Emily’s POV
“Evening Luna!” Sasha sang as she entered my room. She had a broad smile on her lips and was shaking her hips as she moved around me. She came to do my hair and make-up- obviously Luke’s doing.
Sasha twirled around me, grabbing my brush, and I couldn’t help but chuckle at her enthusiasm.
“Evening Sasha,” I said, “you seem happy about something.”
Sasha stopped what she was doing and giggled like a teenager having her crush talk to her.
“Sorry, Luna,” she said, trying hard not to let another giggle escape. “But I think I am in love.”
“Oh?” I replied. That was good news. She needed someone who would accept her for who she was.
“I-I-I found my mate earlier. He is such a handsome beast. He has those big, dreamy brown eyes, dark, long, curly hair, and muscles to die for. He is the beta from the Blue Moon Pack.” Her green eyes glittered like stars for a moment and then suddenly stopped.
Her breathing started to race, and I could hear her heart escalate in her chest; it looked like she was going to have a panic attack.
When I found her gaze, I could read the uncertainty in her eyes. She was scared, maybe even afraid.
“That’s great!” I said, catching her hands in mine.
“Ye-yeah,” she said, finding my gaze. “I just realized that he doesn’t know…”
“Oh,” I said, catching on. “He doesn’t know you can’t shift?”
She nodded, retrieved her hands, and sat down on my bed. Her emotions spiral out of control.
“He will reject me as soon as he finds out,” she whispered, her voice close to breaking.
“You don’t know that,” I said, cutting her off. “He might…”
She shook her head, and tears welled up in her eyes.
“He’s a beta,” she said, her face twisted in agony. “He will give me one look and reject me. He will find himself a new mate as soon as he knows.”
I went to sit next to her and rubbed her back supportively, and my thoughts wandered back to last night.
“Willow asks if you could give your wolf control,” I said, searching Sasha’s gaze.
“W-why?” She asked, startled at my request.
“She wants to meet her,” I answered truthfully.
Sasha nodded, and her eyes shifted between black and her natural green eyes for a few moments, yet every time they turned black, they would just as quickly return to green.
Was it difficult for Sasha to give control to her wolf? Or was it that her wolf couldn’t take control of her human body?
Willow calmly observed the situation. Her head shifted from side to side, watching Sarah attentively.
A moment later, Sasha became frustrated, balled her fist, and burst out crying.
“There, there,” I said. “Take it easy.”
“I can’t!” She burst out in anger, and tears spilled over and ran down her face. “It is so frustrating! I am unable to even transfer control to my wolf so that she can speak with you! I am such a failure! A disappointment! A misfit!”
“You’re none of those,” I said. Patting her hand. “Take a deep breath and let us try it again.”
“It’s not going to work,” Sasha argued. “I have….”
I held out my hand to stop her.
“Just try one more time,” I urged.
A heartbreaking sob escaped Sasha’s lips.
“Come on,” I said, trying to convince her. “Willow is excited about meeting her.”
Sasha wiped the tears from her face and slowly nodded her head.
“Now close your eyes,” I said. “Relax and concentrate.”
“On what should I concentrate?” Sasha asked.
“My voice,” Willow said, taking control over me.
Sasha flinched, surprised to hear my voice change, yet she slowly nodded her head, taking a deep breath.
“Are you ready?” Willow asked.
Sasha swallowed hard and nodded again. “I am,” she muttered.
“Tell me,” Willow asked. “Can you describe your wolf to me?”
“No,” she said, shaking her head and biting her lip.
Tears were freely running down her face again, and she was shaking like a leaf. It broke my heart to see Sasha like that.
“But I can feel, hear, and smell her as if she is here.”
Sasha’s voice broke. She sounded scared.
“Why can’t she see her wolf?” I asked, surprised.
“Because she never completed a shift,” Willow said, looking concerned. “Her wolf didn’t completely cross over from the spirit realm. It’s as if the door were shut halfway through the process.”
What transpired to cause that I wondered.
“But she can sense her,” I said, which added to my confusion. “Would you be able to help her?”
Willow saved Lex; maybe she could help Sasha have her wolf cross over, yet, this was a whole different situation.
“I sure would like to try,” Willow replied. “But it would be easier if we did it…”
“Tomorrow night when the moon is full,” I said, reading Willow’s thoughts.
Full-moon nights are special for all kinds of werewolves. We were more active on those days, enjoying the moon’s rays shining down on us. It made us feel closer to the goddess, our creator.
“It would,” Willow agreed. “It might be the only way.”
I nodded, hoping it was possible.
“Sasha,” Willow said. “I would like to try and help both of you. Would you mind trying to shift tomorrow night at the festival? We could go to a quiet place-”
“We better get you ready, Luna,” Sasha said, interrupting my thoughts and bringing me back to my present situation.
I nodded, got up from the bed, and went to the dressing table.
Sarah went silent after that, and I guess she was weighing her options. She quickly did my hair and make-up and helped me into my dress.
We were heading out toward the stairs when Sasha suddenly spoke.
“Luna,” she said, and she hesitated.
“Mm?” I said, looking back at her.
“Willow’s offer, does it still stand?”
****