Reborn: The Luna Takes It All Back

Settling Back

Selena spent the rest of the week assuring Bianca that she was okay while trying to remember as much as possible. For some reason, her memories were blurry in some spots. She guessed it would have been too much if she could remember everything that had happened.

Their world was quite simple; their ancestors were originally ordinary wolves that received the blessings of the goddess and gained the ability to transform into humans. They lived among humans for some time until the humans began to fear them and drove them into the forests.

In the struggle, many got separated, which led to the creation of different packs. Some wolves lost themselves in the darkness, cursed by the goddess to become feral, not ordinary wolves or werewolves, only tormented souls trapped in grotesque forms.

She shuddered as she remembered being ripped apart by them.

Others fled to the riverside or the mountains and were blessed with resources that aided their defence and survival.

Due to the years of hiding, the packs were all distant from one another and only began to intermingle over the last two centuries.

Slowly, the humans came to terms with the fact that the wolves would no longer sit back and be killed, so they drew a treaty that kept both sides safe from one another. The knowledge used to develop buildings, clothing and medicine came from the pack members who had ventured into human territory in search of adventure.

Over the centuries, humans and wolves began to mingle. Most packs lived in communities close to woods, but the human societies in between slowly evolved and swept them up, while some individuals mated and mixed with the humans. Because wolves had human forms, most humans thought they were just people who preferred to stay in the woods.

The founders marked out each pack's settlements, farmlands, and hunting grounds to avoid conflicts. This surrounding forest area had eight packs, each comprising roughly a hundred to three hundred wolves. The territory was big enough to hold so much without anyone encroaching on the other's land.

They serve the moon goddess in all her splendour, though they have various reiterations of her being. After each harvest, the packs come together under the crescent and full moons to celebrate the goddess's grace.

Only wolves of age were allowed at the festival as it sometimes became mating runs depending on the season. It is usually the period when mating pairs are announced to the public. Rituals are performed for the long-lasting relationships formed. Everyone is more in tune with their primal selves, and the need to mate, provide, and protect becomes heightened.

Fight matches and even hunting sports are created to win over partners.

During one of these festivals, Sif had proposed to her; she remembered being so happy that day. Selena sighed, rubbing her forehead.

This would take a while; Her father had died two years ago in a fight with ferals. It was an honourable way to go, fighting to protect your pack. The then 19-year-old Selena had been thrust into the seat of power.

Sure, she knew she would become Luna someday, but she had thought it would be when her father was old and could no longer lead.

She had made Sif take the reins in leading the clan because she trusted him. The clan's views were a bit more traditional, and it had also rubbed off on her.

As the only child of her father, she was the rightful heir to the seat of power, but she wasn't male.

Sif was the unofficial heir until they formally mated. It had been hard with people like Aldrin in the council, but Sif and Ray kept her going.

They were the physical and emotional pillars that held her up. That was why she found it hard to believe they would go behind her back and betray her like this.

She picked at her dinner, deep in thought.

She probably sounded like a broken record, but how did she not notice? Did trust blind her? If they could deceive her for so long, what else had she not seen? Who else did she have to look out for? And why would Sif be Ray's mate if her wolf had accepted him?

"My lady? Is the food different from your liking? " Bianca asked.

"No! No,  it's great; I'm sorry. I'm just not in the right headspace."  Selena smiled, trying to assure her.

They were having lunch outside the cabin when Bianca forced her out of the house. She had decided Selena had stayed inside too long and needed some sunlight.

In the community, there were no fences; what was the need when everyone was essentially family?

Selena watched everyone carry on with their work. They were primarily an agricultural clan.

Ironic.

They sold their produce to humans for other necessities. Most packs in the forests alternated between farmed goods and prey from hunts.

Some wolves worked in human settlements, and they sent many of the children there to learn. They didn't necessarily need it, but her grandfather had thought the world was changing and they shouldn't be left behind as humans evolved.

It was a rest day, and most packmates were home from the settlements.

The harvests had just begun, and everyone in the clan had to pitch in.

Some of the pups even tried to assist, carrying as much as their tiny hands would reach around. 

Selena smiled and waved at them as they passed. She felt ashamed for leaving her pack at the hands of such disgusting people and decided to make up for it in her lifetime. That also made her wonder if this world would follow the same events as her last.

So far, it has been doing so with very minor changes. But she had to think, what if her coming back had changed something major in the timeline? Her smile faltered; that wouldn't be good.

She felt something touch her leg before she could spiral deeper into her thoughts.

One of the smaller pups had come over. "Hello, love," she cooed, smiling at him. He smiled back, his green eyes glowing in the sunlight.

"So cute," Selena gushed as she picked him up, "do you know what family he is from? They'll probably be looking for him soon," she asked Bianca as she held the boy.

"No, but I'll ask around. Please give the child to me and eat your meal, my lady." Bianca reached for him and paused when he pressed against Selena.

"I think he likes me," Selena laughed, hugging him back.

He reached for her plate, "You want that baby?" Selena asked as she bounced him on her lap. He nodded, staring at her with his large eyes.

"I wonder why he isn't talking. Is that normal?" She looked at Bianca as she fed the boy. 

"He seems still small, maybe a year or two. He should be okay," Bianca said, sitting back and watching them.

"What?" Selena asked, looking up at her.

"It's nothing, and please don't forget to eat as well," Bianca said gently; it was good to see Luna smiling so freely again.

Bianca prayed to the goddess for it to last. They enjoyed the warm afternoon sun before searching for his family and returning to their duties.

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