Chapter 82
82
~Elara’s POV
I stumbled back a step, my heart hammering so hard it felt like it would tear through my chest. My legs shook beneath me. Everything I had just watched, the palace, the feast, my past self, Ronan, Lira, my parents, it wasn’t just a dream. Not entirely. It felt too real, too alive. Every laugh, every gentle glance, every touch of fabric, the warmth of my mother’s hands adjusting my hair… I felt it as if it had been mine.
“What… what is this?” I whispered, my voice trembling. “Who… who are you showing me?” My chest rose and fell, shallow breaths, but the voices, the laughter, the teasing, the gentle words, they filled my mind, looping over and over, and I felt myself being pulled, being torn between now and then, between what was real and what I didn’t understand.
I clenched my fists. “Stop!” I yelled, my voice echoing, “Stop! Come out! Show yourself p>
And then… she appeared.
She didn’t walk in. She glided, or maybe she floated. The air around her shimmered faintly, like moonlight had collected in the very folds of her gown. Her skin was pale, smooth, almost like a polished pearl, glowing softly as if lit from within. Her hair flowed like liquid silver, cascading down past her waist in waves that seemed to move even when the air was still. Her eyes… oh, her eyes. They were enormous, deep, and silver-gray, flecked with light like stars. They held centuries of wisdom, but also something warm, gentle, comforting. She was beautiful in a way that made my chest ache, my breath catch.
Her voice was soft but commanding, a melody that seemed to enter every part of me. “Child,” she said, and even that single word made my knees weaken, “you are ready to understand p>
“Who… who are you?” I stammered, my throat dry, my hands trembling as I rose to my feet. My eyes never left hers. “Why… why are you showing me this p>
She smiled gently. It was not a smile of malice or of judgment, but of love, infinite and patient. “I’m the moon goddess, and this,” she said, lifting her hands, letting them move like water, “was your life, one hundred years ago. That life, that path, those people, you are her, Elara. You lived that life, and now you have returned. Your present life is a continuation. You are the reincarnation of the princess you watched. The Elara you saw… that was you, long ago p>
I felt my knees buckle. My hands clutched at my chest, trying to hold the pounding of my heart. “I… I don’t understand. That… that was me?” I whispered, my voice breaking. “But how… how can I be… her p>
She stepped closer, and the light seemed to bend around her, soft and silver, but not blinding. “Because time is not as your world thinks it is,” she said. “The life you live now carries the blood, the memories, and the soul of the life you had then. You may not remember it fully, but every emotion, every instinct, every choice… it echoes from that past self into this one. That is why you feel as if it is real. Because it is p>
My mind spun, head swimming. I wanted to scream, to cry, to shake her and demand more, but I couldn’t move. I could only stare, drinking in every detail of her presence. Every ripple of her silver robes, every gleam of light across her skin, the way her voice seemed to echo in my very bones.
“Why… why show me this?” I asked, finally, my voice barely a whisper.
“Because, child,” she said softly, “you must remember. You must understand who you are to choose who you will become. Your life now, your choices, your future, everything will be shaped by what you have seen. Watch. Learn. Feel. And know that all is not lost. This is only the beginning p>
Her gaze held mine, steady, infinite, and I felt the weight of her words sink into my soul. The visions, the laughter, the palace, my parents, Ronan, Lira, all of it surged back, sharper, richer, like it had been lying dormant inside me, waiting for her guidance to awaken.
“Continue,” she whispered, the sound both tender and commanding. “Continue to watch, Elara. Let the memories flow. They are yours. And through them, you will know yourself p>
I nodded slowly, unable to speak, because even my voice seemed too small for the truth I was just beginning to grasp.
I swallowed hard and whispered, almost to myself, “I… I am her. I am her p>
The Moon Goddess smiled, and that single, serene expression made the shadows of fear in my chest settle, just enough to let me keep watching.
She snapped her finger, and suddenly everything shifted. The world spun for a second, and then I was back. Back in my room. My mother sat beside me, brushing a stray lock of hair from my face.
Before I could say anything, the door opened. Alpha Rowan stepped in. He walked in lightly, like he didn’t want to break the calm in the room. I noticed the way his eyes held laughter, warmth, and a hint of pride, all at once.
“My princess,” he said, his voice low and teasing. “I have news.” He chuckled softly, shaking his head as he came closer. “Alpha Darlon of the Silvermoon Pack has confirmed that he is your true mate and… he would like your hand in marriage p>
I froze for a moment, my heart thudding in my chest. My hands clenched in my lap, and then slowly, a smile spread across my face. I turned to my mother, eyes bright, cheeks warm. “I told you,” I said softly, “I told you I could feel it p>
My mother’s hands gripped mine, squeezing gently. Her eyes glistened as if she were holding back tears, a mixture of joy and relief. “I see,” she whispered, almost to herself, but I knew she was speaking to me as well.
Alpha Rowan laughed quietly, stepping closer to the bed. “That must have been your dormant wolf,” he said, his smile broadening. “I have waited so long to see how my daughter’s wolf will be. I cannot wait to see your wolf, how you will grow into your strength with him p>
I glanced at him, my smile widening.
My mother nodded slowly, tears forming at the corners of her eyes. She reached out and smoothed my hair again, her fingers lingering. “And he has chosen you… as you are meant to be p>
I swallowed hard, feeling a lump rise in my throat. I looked down at my hands, which were trembling slightly, the morning sun warming them. “I… I am ready,” I said softly, almost to myself. “I am ready to meet him fully, to know what it means… to be together p>
Alpha Rowan leaned back slightly, his hands resting lightly on the edge of the bed. “Good,” he said. “Because this is only the beginning, my daughter. You have a path ahead, one full of strength, of love, and of your wolf. I cannot wait to see it unfold p>