"Any news from the situation with Fallen Timbers and Shadow Forest?"
"Yes, Alpha. It seems war may be upon the two packs. We should be careful in case they want us to join on either side."
"I see."
The deep voices of the Pack Alpha and Beta conversed back and forth, discussing the pressing matters, as I sat in the back and listened. Tensions had been growing for some time between our two closest neighboring packs, Shadow Forest and Fallen Timbers. Both packs are just on the other edge of the great Misty Lake from us. It is not common for packs to be so close together that borders touch with no free land between them, but our three packs have a strange origin story.
Legend says that hundreds of years ago, triplets were born to the Luna of the pack that was here before, a pack that controlled the entire lake and its surrounding forests. The Luna died in childbirth but the Moon Goddess blessed each of the triplets with the Alpha gene, causing the very large Lake pack to divide into three. This is a favorite story of the elders, but likely not true, as there is no evidence of any relatives among the packs. Besides, this origin story is only accepted by my pack, the third and smallest of the three, Ice Pine.
Anyway, regardless of how our packs came to be so close together, it has caused a lot of tension between the two larger and more aggressive packs that guard the lake. So far, only border skirmishes have broken out, but even that is unusual. Fallen Timbers and Shadow Forest are snapping at each other's throats, and my home pack is caught in the middle.
The pack leaders went back and forth, discussing all the risks and dangers that this conflict presented. Ice Pine had no need or interest in this war, and wanted to stay neutral. Unfortunately, that would most likely not be an option as whoever Ice Pine sided with would be the victor. The Alphas of the other packs would probably try to force the issue somehow.
After a while, the pack meeting was finally over and everyone filed out of the council room and pack house and headed back to their homes and positions. I opened the front door of the house I shared with some of the other orphaned pack members who were about my age. My mother had died of a rogue attack fifteen years ago when I was three, and my father died only two months after her from the heartbreak. Many people felt sorry for me losing my parents so young, but I couldn't remember them very well. I did know they were good people, and loyal members of the pack. My father had worked as head chef in the pack kitchens, and my mother was a teacher to young pups. Not high ranking, but honest and loving of the simple life.
I went into my bathroom to freshen up and saw my reflection in the mirror. I was told I was the true vision of my mother: platinum blonde hair, pale skin and light blue eyes. I thought I looked like a ghost. My porcelain skin never tanned, no matter how long I lay out and tempted the sun, and my hair had been almost pure white all my life. I finished using the bathroom and went to do the laundry I had been putting off when the pack sirens started blaring. Intruders.
Were we being attacked? I quickly ran outside of the house and looked for any commotion in the clearing in front of the pack house. There, I saw a patrol of our pack warriors facing off against a speedily approaching procession of black cars coming out from the woods. They pulled up in front of the group of wolves and men started getting out. Catching their scent in the wind, I recognized it as Fallen Timbers. I also recognized their alpha, Alpha Jaxon, at the head of the group. Our alpha, Alpha Felix, had come out of the pack house with more of our warriors, both in human and wolf form. They encircled the group of Fallen Timbers intruders in warning.
"Relax, old friend." Alpha Jaxon said. He was a large, middle aged man with dark brown hair and a large but unfriendly smile. Supposedly, his son would be taking over the mantle soon, but I had never met the Alpha-to-be. I was assuming that he was the similar looking but much younger man standing next to Jaxon, with the same dark brown hair, broad frame, and aura of power. "I'm just here looking for my son's mate. He's being crowned as Alpha tomorrow, but has not found his Luna."
YOU ARE READING
Luna of the Lake
Werewolf"'My little mate, you have much to learn,' his chuckle sounded deep and slightly dangerous in his chest. My words had agitated him. 'the Moon Goddess makes no mistakes. We will complete each other. I will prove it to you, no matter how long it takes...
