Page 53 of The Alpha's Mates

“More importantly,” Celinda said with a cackling laugh, “is who areyou?” Her gnarled finger pointed at me.

My brows shot up. “Uh. I’m Reese Silvest.” I broke off as she shook her head.

“Your mother was a saint, putting up with that insufferable man for as long as she did.”

Swallowing back tears that sprang forth at her words, I nodded. “I’m aware of that,” I whispered. We were beyond asking how this woman knew our lives. The reality was, she did and that meant she could help us.

“But that’s not what I meant, Child. I know your name. Of your beautiful mother. Your scoundrel father.” She tilted her head. “Do you knowwhoyou are?”

“No,” I whispered.

“Whatyou are?” she rasped.

“I’m an alpha female.”

She grinned and I knew that was what she was looking for. “You are. Do you know how precious you are?”

That was a first. “No. I’ve been told I was a mistake my whole life.”

“By that useless father of yours, yes. But you’re not a mistake. Do you know what alpha females are born for?”

“No,” I replied.

“You’re Lyas’s priestess. As were those who came before you, Goddess rest their souls.”

I blinked, unable to believe what I was hearing. “What?”

“Her priestess. Her protector.”

“How am I supposed to protect a Goddess?” I asked with a wry laugh.

“Goddesses aren’t immune from trickery, or betrayal,” Celinda answered with a bitter laugh. She fell silent, eyes open wide, as though watching something we couldn’t see.

I met Soren’s eyes, uneasiness filling me at her sudden silence. He clenched his jaw.

Easy, Mate.

Jerking at the voice in my mind, I drew in a steady breath. How long would it take for me to get used to the fact that they could now speak directly inside my head?

Holden growled low in his throat, causing the crow on my shoulder to shift from side to side with unease. “Where is this magic coming from?”

That jerked Celinda from her trance. “Nevermind that. You,” she said, focusing back on me again, “are Lyas’s only hope.”

Cringing, I let out a shaky breath. All I’d ever wanted was to find a quiet place to settle down and live my life out in solitude. Away from the jeers and disdain of my pack. Yet, here I was. Mated. The leader of my own new pack of women, and now Soren’s pack. And apparently the last hope of the Moon Goddess and all of shifter kind. Fantastic.

CHAPTER 24

Reese

“What exactly do you mean by that?” I asked.

“I can’t tell you that.” Celinda said with a roll of her eyes. “If it was that easy, it wouldn’t be fate.”

Shaking my head with a dry laugh, I ran my free hand through my hair trying to relieve the stress that this talk was causing. Calder squeezed the hand he was holding, lending me his strength. “Whatcanyou tell me?”

“You’re Lyas’s priestess. Her life is in your hands. You must save her during the upcoming lunar eclipse. And…”

We all leaned forward, the crow making a grating clicking noise in his throat.