"If I were the moon, I'd want you to be my sky." -Alexandra Vasiliu

Italy 1469

I told them not to move his body. I guess a hopeful part of me wishes that the goddess will see Zane's corpse on the floor of her temple, take pity on me, and send him back to me. It's been a week and she has not come through. Salvaza made the trip down from Italy and was able to use some oracle magic to preserve his body while I try to get myself together.

A part of me wanted to rip Salvaza's throat out the same way I did to her sister but it was obvious she was not involved. In fact, she has been trying her best to search for a solution. It was not her fault that they resembled each other so much. Though, Zane had turned Donata into the equivalent of shreds so I'm not sure I can say they "resemble" each other.

I'm aware that this isn't how a luna should act. She should be out comforting her pack or working on a plan to get everyone through this but I cannot. This isn't my pack it is our pack. He's supposed to be here with me. We were supposed to do it all together.

"Time to get up, sunshine," Isabel calls out before opening my bedroom door. The light filters in from the corridor and causes me to squint.

"Go away."

Ignoring me, Isabel opens the curtains that are covering the balcony windows. A stream of sunlight hits me square in the eyes causing me to squint and pull my blanket over my head in order to shield myself.

"Alessandra, this is not what he wanted for you."

I peak over the blanket, ready to tell my sister to get lost when my eyes catch something. Our coffee cups rest on the table out on the balcony. His chair is arm-to-arm with mine. Since it was a particularly cold morning, we were both snuggling with one of my knitted blankets around our shoulders. I remember telling him that his shoulders were too broad and he was hogging the blanket with which he retorted how I should have made the blanket bigger to accommodate the two of us.

I'll never have coffee out there with him again. The thought sends me into tears that shake my body. Isabel wraps me in her arms as I feel my heart shatter again.

Will it ever feel whole again?

Three weeks pass. I get dirty looks from pack members. Maybe they are upset about my disheveled appearance or perhaps they think I'm crazy for not cremating their alpha already. Either way, I refuse to give up. He found a way to bring me back. There must be a way for me to do it too.

I make my way to the packhouse and search for Salvaza. I've been avoiding going to Zane's office because the last time I went in I found the blueprints for a surprise he had in store for me. It was my own clinic. He had remembered my dream of pursuing medicine and wanted me to chase it even though it is not traditional for a luna to do so. It was the sweetest gesture that had me sobbing on the floor within a minute, so safe to say I will not be returning for a while.

I find Salvaza in the gardens with different crystals hanging from her neck and adorning her fingers.

"My Luna."

"Salvaza."

"How are you doing?"

"Let's quit the small talk. Did you find anything?"

I pleaded with Salvaza to look over some old books about werewolf history in order to find something that might be able to help Zane. She seems to have given up. Everyone has given up or placed me in the "insane" category. Actually, the only person who I think believes that I can bring Zane back to life is Isabel.

You guys keep defying the odds. I'm sure you can do it again.

Her words mean more to me than I was able to express.

"Sweetheart," Salvaza says.

"No! Do not sweetheart me. Tell me the truth."

She sighs deeply before continuing.

"Luna, I have tried my best. I cannot preserve his body any longer. There is no such thing as resurrecting a wolf. Once you die, you're dead. It is the way of life. Even the supernatural cannot combat it."

"But look at me, Salvaza! Look at Lorenzo and Rosanna. Wolves only live one life but ours got two. I was dead. I felt myself die. Yet I am here, standing in front of you, breathing in front of you!"

"And it is not natural! Your very existence is a first, Alessandra. There is no precedent to help guide us through this. I do not know the rules of this resurrection you have gone through. How long should we expect you to live? What were the terms of your resurrection? I do not know! You do not know! The only one who knows is the goddess herself and she has not given me a single vision to go off of!"

My shoulders slump in defeat.

"I am sorry, my child, but I do not know how to help you."

We've already tried a variety of things. A prayer. A ceremony for the goddess. I even pleaded in front of her like Zane did but my words did not have the same effect. The moon goddess is not known for her stability. She is rather fickle and expects a lot from werewolves in return for her boon of long life and supernatural abilities.

"But Salvaza, I feel him. He is not gone."

"Child it is possible that your wolf is holding onto this "feeling" because she cannot bear to accept the truth."

"I haven't heard anything from my wolf in three weeks!"

"Zane is not breathing. He has no heartbeat. He is dead."

"Are we humans? No. Those are the characteristics that define a dead human. A werewolf is only dead when their wolf is!"

"And a werewolf is half-human! One half cannot exist without the other."

Salvaza sits on the bench behind her and takes a deep breath. A part of me feels bad for bothering the old woman all the time but I know she is the only one who can help me. I watch as her wrinkled fingers fiddle with the large rings on her hand.

The ring.

"Salvaza!"

"Yes, Luna?"

"The ring!"

Her eyebrows furrow in confusion.

"The ring! The De Luca Ring."

Her eyes widen, and I see the glimmer of hope, but it quickly dies.

"Not even Lunite has the power to bring a person back to life. That power rests in the hands of the goddess."

"I know you don't believe me and I do not blame you for it, but he is still here. I can feel his presence. It's that tiny bit of his soul that is keeping me from falling apart every day. It took me a while to feel it but I know he is here and he is waiting for me to save him as he saved me. I cannot give up on him. I can't," I cry.

"Okay my child, I will help you."

She says the words with pity. I know she doesn't think it will work, but I know that this cannot be the end. I know.

Salvaza and I sit on the temple floor in front of Zane whose body is spread out in front of the goddess' idol. On the wall, the saying that adorns every temple of Selene shines under the moonlight.

For the one who gave light to the night.

I trace the mark I left on Zane all those months ago. My life was so different then. It was about exploring Italy, meeting new people, and perfecting my skills. I never knew I could feel so empty, so alone. My hand touches the spot where my neck meets my shoulder. I can feel the mark his canines left, the indication that I am his and he is mine.

The ring is on my hand and in Salvaza's lap is the history of the Blood Moon Pack. Each alpha pairing is given its own book that serves as a history tool for the pack. Right now, we are reading Clarice and Dante De Luca's book.

"It says here that Clarice was gifted the ring by the monarchy. The reasons are unknown but it is speculated that Lunite is known to hold some of the goddess' power. No one has ever used the stone's magical properties before so it is unknown to which extent the power will go. It is also unknown if all three pieces of the stone need to be together in order for it to work."

"Well, that is hardly helpful at all."

"Luna, this could mean that the most this Lunite can do will not be achieved without the other pieces."

"Nobody knows what the monarchy is up to."

The monarchy has slowly faded away. In fact, they are not present in werewolf society at all. Even my grandparents have never seen a member of the royal family and they've been around a lot longer than me. The last time a reigning monarch held true power was centuries ago. It would be impossible to get my hands on the crowns of the monarchs. Their crowns house the other two pieces of Lunite.

"There is still some power in this stone, even if it is not at the magnitude it could be," I say. Though my wolf has been absent since Zane's sacrifice, when I put the ring on I felt her stir. She must feel the power.

Salvaza continues to stare at the words in front of her before looking at me. For the first time, I see actual belief in her eyes, the belief that I can do this.

"Luna, when you died, did you cross to the other side?"

"I did. It was only a split second but I remember the feeling. I've never felt anything like it."

"I am not sure if this will work, but since you crossed the other side there must be some of the goddess' essence with you. I think since you are the one who will resurrect him, it will work, even though we only have one piece of Lunite."

I stare at her with the biggest smile on my face.

"You've been touched by the goddess. I can see it now. Honestly, I thought perhaps you were pregnant but it did not seem appropriate to bring it up. There is this glow about you. It's subtle but I think it represents the goddess' second gift of life to you."

"I-I can't believe I am saying this but this might work my Luna."

I stare at the ring on my left hand. The violet gem is huge and it is quite clear this piece of stone is different than the rest found on Earth. It radiates power and divinity. I bring the ring to my lips and watch as it glows upon contact. I place the Lunite on Zane's heart when I hear Salvaza begin an ancient prayer to the moon goddess.

May she bless us.

Violet light floods the room.

Then I hear my name come from the voice I love so much.