Rejected, Abused, I Fall for the Forbidden Alpha (by Riley Scott) novel Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Raven POV

A woman stands in front of me, peering closely into my eyes. I give a cry of alarm and manage to jump backwards, landing on air? There’s still nothing below my feet, and it’s still dark. The woman is like a beacon of light, her hair almost white as it cascaded down her shoulders and to the tip of her ankles. Her eyes were blue, bright, and sparkling. She wore a white dress, like the Greek goddesses wore in picture books, off the shoulder and flowing loosely down her legs. She was beautiful. Even her skin was like a creamy honey colour. She looked ethereal, like some sort of fairy or part of a dream.

“Poor child,” her voice is sad, her expression turning morose. “You’ve suffered a lot, haven’t you.”

“Who are you? Am I dead?” I ask, confused.

Her laughter fills the air. It’s like music, sweet and soothing. She shakes her head. “No, dear, this is the in between. The space between life and death. Where decisions are made and where time stands still.”

“I’m not dead yet,” my voice is perplexed, “then who are you and what are you?” I’m a little rude.

“I’m Serena, the moon goddess. I’m sure as a child, you heard tales of me.”

I stare at her, my breath catching in my throat. The moon goddess. Everybody had heard of her.

Disbelief. I’m sure this can’t be her. She was only a legend, a way to threaten shifter children into behaving, and a way to explain our existence. She wasn’t real. Nobody had laid eyes on her to prove she was.

“You’re not her. The moon goddess doesn’t exist,” i said dumbly.

It was an understatement. She looks apologetic, her expression filled with understanding.

“Angry?” I screamed, losing my temper and glaring at her with resentment, “I’m more than angry. How could you continue to let me be tortured like that? Did you get off on it?” I hissed, “watching my body scar, listening to the sounds of my screams, ignoring my constant prayers for help? Didn’t you feel the least bit sorry for me at all? I almost killed myself,” I broke down, “and you were there the entire time.”

She could have saved me. She could have rescued me. I sob, my heart squeezing painfully in my chest. All my emotions were raw, my grief so painful I could barely breathe.

“I couldn’t intervene. It is not in my power to change the events of time. All I can do is guide you towards a path. Your suffering, your torment, it was all a design to make you stronger and more resilient.”

“That means nothing to me,” my voice was almost raw, “you should have done something. Why me?” I demanded through tears, “Why did you choose this future for me?”

“Raven,” her voice is soft as she kneels and puts her arms around me, “I wish I could take your pain away and even your memories. The pain you’ve been put through is nothing anybody else could imagine. I wish I could have prevented this from the very start, but as a goddess my hands are tied. I can’t just do what I like simply because I wish it. I’m not permitted to change the future or mess with anybody’s timeline. I created you; I created all of my children out of love, not vindictiveness.”