Total Eclipse of the Moon
“Move out!” Alpha shouted, waving his arm over his head signaling for everyone to shift and head into the woods. There was only like four of us going but, he still was commanding. Everyone shifted and started running swiftly through the thin little trees.
I kept to the front, my speed was slowly getting better and better the more I shifted back and fourth, running between Alpha and Beta. Tess came up behind me and they made a formation to protect me. Why?
We were heading to a Territory meeting, with the Hunters and other Alpha’s. I wasn’t sure how I was going to react or what I was supposed to do but things seemed to be going okay for a bit.
I mean it’s not like I have to tell them who I am right?
I didn’t feel ready to try and run my own pack and protect my territory. I could just stay under Alpha’s protection, in his pack and if I ever was ready I could try to take control. They would help me, I’m sure, one thing I’ve learned for sure they never turn their backs on their friends.
I had been so engrossed with my own thoughts I didn’t notice the small cabin coming into view. This is where the meeting took place? We slowed to a stop and shifted human. Beta had been carrying a backpack with clothes in it for us to change into. He dropped it from his jaws to shift then picked it up and started tossing clothes out at us.
He passed me a small sundress and underwear and him and Alpha put on Jeans and t-shirts. I quickly pulled my clothes on and slipped on a little white jacket to keep warm. Tess stayed wolf and sat at the edge of the trees other wolves were sitting around and beside a car beside the house I spotted four men holding glittering weapons sending us death glares. I wormed myself beside Beta to escape their looks and we headed into the light warmth of the cabin.
“Francis!” someone shouted holding his arms out for a hug. “It’s good of you to finally show up. Come everyone is waiting.” He ushered us inside and pulled out two chairs. Beta stood back and leaned against the wall carefully analyzing each person. I sat close to Alpha as I could.
“Hey Francis! Who’s this?” someone asked pointing at me. I shied away closer to him. I was supposed to act like a teenager, but these people scared me.
Alpha wrapped an arm around my shoulders and gave them a squeeze. “This is Layla, she’s knew to the pack.” He said smiling.
A whisper went through the table, I heard my name (my real name) being said over and over again. There was a tense uncertainty in the room and all eyes dropped to me. “She’s my niece.” Alpha said eyeing everyone.
Some people nodded as if they understood. “Oh yes, I’ve heard of your long lost sister.” Someone said loudly. He eyed the both of us before smiling and sitting down. Alpha and him started to get into a thick conversation that seemed to drown out everything else in the room.
The door suddenly banged open and more men stormed in. I flinched and hugged Alpha’s side. Three men walked in, two taking seats while one waited against the wall. “Let’s get this meeting going!” The man snapped. I recognized his voice.
The others in the room growled at his entrance, every one did, not just a few, the whole room was sent into a tremor of six growling wolf leaders and their second in commands. I ignored it and curled up deeper into my seat. Alpha stood up, dominating the room.
Even though some of the other people in the room looked like older Alpha’s than he did, he seemed to be the strongest. “I called this meeting, so I’ll get it started.” He said, eyeing everyone in the room. “I called this meeting because of the number of discrepancies going on, on the Blake’s land.” He gazed around the room. It was amazing to see so many people listening to every word he said. “Jeb left his land through each of his children then to me.” He stated. “And unless one of his kids rises from the grave to take the land back I am the rightful leader of that territory.” He growled out.
Someone stood up, trying to create as much presence as Alpha but couldn’t. “That land should be divided up between all of us. Jeb can’t just leave it to one of us, he should have left it to all of us.” They hissed.
“I did not control Jeb’s hand when he signed the will. At first I didn’t want to take his land, but now that I have it I will protect it.” He declared. Some people agreed. The only human in the room was laid back deep in thought.
“Why do you care so much about Blake’s land?” he asked carelessly. He absently picked dirt out from under his nails. “All of them are dead and his pack is spread out across the country. You’ll just be straining your resources trying to protect such a large area.” He looked up for once, his gaze landing on Alpha’s face.
He shrugged. “It’s nothing really. Jeb and I worked very close before, I know his territory well, and have a member in my pack who knows it better than anyone else. It won’t be hard to protect.” Alpha stated lazily and took his seat again.
“A guide?” Orion asked intrigued. Alpha nodded. I sat on my hands and looked down trying not to let anyone take too much notice of me. “It wouldn’t happen to be that wolf that tried to kill my hunter?” he asked leaning forward trying to pull some information out of Alpha. Something he wasn’t supposed too.
“You mean the wolf your hunter tried to kill?” Alpha made it sound like a question, diverging the conversation from what Orion was trying to dig for. What was he wanting anyway?
Orion shrugged and reclined into his seat. “Makes no difference to me.” He said and went back to picking his nails. “I do hope that it is okay.” He looked up smirking.
“Just fine!” Alpha returned a grin on his face. A grin meant to piss Orion off, which worked well. “Now back to the topic at hand. I don’t want to split Jeb’s land up so I’ve sent out a message to his former pack members asking if they would be willing to come back and be apart of my pack. Most of them have been friends with us for a long time, I think it’s about time this whole thing became settled.”
Everyone nodded in agreement. “What is there to be settled?” Orion burst out laughing. “What you mutts want to look out for?” He snarled. I flinched away from his remark and tried to push myself more behind Alpha.
The room again started trembling with growling. The hate that emanated off of everyone in the room was all targeted to that one person and he sat casually without a care in the world. “As I said,” Alpha ground out. “It will enlarge my territory I know, but as far as any one is concerned I have no intention of trying to take over the rest of the valley. I just want to protect what’s left of the Man and Wolf Jeb was.” I felt that comment aimed at me, but he didn’t dare glance at me.
The room nodded in a solemn silence. For the first time I realized how important my dad had been to these people, to people away from my family. He was like a leader to all of these people, an Alpha among Alpha’s (as childish as it sounds).
Alpha started going off on a beautiful speech about my dad, and my eyes landed on a great picture above the fire place. Dark black hair, crystal blue eyes, laugh lines streaked his face. My dad.
“Is there anything else someone wants to bring up?” Alpha asked, drawing me out of my daze at the image of my father. My eyes stung, wanting to shed the tears I was holding back but I restrained myself. If Alpha wasn’t going to bring me up as Layla Blake, I wasn’t about to let them figure it out on their own.
“Yeah I have something to add!” Someone said standing up. Every face turned to him and he dropped a folder on the table. “I think one of the Blake’s is still alive.” Pictures fell out of my family and the forest. Everyone was turned into shocked silence.
I might not understand people too much but I did know if this man found out that I really was Layla Blake, then Alpha could be in some real trouble. “These photo’s were taken ten years ago of Orion’s hunters killing the Blake’s. All of them.” People started handing the pictures around looking at the gory images. I only caught glances, not wanting to bring back those memories.
“So you stood by and took pictures instead of going in there and helping them?!” Someone shouted.
That’s when it started. Everyone was on their feet shouting across the table, fists pounded down on the wooden table and violent words were bouncing around the room. One person even had the nerve to throw a little blue pen at someone else. The shouting match turned into a brawl.
I jumped away from the table and ran over to Beta. He wrapped his arms around me and protected me from the flailing bodies and angry shouts. Among it all, Orion sat a knife in his hand and again picking his nails. I just noticed the pale form sitting beside him watching the fight unfold. “Beta!” I tugged on his shirt and caught his attention. His face was a mask until he met my stare.
He looked up again and shouted loudly. I never heard anyone shout so loud. “SHUT THE HELL UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!” (just to emphasize how loud he was XD). Everyone stopped half way through punching someone or about to strangle someone to glance up at Beta. They looked confused as they noticed I was hiding in his arms away from their violence. “Cut the Crap! Look Orion’s laughing at you!” they all turned away to the amused look on Orion’s face.
The grumbled and climbed off of each other and off the table. “This is why I hate these stupid meetings.” Someone muttered.
“Alright. Ryeke calm down with that subject. You can’t just go about accusing people of murder,” but under his breath. “As much as I agree.” I chuckled hearing him, and every face turned to me.
“Timber I think it’s about time you introduced Layla.” Someone said.
“Everyone this is my niece Layla Timber.” He held a hand out for me to step away from Beta and face everyone. I did though, as much as I didn’t want to. “My sister and her husband were killed recently and so she is now living with us. She also happens to be a very talented wolf.” He stated. There was a very loud gasp in the crowd. Everyone turned to the second human in the room.
A look of pain and shock painted his face. “Umm… Hi.” I said waving slightly.
“Did hunter’s kill your parents?” someone asked ignoring Josh. I shook my head.
“I don’t remember.” I mumbled. They started whispering.
“Layla has suffered from trauma and a serious injury.” Alpha stated. “It is my understanding that hunters were the ones who attacked, I’m not entirely sure why. Layla was a target as well and was very lucky to escape.” The heads all bobbed in a nod. I bit my lip, my gaze had been locked with Josh the whole time.
His eyes were wide with shock. “I think that is all we need to discuss tonight.” Alpha said gently getting me ready to head to the door. Beta took my hand and pulled me away and breaking my gaze on Josh. There was unison of yes’s and goodnights throughout the room, except that from Orion and Josh. They were silent but for two completely different reasons.
Orion was sneering around the room and Josh still stared at me. I moved outside quickly to escape the strange building and get ready to shift.
The night was black, there was no pale face over the forest. Nothing in the sky at all.
I froze and stared at the red sliver of the disappearing moon. Tess gazed at herself from the tree line confused. “Lunar Eclipse.” Someone muttered looking at all the people that stood guard where wolves once did. I headed to Tess and she looked scared.
I quickly took off my clothes and shifted easily into a wolf. Eyes went wide around the clearing and cabin. None of the other wolves had shifted. “Layla… how did you…?” Tess asked but never finished her sentence. Her eyes landed on the center of my forehead. The black moon.
A moon hidden by an Eclipse.
++++++++++++++++
awe pookie's an all powerful wolf!!!
kidding but she is definetly special, just like her mom
hope you like it and please keep up the comments and questions i love to answer them <3
love you all so much i could kiss you (but kissing a total stranger would be weird so i'll stick with this) --------------------------------> xoxoxox