''no I mean, why am I here in your garden? I am not a werewolf so surely I would go somece else?''


    Selene grinned widely, ''normally yes my child'' she agreed, ''but you are the mate of one of my children, that means you are also now a child of mine. When you pass, youe to me if worthy, I then send you on to your afterlife.''


    The sorceress dropped her gaze to the floor, ''then I know I am in the wrong ce'' she muttered sadly, ''I am not worthy, I am not a good person!


    The Moon Goddess stood from her seat, helping Alessia to her feet before releasing her and stepping to the young witch, pulling her into her arms.


    ''Child, you are more worthy than you know'' she replied, ''you have tried to help others for your entire life, selflessly protecting them from a perceived threat. Even at the end, when you saw that Alessia was going to intercept your spell, your mind tried to stop you but it was already toote, your body couldn''t halt it''s movement.''


    Ariana''s eyes widened as she leaned back and looked at the Goddess, ''you know that?'' she whispered.


    Seleneughed, ''of course I do, I''m the Moon Goddess, I know everything that goes on in the minds of my children.''


    The sorceress breathed in a shaky breath as she steeled herself to ask a question, ''ask child, I do not bite'' the Goddess whispered kindly.


    Nodding, Ariana fidgeted as she asked, ''will I be reunited with my beloved in this life?'' she asked.


    Selene''s face clouded with sadness, ''I am sorry my dear, but no, the choices of that Vampire in his life have led him away from an afterlife of light, he has gone to my own love!


    The young witch froze, trembling slightly, struggling for a moment, she murmured, ''was Rowan telling the truth? Did Valencino kill his sister and my parents? Did he take me for my blood?''


    The Moon Goddess let out a soft sigh as she released the woman, taking her hand and pulling her down to sit in the grass, Alessia joining them silently.


    ''Yes my child, Rowan was truthful'' she said quietly, ''Valencino felt that he was above thews of the mortal world. A Vampire needs only a pint of blood to function, any more than that is greed, draining a life for pleasure is unforgivable but that is what he did. Ariana let out a strangled sob, ''oh God, he saved me and... and I punished him'' she wailed, ''but why can''t I remember my parents deaths? Why is that nk in my mind?''


    Selene traced circles on the back of the witch''s handfortingly, ''because the memory is too painful for you to keep'' she said softly, ''you locked it away in the walls of a bubble, that you subconsciously formed to protect those you cared for from harm! Seeing Ariana''s bewilderment, the Moon Goddess exined, ''the wall around the n, that holds them inside, you made it. When Rowan attacked your love, Valencino''s hold on you was partially broken, you were hit with the grief of your parents death and your beloved''s death. Your subconscious needed to protect you and also deal with the worry that Rowan would hurt the other Vampires, people that had epted you while you were there so you unknowingly created a protection around them and tied your memory of your parents into it.


    When they called to you and asked for help, you could alter the spell because you made it, but your mind would not allow you to take it down and put your new family in danger!


    The sorceress curled up into a ball, shaking as she cried, ''it''s my fault'' she said weakly, ''it''s all my fault. Rowan, Gabby, the n, even my mate, all their pain is because of me!''


    Alessia suddenly spoke up, taking Ariana''s free hand in her own, ''you are not to me Ariana'' she said warmly, ''you didn''t know and Rowan never stopped to exin to you, maybe if he had, these things would never have happened. Ariana shook her head, ''I wouldn''t have listened if he had tried'' she mumbled, ''I didn''t want to hear him exin away what he had done to me, I wanted to hate him, hating him meant I didn''t have to feel grief.''


    The she wolf, edged closer and pulled the witch into a hug, holding her tightly as she smoothed her hair, ''you are a good person Ariana, and you have a chance to go back and show everyone who you really are. Take your chance, go back to your life, ept your mate and let him make you happy'' she whispered tearfully.


    The witch looked into Alessia''s eyes, studying her before slowly nodding, ''I need to make this up to my mate'' she whispered, ''and to Rowan, I need them to understand that I am sorry for what I did.''


    Alessia smiled, ''you will have that chance'' she agreed, ''but Ariana?'' she added hesitantly, her lip trembling slightly, ''take care of Nathaniel, love him as he deserves to be loved. Give him children, he will be an amazing dad, and always believe in how much he loves you!


    The sorceress nodded weakly, ''I promise'' she whispered, clutching the she wolf''s hand tightly, ''I''m sorry Alessia, I''m so sorry that I cut your life short, I didn''t mean too!


    Alessia squeezed her hand back, ''I know'' she replied, ''I forgive you, as long as you take care of your Alpha, love him with everything you have, know that I forgive you! Selene stood up, holding out her hand to the witch who took it tentatively, e child, I shall show you where to go'' the Moon Goddess said quietly.


    Following the Goddess, Ariana could not help but look back at the she wolf who remained sat on the ground, her face to the sun.


    ''Do not worry about her, my child'' came Selene''s voice beside her, breaking into her thoughts, ''Alessia will be well cared for.''


    Stopping by a small stream, Selene turned to the sorceress, her eyes full of hope, ''are you ready to return my child?'' she asked expectantly.