Blessed by the Moon (Mates at First Bite)

Blessed by the Moon (Mates at First Bite)--Chapter Two: Clockworks of Destiny

I'm not going to bother with the whole begging for votes and comments because I know it's not going to alter your decisions anyway--this is coming from my own personal experience as a reader...it's terrible I know. So, I'm just going to wing it! And by the way, for future reference I love the tsubasa reservoir chronicle soundtrack--yes, it is an anime show/manga--and I'll probably use a lot of that music for my tie-in youtube videos. This particular song is called "Voices Silently Sing", and the song for the first chapter is called "Femme". The score for the show Tsubasa Reservoir Chroncle was written by Yuki Kajiura...in case you wanted to know...though you probably don't...well, you never know if you like the music and you want to know more about it. Anyways, enough chit-chat; on to the story.

Blessed by the Moon 

Chapter Two: Clockworks of Destiny

As the final rays of sunlight crept back behind the mountains, Kolya remained a still black form amongst the trees, patiently waiting for his sentinel to report back with news of the Alriks. Taking his breaths with the circulating wind and burying his claws deep into the earth, he blended in with his surroundings and began to place his thoughts completely in tune with nature. In doing so he was capable of feeling the vibrations in the earth long before he heard the heavy thuds of large paws. "What information have you required, Alexi?" (Alexi is Slavic for "defender of the people".) 

The smaller, lean, dark gray speckled wolf lowered his head in respect. "Sir, they have reached the Sand Dunes. We don't know exactly how much longer it will be before they come across our pack's scent, but it can't be long from now." Being a wolf takes away several liberties of facial expressions, so no outwardly appearance changed as Kolya replied with, "Hm, that is very unsettling." Alexi suddenly raised his head with excitement with the obvious air of someone who feels highly important. "Sir, if you'll be so kind to allow me the honor of explaining to you a discovery that I happened upon while scouting the Alrik pack. They--" 

However important the discovery was, Kolya would never know for right at that moment an enraged tan colored wolf lunged out of the darkness like the shadow of a demon and lunged straight for Alexi, snapping his neck in one bite. Before the intruder could turn his attention to the great black wolf, Kolya took off into the trees faster than the wings of a hummingbird...although his heart felt heavier than the entire Sangre de Cristo mountain range. Alexi was one the few cubs that he was able to grow up with since the very beginning, and he was also one of his closest confidants. Even with such a heavy first blow, Kolya had the distinct feeling that it won't be the Alrik's only snap at the Miroslav numbers. The world couldn't have gotten darker that night with all the foreboding warnings that deeply infused with the air, spreading fast and thick like a drop of ebony ink in water 

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Plastered on barbie smiles were practically a requirement when it came to presenting oneself to Beni's aunt, Bergita Lynde Aldis(Aldis is an English name meaning "from the old house"). She was the type of woman who believed in always looking your best by wearing make-up and "feminine" clothes. Beni had to be extremely careful as to what she wore around her aunt lest she should receive an excruciatingly long lecture on how "comfortable, baggy clothes are not feminine". So, Beni decided to wear a fitting, solid-colored blue shirt with a nice pair of blue jeans. Surely blue jeans were okay for informal meetings. 

It was only to be expected that Aunt Bergita was waiting impatiently in the foyer with a massive Miss America/grandma smile. For some reason that Beni couldn't place her finger on, Aunt Bergi's smile never seemed genuine or real. It always looked like it was an inconvenient, rehearsed habit. Well, being the second wife of a social businessman had it's explicit duties.  

Before Beni went through the door, she made sure she was smiling. "Hey, honey, how are you doing?" Aunt Bergi asked her while wrapping her skinny, clammy, wrinkly arms around her in a barely substantial hug--Aunt Bergi was very, very weak; after all, she once said that a girl's strength didn't lie in how many weights she could lift but by how much house work she could do around the house. "I'm doing real good, Aunt Bergi. I'm just a little worn out from the thirteen hour drive up here." Concerned shock spread across Aunt Bergi's face, though it didn't seem to reach further than the outside. "Oh dear, how silly of me to not think of that." It would be incredible if she did think of it. "Well, the room's all ready, so you can go on ahead and hit the hay." With pleasure.  

However tired she actually was, Beni used it as an excuse just so she could get out of her aunt's overbearing presence...and to have a chance to get some quiet time outside in her aunt and uncle's beautiful meadows and forestland. That night was a full moon and everything looked enchanted as if it all belonged in a fantasy storybook. Anything could happen on nights such as this. 

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Never before had Kolya been forced to run for his life. He could clearly hear the harsh footfalls of several wolves...they were gaining fast. How could have so many of the Alrik pack gotten past his sentries? That could only mean two things: the Alriks were far better than the brainless hack-jobs that they originally thought they were and his pack was doing worse than he originally thought. Only more reasons for him to push himself to go faster. 

As impossible as it seemed to him, even though he was running faster than he had ever before in his life, the footfalls were getting louder and nearer. No, no, no! This shouldn't be happening; they shouldn't be catching up to him so quickly!...it shouldn't end like this. Hundreds and thousands of years of history to come tumbling down in one fell swoop. So many lives to end because of one slip-up...and his frail weakness. He knew from the moment his people chose him that he wasn't fit to be alpha. He knew he wouldn't be strong enough to protect them. Heck, he couldn't even find himself a proper mate! Now was the moment he would let his whole pack down and leave them to either slavery or death. Every one of them would suffer and it was all his fault. 

Kolya was so immersed in his depression that he hardly noticed the blow that knocked him out. 

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There wasn't a single ounce of pity or remorse in the cruel glare of dominance that stared down at the mauled body of the now "former" alpha of the Miroslov pack. Eero (Scandinavian for "Ruler"), alpha of the Alriks stood as the absolute victor over the once highly esteemed and honored leader of one of the greatest clans of all time--and he didn't even have to phase into his wolf form. Now no one would stand in his way to becoming the greatest alpha the world of werewolves had ever known. 

"Alpha, what do we do about the Miroslov mongrel? He's still breathing." 

A heartless, malicious smile spread across the power-hungry alpha as a highly vindictive and merciless thought came to mind. "We'll leave him as is for now and wait until his body decomposes a little thoroughly. We're in no hurry, so why rush through such a perfect moment? Anyways, when we show up to the derisory, repugnant shack they call a shelter and stand before his pathetic, measly pack, we shall have proof of their fallen alpha and see the complete and utter defeat in each and every one of their eyes. We leave him now only to revel in his pack's destruction later." 

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Instead of taking the safe route and only going along the designated Nature Trail, Beni felt the need to get out and about and explore the other mountain roads. Thankfully there was a certain spot in the Nature Trail that went right up next to a vehicle road, one that she was very familiar with. Was this dangerous? Very. Could this little night-exploration end disastrously horrifying? Absolutely. Was it possible that she could very easily be ripped and torn to shreds by a nocturnal carnivore or raped and murdered by some random psychopath? Beyond a doubt. The real question: was she smart enough to care or even think about things like that? No...no she was not. So with her ignorant carelessness and curious, nature-loving spirit she went along her way down the dirt roads that lead up to Horn Peak, having no idea what she would happen upon.