Chapter 324: _Not Dead... Yet
Caroline’s POV
******
She had a foolproof plan for bringing down Marcellus once and for all.
Okay, not exactly foolproof, but it was the best she could come up with.
Her wolf, Vilda, argued that the "best" plan would be to wait patiently to gather more evidence or report directly to Odessa and Kaelos once they returned from Canada.
But one, she couldn’t wait till they had evidence and two... she wasn’t even sure if Odessa would make it back. And she blamed herself for that.
So she went to Marcellus’ residence alone, poked the bear by accusing him directly and then watched him unravel.
He did a good job hiding his true thoughts and feelings... that’s if he had any feelings. From what she knows, the man’s a textbook psychopath.
Masking his true nature was a speciality.
So when he finally took the bait and attacked her right when she was about to leave... She was most pleased.
She brought out a moonstone she carried along, let the object of divinity tank the blast from Marcellus... and then everything faded to black.
But not for long.
"My daughter." A peaceful voice echoed in her ears, forcing her to open her eyes.
But her eyebrows furrowed slightly when she looked around and saw the vast whiteness that stretched for miles.
Caroline slowly sat up, squinting her eyes and rubbing the back of her head. But she froze when she saw who stood several meters ahead.
Her mouth fell in awe, her heart beat stilling as if even it understood the majesty before her.
A gorgeous woman wearing a flowing white gown stood there, her long silver hair floating like clouds around her.
She had a silver halo behind her head, glowing with a light brighter than the moon itself.
The moon goddess. Selene.
"My goddess." Caroline quickly got on her knees, only to bow her head, but Selene’s reprimand was sharp.
"Please, Caroline. We’ve seen enough times to make that far too unnecessary."
She froze but then slowly raised her head again, staring at the goddess whose smile was welcoming.
"Rise. Please." Selene gestured.
Caroline nodded, getting to her feet and adjusting her dress, but then she paused when she realised something.
"This is my mental space... isn’t it?" She asked, blinking at the moon goddess. "Not the afterlife. I’m not—"
"No. You’re not dead." Selene chimed with a knowing smile. "I slipped into your mental space just like I can do with any of my descendants out there. Like Luna Queen Janelle and Alpha King Kaelos."
Children of Selene.
Not many people in the world knew about them... and that’s because they didn’t exactly like revealing their identities to just anyone.
It was theorised that the first werewolves were humans who got transformed by taking the blood of the moon goddess.
But the children of Selene? They were descendants of the first wolf born directly from the moon goddess’s secret affair with a mortal.
This was Caroline’s major secret... among a few. She could still remember the first time the moon goddess appeared in her dream as a child.
"I failed my mission, my goddess." Caroline kept her head bowed despite being told to stand upright. "You tasked me with protecting Odessa Pierce. The Vein Born. And I failed."
There was a short silence before Selene’s voice echoed:
"I tasked you with being with her. Watching over her. And you did just that during the times you were together."
Caroline raised her head, her eyes blurring with tears which she didn’t even know where about to drop.
Selene’s face scrunched with a frown as she shook her head, spreading her arms and walking forward.
"No, child." She cooed, pulling Caroline into her motherly embrace. "There’s no need for that. Odessa is okay, I can assure you of that much. She’s safe even."
Caroline sniffled but then blinked back the tears, letting herself take in the goddess’s scent, which was like lavender, honey and everything nice.
She eventually raised her head, staring at Selene’s ethereal face. There was a hint of sadness within her eyes, causing Caroline’s heart to drop into her stomach.
Something was wrong...
"You said I’m not dead," Caroline whispered, her voice almost breaking as she held onto Selene’s shoulders.
The moon goddess nodded. "Yes, child. Not yet."
Caroline’s breath hitched.
Not yet.
"The physical world..." Caroline suddenly gasped, taking a couple of steps back.
Her head fell when she felt a wetness blooming on her stomach. When she saw what it was, a cold shiver surged through her entire being.
Blood.
"Argh." She grunted, almost stumbling backwards, but Selene’s hands shot forward, keeping her standing firm.
Caroline groaned, gritting her teeth from the sharp pain that shot through her.
"Marcellus Sterling is still standing in the physical world." The moon goddess’s voice was like an anchor, making her fight to stay stable. "Your... Your death will be the final thread holding Kaelos and Odessa’s trust for him."
Caroline felt like her whole world was crumbling as she shook her head, her lips trembling. "N–No... I... I didn’t want to die. The moon stone explosion wasn’t meant to kill."
Selene nodded. "No. It was a beacon. One which Odessa and Kaelos will hear. But Marcellus’ blast still struck you..."
Suddenly, Selene began flickering, like a hologram glitching out of reality.
"We will meet again, child." Selene’s voice was filled with warm reassurance, a proud smile curling up her lips as she caressed Caroline’s cheek. "But the world isn’t done with you. Not yet."
Those words lingered in the air as she faded like smoke in the wind.
Slowly, cracks began spreading around the vast white space, and Caroline could feel herself slipping away.
This time, another voice echoed, familiar and desperate:
"I’ll kill her before escaping."
No.
Caroline closed her eyes and when they opened again, she was back in the physical world, lying in the middle of a crater left behind by the moonstone explosion.
Dust and smoke filled the air, causing her to cough erratically. Her stomach still had that sharp pain and was still wet with her blood but when her eyes opened fully, she saw HIS face staring back at her.
Marcellus.
And raised above his head was a dagger aimed at her face.
"Oh, good. You’re alive." Marcellus smiled manically, looking like he was a few steps away from insanity and covered in ash. "But not for long."