Brendon's POV:
How long has it been? I'm still here? How is this possible? I thought I would be waking up right now. Sowle said... three hours? Surely... I would be back in my body by now. After all... I know time works differently here... but... maybe I'm being impatient... but I'm positive I should be back by now. The world felt cold and lonely. Darkness was all my eyes could see. I was left alone in my thoughts.
Luna...
I have to talk to Luna.
Moon goddess...
"Luna," I called out into the darkness. My voice echoing into the void. "Where am I?" I wondered. My paws hit a solid ground and I was running on all four paws. I'm in my wolf form. I'm in my wolf form. The air didn't have a scent. I couldn't smell or see anything. Is this a curse? "LUNA!" I came to a stop and howled. My sound echoed into the void. "WHERE AM I?" I growled. I felt impatient. Restless.
I don't understand. What's going on with me?
I felt the urge to keep going. I have to keep going. Where I have to go must be straight ahead. My paws picked back up as I made sure to not give in. I can't stop now. I have to get to where I'm supposed to be.
It felt like hours. Days. Weeks.... for all I know it could have been a mere ten seconds... I felt tired and exhausted when I finally caught something in my eye. In my horizon I could see a blue hew and tree lines. I was going back to the moon's territory. Her glow alerted me I was going in a correct direction... Even if it's not where I thought I'd end up at... surely she can explain what's happening.
I thought... When I was left alone and could no longer hear Aaliyah then that confirmed I was going.... to be able to see Vivienne again....
But what happened?
Why am I here instead of waking up in my body?
I continued on my path towards her territory. I felt unwary. Something wasn't right... and it was obvious.
I was going back to her....
What happened?
Why am I not with Vivienne right now?
What if she thinks I don't want to come back to her? What's going to happen to her? Will she mourn for me? She loves me... I know she loves me. I love her. /// I have to get to the moon goddess. I have to find out what's going on.
The light grew bigger as I could make out trees around me. I howled for her once more. Please, please listen to my call, moon. I noticed the shift in the radiant blue dancing in the tree line. It grew closer to me. I could tell she had heard my call. I sat down in exhaustion and let her come to me. I couldn't move as my legs ached. So... I can feel pain still.
The moon goddess came into my view. The minute she saw me her jaw tightened. "You're not supposed to be here," she muttered in surprise. "Why aren't you back in your body?"
"I don't know myself," I admitted.
Her eyes darkened as she rumbled a low growl. "Your time isn't supposed to be up."
"What- my time?" I asked quickly.
"Sowle Knowles brought you the healing elixir. You're supposed to be already awake." She looked furious. "Let's find out what's going on... shall we?" The goddess picked up her paws to walk towards me. The environment shifted as she crossed lines. We suddenly stood in an unfamiliar medical room.
"Brendon," Vivienne's voice was calling out to me.
"I'm here!" I tried to tell her. But, I noticed my voice didn't quite make it to her. I wasn't actually in the room. Oh, this is the power of Luna. Vivienne came from an attached bathroom. Standing by my body was Aaragorn. I remembered briefly meeting him. Vivienne's gasp alerted me something was wrong. Her body hit the edge of the bed but before she could touch my body... Aaragorn touched her shoulder. They slowly fought as she tried to push past him. It ended in him winning and dragging Vivienne away from my body. That's when I noticed the monitors going off. My body... not breathing. I looked still. Like a fresh corpse. I wasn't me. I was watching me. People in lab coats rushed in as they came to my bedside. I noticed Vivienne being brought outside by that other alpha. I could only then... notice... the sound of the dead beep of the monitor. I wasn't registering alive on them.
I could hear Vivienne's muffled crying on the other side of the door.
"How are you dead??" The moon goddess asked in confusion. "That's not right... Nothing about this is right." Vivienne's voice on the other side of the door dragged my thoughts to listen to what she was saying.
"I'm sorry," I could make out Aaragorn apologizing.
"What were you doing?" Vivienne's harsh words echoed into my ears. I suddenly heard a thump, like they were fighting. Her light growl was warning him not to touch her. She was furious. Wait, is she accusing him of-
"Me? What exactly are you accusing me of doing?" He asked her. I could hear his anger coming through his alpha.
"He was fine! Until you showed up!" Vivienne's voice ran in my ear like an echo.
"Fine until you showed up," Luna repeated like she was taking notes.
"Vivienne watch what you're saying," he growled. "Or you'll feel guilty later." They got quiet and I could tell he was comforting her now. "Vivienne, he just stopped breathing."
"Stopped breathing?" Luna asked and looked astonished. "That sounds like a lie."
"I have to tell the pack," I could hear Vivienne's weak voice.
"I can do it for you," he suggested.
Who is he? Who the fuck does he think he is? He has no rights to even suggest talking to my pack in any authority.
"No... it's my responsibility."
"I'll have them gather and you can talk to them," he suggested. "Anything I can do to help, just let me know," he whispered. Fuck- did he just say?
"Send word to Everfur. His sister should be there. She deserves to know,"
My dear sister... fuck. I forgot about my family. I've been so worried about getting back for Vivienne.
"I will," he whispered back.
The nurses in the room stopped treatment as they came to the same conclusions. Nods were exchanged. I watched them as they hand picked someone to go out to Vivienne. I watched as the victim opened the door to step out. The fear on her lips and the concern for what would come next, made me feel bad for the nurse.
"There's nothing we could do, alpha," she whispered towards Aaragorn. My ears rung as they echoed what she said. Nothing? There's nothing they could have done? That's bullshit! And, she's totally ignoring my luna to talk directly to the alpha instead. I am Vivienne- No, stop thinking that.
"I guess that medicine the- what did he call himself? Necromancer? Brought to Brendon just wasn't enough."
"Brendon was still alive when he was fed the medicine, I don't understand!" Vivienne yelled in outrage. "HE SHOULD BE AWAKE!"
"I guess he's needed more with the moon goddess," Aaragorn suggested.
Needed more there? NO THE FUCK I'M NOT! DON'T LISTEN TO HIM, VIVIENNE. I'm coming back to you- I was going to at least.... How could I leave her willingly at a time like this!?
That's when Vivienne made a break for it. She slipped past the nurse and ran for my bedside. She gently took my hand. Her eyes lingered on my body like she was begging me to wake up. She couldn't understand this either. I looked at my fingers- wishing I could feel her touch. Suddenly she grabbed the sheets and tossed them over my head.
I growled in pain.
My heart ached.
"Did you leave me for her?" She suddenly spat at the sheet.
W-what? Vivienne....
"No!" I yelled. "I love you!" I promised her. She can't hear me.
"He betrayed me," Her voice echoed. I could see her body swaying like she was going to fall. Her legs trembling. Aaragorn rushed to he side and caught her. His breath hit her ear as he smelled her.
"Luna, I could always tell the pack for you. What is your call?"
Fucking bastard, is touching what's mine!
"I'll come. Let's tell them together," She insisted.
"They should be gathered soon," he assured her. "We can head there in a few minutes... But, I must ask you now... what are you going to do now? Your alpha is dead, he abandoned you. You said it yourself. Your father isn't back, yet. Your pack can't wait forever on orders. If you go in there and tell them their alpha died, they will want blood and war. But, if.... we go in there united-"
"Aaragorn, I can't sign my pack into a treaty," she interrupted him in saying so. "I have to respectfully decline! It's not right..." What's going on, what treaty?
"What treaty is that fuck talking about?" I asked Luna.
"I'm not sure," she admitted.
"You're so selfish!" He growled out. "Think about what's best for your pack, now. We can unite and rally. If she sees our packs combined-"
"She'll want us all dead!" I heard Viv yelled. "Lamia will kill you for associating with my pack."
"No, I think she'll gladly wave us off into the sunset if we surrender."
Vivienne shook her head. Her mind obviously lost in thought.
"Don't you see? We're in this too deep. She's not going to let any of us go. She's just trying to separate us. Like how she struck us individually when we least expected it. We're weaker in this state. But if we were all to come together, we might have a fighting chance."
"That time long passed," he told her stubbornly. "Let's face it, Vivienne.... the only way you'll be able to get out of this is if your father comes through with that mythical Northern pack."
"Why are you so caught up in combining our packs?" Vivienne growled out in suspicion.
Aaragorn dropped my mate suddenly and her impact in the floor gave an echoing thump to my ear.
"Well... something just isn't right here," Luna admitted and suddenly it was like a cinematic record as time seemed to back up for us. The incident in my body being covered up, the nurses trying to revive me, Aaragorn and Vivienne backed up all the way to her walking back into the bathroom. It was amazing as I witnessed time reversing itself. Luna glowed a bright blue as we saw Aaragorn go from touching my wrist.... straight into reverse moving my pillow. I felt my jaw drop as I watched him cover my face up with the pillow.
"He- he killed me," I whispered as it hit me.
"He did," she said in shock. "I didn't-" she cut herself off and looked me in the eyes.
Our environment changed and suddenly we were back in comforting darkness of her forest. She paced back in forth. Obviously worried. She suddenly looked over at me.
"Do you wish to live?" She asked me suddenly. "Do you want a chance at-" I stopped her right there as I wagged my tail.
"Are you suggesting at giving my life back?" I begged the question.
"Well it seems you'd be very useful if I did," she dully noted. "There's a few things you'll have to do for me though if I send you back. Like make sure to devote yourself only to the pack's best interest."
"Luna," I howled. "Are you really asking me this? You know my answer."
"I can't just give you one life... I have to grant you nine. It's just my capabilities are limited. You'll have to live out the nine lives or give them away wisely..." Like Fang. "But if you do this... Your chances at being with Aaliyah again will be slim to none. By then time you are ready to come here again, she might have passed on."
I might never see Aaliyah again?
"My duties are to my pack. And, Vivienne is part of that. I can't abandon them like this," I whispered.
"This is the words spoken of a true warrior," she whispered in admiration. "I love your devotion. It reminds me of Fang when he was younger... Very well. In order for your nine lives to be granted you must go see Fang and be blessed for your journey."
"Why Fang?" I asked curiously.
"He's got a few wise words he can say to you. Since you remind me of him I'm just afraid the past might repeat itself... If you still feel strongly about taking the nine lives... I will grant them to you."
"I assure you... the past will not be the same as my future."