"Riley."

"Darling."

Cold hands stroke my cheeks delicately, pulling me out of whatever slumber I'm in. "We don't have a lot of time, so you need to get up. Now."

As if my body was in this random person's command, my eyes shot open. There were stars, everywhere. All around me, it was so beautiful it took my breath away. Gasping, I shot up from the lounge chair I was sitting on and glanced around, trying to take in every unexplainable sight. "Wow."

"Wow indeed."

How did I not realize there were five other people here? In an attempt to gain some much-needed personal space, because they were crowding me, I inched backward, not realizing that there was nowhere else for me to go besides the ground. With a thud, I roll over and onto my feet, ignoring the searing pain on my butt and shoulder. The four women were beautiful, and intimidating as they stared at me with wide, curious eyes. The man sitting on the end of the chase lounge laughed hysterically at my outburst. "Hush Helios, you're of no help."

The taller of the four women stepped around the rest of the women and sauntered towards me slowly like I was a deer that would run if a movement was too quick. This woman was gorgeous, long chocolate brown hair and green eyes, but it was her smile that not only lit up her entire face but actually prevented me from running away like the scared deer she thought I was. "I'm Selene."

"Selene?" I whispered, immediately remembering the conversation I had with Lucas just a few days ago. "And Helios?" Oh goodness. Peering around Selene's shoulder, I glanced at the other females. One with black hair and surprisingly purple eyes, the other two both had blonde hair but one woman had blue eyes while the other women looked almost clouded over – as if she were blind. "What's going on? Where's Lucas? LUCAS!"

My heart began hammering against my chest at the prospect of my mate possibly being hurt. "Calm down, darling. Your Alpha mate is not harmed and you are currently in the spirit world. He is not around." My gaze snapped towards the woman with purple eyes who stepped towards me rather boldly. Just from her body language it was obvious she was more blunt, "I'm Hecate. Goddess of necromancy, magic and the –

"Moon," I whispered while a body bounded into me.

If it weren't for her strong arms I would be on the floor, "I'm Artemis. Goddess of hunt, forest and –

"Moon." I finished as I glanced into her entrancing baby blue eyes. They almost reminded me of Maya, almost. She wore a tan dress with vine like décor wrapped around her frame. "That must mean," I shifted my focus to the woman with cloudy eyes, "you are –

"Phoebe," the woman interrupts as she steps towards me. "Goddess of intellect and prophecy. Please excuse Artemis. She doesn't understand personal space, she spends all of her time with woodland creatures that she allows to crawl all over her."

Rolling my lips in I try and fight back the laugh threatening to escape. It seems like they have a weird sister bond. "Ladies, enough gabbing. We've not got a lot of time before her Alpha mate becomes a problem." Helios interjected while sweeping his blonde hair back and out of his eyes, "I'm Helios but you already know that. God of the Sun and the reason you are here."

"You all created me."

"Riley dear, have a sit and we will explain it all to you." Selene commanded gently while gesturing towards the chaise lounge. Doing as she said I ignored Artemis who began to braid my hair. "Helios is right we don't have a lot of time but yes we created you. Phoebe saw an impending war against my wolves and Hades' creation, vampires."

I was already getting a headache, "okay if that comes –

"When," Phoebe correct me, flashing me a sharp look at the same time. "When it comes, you'll stop it."

Before I can shake my head in disagreement, Artemis tugs on my braid. Ignoring the pain on my scalp, I refuse to acknowledge her. "I'm a human, and you want me to stop a supernatural war?"

Selene grins but reaches over to grab my hands, patting them in a motherly way. "You are so much more than a human. The stronger your bond with your mate grows, the more your powers that you were born with as a Goddess will progress. Like last night, the whispers that led you towards the river."

Gasping lightly, I see her nod in affirmation with a gentle smile. "I'm afraid that is my fault deary." Hecate whispers, almost apologetically. "When you were created I unfortunately passed on that gift against my will. Believe me it will be a pain, but eventually you will learn to control it." Well, that's comforting. "I'm the Goddess of necromancy, which means I do have contact with some spirits."

"Don't overwhelm her Hecate," Selene admonishes lightly. She's so soft spoken it almost sounds like she's whispering.

"We don't have a lot of time Selene. What would you suggest? To have her die anytime we have something to say to her?"

I'm dead? "I have to get back to Lucas." I announce while trying to stand up, but once again I'm yanked down by my hair. "Please, I'm all he has left." I plead towards Selene, eyes filled to the brim with tears from the pain I'm sure Lucas is feeling as well as what my scalp has endured. What is she even doing back there? "He can't believe I'm dead. He just can't."

"Hush girl, you're alive but just." My glare shifts towards Phoebe who is staring out into space with one hand raised out in front of her. "Your mate is fine, calm on the outside and a great deal of emotions barraging him on the inside."

My heart clenched at the thought, I wanted nothing more than to comfort him at this moment. "Riley dear, I will make this quick if you can focus. Then we can send you back to your mate." That was incentive enough, plopping back down I ignore Artemis' squeal of excitement to have my hair back in her hands. "You have a few gifts, such as the ability to control the tide and water as the moon does." I frown but nod in understanding, "you, as you've learned, can speak to spirits –

"And animals!" Artemis pipes in, yanking my hair back so she can look at my face.

"Artemis, remove your hands from her hair before she has none left." I can practically hear Artemis pout from Hecate's demand, but she does what she's told. Purple eyes roll before landing on me, "Artemis isn't wrong. But by animals, she means werewolves."

Shaking my head, I inhale and exhale a few times to try and process everything properly. "So, you're telling me I have 'powers' and I'm not human."

Selene holds her hand up, stopping me midsentence. "You are not immortal. Your life expectancy is not greater than a human's in this life."

My heart broke for the second time in the past few minutes. "But, what about Lucas whenever I – what will happen to him? He's lost so much and he –

My words are muffled when the Moon Goddess begins to smile at me, "is a great Alpha and leader. You don't need to worry about that. Not right now, get through the war first because unfortunately it is coming sooner than we would like. The vampires are creating an army. Hades, the God who created the vampires, wants out of the underworld. And dear Zeus will fall right into his trap once his vampires begin attacking humans." I nod, knowing that once I explain this to Lucas he can give me more insight. "Right now, it is time for you to go."

I frowned, but the need to see Lucas outweighed my curiosity. Which I'm sure I'll regret later. But, "one more question."

"Make it quick, I can't hold your spirit much longer deary. You slept way too long."

Ignoring Hecate's words, I keep my focus on Selene. "Are you my parents?"

She gave me a small smile but gently cupped my cheeks. "You are a wonderful woman, we've watched you grow since you were a baby. We created you but," she glanced around towards all the Goddess' and one God who stared at me sympathetically, "we are not your parents. You know who your parents are."

I nodded because she was right.

I did know who my parents were and I'm afraid that they may be as worried about me as Lucas is.

"STOP THROWING SPELLS AT ME, WITCH!"

I winced at the loud voice and the sound of something falling on the ground, and shattering to pieces. "You hurt my best friend, you bastard!"

"Mate! There is a reason the protection spell didn't work."

"Because I would never hurt my mate, I would never hurt Riley." Lucas' broken whisper has me reaching even more for consciousness. "I love her. I would kill anyone, myself included before I ever even thought about hurting her. I didn't – I didn't think – I mean there are human mates in my world with marks."

I hear a sigh and the sound of something scraping against the floor, "there has never been an Alpha with a human."

My mind drifts back to the conversation with Selene, I will always have the same life expectancy of a human. I wish there were something I could do, I don't want to just be a human for Lucas. "My spell didn't work."

"Because," I croak while blinking a few times, "Lucas would never hurt me."

Now that the sleepy haze is clear, I smile at the male sitting straight up in his chair, rigidly. Lucas' eyes begin to water, but being the manly male, he is, he doesn't let them fall but each emotion that flickers through his eyes is made as open as a book. My mate is allowing me to see the relief, adoration and love he's feeling before he's hovering above me and cupping my face. "Never," he affirms before leaning in and kissing me sweetly on the lips.

Then my cheek.

My nose.

My forehead.

And once more on my lips. "I'm so sorry, Riley. I didn't know –

"I know you didn't," I all but coo and stroke his cheeks in the process. "It's okay, I'm okay. I love you." He sighs before resting his forehead against my own. I can tell he is about to open his mouth to say more but instead I shush him and slightly drag him towards me, towards the bed. "Just lay with me, I want to go back to sleep, but I want you here."

I hear the hospital door open and close while my mate settles his bulky frame as comfortably as possible in this small bed. One arm wraps behind my neck, while the other brushes against my lower back to squeeze me into his chest. I take in his familiar smell, cinnamon rolls, which soothes me almost instantly. Sparks are felt on my lower back where my skin is showing and his fingers are touching gently to try and lull me into sleep. "I know you don't want to hear it, but I'm sorry. I lost control of Gabriel for a moment."

"If you knew I didn't want to hear it, then there was no point of saying anything. I'm not mad at you. At all. In a way," I sigh in happiness, "I'm kind of flattered that Gabriel couldn't handle me not being marked anymore."

"You're letting me off too easy, Riley."

Swatting blindly, I tap his beautiful lips. I don't move them so I can't help but grin whenever he does. "Shush, I'm trying to sleep. Now, just love me."

I hear my mate laughing lightly as I drift off into sleep. "Lucas?"

"Yes, baby doll?"

Fingers brush the hair away from my neck and before I can talk, he presses a light kiss to my shoulder. "I know who my parents are. I love them, very much."

"They love you, baby. Get some sleep, they'll be here when you wake up. I'll make sure of it."

Trusting in him completely, I finally let myself fall asleep while I dream about the stars I had awoken to earlier.

After re-writing this chapter 3 times, I found this chapter to be bearable enough to post.

Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy it. Love y'all.

XOXO – Taylor.