The Moon Cave

I watched Dean’s chest rise and fall peacefully as the sun crept into our room. Last night was perfect despite the peace and intimacy the goddess’s teardrop was the one thing on my mind. I would finally get to see what it looked like.
We had over a hundred pack members and none of them other than the Alpha had seen it. I couldn’t wrap my brain around how Dean got it. Possibly a traitor tracked it down, stole it and sold it to the highest bidder.
Dean’s fingers traced up my spine.
“Good morning, Little Wolf.”
“Hey Big Wolfe.”
His smile dropped. “We’re not doing that Layla.”
“Come on, it suits you.”
“No. What are you thinking about?”
“The teardrop. We can win this war with it you know?”
“Of course I do. We can’t use it.”
I rubbed his thigh under the sheets. “We’ll figure it out. I wish there were scrolls or something to tell us how to use the teardrop.”
“I doubt you’ll find anything. Lore on the teardrop is non-existent. Most people don’t know it exists.”
“How did you know about it?”
“I’m the Alpha King.”
“Of course,” I said.
“I heard rumours at first about the goddess entrusting her tears to a pack. Only there was no record of it.”
“Then you got it, but how?”
He pressed his lips together. “Why won’t you just tell me?”
“I’d rather show you. How about you and I take a slow bath and then I take you.”
He reached for my cheek but I jumped out of bed and slipped into my bunny slippers.
“Or we can go now.”
Dean bowed his head and sighed.
“Fine, mate.” He pulled on black pants and a white shirt.
“Where are we going?” I laced my fingers through his.
“An underground cave beneath the castle.”
I shivered I knew this place was huge but a secret cave under the castle? What’s next?
We got to damp basement with rats scurrying across the room and squeaking in corners.
“Don’t tell me you’re scared of rats, Little Wolf?”
“They’re vile creatures, Dean.”
He laughed before picking up a massive bronze lock. He pulled out a key from his pocket. The lock clicked open and the door swung inward. A burst of cold air hit my face.
“It’s cold in here,” I said.
“Yeah, this is a spiritual cave. A place to connect with the moon goddess if need be.”
“You’ve spoken to the moon goddess?!”
He bowed his head then lifted it to a pool tucked in the corner of the cave.
“No, I can’t.”
“You can’t? Why?”
“That’s a story for another day Little Wolf. The stone’s in the pool.”
The cave emitted a dark blue light which was strong enough for us to see. Dean nodded for me to proceed. Did it look like a teardrop? Or was it a round glob shape object? The pool had grass growing on the outside it. I looked up to discover a smooth stone ceiling the rest of the cave was covered in rock and grass.
“Where is it?” I asked.
“Look harder.”
I got on my knees and stared at the still blue water. I tilted my head it was so dark I couldn’t see the bottom. All I saw was my reflection staring back at me.
“Dean—”
His foot pressed against my back and the pressure threw me forward. I reached out for something to hold on to but I ended falling head first into the water. Ice cold water cut through my skin into my bones. The pool was shallow it reached my waist when I stood.
“Is this some sick joke?”
He stared at me with his hands in his pocket.
“Not a joke babe.”
“The water’s freezing.”
“Right, I should have thought this through.”
I hugged myself and trembled. There was no stone in here anyway!
“You’re the teardrop of the moon, Layla.”
I looked at him and froze. Dean’s gaze never wavered.
“Excuse me?”
He held his hand out and I took it.
“A wolf with healing power but it was your eyes that gave it away.”
I stepped out of his hold. “You don’t know what you’re saying. We’re looking for a stone and not a person.”
“Layla, the teardrop isn’t blue it is purple. Somehow you absorbed the stone’s power and it’s evident in your eyes.”
“How do you know? You said lore on the stone is non-existent. I’ve never laid eyes on the stone myself how could I have absorbed its power?”
“No one said you did it yourself.”
My lip quivered. It didn’t make sense. Dean was wrong.
“Babe, listen to me. You have the power inside you. Your uncle had the same theory when I spoke to him at his pack.”
“Why didn’t he tell me?” I blasted.
“Because I arrived and he came to meet me. He told me the teardrop was missing, the confirmed the colour and he told me his theory. I knew it was true. I had the goddess’s power with me the entire time.”
Tears fell from my eyes.
“What’s his theory, Dean?”
“Mate…” he sighed.
I was shivering and soaked but I was determined to get answers.
“What Dean?”
He cupped my cheeks and his hands were a welcome warmth.
“Owen said you were born at a difficult time in the pack.”
The last conversation I had with my parents together came to mine. They said they did something that they’ll live with for the rest of their lives. It couldn’t be this.
“Owen got a message from your Father that the stone would be protected no matter what. On his next visit there was a little girl with purple eyes running around.”
I swallowed. “And you think Dad hid the stone’s power in me?”
That’s what they were trying to tell me the day the pack was attacked. When Dad looked at me and told me the stone was safe. He was looking at its essence.
“Dean I—”
My parents were killed because of me. My pack was burned because of me.
“Layla, are you okay?”
“Dean—”
My head spun like a wheel. My legs went numb and Dean’s face split in two.
“Layla!” I fell into Dean’s arms and retreated in to solace of darkness.