Chapter 32: All I Wanted Was to Be Wanted
Evelyn~
If he and his pack really wanted to hurt me, wouldn’t they sound angry or upset? But even the other werewolves, who were calling out my name, sounded worried.
"LUNA! LUNA EVELYN, WHERE ARE YOU?!"
"Was the fire not big enough? Is that why you thought we hated you?!"
What were they talking about? I ran because the fire was too big and too hot!
In the middle of my confusion, my wolf offered a bit of clarity. "The reason they burned the wooden stake might not be for some witch trial," she said gently. "It could just be a tradition."
I let out a tired breath. "What kind of tradition involves setting someone on fire?"
Wouldn’t it be better if their traditions didn’t look like public executions? Maybe ... I don’t know ... a feast? Flowers? A welcome that doesn’t involve flames and torches?
"You can’t just change a pack’s traditions," my wolf said calmly. "It’s called a tradition for a reason. It’s something passed down from their ancestors, something sacred. They’re not something they can just change overnight."
"I know," I muttered, clicking my tongue. "I was joking."
She ignored my sarcasm and kept going, her voice softer now. "Among supernatural beings, fire has always symbolized rebirth. A new beginning. A life rising from the ashes."
"They might not have lit that stake to kill you or erase you from this world," she said quietly. "Maybe it was the opposite. Maybe it was their way of welcoming you. Maybe they were trying to say they’re ready to start a new life with you as their Luna."