Blood moon

Chapter 1. An intruder

Standing out in the open, the life-given rays of the full moon triggered me. Power raged through my veins and the uncontrollable bloodthirst. Gray fur emerged from under my skin. My muscles strengthen and expand. I fell on my knees, digging my nails into the dirt. My skull had changed its fundamental structure, making my jaw life protrude out like that of a wolf. My bones popped and cracked, expanding. The pain subsided and I tilted my head, looking at the full moon. My howl echoed off against the rocks and trees surrounding me. The cool wind blew through my silvery coat. 

Moving swiftly, from rock to rock, deeper into the woods of Montana. I slowed down as I reached the river and faced a large male. My father. His head tilted into the air as I reduced speed. His tail was up in the air, like always to show his authority. I turned my head at the sound of noises. Lakota and Justice, the patrollers of our pack, approached. 'A lone wolf has been located...' Lakota bared his teeth. 'We chased him off our property,' Justice added to the story. My father jumped over a rock to the other side of the river where I was standing. 'You are late...' he growled. I tucked my tail between my legs and lowered my gaze.

My father has been tense and grumpy lately. 'It was a male,' Lakota said, trotting after my father. 'It was a big male though. You would say he's an alpha,' Justice said as he padded next to me over the shaggy, moss-covered riverbank. 'It's been a while since someone had the nerves to enter our territory,' I muttered. 'Every werewolf in America knows this is our territory,' Justice muttered. I jumped over a dead tree and followed the scent of my father and Lakota to our hide-out in the woods behind the waterfall.

More wolves of our pack gathered behind the waterfall, standing underneath the rock my father was standing on. Justice sat down next to me. His piercing red eyes of my father scanned every wolf until they had full attention for my father. 'A lone wolf has been located on our property...' he began. Several wolves jumped up, growling and baring their teeth. '... It's been taken care of, but I want extra patrols along the southern border,' he stated, tiling his head higher in the air. Moonlight trickled through the water and lightened up the cave.

Many scars from previous battles were visible on my father's body. His pitch-black coat was scared. My father is one of the most feared alphas in the world. He's famous for his cruelty. Therefore, I don't have a good father-daughter relationship. My mom died in a rogue attack many years ago when I was still a pup, he really changed after that. He became more violent and rude towards me. He doesn't always see me as his daughter but as another member of his pack. He had never really been there for me when I was little. It was always my mom, she protected me from him. My father was too demanding, scared the hell out of me when I came close, and even bit me once. The scar was still visible on my left front leg.

'I want everything to be reported to me. If this lone wolf returns one more time, I will rip him apart.' The other wolves agreed. 'I hope for this poor soul he won't return,' Justice mocked quietly. The other wolves started spreading or leaving the cave and my father jumped off the rock, approaching me. Justice and I both flinched a little. 'I want to talk to you...' The piercing red eyes of my father stared straight through my soul. Justice backed off and left. 'What did you find?' he asked. He sent me for a little mission three days ago. 'Not much. No abnormalities in town. There was no evidence of another wolf in town,' I replied. A low growl escaped from my father's throat. 'There has to be something...'

'I am sorry, but there's nothing. No signs of another pack.' My father didn't want to believe it. I know why he's so worried. We are in a war with another large pack. The North East American pack. Hades is a dangerous and psychopathic male. My father is cruel, but he doesn't kill for joy and Hades does. 'Keep looking, I don't believe Hades just suddenly disappeared,' he sulked and passed me. Guess I have to go back to the 'human' world and dig deeper. Although, I am not sure what I am looking for. Hade's pack are masters in disguise. I have no idea where to go and where to look. I watched my father disappear in the gathering gloom and so did I. I left the cave and headed back into the woods, towards the river. The next morning, I arrived at my designation. Wilson is a small town that bordered our territory. I have spent my last three days here without any luck but this is the place where we have found several lone wolves before and even Hades himself a couple of years back. I walked up to a small house where Mozzie lived. An old lone wolf. He doesn't change anymore, but he does help us. He once was part of Hades' pack, until he became an Omega. I knocked on the door and after several minutes, he opened it up for me. 'Back already?' He stepped aside to let me in. 'My father wanted me to dig deeper. He still believes Hades is close,' I muttered. 'Right...' He shut the door behind me. 

Mozzie isn't even his real name. More a name he gained over the years. I watched him shuffle back to his leather chair in the middle of the room. 'I have no clues for you, Ashley. I told you everything I know and maybe Hades has a new project.' I sat down on the old couch, filled with dust and I don't know what else. 'My father doesn't believe in that...''Your father is paranoid. He has the right to be paranoid of course...' he trailed off. 'There was a lone wolf on our territory last night. Lakota chased him away.' Mozzie shook his head. 'Probably a lone wolf... Hade's wolves won't enter the territory on their own. Way too dangerous, Hades can't afford to lose any more wolves. Your father slaughtered most of them last month...' Mozzie was right. It would be suicide. Hades is too smart for that. 'Maybe you need to wait and let time tell.' Mozzie shrugged and slumped back in the leather chair,- closing his eyes for a moment. 'But...' I glanced at him again. '... If you want to inspect the lone wolf thing... A local farmer lost a sheep last night. Maybe your mystery wolf has something to do with that...' He trailed off. 'My father isn't interested in lone wolves,' I muttered. 'If he's here, roaming your territory, he might have done the same to Hade's territory. Maybe he's looking for a pack...' I hummed and nodded while thinking. 'You are right...' A smirk crept upon his face. 'I am always right...'I snorted and got up. 'Thank you, Mozz... I'll see you around. Which farm?' I asked. 'Stevens farm, down the road,' he said. 'Alright, thanks...' I walked up to the door and left.