Werewolves

I looked up into the face of a woman I recognized, but could not place. She smiled down at me and soon in a voice that shook the night sky. That seemed to reverberate through the woods. It seemed as if even the moon shined brighter when she spoke.

"You will be among your people soon my daughter. Worry not, for soon your feeling of never belonging, of never being fulfilled with your life will end. Go my darling, walk the path destined for you."

Yet again I awoke drenched in sweat with no memory of why or what I dreamt of. Except for the image of a nightly lit moon fading into the darkness.

I looked over at the clock and groaned. It was only three forty-five in the morning. I decided to get up and get a head start on packing. I don't have many belongings in my apartment. I had moved here not expecting to stay long, and I was right.

I changed into jeans and a black shirt that highlighted my curves. Then I pulled back my hair and put on my boots. After getting ready I started packing. It wasn't long until I had packed my room and bathroom.

After finishing packing I got hungry and went into the kitchen for food. Xavier was still asleep on my couch. I knew without having to go check because his snoring sounded like a freight train. I decided to be mean this morning and have some fun. I grabbed a pan from the rack and a metal spoon. Then I went to the couch and stood beside his head.

Xavier jumped up the moment I banged then together and aimed a death glare in my direction.

"That was a mean thing to do after making me sleep on your couch instead of inviting me to bed Phoenix."

I laughed and walked back into my kitchen. Where I made a smoothie while talking.

"Don't snore if you don't want me to wake you up."

He looked into my room after noticing the boxes laying around.

"How long have you been awake?"

"Since early this morning. I couldn't sleep."

I had poured the smoothie into two glasses and set one on the counter in front of him.

"Drink it. This apartment was furnished so we only need to pack a few things."

I drank mine in a matter of seconds and went back to packing. By nine o'clock we had the apartment completely packed.

"Why don't you have a lot of belongings like most people? It looks like you hate it here and plan to bail soon."

He looked at me with a smile, but I saw the suspicion in his eyes. I knew he was here to watch me as much as he was here to help me.

"Because I never planned to stay long. I had a home once. That home consisted of people, not things. Home was where they were. And they're no longer here. So I have no home. Which gives me no desire to hang around."

I didn't want to open up to this man. But I know if I did not, he would continue to be suspicious. But now he was back to his usual self.

"I'm sorry to bring up that pain. I felt the same once, before I met Lucian. I was on a dark path. He saved Daniel and I. Gave us a home, a purpose. Let's get everything loaded. Daniel will be hungry. And when he's hungry he gets cranky."

We spent the next hour and a half loading the truck. Not once did Daniel get out to help. But say there and watched me instead. I could tell he didn't want to trust me. But if I did my job correctly then he would soon.

I sat in the back and watched out the window while we drove through the city. I was surprised when we left the city. Not only did we leave the city, but we drove an hour through the woods before pulling up to the big gate. Without saying anything the gate opened and we drove through, with it shutting behind us.

"What is this place?"

Daniel didn't want to answer, didn't even glance at me. But Xavier did answer.

"Lucian's residence. He owns this land and the surrounding land for miles."

Daniel turned and glares at Xavier. Once again looking as though they we're having an unspoken argument. At this point I got tired of being left out.

"If you have something to say Daniel, say it."

He growled as he stopped the car and turned to face me.

"I don't like you. I don't trust you. And I know you don't belong here. This is a bad idea, and the others will see it soon enough. You will only drag us down with you."

Before he could say anymore,his door was ripped open and a scarred man was dragging him out of the truck. Xavier and I immediately got out and followed. It took a minute before I recognized the man. He was Mattias, the man that Lucian dismissed before. The last time I saw him he stood in the shadows. But now, with him in the light, I could see the scars running down his face and neck.

"What were you told?!"

He was pissed and practically yelling at Daniel. But Daniel refused to back down. He stood up and got right in Mattias' face. But Mattias don't let it phase him. He just kept yelling.

"What we're your orders?!"

Xavier was about to step forward but something told me that would make this worse. So I held him back as Daniel spoke.

"To not speak to her unless I could keep my opinions to myself. To keep my mouth shut and bring her here."

Daniel was growling as he spoke, which angered Mattias more. It was at that moment that Lucian stepped out of the mansion to my left. But he chose to let the scene play out.

"Daniel you have disobeyed yet another order. This will not go unpunished."

Daniel decided that was the moment he would punch Mattias in the jaw. Even from here I could hear the sickening crunch of broken being broken. Mattias was knock down to the from the force of it. His howls of pain could be heard for miles.

But his body started to tremble as hair sprouted from parts of his body. I watches as his bones reshaped themselves, within seconds a brown wolf stood where Mattias had been.

I heard Xavier sigh and mumble shit as Lucian walked over to me. Daniel has just turned into a large red wolf. Lucian and Xavier didn't seem surprised or worried so I just stood there appalled at what I was seeing.

The brown wolf had jumped on the red one. And these wolves were not normal size. Their bodies were bigger and had more muscle to them than your average wolf. Despite that the brown one was thrown off the back of the red wolf. Then got his leg town into two before he could recover.

It's howls could get again be heard for miles, but that didn't stop him. He had left his leg open as a distraction. Once the red wolf got cocky and stood up with his guard down. Leaving his neck vulnerable to the powerful jaws of the other wolf. He did not deliver the killing blow though. Instead pinning the red wolf down and biting just hard enough to draw a little blood. That was when Lucian stepped towards them both and spoke in a harsh and commanding voice,

"Both of you shift back."

Upon hearing his orders the brown wolf let go of the red one and got up, then turned back into Mattias. The red one laid there for a minute before standing and turning back into Daniel. Once they were both human, Lucian went back to speaking.

"Mattias Blackwood you have won the challenge and defended your title as Beta to this pack. But in doing so you broke the law and revealed yourself to a human. For that you will be punished."

He then turned to Daniel. You could see Daniel tensing as he broke eye contact with Lucian.

"Daniel Zachary, you have lost the challenge. Therefore you do not get the title of Beta. In the process of challenging your Beta, you broke the law as well. For that you will be punished."

Lucian seemed to consider something for a moment before he continued to speak.

"That on top of your disobedience earns you a stripment. I Alpha Lucian Errier of the Blood Moon Pack strip you of your title as Gamma."

Daniel looked pissed and was about to say something when Lucian stopped him.

"Being a former alpha does not give you the power to argue with me. Your behavior is fitting for a Gamma. Your better off keeping your mouth shut and accepting your punishment."

Mattias stood beside Lucian as though Daniel would try something. Everyone that had come to watch were tense to. Xavier even walked over to Daniel, ready to pull him back or to back him up if need be. But Daniel visibly relaxed as his eyes dropped to the ground while he spoke.

"Is there the possibility of earning my title back Alpha?"

I was confused, and probably looked like a deer caught in the headlights of a truck by this point, but I stayed quiet. I somehow knew that this needed to play out without me asking questions.

"Gamma Xavier, take Mattias over to the square, then escort your brother home. I don't want to hear from him, or him, or see him for the remainder of the day."

Without a word, Xavier led the wolf boys away while Lucian made the crowd disperse. Then he walked over to me and began to answer some of my questions.

"They are wolf shifters. Both born shifters, as am I. These are my packlands, and the house behind you is our pack house."

You would think that what I just saw, what I just heard, would scare me. Maybe even shock me. But it didn't, if anything I was drawn to it. So instead of acting like any reasonable person would, I just said,

"I'm starving. Lets go eat while you tell me all about everything I just saw."