35. Rain

**Rain**

Caleb looks at the jungle, his back facing me, while I stare at his mark, the crown of ice. I want to run my finger over it but resist the urge to touch it. Caleb doesn't say anything, and I just stand there wondering what he is thinking about.
The prophecy comes to my mind, and all I can think about is that Caleb and I will have to fight a demon. I am not a fighter, never been one, and maybe that's something I should change. While I was in the Crescent Moon Pack, I never once fought back when Jordan bullied me or when my cousin, Ruth, or my aunt treated me worse than a rabid dog. When Alpha Ben started touching me, I stood still and let him. When my fire wanted to burn those that harmed me, I always pushed it back because I was too afraid to use it. But Caleb gave me something that my former pack never gave me—training classes.
There are many types of werewolves. Some love to fight, while others love to explore and learn about other packs. But me? I am the werewolf that is content to sit on the porch and draw until my hands fall out while my soulmate is close to me. I am not a fighter or an explorer, but as Caleb's soulmate and the future Luna of the Black Ruby Rogue Pack, I must learn how to protect my pack from danger. It is not the life I have dreamed of, but I learned long ago that not all wishes come true. I don't know if I will be a good Luna, but I know I am not alone because I have Elton and Caleb.
I smile because I realize how lucky I am. Not only is Caleb the most amazing soulmate ever, but Elton is the first Theta Knight in the last hundred and fifty years.
I lift my hand and trace the crown of ice with my fingertips.
Caleb stiffens under my touch.
"For many years, I hated that mark. I hate what it meant and the magic behind it! And mostly, I hated that I was different from other werewolves!" Caleb says in a bitter tone.
While I never liked my crown of flames because it gave my former pack more reasons to bully and torment me, I never hated it. Sometimes I was scared of it because I thought it was the reason why my parents died in that fire, but once I learned how to push back my fire, I stopped fearing it, and I mostly ignored it.
"Why would you hate something that is part of you?" I ask, and I kiss his mark.
Caleb turns and looks at me. "It was one of the reasons why my parents never loved me. It is the main reason why they never tried to save me from the vampires. They made me think using my ice was something bad, and for many years I kept it locked."
I smell his sadness, and it is not the first time I want to wrap Caleb in my arms and take his pain away.
"Do you still hate your ice?" I ask, and I hope he says no because I don't want Caleb to hate something that I find so beautiful about him.
He lifts his right palm, and a snowflake appears in it. I smile, remembering the first time Caleb made a snowflake for me. "I love my ice because it makes you happy. And because I learned it is part of my heritage."
I cock my head and frown. "What do you mean by part of your heritage?"
Caleb interlaces our fingers. "Do you want to walk or sit while I tell you?"
I point at a coconut tree. "How about we sit there?"
Caleb looks at the jungle and nods. We start walking while I think of a plan to escape Alpha Ben. Not being with Caleb, not knowing if he is alright, is another kind of torture. If I lose Caleb, grief will consume my soul.
When we reach the coconut tree, Caleb sits down, leans his back on the tree, and pulls me in his lap. I rest my head on his shoulder, and with my left hand, I play with his hair. I love the feel of it.
Caleb circles my waist before starting talking. "After Tatiana rescued me, she saw my mark. During that time, I still hated my magic, but once Tatiana started explaining some things to me, and I understood where my ice is coming from, I started embracing it."
"What did she tell you?" I ask because I am dying to know. I often wondered why I had been given the power to control the fire.
"There has been a time when the paranormal world has not been at peace. Berserkers fought with werewolves, and the witches hunted the vampires. Angels despised the demons and banished them to another realm. Dragons hated the fay. But one day, berserkers attacked a witch covenant, and the vampires killed some packs. The Luna and the Alpha Supreme met with the Witch Queens, and an alliance was formed between werewolves and witches. Don't think that werewolves and witches were friends. There was always the possibility that a war could start between our kind and the witches. But then something interesting happened," Caleb said.
Mr. Smith taught me about the wars and the hatred between the Paranormal Communities. It had taken a lot of work and promises, sometimes threats or matings between enemies, clans, or packs, to end all the wars.
"A witch fell in love with a handsome and rich Alpha, but their love story was more tragical than that of Romeo and Juliet?" I ask while I bat my eyelashes.
Caleb laughs and kisses the top of my nose. "Something like that. When the alliance was formed, four witches mated with four Alphas. Each witch had different powers. One could use fire and stop time. Another commanded the wind and read minds. The third witch could call earthquakes whenever she wanted. She also had the gift of healing. The last one could open portals between worlds, and the water listened to her voice. For some years, the witches lived happily in the packs, but one night the berserkers and the vampires attacked and killed their packs. For a long time, it was believed that the witches had also perished during the attacks, but I think they survived. Or, at least the children of the witches and the Alphas."
I had never heard this story before, and I am sure there are many things I never had the chance to learn because of Luna Silvia and Alpha Ben. They said I was not worthy of sitting in the same class as the other pack children, and my curse could affect them.
"Why do you think that?" I ask.
Caleb tugs my left sleeve revealing my mark. After placing a soft kiss on it, he looks at me. "Because we are descendants of those witches and Alphas. You can summon fire, and I can control ice. Only witches can control these elements, but the Moon Goddess blessed us with magic."
For a moment, I don't know what to say. I never thought I was a descendant of a witch and a werewolf, but this explains my fire.
From the first dawn, when the gods created the Earth and all the life on it, hybrid children were born. But matings between different Paranormal creatures are not seen with good eyes, and hybrid children are mostly hated by their packs or clans.
I can't stop wondering if all the hate I received was because I have a hybrid in my family tree. I wish I knew more about parents' families. Unfortunately, my maternal grandparents died before I was born, and my aunt, my father's sister, hates me with all her heart. I am sure she won't tell me anything.
I look at the jungle and listen to some birds singing before looking back at Caleb. "Do you really think the Moon Goddess blessed us?"
He cups my cheek and moves his thumb up and down, sending shivers down my body. "Red, our Goddess saw something in you because she gave you a Theta Knight. So yes, I think we are blessed. Especially me because having you as my soulmate is a blessing."
I smile. "Raven and you are the best thing that happened to me. Do you think there are more werewolves with powers?"
Caleb shrugs. "If there are, I haven't met any. Maybe when I find you, we can ask Tatiana. I am sure she knows something."
Remembering that I am captive makes my heart fill with sadness.
"I will find a way to escape and return to you," I promise.
"Who took you?" Caleb asks in a serious tone. "Jordan's father?"
I bite my lower lip before nodding. "Jordan and Elton are also with me."
"Is he the one that raped you?" Caleb asks, and I stop breathing.
I want to deny it because I know how much Caleb dislikes Jordan. Knowing about Alpha Ben will only fuel the hatred Caleb has for Jordan.
I open my mouth, but Caleb speaks before me. "Don't you dare lie to me, Red!" I nod because lying would only hurt Caleb. He cursed under his breath. "Did he touch you again?"
"No. He is obsessed with Jordan and me going to the Ritual Stones. And before you go nuclear, I want you to know that you are the one that will mark me before our pack."
Caleb kisses me for a long time.
"When I find you, Red—because I will—I will make him curse the day he was born! No one touches you and gets to live!"
"It's alright," I say.
"How can you say it's fine when you are in the hands of that sick bastard?" Caleb's tone is pure anger.
"Jordan and Elton are protecting me."
"It's about damn time that fucker does something for you! How could he let his father touch you? Rape you?" Caleb asks in a tone full of hate.
I know the hate he feels is not directed towards me.
Caleb buries his face in my hair and inhales deeply. I keep playing with his hair because it calms him.
"Jordan didn't know what his father did. I never told anyone."
Caleb lifts his head. "He didn't know because he was too busy making your life impossible in the pack!"
"I don't want to talk about that life anymore." I shift in his lap. "Do you know there's a prophecy about the two of us?"
Caleb inhales sharply. "What prophecy?"
In the last months, I haven't thought about it, and I hope I can remember all the words.
"Fire and Ice. Ice and Fire. Two elements that are not compatible. Two elements that should not love each other. But when Ice burns for Fire and Fire melts for Ice that they will become Alpha and Luna Supreme. For it is their combined power that can seal the portal that connects the two worlds. They will fight the Demon King and send him back to his realm."
Caleb is quiet for a long time, and I wonder if this is the first time he hears the prophecy.
"That's not the entire prophecy," Caleb finally says. He looks at the sky. "There's another part, but only the Queen of the Light Witches knows it."
I have the feeling he is not completely honest.
"You know something, don't you?" I ask him. "Caleb?"
"When the time is right, you will know," Caleb says.