Werewolf Duel

The First Shift

The First Shift

Helios had always been the social one. While I read my books and got straight A’s, he partied and played as the quarterback of our high school by his sophomore year. This led to a division in the pack. The elders wanted me as Alpha, believing me to be responsible, smart, and practical. However, Helios, with his confidence, and the ability to influence others, had gained the full support of the younger wolves in our pack. As our sixteenth birthday approached, tensions grew. Sixteen was the age we werewolves first shifted; it would mark the year we had left to prepare for the duel.

Helios and I had stopped talking to one another a long time ago, but the thought of defeating him, of killing him was horrifying. To do that to my flesh and blood, the brother I had shared nine months with in my mother’s womb was impossible. My mother had always told me that I was meant to be a Luna, not an Alpha. She believed my sensitive and caring nature was meant to guild a pack spiritually as the Luna of a pack does.

Unfortunately, I would never be a Luna. If the won the battle I would become an Alpha, and I would never be able to bind myself to the Moon. Only the Luna could create a blood bond with the Moon, an Alpha by natural law was not allowed to create the bond because their obligations to the pack would always need to come first. If I lost the battle and somehow was mated to an Alpha, I would be rejected. A Luna that is not strong cannot lead a pack nor be bonded to the Moon. And, if I refused to fight, the Council would come after me and kill anyone that harbored me. The Council believed that refusing would lead to confusion and chaos within a pack. And, that having one definite leader, that won his right to lead, was needed.

But this did not stop me from staring at my mother with envy as she danced in her ‘Lunam Habitu’, praying to our Mother Luna. My mother led us in song and prayer, only stopping to bow down to the Moon and give her special prayers for the pack that only a Luna could utter. The words were not taught, but came to Luna’s in dreams and visions from the Mother Luna. A pack could rarely function without a Luna, and they were a prized jewel in packs. Sometimes Luna’s were even stolen from a weak pack, and forcibly boned to another Alpha. The Luna didn’t have to be the Alpha’s mate, but related to the Alpha in some way. If I won the duel my cousin Lucinda would become our pack’s Luna.

Despite the fact that I would never become a Daughter of the Moon, I memorized every word, every move I could that my mother made during our New, Quarter, and Full services. Those services were done with the whole pack in the woods, and even then my mother would pray every day in a clearing alone, where I watched from afar. The one time that I had been caught by my mother, trying to reenact the movements she had made, she smiled sadly and closed that door to my room. Still, that didn’t stop me from practicing every night, loving the rush I got from praying to my Mother Luna.

Shifting for the first time was painful. The pack had to watch from afar as Helios and I turned into our wolves. Before shifting the first time, a soon-to-be Alpha had to come from deep in the forest, naked and bare to all the pack members and the Mother Luna. As one walks through their pack to the Alpha and Luna, the members of the pack must put their hand in mud and onto the body of their soon-to-be Alpha.

The moon was full, and the harsh winter had left a pure white snow on the ground. It was completely silent, as if the entire forest was holding its breath. We walked slowly to the pack, more confident than ever with our wolves pushing through. With each hand that touched me I felt the bond I had with my pack mates grow. I was finally becoming one of them. My best friend, Diantha, was the last one to touch me. Diana’s red hair, brown eyes, cute freckles, and petit figure were beautiful, and her ceremonial white dress complemented her figure. She’s brave, funny, and kind.

“Good luck.” Diana whispered as she grabbed my forearm. She’s five months older than me, and had already shifted. ‘It’s painful at first,’ she told me when I asked about the first shift, ‘but after a while it’s amazing, like sex!’ I smiled at Diana, and waited for my brother to come to my side. Diana blushed and looked down as Helios came before her.

“Come on Dee.” He said, grabbing her hand and placing it over his bare chest, where his heart was. Her eyes flashed up as she turned red as a tomato. Oh god, he’s encouraging her, I thought. He was playing with her like usual. Ever since we had held a fake wedding between the two when we were eight she’s had a crush on him. Two years later she told him she was in love, and he responded by throwing mud at her, calling her and ‘Idiot’, and running home.

She cried for a whole night while I watched Disney movies with her. Once they got into middle school, Helios started to tease her about that day constantly, but for some reason she still liked him. Of course, that didn’t mean I punched him for every ass comment he made. However, after she got boobs and he grew a foot things started to change, teasing became flirting, and glares of dislike turned to glares of lust. It was annoying to say the least. Once Helios found his mate Diana would have to let him go, and I would have to pick up the pieces. I had never considered that they could be mates.

In the end we stood before our mother and father. They only wore white, and I couldn’t help but admire how enchanting they looked together. Father had brown, caramel-like hair, ice-blue eyes, and a well-built frame that could freeze any wolf. He was about the same height as our tall mother, who had blond-white curly hair, sea green eyes, and curves that were the envy of the pack. Helios and I had both inherited our mother’s blond hair and pale skin. However, Helios had our father’s blue eyes, and facial features, while I looked almost exactly like my mother, but shorter and not as beautiful in my eyes. They both grabbed each of our faces and kissed our forehead. Then our parents turned to the pack, and became our Alpha and Luna.

“Pack! We gather here tonight to celebrate the first shift of our next Alpha! Once the shift is completed, we will commence with the First Hunt!” The pack cheered at Alpha’s words.

“May the Mother Luna blesse this Hunt, and the ones after it!” Luna declared.

“May the Mother Luna bless us!” The pack replied.

“Remember that we are not only wolves, but humans too. If you see a chance to kill your prey, do so. A wolf may eat its prey alive, but a human will not.” Luna stressed.

 “Also, remember not to let your wolves fight for dominance get in the way of this Hunt.” Alpha said softly, and then he let his Alpha wolf shine through his eyes. “Shift!” He commanded, and we did.

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