Before her journey to the Kingdom of Elysium, Jolene had given her books about its territory and the royal family. She also gave her a list of those working in the palace and the members of the Blood Moon Pack, including their appearances.
"Jolene, what's the difference between a Lycan and a werewolf?" She asked while reading about the royal family.
Jolene was preparing a meal for them. The old woman never answered her question about the reason she wanted to enter Elysium, but she understood if Jolene wasn't ready to tell her story.
"Lycans were the original creation of the Moon Goddess. They are smarter and more powerful than a werewolf. Unlike werewolves who could only change into their wolf form during the full moon, Lycans can change anytime. They have full control of their transformation. A Lycan like Elias Lagerfeld is larger than a normal werewolf so he was feared and respected by any Alpha of the pack." Jolene answered.
She nodded while listening to Jolene and then continued reading. She paused when remembered what Elias told her about how Lycans could choose anyone as their mate.
"Jolene, the Lycans, do they have mates? Elias mentioned that he can choose anyone." She asked.
Jolene served a meal for her on the table and gave her a glass of orange juice.
"As far as I know, either they have one or they have no one."
"Why? The Moon Goddess didn't pair them with someone?"
Jolene was amused by her ignorance and curiosity.
"Do you know the story of the Sun and the Moon?" Jolene asked.
She frowned as she shook her head. "I don't know any story related to your kind."
"From now on, you should know all the stories about us." Jolene reiterated the word 'us'.
She rolled her eyes. "Fine. So what's with the story of the Sun and the Moon aside from being our light during daytime and nighttime." She laughed.
Jolene glared at her in disbelief. "Humans think like that. But there are deeper meanings to everything we see and feel."
She stayed silent. The reality that she was now a werewolf slipped her mind.
"The story goes like this. Long ago, the Sun and the Moon fell in love with each other and traveled the world together. Until the Sun betrayed the Moon and slept with the Morning Star. The Moon's heart was shattered and decided to hide in the darkness of the night. With regret and to seek forgiveness, the Sun stayed and traveled by day in search of his lover." Jolene paused then poured another drink for her.
"It was said that the stars were the tears of the Moon, illuminating the night to conceal her grief. And for a thousand years, she waited. She waited to meet the Sun to inflict the same pain he had given her." Jolene continued.
"And what's the connection of the story to the Lycans?" She asked.
She was unsure why her heart was pounding as she listened to the story. Her heart also ached for the Moon because she felt her pain.
"They said the Sun is the Lycans, and the Moon represents their fated one. For a long time, Lycans always end up being betrayed by their partner."
"But I thought the Sun was the one who betrayed the Moon?" She asked with a confused face.
Jolene smiled. "That was a long time ago. Remember the Sun traveled to look for his lover and the Moon waited to inflict the same pain he gave her. She wanted revenge. As for the Lycans, their mates will either leave them, cheat on them or die. They were destined to search for their fated one only to be left alone with a shattered heart in the end."
Her heart couldn't stop pounding. The story caught her interest and she wanted to know more about it.
"How about the Queen of Elysium? Did she betray the King?"
Jolene shrugged her shoulders. "I'm not sure what happened to her. All I know is that she's dead. There were a lot of rumors about the deceased Queen. But none of them has been proven."
"Is it possible that the crown prince will choose someone to be his Queen?" She asked curiosity piqued.
"If on the day of his ascension, he didn't find his mate, he had to choose the next Luna. That's for the sake of the pack. The Queen of Elysium can be a different woman, but if Elias chooses his Luna as his Queen, then she's a lucky girl." Jolene answered.
"So, you're saying he can have two wives?" She exclaimed.
Jolene laughed. "The Luna is responsible for the pack members while the Queen is for the citizens of Elysium. He can marry the Queen just for the sake of the kingdom, but the Luna holds the Alpha's heart."
"T—That's cruel. Imagine if you are chosen to be his Queen, but his heart is owned by another. That's sad." She said.
Jolene felt her anger and sadness at the same time. She was thinking about her past self as Amelia Stanford. Chosen to be a Queen and Luna but was never loved and wanted by her husband.
"But can you imagine if you will have both?" Jolene smirked.
She gulped. She swore to get the highest position in Elysium so she had to be both the Luna and the Queen.
"Do you think I will be chosen?" She asked.
Jolene frowned. "Where's your confidence? Always remember and focus on what you want. Do not forget what happened to your family, to the Kingdom of Terraria, and to the human race."
"I will never forget, Jolene. And thank you for helping me." She smiled.
Jolene smiled back and walked toward a small bookshelf.
"Here." She said, handing her another book.
She pouted. "I've been reading a lot of books and I thought that was everything."
Jolene chuckled. "That's the story I told you. You can have it."
Her heart felt excited. There was a mixture of surprise and happiness on her face when she looked at the book.
"How the Moon betrayed the Sun?" She whispered.