Clare was not surprised to see herself in the long hallway again. In the preceeding nights, all she felt was a realization that she was dreaming along with a reluctant resignation to be subjected to an oneiric teasing from her subconscious.
This time though, she wasn't going to go with the flow. Oh no! She was not opening doors tonight. She was going to follow the hallway till she made it outside and maybe see how the building looked from outside.
So Clare broke into a run instead, knowing that any moment the dream could be snatched from her. It was the weekend though, so that should help. Maybe?
She raced down the seemingly endless hall fully determined to see her resolution through.
She didn't know how long she ran. Minutes? hours? The halls didn't seem to want to end but she didn't feel any fatigue. One of her many curiousity had to satisfied tonight.
She ran and ran till she got to the place where the hallway curved.
A low sound ahead reached her hears and made her still. It sounded like a growl, but she couldn't be sure.
She wasn't sure what was ahead. It could be anything ranging from an injured fellow to a monster gate keeper at the entrance of the building. What if this dream was her prison? She didn't want to get in trouble.
Could she die in her own dream? If she did, would she die for real too?
Well, she had to find out anyway. She couldn't just keep coming here every night waking up frustrated the next morning. She just might lose her mind.
Coral walked forward, cautiously this time ready to bail at the first sign of trouble. She had reached the end of the doors at what seemed like minutes ago.
Another sound reached her hears just before she made the curve. It was a growl alright, it was more playful than anything else and the source was right in her sight in the form of a snowy gigantic ball of fur.
There was the beautiful white wolf laying on its belly and playfully yanking at the skirts of a lady sitting on the floor with her back turned to Clare.
The figure looked magnificent dressed in a beautiful white gown embroidered with gold thread forming beautiful patterns and symbols that made the gown look so very elegant.
Her hair shone like it was illuminated by the moon itself and on her head she wore a crown formed by little stars around her head with an upturned crescent moon as the center piece. The figure radiated power just by her presence.
Clare felt her leg tremble in panic as she realized who it was she was seeing.
Selene! The mother of the moon!! whom most referred to as...
The Moon Goddess!
"Clare my dear, I've been expecting you." The woman said and turned to face her.
The moon goddess smiled at her and Clare stilled, doubting her sanity. It was not possible.
Now she knew her mind was playing a big fat joke on her. Because the face that was staring back at her was....
"Clare dear, wake up."
Clare woke up to see Julia and Edward hovering over her sleeping figure.
"Sorry for waking you up this early, Princess." Alpha Edward said giving her a peck on her forehead. "You can go back to bed in a second."
Clare looked at her and noticed there was no sunlight in her room. The alarm clock that sat on her bed read 4:26 am.
Weird! From how long her dream felt, she thought she would have slept well into the day.
"We have to leave for an important meeting, dear." Julia told her. "We will be gone for a few days, maybe weeks. Meanwhile, Beta Harry will be here and your uncle Drew too. You will be fine, won't you?"
What a relief! Clare exclaimed sarcastically in her mind. She knew her adoptive parents meant well but were so busy all the damn time that they had no way of knowing just how mean everyone was to her behind their backs.
She wasn't about to burst their bubble. She didn't want them to think that they haven't done a good job raising her, because they had. And she would be eternally grateful to them for taking her in when no one else wanted to.
She even suspected that she was the reason they had decided not to have any children after their daughter, Elizabeth died. So that she would not feel left out or have to compete for their love.
Or at least that was what Uncle Drew and Rick had told her. She had no way of knowing if that was the truth or if they just wanted to make her feel guilty towards her adoptive parents.
Clare nodded her head and even forced a smile. "I'll be fine."
Both adults exchanged glances and nodded.
"You can sleepover at your aunt's if you feel like it, but be good. Okay?"
"Thanks, mum." Clare gave a genuine smile this time.
"And take good care of yourself?"
Clare nodded and was pulled into a giant bear hug.
"Everything would be okay, Princess. We promise to make it all fine." Edward murmured soothingly into the hug.
Clare furrowed her brows and pulled out if the hug. That sounded like the kind of stuff people said before sacrificing themselves for someone else in movies.
"Y-you guys are not going to get yourselves k-killed, are you?" She stuttered nervously.
"Of course not, dear. We are going to attend to pack issues. I promise you, we are not in any danger " The Luna answered with the sweetest smile to calm the girl down realizing how ominous her husband had unintentionally sounded.
Clare felt a bit relieved. She couldn't bear to lose a pair of parents a second time which must have made her read too much into what the Alpha had said.
She wondered where they were going to and wanted to ask but decided not to push it.
If worse came to the worst, the beta would at least know what to do.
"Call us often, okay?" The Luna said giving her a final hug. Clare promised to check up on them everyday and they left.
It wasn't unusual that they had to leave early for some pack business or the other so there wasn't a need to see them off.
Clare snuggled into bed and was out in minutes.
She found herself in the hall again but this time, the moon goddess was standing before her, with her beautiful pet wolf beside her, as though she had been waiting all this while for her.
"Took you long enough, Clare dear" She beamed at her.