Anomaly

Godiva POV
“Who are you?”
With one hand resting on the stone floor, I crouched, keeping my head raised to focus on the silver flame in front of me. Through the faint light, I discerned a solid figure within the flame-a faint outline I could penetrate with my vision.
“Mother.”
Gradually, the silver flame dimmed, revealing the figure of a woman with long silver hair that matched my own. I immediately bowed deeply, awaiting her response. The sound of movement came from behind me, followed by Pollux, who also bowed beside me.
“Vigilance is vital for wolves. That’s why I endowed you with senses a hundred times sharper than those of any other shapeshifters in this world.”
“Greetings, Moon Goddess. Forgive me, Mother. It won’t happen again.”
“Hello, Mom, Mother-in-law, Selene.” Pollux glanced at me but maintained his bowed posture. “How should I address her, Luna Godiva?”
I was equally perplexed and merely shook my head. This was their first meeting, and I had no guidance for Pollux on how to properly behave before my mother.
My mother stepped onto the stone floor, still radiating a silver glow, though it wasn’t as intense as when the flames enveloped her body. Then, something warm touched my cheek, and for the first time, I felt my mother’s physical presence.
“Welcome, my child, and to all of you, my wolves. Rise.”
We all stood in unison, our faces reflecting the same awe as we took in the surreal sight. Slowly, the surroundings transformed, as if peeled away by a powerful energy field. The dismal, damp temple walls gave way to a structure with soaring ceilings.
The human side of me, a remnant of my past, couldn’t deny its admiration for intricate design-like something straight out of a fantasy film depicting the dwellings of gods and goddesses. I smiled as I overheard the warriors behind me whispering their amazement.
“Alpha Pollux Melucci, of the Moonstone Pack. What do you think of Godiva? Isn’t she beautiful? It was quite a challenge arranging a match for my own daughter. The current Alpha King is far too harsh, unlike his father. But when I looked into the lunar records, I found Castor Melucci.”
“Godiva-I mean, your daughter-is indeed very beautiful,” Pollux paused before lowering his head further and whispering, “and also quite fierce.”
I instinctively shot Pollux a glare before alternating my gaze between him and my mother. A small smile graced her lips, so serene it brought me peace. Without hesitation, I rushed to her and embraced her. It was what I had longed to do for so long-hold my mother close.
“Oh, my child. I forgot one of humanity’s greatest joys-embracing.”
I could have spent the entire day just hugging her, staying close to her, and relying on her strength.
Eventually, I released her, knowing I couldn’t be selfish. My mother belonged to all werewolves, so I stepped back and composed myself.
“What brings you to this temple?” Her expression turned serious.
“Vampires and the Blood Crystal. They’ve been amplifying their power, cheating death with the blood of Lunas, of werewolves, and I…”
“… will be the one to break the anomaly,” my mother finished, as if she already knew everything and was merely testing me to admit the werewolves’ vulnerability.
It was suffocating.
“Moon Goddess, we seek your guidance,” Pollux added, his voice fervent. “We, the Moonstone Pack and the werewolf alliance, are striving to end this long-standing war. We aim to lead the werewolves to-”
“Truly?” My mother interrupted, her tone sharp. “Is it Virgil and the Sanguine Shadows? Or the witches? Trust is something I have struggled with since Godiva’s birth. That is why I, Selene, Moon Goddess, mother of all werewolves, grant you my blessing for the war to come. This is my test for you, Godiva.”
I immediately knelt, followed by Pollux and the warriors. My mother stepped forward and placed her finger on my forehead. Warmth spread through the center of my brow, and soon we were both enveloped in swirling silver flames. I felt an unfamiliar energy coursing through me.
After several seconds, everything returned to normal. I stood again, a newfound confidence and fiery determination igniting within me. I glanced to my side, where Pollux had already risen and nodded once.
“Stay here for the night,” my mother’s gentle voice resonated. “I ask this of you as your mother, Godiva.”
I calculated the journey from Trionia to this temple-it had taken us half a day. If we were delayed returning to Trionia, we wouldn’t be able to aid Moonstone in time; they were already outnumbered.
“Forgive me, Mother. I would love to, but the werewolves depend on us. I want us to return before the truce ends.”
“Do you doubt the power of the Moon Goddess?” My mother raised an eyebrow. “I can have you there in the blink of an eye. Such things are trivial for us gods.”
“My apologies. I didn’t mean to offend. I was simply too narrow-minded to consider it. Very well, we will stay.”
My mother turned and walked away. I didn’t follow, noticing the heaviness in her breath as she finished speaking. I decided to let her rest while Pollux and I explored the temple.
We took one of two corridors, opposite the direction my mother had gone. The walls were adorned with runes I didn’t understand. I assumed they were inscriptions used by the gods to assert their presence.
My eyes were drawn to a row of silver-carved runes that emitted a soft glow, contrasting with the surrounding darkness. Slowly, I extended my hand, feeling the coolness of the engraved symbols.
Beneath the runes was an image carved in the same silver hue-a depiction of a woman wearing a diadem strikingly similar to mine, her hand outstretched as if offering a blessing. Something within me stirred.
“This is my mother…” I whispered softly.
In my heart, I knew it was about her. The image felt familiar, like gazing into a mirror that reflected something far greater than myself. I took a deep breath, letting the imagery sink in-it mirrored what had just occurred.
“Luna Godiva,” Pollux’s voice broke my reverie. He stood beside another silver carving, his face tense. I stepped closer, joining him as he gestured toward the runes, his fingers tracing them carefully, as if afraid of disturbing something sacred.
“This speaks of the Luna’s sacrifice,” he said, his voice low yet reverent. “These carvings tell of a dark power that can only be broken by magic drawn from the blood of the strongest Luna. To defeat the vampires, such a sacrifice… is required.” He trailed off, unwilling to continue, but I already understood.
“A sacrifice?” I asked, my voice weaker than I’d intended. I studied the carvings more closely, noting how the symbols interconnected. Pollux’s hand rested at the bottom of the engraving, where a crescent moon was carved within a circle, surrounded by branching lines resembling tree roots.
“Yes,” he finally answered, his gaze fixed on the carving. “A sacrifice that could… take the life of the strongest Luna. To close the rift created by this dark force.”
His words lingered in the air like thorns piercing my chest. I stepped back, trying to grasp what he had just revealed. “That means it’s me,” I murmured, more to myself than anyone else.