Shifted Fate (Amy)

The goddess shook her head. "You saved yourself." She leaned down and pressed a kiss to his forehead. Then she turned to the others. "You are all devoted to my path, or the path of my sisters or brothers." She looked at Toya's father. "Your daughter has done well, and will be rewarded if she survives the final battle."

He swallowed, instantly alert. "If?"

The goddess gave a sad smile. “I cannot see the future. I just lay the path."

Thoth shifted, and she turned to face him. "Hiding behind a mask cannot change anything." His head snapped up.

"Me?" His voice, confused.

She chuckled. "Who else is wearing a mask but you?"

Thoth scratched his head. "No one."

"Exactly." She walked to him and leaned down. "You hide yourself to protect yourself. But you are only keeping yourself away from what could be. You are hiding away, and I am worried you will miss your chance. If you don't confess the truth. All of it. Then you will miss the thing you want most in this world."

Thoth swallowed. "But what if I mess up again?"

She raised a shoulder. "Then you mess up. But holding back won't do you any good."

She turned. "Stay on the path, or don't. It is up to you all." Then I was back. I staggered a step, and Thoth steadied me.

"Are you okay?" His question was soft.

"Yeah." I patted his hand and I felt a spark jump between our skin. I furrowed my brow as I pulled away. I turned back to the others. "So I am sure you have questions." I tried to smile but it was forced.

The others were staring at me. "That was the goddess." Alpha Chris was pale.

I nodded. "Yes."

"Could that have been magic?" Alpha Tim looked at the others, but they all shrugged.

I blew out a breath. "Magic can do a lot." I smiled. "I can change my appearance. I

can change how I sound. But there is one thing forbidden."

My father nodded. "It's forbidden to imitate a celestial."

I nodded. "If any pretend to be a goddess in any way, they will lose their

blessings. Magic, shifting, or whatever else was gifted. Rank, power, aura. All stripped instantly."

Toya's father shook his head. "There is no way that was faked." He looked at the others. “I have felt the moon goddess before. I know you have to." The others nodded. "I need you to look at me and tell me that what you felt was not the goddess."

Tim looked away. "She felt like the goddess. But I just wanted to offer any explanation."

I nodded. "That's fair. But I want to ask a question." I tilted my head at him.

He met my stare and then nodded. "Okay."

"Since you have come into this

office, you and a few others seem to

be almost against my father." Everyone snapped their attention to me. “He saved your pack from death. Made sure you had places to live. He took care of you and welcomed you into his confidence, while still giving you the dignity and reverence deserving of an alpha." Alpha Tim opened his mouth, but I held up a finger. "When there was yet another attack meant to kill everyone here, he took you to our sacred meeting place. Somewhere no one outside of our pack has ever been. Yet you still question him." I felt my eyes tighten as I glared at the man in front of me. "Why?"

The question hung in the air. Alpha Tim looked at the others, but I just looked from

one to the next. "It's not like that." He finally spoke up.

Thoth stood, coming behind me and

silently showing his support. "It is like that." He looked around the room. "I have met with you multiple times and every time I see some push back. When Gavin leaves, there are always some murmurs. I bit my tongue because Gavin asked me to, but Amy is right. After everything he has done for you, for your packs, you still act like this. Why?"

Toya's father stood and spun on the others. "I have kept quiet for peace. But the Macleans have been nothing short of saviours for my pack. My wolves look up to their example." He turned to my father and bowed. "I should have said something earlier."

"You have Broderick." My father's voice was a little tired.

"I have spoken to you about it all, yes, but I should have said my peace to the others long before this." I spun around to look at the men

f.n

"You mumble about Gavin taki

our

power, our pack, but he has never tried. You mumble about being weak alphas, and you are correct. We are weak alpha's but that is not Gavin's

fault." noveldrama

I stepped over to Toya's father. "Not weak." He turned to me with soft eyes. I shook my head. "Never weak alphas. You are just new. Your packs are small, but we will help you become stronger."