The Lone Wolf

Chapter 9: Katniss

I keep pacing in my room, glaring at the moon. I don't understand why we worship that Goddess. Sure, she blessed us with our wolves and all our abilities with our mates, but I feel like after that she leaves us helpless. She's never once helped me. I've called to her several times in my life. Not once has she answered.

"What kind of Goddess are you?" I scream at the moon. "You let an innocent man be captured by a tyrant like Snow. Have I not suffered enough? What's next Selene? Are you going to take my baby now too? What do you want from me?" I fall to the floor and start sobbing.

"I had no say in any of your suffering my daughter," a gentle woman's voice says. I look up and I see a tall, pale woman with black hair and silver eyes. She's dressed like a Greek Goddess. Probably because she is a Greek Goddess.

"So now you answer me?" I ask her. "Do I have to lose everything for you to answer my prayers?"

"Katniss," she says. "I never would have intended for you to suffer in this way. But the path of a child of the night is always a hard one, one that is constantly testing you."

"What on Earth are you talking about?" I ask her.

"You are my daughter Katniss," she says.

"My mother abandoned me in the woods when I was sixteen," I say.

"No true mother would ever abandon her pup," she says. "She is Prim's mother, but not yours."

"If what you say is true, where were you all my life Selene. After all, no true mother would abandon her pup right?" I ask her.

"Katniss," she says. "Zeus forbids us to meddle in the lives of our children. But that does not mean we don't hear your pleas. Although in my case, Zeus pays little attention. My wolves are the only ones who remember me. Everyone else considers my pupil, Artemis, as the Moon Goddess."

"But you've never once answered my prayers," I say. "If Zeus doesn't watch you, where were you when father died, when the pack was wiped out. All those nights I cried to you when Snow was hunting me in the woods and I wanted to know why I couldn't use my wolf. But now when the most dangerous thing could happen to this pack, you decide to show up."

"Katniss, I'm sorry, but I couldn't show favoritism," she says. "But you need to know what danger lies ahead."

"What could be worse?" I ask. "I know what's going to be happen to Peeta. We need to get to him as soon as possible. Without a pack, the Alpha wolf in him will go feral, Troyal and Peeta will start fighting for control of his body. They will cease to be the same person anymore. He will be at war inside his body. And if I wait to long, he will no longer recognize me as his mate."

"I'm sorry," she says. "You must fight alone. There is nothing I can do."

"Then leave!" I say. "I don't want to talk to you."

"At least let me tell you of an ally," she says. "The Alpha of the Four Seas, Finnick Odair's, Luna has been captured with Peeta because he rebelled against Snow. Seek him out. He will help you find Peeta." She starts to fade away and I hear a knock on the door. I open it to find little Hunter Hawthorn standing there with a teddy bear, his bottom lip trembling.

"Hunter?" I ask. "What's wrong little one?"

"Bad Dream," he says.

"Where's your Mommy?" I ask him.

"Help Daddy," he says and I nod.

"Do you want to stay with me tonight?" I ask him. He nods and I pick him up and carry him over to Peeta's bed.

"Alpha?" he says and I feel a tear run down my cheek.

"He isn't here right now," I say. "Your Daddy and the other's are going to go get him back very soon." I lay down and he lays his head on my chest. I feel sleep pull me under.

(Dream)

I awaken in a meadow with a giant black wolf sitting on my chest.

"Hey Katniss," Taylor says. "Nice to finally talk face to face."

"Get off me!" I say and she steps off me. "What's going on? Where are we?"

"We are in the place that Peeta and you can communicate during your dreams. Where you can talk face to face," she says. "He's been calling you, but I couldn't interrupt you and your mother." I look around but I can't even scent him.

"Where is he?" I ask. I feel a hand on my shoulder and turn to see him smiling at me.

"I'm right here Katniss," he says and I wrap my arms around him. I start crying as he holds me. "I'm sorry. I did what I had to do. I could let you get hurt. You couldn't defend yourself without shifting and I know Taylor won't let you shift. She wouldn't let you fight while you were carrying a pup. Why did you even come out there? Why would you endanger our child?"

"I didn't know Peeta," I say.

"How could you not know?" he asks.

"Because I wasn't focusing on myself," I say. "It's not like I have any symptoms yet and I didn't think I'd actually be pregnant that fast."

"But you are," Peeta says smiling. "You're carrying our baby."

"Where is he keeping you?" I ask.

"I can't tell you," he says.

"Peeta, I need to know," I say. "I promise I won't go with them when they go get you, but I need to tell them where you are."

"Katniss," he says. "I know you're lying." I look down at my feet. "You can't come looking for me. You need to stay healthy and keep our little one safe. I promise, I'll get home as soon as I can." He pulls me into a hug and feel a tear run down my cheek and he lifts my chin so I'm forced to look up at him. "Take care of our baby and our pack. I trust you to keep it safe. I love you."

He pulls me into a kiss I don't want to end. I feel his lips leave mine and he smiles at me before disappearing.

"I love you too," I whisper before I close my eyes.

When I open them, it's morning and I'm back in Peeta's room. He's gone. He never was here. His arms aren't around me anymore. But at least I know he's alive and not hurt. At least not yet.

But what disturbs me was Taylor was there with me, but there was no trace of Troyal. Which can mean only one thing. My worse fears are confirmed.

Troyal is already breaking away. Peeta is already fighting his own mind.