The Alpha God’s Luna by Marissa Gilbert
Chapter 70. Ripples
Astrea observed the guards stationed around the intricately arched domed building at the center of the empty square for a few minutes, making sure she took note of each one. The stakes were incredibly high as she had only one chance to reach the Source nestled within. The path to it demanded crossing an empty yet heavily guarded space surrounded by towering walls. With no hiding spots available and a direct approach virtually impossible, she found herself at a distinct disadvantage against Asgardians, the majority of whom probably wielded some form of divine powers.
Fenrir gave her three rows of beads as any more might have raised suspicion, and maintaining a low profile was crucial to their plan. Each bead was priceless because these were her only defence against her adversaries.
Start with the ones on the walls, Nova suggested. Then they can’t hit you with anything nasty from up there.
I’m not sure it’s a good idea, Astrea confessed. I won’t be able to do it quietly and if they notice me when I’m up there, it’s possible I won’t be able to get down at all. It’s too risky.
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Then let’s do it the old-fashioned way! Nova snarled, ready for a good fight. With a bang.
It was almost the time for the wedding ritual when the guards saw a petite maid clad in a delicate golden gown strolling out from the central entrance to the square, holding a covered tray in her hands.
She had taken only a few steps when the warriors swiftly aimed their sharp spears and swords at her throat.
“Stay where you are!” One of the men ordered, and she froze, her visible trembling betraying her fear.
“I—I have the gifts prepared for the Temple of Freyja,” she stuttered. “In honour of the newlyweds. It was an order of Selene, the Moon Goddess. Sh-she is the mother of the bride.”
The men exchanged doubtful glances, causing the woman to swallow uncomfortably.
“You are in the wrong place.” The warriors lowered their weapons and stepped aside, giving way to their leader, and Magnus sauntered towards her. “Freyja’s Temple is that way.”
He pointed toward the exit behind the dome on the opposite side of the courtyard, and the maid nodded respectfully, correcting her path.
“I’ll be on my way then. Apologies for disturbing you,” she murmured, speeding up.
Now she simply had to walk past the Source on her way to the indicated exit, all the while being observed by the guards trailing behind. Only a handful of them were stationed as sentinels for the dome building. “Wait!” The voice of Thor’s son echoed through the square. “What kind of maid doesn’t know where Freyja’s Temple is?”
The woman flinched but did not stop, knowing she had gotten caught and every step was essential now. The magic that changed her appearance rippled, letting her know she had mere seconds until her mask was completely gone.
“A new one?” Astrea suggested, hoping he would give her more time. Just a few feet more, and she would reach her goal.
“Isn’t that dress for the maids who will take part in the wedding ceremony?” Magnus questioned further; his instincts kicking in at the worst possible time.
“I’m supposed to return for the procession as soon as I am done with this task,” she kept lying through her teeth. “I follow orders from-”
“Slowly turn around and put the tray to the ground so that we can see your hands!” Magnus interjected as the warriors raised their weapons again, following their commander’s lead.
Releasing the illusion, she allowed her hair to return to its silvery-white hue, and her features settled back into their natural state. Some of the men were still surprised to see the change.
“Now,” Astrea sneered, removing the cover from the tray, brandishing two shiny daggers she’d stolen on her way here, “Where would be the fun in that?”
“Seize her!” the captain of the guards shouted, and men charged at her from all angles, but Astrea had already crushed another bead on her wrist simultaneously, throwing the tray at the closest warrior and knocking him off his feet.
In a burst of energy, wisps of thick fog materialized, swirling and billowing around the square. The clouds expanded and exploded, their tendrils enveloping the area, allowing Astrea to disappear and even out her chances in the fight.
Her movements were like a dance of death as she manoeuvred swiftly through the clouds, striking her opponents with calculated accuracy, using beads where necessary.
A bulky warrior found her in the mist and lunged forward, his sword slashing through the air inches away from her. The Dragonfly sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the deadly blade. Just in time for another to appear behind her. She swung, bowing down in time to escape the second blow, and delivered a swift kick to the back of her attacker’s knees, sending him crashing into the first guard. When the two men got back to their feet, she had already moved on and was nowhere to be seen.
Finally, the advantage was on her side. They had magic and heavy armour, she had Fenrir’s beads, Joran’s training and her speed.
They may have been stronger than her, but right now, she was the only werewolf here. She could count on Nova’s senses as she navigated through the fog, staying mostly invisible to the men who were used to trusting their eyes over anything else.
She became a blur of motion, movements fluid and graceful as she masterfully took them out one after another on her way to her goal.
Fire! Nova warned her, and she barely managed to crush a protective bead, creating a shield around her. Flames hit it in seconds, trying to devour her, to no avail.
She was relatively safe, but her lungs burned thanks to the unbearably hot air, taking away from her strength.
Run Nova suggested. I’ll heal your lungs!
Right! Astrea agreed, knowing she had to move. A tall Asgardian appeared out of nowhere, and she wondered how she missed him when he threw his helmet at her, and she barely dodged it, recognising Magnus, the only remaining son of Thor.
“Give up,” he grunted, annoyed she got this far, making his men look stu.pid.
He was a dangerous opponent. Not like the others at all. A god almost in the prime of his power, and a pure-blooded one at that.
“I knew your father,” she said, watching pain and frustration wash over his face. Joran taught her well, indeed. If she couldn’t overpower them, she had to get into their heads. “He would be ashamed of you,” she spat, causing him to flinch.
She threw a dagger at him, which he barely avoided, letting her know she was on the right path.
He recovered quickly, lips curling into a smirk. “Why would he be ashamed? I am the defender of Asgard!”
“What Asgard?” she scoffed, twirling the remaining blade in her hands.” This is a faded memory of what it once was!”
“And whose fault is that?” he seethed, stepping closer. Another guard tried to knock her out from behind, and she deftly manoeuvred out of his reach, cutting his Achilles tendon on her way and making him fall to the ground in pain as she disappeared into the fog once again.
Only this time, Magnus followed her closely.
“Not mine!” Her voice echoed in his ears. “Vidar killed me long before that.”
“Because you cheated on him!” the Asgardian spat.
“I was promised to him. Don’t confuse it with me promising him anything. Those are two different things!” she corrected, quickly avoiding two more warriors in the fog. There were so many of them! Too many! “He deserved justice!” Magnus roared, searching for her.
“You dare to lecture me about justice?” she let out a mocking laugh. “I was the goddess of stars and justice! He should have challenged Fenrir if justice was what he wanted! Fenrir would have accepted, and that would have been a fair fight. Instead, Vidar imprisoned him by making his trusted friend set up a trap and then tortured him while he was helpless. Some hero!”
Magnus was about to say something, but she appeared out of nowhere, hands sliding over his back and neck from behind and something cold and sharp poking at the artery in his throat.
The Asgardian struck her with his elbow so hard that even one of his soldiers would be on the ground from the blow, but Astrea took it in stride with a sharp hiss.
“Yield!” She gritted her teeth, not willing to give up. “This is a nightmare’s horn! Yield or die!”
“I will never yield—” he groaned, noticing the fog dissipating. The beads’ magic only lasted for a limited amount of time.
The soldiers froze, seeing their commander taken hostage.
“This is a divine weapon!” she warned them. “Move and his blood is on your hands.”
She knew they wouldn’t. They had too much respect for him. She didn’t observe them for nothing and knew he was their group’s biggest weakness. They could sacrifice anyone else but him.
Unfortunately, Magnus had pride just like any other major god. It was his destiny, after all.
“I’d never—’’ he wanted to protest, but she pressed the horn a little deeper into his skin, drawing divine blood to the astonishment of everyone. “If I have to kill you, they are next!” She said bluntly, not letting any emotions slip into her voice. He had to know that she meant it.
“Fine!” He dropped his sword to the ground. “Everyone stay in your places.”
“Good little god,” she whispered and felt his whole body go rigid. He definitely was not used to this.
Slowly, she took him with her to the domed building, pushing the main door with her foot, and was surprised that there were no guards inside.
The well was just within her reach, yet something felt really off. “I am sorry,” Magnus said, and for a second, she wasn’t sure what he was talking about.
Right until it sunk in…
There was no glow. She did not feel anything special in this place. “What—what is wrong with it?” she asked and heard him sigh.
“Vidar knows you too well, I guess. He predicted you would try this,” Magnus admitted, and she shook her head in denial.
“He doesn’t know me at all!” She clenched the horn tighter in her hand, pulling the tall man closer to the well.
He did not fight her anymore, letting her have a proper look at the empty old well.
“Impossible!” she muttered, frantically thinking of what could have happened to the source.
“He transferred it to another place centuries ago,” Magnus replied to her silent question. “Several gods died helping him, but he couldn’t let you— “Gain my power,” she finished for him. “I know. Because he wants it for himself, and he wants me weak so that he can use me anyway he likes, and I can do nothing about it!”
He stiffened again.
“What?” Astrea let out a bitter laugh. “A noble Asgardian doesn’t like to hear the truth? You know I am right!”
“He is the ruler,” Magnus said, his voice darker than usual.
“A shi.tty ruler!” she exploded. “There had already been one All-Father’ before him! Too afraid of three children who wanted nothing but his approval!”
“It wasn’t like that—”
“It was exactly like that!” Astrea fought the tears burning her eyes. It was neither the place nor the time for emotions. “And your father, a noble warrior loved by so many, watched him abuse those children and said nothing against it! I bet he did not like it too, but just like you, he justified It.
“Jormungandr was his enemy!” Magnus roared. “They were equal rivals!”
“Compared to mighty Thor, he was just a kid back then!” The Dragonfly put him in place. “A strong, misguided youth who didn’t know any better because he wasn’t taught any better! And Fenrir—”
Emotions finally betrayed her, manifesting in a quiver in her voice.
“Fenrir did everything they asked! He followed every rule! He performed every task! He took all the humiliation! He deserved better—”
“My father had nothing to do with his chains—He made the first one weak on purpose so that—”
“He watched them torture him! He never said a word in his defence!” she screamed. “Just like you are watching and staying silent now! You know right from wrong! You know that a man like Vidar doesn’t deserve to win! You-“
She pushed him away, tired of this game. If the Source was not here, then all of this was a waste of their effort.
Magnus couldn’t bring himself to turn and face her.
“He’ll be here soon,” he informed her. “Vidar will—”
“A true ruler would make this place flourish.” Astrea walked around the well as if to check there wasn’t a drop of divine power inside. A part of her still couldn’t believe it. “He would consider how to make his people happy. How to restore the lost balance without unnecessary sacrifices from any of the worlds. Because destroying the human realm will not benefit anyone, but Vidar doesn’t care! All he cares about is power, which does not belong to him! Just like this place never belonged to him!”
“He won the battle with Fenrir,” Magnus finally turned, and their eyes locked. She could tell that he wanted her to confirm the knowledge he had, but she was a cruel assassin and never lied if she absolutely did not have to. So, she offered the ugly truth.
“Won?” she scoffed. “He stabbed him in the back and used that moment to throw him out of here, closing the divine gates forever. Fenrir could never return after that. But there was no battle!”
“But then—”
“Then everything you ever knew was a lie?” She smiled sadly. “Welcome to the club.”
Magnus stayed silent for a while, processing the new information. “He will come for you and get you—” The warrior looked at her differently now. She could tell he felt guilty.
“He will try.” Astrea sat on the edge of the well. “And I will fight him with everything I’ve got. If I am lucky, I will kill him with the horn. If I am not lucky, he will have to kill me.”
The God of Strength watched her with pity, and she rolled her eyes.
“Trust me, that’s better than a life with him,” she confessed. “He is a sadist who has nothing good in him. There is nothing—”
A mighty roar echoed in the distance and she jumped to her feet, lips parted in shock.
“No,” she whispered, recognising the sound at once. “He couldn’t—”
Magnus looked out of the window, noticing his men ready to attack any moment.
“Go to the wedding!” he ordered and saw them confused by the unexpected order. “Make a formation around Valhalla and do nothing without my personal order. Whatever happens.”
Even more questioning glances followed.
“Now!” he shouted at them, and the soldier bowed, quickly leaving the square.
Astrea furrowed her brows. “What do you think you are doing?”
“He is ready for this too,” Magnus locked his eyes with her. “I am sure he has a plan for Fenrir’s arrival as well.”
She did not say anything, fingers counting the remaining few beads on her bracelet. She’d already spent most of them.
“This is all I can give you without breaking my oath to protect New Asgard.” Magnus lowered his head.
Astrea stood up, hope still trembling in her chest.
“What are you—” she whispered, afraid to say the words out loud and end up being wrong.
“You will have just a few minutes.” Magnus seemed serious. He exhaled heavily and added, “The Source is now in the cave where he killed you.”
She sucked in a sharp breath, a myriad of thoughts crossing her mind.
It could have been a trap. He could have been lying.
“What are you waiting for?” Magnus asked, bringing her back to reality as another growl sounded somewhere far away.
Fenrir’s growl. She couldn’t have mistaken it for anything.
“Thanks,” she nodded to her unexpected ally and shifted into her wolf form in seconds, giving Nova full control. If they had mere minutes, they had to give it their all.
Nova ran as fast as she could through the square and into the city, to the cliffs, finding the cave where it all happened.
It could have been a trap, but she had no other choice because finding the Source of Power was their best bet. She had to try even if she failed.
She was in the mountains in the blink of an eye, chest burning. Racing through puddles inside the cave, the memories of Fenrir chained in there danced in her head, mixed with the vivid recollection of her own death. For a moment, it seemed she couldn’t breathe anymore, but it helped that Nova was in charge.
A little more! her wolf encouraged.
I am fine! Astrea assured her when they finally reached the cavity filled with light.
Time for you to do what you were born to do, Nova said, pushing her to take the control back. Astrea shifted into her human form and walked towards the light, naked, embracing it.
The warm glow seemed so familiar. It caressed her skin as if it recognized her, as if she belonged with it. Something she hadn’t felt in a while.
Before her was another well, rugged and uneven, hewn from ancient rocks and filled with a glowing substance that seemed to have a life of its own.
With each step, Astrea felt it grow stronger. Raw power, bigger than any deity, bigger than any realm. Vidar may have changed its location, but he couldn’t subdue it or take from it what it was not willing to give.
It was the end and the beginning of each god. Primal power to which each of them bowed their heads.
“I don’t want to take what’s not mine,” Astrea said loudly, knowing it had to be done. “I only need what was always mine. Please—”
The power rippled as if the Source was responding to her, and she knew what she had to do.
Slowly, Astrea climbed on its edge, ready to dive in.
This would solve all their problems, but one thought stopped her from jumping inside.
Do it, Nova whispered, a subtle goodbye in her voice.
I don’t want to lose you. Astrea bit her lip. I have already lost Midnight. I can’t lose you too.
If you don’t do it, lam doomed anyway. He will kill us all, her wolf tried to reassure her. You are a goddess, Astrea. You are not a mere werewolf. This is what you were always supposed to be. You are supposed to fix everything, and I am willing to make that sacrifice.
She knew Nova was right, even if it felt wrong. She would save so many lives. The mortal realm would get another chance under her defence… Fenrir and she would finally have a shot at happiness.
And yet, it felt like ripping a part of her soul.
You were the best wolf anyone could ask for, she whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks.
I know. I was a star in my own right! Nova joked the way she always did when they were at their lowest.
I’ll miss you more than anything about my mortal life, Astrea promised.
I know. I am quite unforgettable. Nova smiled in her mind. Doit, Astrea. And… be happy. For the two of us.
Astrea let out a little sob, and her wolf used the moment to push through the controls, forcing her body to take that last step and fall into the Source of divine power…
Bjorn did not want to come back to this cursed place, but when he held Niki in his arms on that field, he could feel her worry even through all the happiness.
“I have to say goodbye to Astrea,” she told him back then, and he gave her his word.
This woman accepted his monstrous self. The least he could do was grant her every wish.
“Fine,” he said, cupping her cheek. He couldn’t see her, but he knew how beautiful she was. He could feel those beautiful dimples on her cheeks, the fullness of her lips. “And when you are done, Strawberry, I will take you far away from here. No one can stop us.”
She buried her face in his naked chest. And it was the best feeling.
He wished they had stayed there forever, especially when they were back in the elevator of that damn building, getting closer and closer to that abhorrent penthouse.
When they were almost on the top floor, he clenched her hand tighter in “Something is wrong,” he informed her, and he could feel how Niki immediately left her happy state, going back to her assassin self. Sometimes he forgot that his girl was a trained murder weapon.
“Whatever it is, we’ll face it together,” she said firmly, causing a slow smile to curl his lips. Bjorn had never been so proud of his woman before. The elevator doors opened and a huge fireball froze in the air right before them, inches away from incinerating them both.
Bjorn instinctively pulled her behind himself and heard Joran cursing as he dissipated his weapon.
“Oh, it’s just you!” he muttered, as if he hadn’t almost killed them both.
“We shouldn’t have come.’’ Darius summed things up, but Niki let go of his hand, charging forward.
“What is going on?” she asked, her beautiful voice filled with worry. “Astrea was taken to Asgard,” Riannon replied, raw emotions colouring her tone. Now that he was blind, Bjorn picked up on these things with ease. They were all worried sick.
“What happened to Fenrir?” Niki gasped. “Is he dead?”
“Temporarily!” Joran cut her off, adding with less confidence, “Hopefully.”
“Strawberry, we need to go!” Bjorn told her, hoping she loved him enough to leave all this behind. The air around them was getting thicker and harder to breathe.
“What—” Niki seemed lost in the situation. “How can we help?”
Bjorn cursed inwardly. He could feel Joran staring at him now.
“You should go,” the Serpent said dryly, to his relief. He was really setting him free, and this opportunity had to be used.
“Nik, please,” Bjorn begged her, knowing it was their last chance.
“When he comes back to life, can he save Astrea?” Niki asked, as if she hadn’t heard him. Did she have to be so noble at heart?
“He is saving her now,” Gideon explained. “At least we hope so.”
His ear picked up something from a distance. A buzzing of sorts. A noise that he hadn’t heard before.
“Something is coming,” the bear shifter announced as the noise intensified. “So many of them—”
“We don’t have much time,” Riannon said. “He needs to get back soon or— “Don’t you dare say it!” Joran interrupted her. “It’s Fenrir. He—can survive anything.”
The cacophony of strange sounds became more distinct, causing Bjorn to grow his claws out just in case. Eerie cries and screeches blended with guttural growls and piercing shrieks were coming closer and closer.
“Something is coming!” He repeated. “So many of them!”
Joran’s power pulled him into the room roughly and he felt his fireball exploding in the elevator after all.
“We know!” The Serpent grunted. “We could see them!”
“Wh—what do you see?” Bjorn didn’t really want to know the answer. He wanted to take his Strawberry and leave this place.
“Demons!” Niki replied. “Darius, there are so many of them!”
“We need to go!” He navigated himself through the room thanks to her scent.
“It’s too late,” Joran informed him.
“Darius!” Nikki grasped his hand. “It’s—Remember how you told me you hated being the bad guy?”
He wished he had never told her now. She was too young, too pure at heart.
“We can’t leave them,” she cupped his cheek. “Besides, there is a swarm of flying demons heading in our direction. We are not getting too far away. It’s not the time to run. It’s time to be a hero.”
“Nik,” he sighed, giving up. She was the first woman ever to see him that way and the only one that mattered to him. “Stay safe.”
“I will need to try to restart his heart soon,” Riannon said, her voice trembling. It was an unusual show of emotion from her that everyone in the room felt the heaviness of their situation.
“Then you do that.” Joran stretched his neck, preparing for a fight. “I’ll give you as much time as I can.”
“Careful!” Gideon roared, and the glass wall shattered into millions of pieces, flying at them like tiny daggers.
So, it began…