The Other Luna

POP! POP! POP-POP!

Colorful confetti rained down from above and a huge tarpaulin with a couple’s picture rolled down from the second floor’s balustrades. A man ruffled his hair as he flashed the pack a grin. He didn’t expect everyone would be so enthusiastic.

“Happy Fourth Imprinting Anniversary Alpha Declan and Luna Clarisse!” everyone cheered.

“Everyone, this is just too much!” Declan, the Crystal Forest Pack’s Alpha, laughed.

“Our Alpha deserves only the best,” Clarisse smiled sweetly.

Her amethyst eyes were twinkling with delight – it was satisfying to see his shocked face. Declan snaked his arm around Clarisse’s waist, bent over, and kissed her deeply. The whole pack erupted as they witnessed the passionate kiss that lasted for over a minute.

“Ohh!!!”

“Damn, I am so jealous!”

“Alright, that should be enough,” a girl commented. “Hey bro, there are wee cubs here ya know!”

Declan and Clarisse finally broke the kiss, and laughed at the girl’s comment. He pulled her closer, as if gluing their bodies together. Clarisse turned her head to reply to the girl, but Declan made one last peck on her cheek.

He turned to his pack and beamed as he announced, “Everyone, eat and drink to your heart's content!”

“Let’s get the party started!” Clarisse added.

Music started to play as the whole manor celebrated their Alpha and Luna’s special day. Even Declan’s strict Beta loosened up and nodded his head to the upbeat music. The manor’s lights dimmed, and werewolves danced in a frenzy as disco lights flashed.

“I see you outdid me from last year’s celebration, my Silver Moon,” Declan whispered as he traced his mark just above her breast.

“Of course, you have a competitive mate,” Clarisse smirked.

All of a sudden, a waft of her pheromones which only he could detect rose up to Declan’s nose. All of his senses turned wild inside, and a lustful desire took over him. But before things got out of hand, Clarisse held them back and winked.

“You are such a tease,” Declan groaned.

Clarisse giggled at his remark. On the surface, she looked perfectly in control, but deep down her nerves were wrecked from Declan’s pheromones that went wild in response to her joke. Aside from that…

‘Am I really going to do it?’ she started to doubt herself.

Her eyes scanned for Brielle, her adoptive sister who teased them a while ago. She knew everything about her plan, and had been a great help during the preparations too. She gave Clarisse a goofy grin and a thumbs up.

With determination, Clarisse pumped herself mentally, ‘Alright, Clary… you can do this!’

“Declan—” she called out to him, but all of a sudden a Gamma approached and whispered something in his ears.

The Alpha’s face turned serious and he told Clarisse, “I need to go out for a bit.”

Declan rushed with the Gamma outside, leaving curious Clarisse behind. She followed suit, and soon found them huddled around something. The two of them were joined by his Beta and other werewolves who stood guard by the gate.

Clarisse couldn’t put a finger into it, but somehow, she could smell something wasn’t quite right. Like a terrifying feeling scratching under her skin, both annoying and foreboding. If only she could tell what it exactly was.

“What do you think that is?” a familiar voice whispered behind her ear.

“Brie! What the fuck,” Clarisse jumped in surprise.

“Don’t be such a drama queen, sis,” Brielle rolled her eyes, “I know you knew I was— oh look, they’re coming back! Wait a minute… the heck is that?”

Clarisse’s eyes turned towards Declan’s figure coming back with something wrapped in a ragged cloak. As he came closer, the cloak fell off and revealed what looked like an injured woman with golden hair. Clarisse’s jaw dropped just as Declan saw her reaction.

“What is that, Declan?” she asked as her hand covered her nose, “Something’s really off about her smell…”

“Stay calm,” Declan told her, clearly dismissing her question, and then turned to his Beta, “Tell the others to stay alert.”

“Yes, Alpha,” Lowell said.

A deafening silence engulfed the manor as Declan walked by with another woman in his arms. They gawked at the tiny stranger the Alpha brought in, and one by one, eyes turned towards their Luna. Others searched for an explanation, while some had pity reflected in their pupils.

“Declan, what is the meaning of this?” Clarisse asked him as he lowered the half-unconscious woman in a spare room.

“Who is this woman?”

“I don’t know, Clary,” Declan said.

He began to inspect the girl’s wounds. He wanted to make sure what they were up against. Her assailants could trace her to the manor and bring trouble with them.

Just as Clarisse said, there was something off about her smell. However, Declan merely shrugged it off as perhaps the stench of her wounds and dirty clothes. He had smelled worse before, and it doesn’t really compare.

All of a sudden, the woman inhaled sharply and her eyes snapped open to see Declan’s face. Panic was clear in her face as she thrashed and cried her lungs out. She jumped towards Declan and repeatedly begged, “Help! Help me!!!”

“It’s alright, you are safe now,” Declan soothed her. “Everything’s gonna be alright. Can you tell me your name?”

The girl hesitated for a few seconds, her eyes darting back and forth from one face to another. They could hear her heart beating fast, as if she was being chased by ghosts. After a few seconds, she finally opened her mouth and spoke.

“Sha-Shannon,” she replied meekly, and then started to burst into tears. “I’m so scared! They tried to kill me!” she wailed.

Declan turned towards Clarisse and said, “You better go back to the party. I will attend to the girl personally tonight.”

Clarisse wanted to disagree with Declan’s idea, but he pushed her out of the room as he tended to the woman’s frantic cries. She climbed upstairs into their bedroom instead of returning to the party, staring at the ceiling blankly. Why did Declan push her away?

Could it be…?

“No, I mustn’t feel like this,” she shook her head.

She didn’t intend to overthink, but somehow, she found herself worrying. She took off her clothes and the thin lace lingerie that Brielle challenged her to wear for the occasion. Clarisse climbed into bed that night with Declan’s side cold and no indications of being occupied.

By the break of dawn, Declan announced in an early pack council meeting, “Shannon will be under the pack’s care starting today.”

Clarisse felt anger and jealousy boil inside her, but stayed calm as she questioned her mate, “Why would she be? We barely know anything about her.”

“She needs to be here, Clary…” Declan sighed, his eyes weary as if he stayed up late without rest.

“What if she’s the enemy, Alpha Declan?”

Declan’s eyes wavered for a second, but quickly regained his composure as he said, “She isn’t the enemy— she is my fated mate. She is the rightful Luna of the pack.”