The Twelfth Moon || ✔️

59. Strong Moon pt. 2

"You think Aven could be responsible for that?"

"I do, yes," he shrugged. "Beckett had just killed both his parents - forcing an early Ascension on Aven so he could take on as Alpha. A young, vengeful Alpha, who had just witnessed the brutal ending of his parents and who has grown up in a pack where murder is punishable by death? I wouldn't be surprised."

"A death for a death," I thought, loudly.

I saw Jerr nod in the corner of my eyes, his lips pursed together in a small, forced smile.

"How old was Aven when he Ascended?"

"Eighteen."

I raised my brows in disbelief. "He wasn't of age yet! Why did they rush his Ascension?"

Jerr took a deep breath before he answered. "Sariranyasa's gift is one of the rarest gifts. Aven's bloodline is one of the only bloodlines that still possesses it. After his parents died, the pack needed a new Alpha as soon as they could. Being vulnerable and exposed without an Alpha, mass panic set in at the threat of Fire Moon attacking. The people needed a new Alpha, a strong one. The options were Mallee - a nagging old woman, looking for someone unknown throughout the entire lands of Death Moon, or rushing Aven's Ascension, someone who had been trained to take over as Alpha. He was taken to the Castle and Ascended just two days after his parents were killed."

"And the Castle obliged?" I asked, even more dumbfounded.

"The Castle is neutral, but not immune to politics. Leaving a pack undefended, would go against their values. While they cannot join war or attack, they can help defend. This was their way to do so."

"I've never heard of this story," I admitted. "I knew Aven was young when he got named Alpha, and that his Ascension was rushed, but I hadn't realized he wasn't of age."

"I can't imagine what that must have been like."

"Yeah," I sighed.

"Some say, killing Beckett's mother was the first thing he did when he shifted. He took off, straight from the Castle grounds, before Beckett even had the chance to hear about what had happened on the Holy Grounds."

"The murder of his parents was still fresh on his mind," I said. "I'm not sure I would have acted differently."

"I don't know," Jerr sighed. "Starting as Alpha by killing an old woman... I'm not sure he ever got that guilt out of him."

"That's implying he would feel guilty," I countered.

"Well, he's never talked about it, and I never looked for it, either. But he killed an old, innocent, and practically defenseless woman. How could he not feel guilty?"

"I'm not sure she was that innocent. She raised Beckett. One has to be vile to be able to produce someone like him."

"I guess so," Jerr agreed. "But I think killing has become too easy for him, because of that."

I witnessed unease settle over Jerr again, his eyes growing dim and somber. That green dulling to a faint version - one that reminded me of dark moss growing against a tree, instead of his usual emerald.

Before I could say anything else, Jerr cut in. "There's an abandoned hunting cabin nearby if my nose doesn't deceive me. We can stay there for the night, and I'll hunt for some food."

And just like he had predicted, a few minutes later, a wooden cabin came into view.

After we had double-checked the cabin was - in fact - abandoned for the season, Jerr hasted out of his clothes, and took off in the woods, leaving only a blurry spot of brown fur, before he disappeared entirely. And he didn't come back until the Sun was well below the horizon, and our Moon had started her rise already.