🖤🖤

"I don't even remember doing it," I tell Klayton as we sit in bed beside one another. I pry the remains of the shirt off my body and hide underneath the covers. Even though he's seen all of this before, he isn't getting another free show.

"I'm surprised it didn't wake me up. The shredding," Klayton says sincerely. "I must have been just so exhausted, because I haven't been sleeping next to you. It has taken a real toll on my wolf,"

"Oh. I must have done it subconsciously, to let the new scar breathe. It hurt so much before but feels much better now," I tell him. "Well, I don't think I have any more clean clothes here. Would you mind if I borrow a shirt or something?"

"You don't have to ask. What's mine will always be yours. Especially now that we are fully mated," Klayton scoots closer to me on the bed and nuzzles my hair with his nose.

The action is endearing but I don't really want it. Not when I have all of these unresolved and angry feelings with him at the moment. Interrupting the train of thoughts from my head, Klayton continues questioning me.

"The scar on your chest; the half moon... is that because we mated?" He asks quietly, using his head and nodding towards my chest which is still hidden from his view.

"Yes," I cough awkwardly. "It is. One of the physical changes of collecting another piece,"

"The piece I had."

"Yes," I tell him without making eye contact. I didn't want to see his face —make this any harder on myself than it already has been by seeing his pain. The bond surged between us, reminding the both of us that our pain is felt collectively.

When he says 'what's mine is yours'— he means literally.

"I don't really know what to say to you, Adira. Are you okay?"

I open my mouth to respond before tightly closing it. My eyebrows furrow together lightly in confusion. I'm realizing right now, I don't know the answer to that. I hadn't ever really stopped and asked myself if I was okay. No one had really stopped me and asked me if I was okay.

Only Klayton.

The thought makes me break down slightly, and I can feel the build up of tearing beginning to swell in my eyes. I'm sure Klayton can smell the saltiness of my tears in the air but he doesn't say anything and instead reaches over and gently grasps my hand, interlacing our fingers. He gingerly squeezes my hand, letting me know that he is with me without having to communicate any words.

Although our relationship is rocky right now due to our own personal allegiances, the one thing that hasn't changed is our bond.

The connection between our souls, and the chemistry that was written in the stars by Destiny.

Yes.

That hasn't changed.

~

Klayton had given me a shirt to wear which was —of course— too big on me. I wonder if I look good wearing the big, bad Alpha's clothes. And luckily, I actually found a clean pair or leggings in his closet. I must have left some here one time, and so I decided to wear them with his shirt too.

I had a particular task in mind today; figure out what went wrong with the red book.

This piece was dangerous obviously. It had left me unconscious in the hospital for a few days, and I remember the horrible pain I felt when I tried to burn it. Clearly, that didn't work because I know I didn't gain the scattered soul that day.

There must be consequences if I do it incorrectly; maybe that was one of them. I needed to see if Destiny could help me solve this predicament I was in, although I wasn't sure how much help she would be considering she mainly left me to figure out these things all on my own.

Klayton and I had exchanged our goodbyes today rather awkwardly as he dropped me off back at my apartment. He had to go to the University and teach, and I told him I needed to catch up on my school homework (honestly which I should be doing), but really I wanted to be in my own place. There's past months have been tiresome and brutal. Thankfully school would be ending soon and I could focus fully on everything supernatural happening around me, even though honestly it already has my complete attention rather than school.

Tests are the last thing on my mind.

I showered and changed into some real clothes that were presentable and waited in my apartment for some time —for Destiny to make an appearance. I was hoping she would show up to help clear some of the confusion swimming in my mind. Sighing heavily, I guess I needed to get her attention some other way.

I make my way outside of the building and into my car, driving just a little on the outskirts of Myersdale to reach the destination I was seeking.

The cemetery; where Theia was buried. This location seemed to be the undisclosed spot where Destiny and I could talk the most openly and freely without much fret of Artemis catching us. Frankly, I'm not sure what she would do now.

Kill me on the spot?

Kill Destiny?

Per usual, my hectic questions in my mind were soon interrupted by a black manicured finger tapping on my shoulder. I turn around and there is my closest pink hair ally —Destiny.

"Took you long enough," I remark bitterly. "I had to come here. Why don't you ever just come to my place or somewhere actually convenient? Klayton would have a stroke if he knew I had left town."

"Hmm," Destiny hums as she starts to circle me and gaze at me with narrowed eyes. It's slightly intimidating and my lip curls in annoyance at the movements.

"What are you staring at me for?" I bark.

"You've changed," she says lowly.

"Well yeah," I say in a tone like 'duh'. "That's what happens when a soul decides to finally get absorbed —or whatever you'd like to call it... I change. Have you seen my eyes? My body? And it fucking hurts too, thanks for letting me know."

"Of course I can see that. No, your personality has changed too. You've become more... hard. You're colder."

"And?"

"You're like Artemis," she whispers lowly. "Traits of the Moon Goddess I suppose. Someone who is brave enough to get to where they need to be, without all the bullshit. However, I think it is your human side which is effecting you. Your emotions are heightened, everything is always black or white. Don't worry, it shall pass. I've seen it,"

"Maybe the reason I've been acting like I've had a stick up my ass is because I don't know what the fuck I'm doing," I growl frustratingly to her.

"It's your new strength. Your mental and physical increase in strength is significant, and it will be hard on your mind psychologically to process it and utilize it in the best of your ability for quite some time. Your emotions are all over the place,"

"Thanks. How much are you charging for this therapy session?" I glare.

"For you? Free. Only for a smile and maybe a lap dance, though."

"Funny," I deadpan. "But realistically Destiny, I came to see you for a reason. I fucked up a bit with Klayton when it came to the mating process but it got sorted out—" Destiny interrupts me with a short snicker. I scowl in response. "What?" I ask.

"First of all, it's not really sorted out. You're tormenting your souls by having this ongoing battle. That needs to be fixed —you guys are soulmates and meant for one another. Secondly, I literally knew you would mess up your mating process. How's your neck by the way?"

"Why didn't you tell me!"

"It was already your fate; I couldn't."

She shrugs it off as if it was no big deal, however it pisses me off. The way this conversation has turned ultimately aids in me bringing up my latest topic of discussion.

The book that wouldn't burn.

"Destiny," I start. "I have a small red book. It belonged to Artemis at one point and inside of it holds many drawings and scribbles of Klayton and him changing into a wolf... the design book, basically. I never realized until as of recently that it is probably a piece of one of the scattered Moon Goddess souls. I-I can feel the power surge within me when I near a soul, and I felt it. However, my instincts were wrong when it came to burning the book to retrieve the piece lying within. How come?"

"How were you feeling when you tried to burn it?"

"Why? What do you mean?"

"Just answer the question Adira. Don't be so damn difficult," Destiny scolds.

"I was pissed, okay —is that what you wanted to hear?" I cross my arms across my chest defensively.

"Interesting. I do have a theory..." Destiny says as she plops down next to a random gravestone. I join her and watch as she starts pulling grass out of the ground, looking as comfortable as ever. As I'm watching her, I can't help but be perplexed as to how human she acts, although she was the Goddess of the Stars.

"Do tell," I say while raising an eyebrow.

"I think the book itself tried to make you burn it."

"What?"

"Similarly to a defence mechanism, the book will do whatever it needs to survive. There's an enchantment on it. The spell will whisper sweet nothings to the one set to destroy it —in this case, you— and will result in your own physical intolerance and pain. The magic surrounding the book probably fed off of your anger and used it against you."

"What the fuck? How do you know?"

"I've seen it happen before," she shrugs nonchalantly.

"When? With who?"

"A long time ago, with Artemis. It was the same book she was trying to destroy and it happened to her too. I never thought it would ever be one of the pieces of the souls. I'm so sorry..." Destiny whispers and I see tears well in her eyes. My own eyes start to water; Destiny's emotions were so contagious. I look away from her to try to blink them away.

"But why would Artemis try to destroy her own book?"

"A few reasons. She also didn't want it to fall into the wrong hands. And for others to see what she did; what she created. I mean, rightfully so. Look where we are now..." She shakes her head.

"How did it become enchanted? And why?" I'm basically drilling Destiny for questions but I just needed to know. Finally, I was getting the answers

to so many things I've been wanting to know. Destiny muses and smiles at my question.

"Well it kind of obvious, no?" She laughs.

"No, it's not. That's why I'm asking you!" I laugh and shake my head. This girl can be unbelievable sometimes.

"She created a new supernatural creature; the werewolves. She needed powerful magic to do so," She shrugs. "What better way than to seek help from a warlock?"

"You've got to be kidding me," my mouth gapes at her words. "And why would a warlock care about preserving the book at all, after helping Artemis?"

"Because he's trapped inside of it."

~

The news that there is a literal warlock trapped inside a small red journal I have had the past few months is very disturbing to me. Destiny explained that before Artemis had somehow trapped him into the book, he had made a preservation enchantment which doesn't allow the book to be destroyed.

Almost as if he knew she would betray him somehow.

"So what do I do? How do I get this missing piece?" I ask. We are still at the cemetery, and I start to fret internally over how long we've been here. What if Artemis finds us?

"He has to be freed. That will render the book free of its magic, so it can be destroyed by a traditional means. Like burning it," She tells me sheepishly. I groan in annoyance. This means that if the warlock wasn't trapped within the pages then it would have been destroyed.

"Great," I say sarcastically. "And do you know the warlock? How did you even know he was in that book?" My eyes dart to hers accusingly. I watch as Destiny shuffles under my gaze awkwardly, and looks away almost ashamed.

"Yes I knew him," She tells me and I see tears well up in her eyes. "His name is Embry."