Wolf Moon Ritual
Chapter 5

Hunter’s POV

Her fear had my wolf instincts on edge from the moment we entered the office, my father’s show of authority scaring her more, making her cower inwardly. The more she backed away from me had my emotions soar, into aggravation and an overwhelming urge to protect her. I swallowed all the feelings down and managed not to directed it towards him, it would only make matters worse.

My mother as I had hoped were more understanding to the situation and tried to reason with him but the pig headedness of my father showed that he, as always didn’t care and only wanted what was best for the pack, never once taking anyone’s personal feelings and circumstances into consideration, even his own sons. To an extent I understood that but him using every ounce of his alpha power against me as he bound me to his will trapped me tightly with his iron grip.

The smell of her sweet blood hit my nose like a swift and hard punch in the face. I unthinkingly reacted and wanting to physically protect her, but would never go up against my alpha. I kept telling myself that he wouldn’t hurt her, not really. I replayed this like a mantra. But the question continued to plague me, would he hurt her? With the rage building with every drop she shed I found it increasingly hard to control my emotions and I wasn’t so sure I could stop him. I’ve heard that the bond between wolfs has the means to cause wars before but never had I believed it until this very second.

A growl was released from my lips, it shocked me that it came out but on the other hand I needed to protect her with every fibre of my being. “You dare to growl at me over a female?” My father instantly matched my anger and exceeded it. My insolence could only be taken in one way. A challenge against the alpha. I in no way wanted to challenge him.

I was glad my mother piped up when she did because my muscles were coiled that tight that I was on the verge of lunching at him. The storm raged on silently inside me and I had to grit my teeth together hard, holding back every threat and curse that was aimed at him at his blatant disregard of my mates being. Use her? I didn’t want to use her. I wanted her as mine, by my side.

The girl’s breakdown ended every last wave of anger I felt for my father and so completely switched to sadness that my head span. My eyes focused on her shattered mental and physical state. Her violently shaking body, eyes streaming with tears, the saliva dripped from her lips as her voice screeched in absolute angst. Showed just how much she was terrified, and her pleas broke my heart that much, that I couldn’t hold myself in place and went straight to her and held her safely to my chest, extending comfort towards her.

Out the corner of my eye I saw my mother stand in between of us and my father, as if using herself as a shield of protection. Squared her shoulders and raised her chin. “George she will not be locked in the dungeon. The girl will be confined to the small guest bedroom in the attic and guarded around the clock.” Her voice held no room for argument. “Hunter, gather her up and follow me.”

I didn’t hesitate to scoop her up from the floor, her small hands gripped tightly onto my jacket for dear life as I carried her from the office and down the stairs. I knew my father would be seething, but I couldn’t give a toss. He wouldn’t harm her if she was under the protection of my mother, but as luna I knew she only has so much power and sway against him. I just had to hope that it was enough.

I looked down at her agonised face, something had happened in her past that broke her so completely that it was most likely the reason she was on the run. I held her closer to my body for not only warmth but aching to take her pain away.

We entered the house through the kitchen, many pairs of eyes watched our procession through the house. Some in awe, some in confusion and some in just plain curiosity. Each one of them would know she didn’t belong to this pack, but as she were with me and my mother no one wouldn’t dare ask what was going on. That was until I saw the questioning gaze of my younger brother and best friend, before I turned the corner up and ascended the stairs to the second story of the house.

We ascended the next set of steps and I placed her down on the bed, which bounced a little under our combined weight. The little green medical box my mother retrieved on her way through the kitchen now placed on the dresser. I knew she were getting a sedative ready to give to the girl to help settle her, but a pang of guilt took route in my heart. I did this to her and I mentally scolded myself as the needle punctured the skin of her arm. The injection worked quickly and soon she were limp in my arms, her grip slid from my jacket as I repositioned her on the bed and covered her with a blanket.

Concern was plastered onto my features as I watched her sleeping form for a few moments. The peaceful look on her face, settled my sole slightly but I knew we would have a hard road ahead of us with many hurdles to conquer, some more dangerous than the other. “She will be okay?” My mother tried to sooth me but it didn’t work. “I did this to her. I didn’t even have the chance to stop myself from claiming her, it just happened.” She looking up at me, understanding but she also knew my fathers will.

“We will just have to wait and see what happens tomorrow. I’ll set up a guard rotation, but you won’t be in it.” I was shocked at her words and my eyes burned into hers. “You have to stay away from her, don’t anger your father more until we can figure this out. You have 10 minutes with her and I want you on the next perimeter patrol.” I reluctantly nodded, she was right. I had to do what was best for the pack, I was to become alpha, the hard decisions had to be made. I closed my heart from her as best I could, memorised her face one last time and left the room following my mother down the stairs.

I distractedly walked towards my room, all thoughts on her resting upstairs. I didn’t notice Cole and Finn were waiting outside my bedroom door when I reached it. “Dude, who was that?” Finn instantly asked his light brown eyes lit up with curiosity. My brother never could wait when gossip could be gathered for him to spread around the pack. He reminded me of a teenage girl, desperate for her next fix of gossip, as if it were a drug. I wondered many times if he was really meant to be born a boy. Finn’s messy light brown hair flopped to the left and kept going into his eyes as he practically bounced in anticipation.

Irritated, I pushed him out the way of my door and opened it. I always locked my door when I went anywhere, he was a little thief and always takes my belongings without asking. “Come on man, just answer the question.” He whined. “She’s none of your concern.” I snapped, rubbing the back of my neck. I knew I’d never get through the door without my shadows and left the door open for them to follow me inside.

I dug in my dresser replaceing a new shirt to wear to go on the next patrol in. Finding my black t-shirt, I slid my arms in and pulled it over my head and smoothed it down my body. “Your no fun. At least tell me her name.” I sighed and another wave of guilt overtook me. “I don’t know it.” I answered honestly. “What?” Cole asked. “She was wearing your shirt how could you not know her name if you were helping her?” I didn’t answer just stared at him.

Cole and I had grown up together, both only a few weeks apart. He would know with a look that I wasn’t going to answer him, not with gossiping ears around. He nodded knowing I’d tell him later. I pushed my little brother back out the door in preparation of leaving as Cole followed and locked the room again.

I met my father’s beta Mark outside, as he was giving instruction on where we were patrolling today. Cole was his son and my future beta so he tagged along with us, he was, like me in training, learning his father’s duties for when I took over the pack

We were assigned to ran the northern boarders, covering the lake and mountain region. My mind still not completely focused on my task and often flitted back to my mate. Would she be awake yet? Was she safe? I could sense her slightly, through our bound, she was peaceful, so I guess she were still asleep. “Right come on spill. You passed a trail of mountain lions back there and didn’t even check that it was safe.” I snapped my head round, remembering that scent but being as distracted as I am, I didn’t think to check it out.

I shifted back to human and he followed my lead knowing I didn’t want anyone else to hear this. No other members could directly hear everything I said, but with my emotions all over the place, I didn’t know what I would or wouldn’t be able to conceal. I didn’t even know if I’ve already given to much away to the other teams. “No you haven’t let anything slip, before you ask.” I nodded relieved, my father would be pissed the more people knew about her being my mate.

“I went to get away from my folk’s last night and went to Marcy’s diner. When I got there the scent of a wolf was so strong that I didn’t know what was going on but they left before I could see them. I just thought it were someone passing through, but their scent was just…” I rested my head in my hands. “The scent was so strong it consumed everything in me and drove me insane, I couldn’t sleep when I got home and decided to hunt it down. I found her in the forest not far from the diner and captured her, fully intent on killing her but instead I played a game of hide and seek and then one thing led to another and my wolf claimed her. She’s my mate.” Cole didn’t have a clue what to say, struck dumb at my confession.

“She’s your mate? How is that possible? I thought she was dead?” Question after question spilled from his mouth, but I had no answers for any of them. “I’m just as clueless as you Cole. The worst part is I have to still marry Crystal, my father has already decreed it.” His look of shock matched my own. “Well it seems that we need to do some research in the old witch journals and get information from her, starting with her name.” he pointed looked at me as I rolled my eyes.

“Come on we best check out that lion trail, just do me a favour and don’t tell Finn or anyone for that matter please.” He chuckled. “Your secret is safe with me.” He patted my shoulder and shifted back. The lion trail didn’t turn anything up, so we continued the rest of the day as we started it, running the boarder.

As the sun was setting, we started back towards home picking off a few stags on the way back for dinner, hauling them to the meeting point with our teeth. Once we got to the others, we changed into human form and went into the little shack to get dressed and washed the blood from our faces as the others got both deer onto the trucks bed.

Both mine and Cole’s mother met us at the kitchen doors as we pulled the deer from the truck. The women instructing the men to take it to the barn to be gutted and skinned, in preparation for the next few days meals. Although it didn’t bother us to eat raw meat, my mother always opted to cook as we all sat round the table and ate as a pack family.

I passed the third-floor stair way entry and became irritated that my brother was placed on guard. He would have begged my mother for this role, wanting to meet her first hand and get the gossip for himself. “Hey bro, how was patrol? That girl up there is pretty fine.” He whistled. My anger flared and teeth sharpened in my mouth, cutting my gums. I had to use every speck of control to force my emotions back down. “Wow, possessive much?” He snickered at my retreating back.

“Ouch.” He moaned as he was hit by something or someone. “Don’t antagonise your brother.” My mother snapped as she went up the stairs, carrying a tray of food. I continued forward to my room but wanting nothing more than to follow her up the stairs.

Slamming my bedroom door closed did nothing to quell my anger, I stormed over to the wall by the side of my window and punched the solid stone wall as hard as I could. My knuckles broke on impact and blood poured from where the shattered bones pierced my skin. I looked down at the wound, it was already starting to heal the bones shifting and sliding, knitting back together as the skin glued itself back together. I stretch out my fingers and the ache left my hand and repeated the proceed several more times, hitting the wall harder and harder each time.

The blood now running down wall, staining it. I pulled the rag from the drawer under the window and wiped the evidence clean. This was something I did often when my anger started becoming out of control. I threw the rag back in the drawer and closed it firmly with an annoyed grunt.

“I’m glad to see you awake dear. I’ve brought you some food, I hope deer is to your liking.” My mother’s cheered voice faintly filled my ears. “Don’t be scared of little old me now.” She laughed. “My names Ruby, I’m luna of this pack. Now the bathroom is through there, and there’s clothes for you in the closet and dresser. Any questions?”

There was a long pause. I became anxious as I stared up at the little open window in the attic, that was above my room and across the small distance. Above my room, damn I forgot it was up there. This was going to make it so much harder for me, I’d hear everything she did or said but not get to see her.

“Am I safe?” A timid version of her voice piquet my ears. “To an extent, yes.” My mother answered. “What’s your name?” More silence. “I’d rather not say.” The girl admitted in the same tone and volume as before. “Okay, I’ll call you Rose.” I could tell my mother was smiling. I knew she always wanted a baby girl to name her that. Instead she got two boys. “Where’s that guy from before? The one that brought me here.” Her question spiked my heartrate in a furious gallop.

My mother let out a long exhale. “He won’t be far away, but you won’t be able to see him for a long while.” She admitted. “Oh.” Was the only response given and the sound of bed springs followed, before the bedroom door closed, signalling my mother’s departure.

She made little movement for the rest of the night, her sobs I felt just as much as her sadness. I didn’t know how to comfort her through our bond, but I could talk to her if she turned wolf. If she turned wolf that is. From our little encounter when she did faze, it seemed she didn’t know what she was doing let alone feel truly comfortable in her wolf form. It made me wonder about her past, her being my mate could only mean that the 1st born daughter of the crescent pack was still alive, and it was her.

Nine years ago, we were told by her father that she died in a hunting accident. That she was chased by a bear as the pack was ambushed and never seen again, along with her mother. As I grew up that story seemed less and less plausible to me as that pack was particularly made up of hunters but no one could question it.

I needed to replace out more about her, I needed to see her. If I could get my father on side, see if I could postpone the engagement maybe, and could replace a way for him to accept her. My boyish romantic fantasy was pathetic even to my ears, he would never go for that. I had to think better than him, getting him on side though was a must.