Lunar Legacies: The Eleven

9.

The aftermath and the truth

The atmosphere was tense and somber as the alphas, camp counselors, and pack members worked diligently to clean up the aftermath of the battle that had transpired just two hours prior. The air was thick with the scent of blood and smoke, but the resilience of the pack shone through as they banded together to treat the wounded and restore order. A few nearby werewolves gathered supplies while others tended to injured comrades, their faces reflecting both determination and exhaustion.

Amid the chaos, Theodore approached Alpha Dean, who stood in quiet discussion with a few other alphas. Their conversations were urgent yet low, punctuated by the occasional sound of a distant shout or the clattering of equipment. Recognizing Theodore beneath his hooded cloak, Dean excused himself from the group, concern etched across his features.

“Theodore,” Dean began, his voice steady yet filled with an undercurrent of urgency. “You can’t leave now. We need your strength here.”

Theodore, his face obscured by shadows, felt the weight of his decision pressing down on him. “I have to protect the key fragment I retrieved,” he replied, his tone firm yet laced with hesitation. The fragment was a piece of a puzzle he had been working tirelessly to solve, one that could mean the difference between safety and calamity for his people.

Dean tried to persuade him further, but Theodore remained reluctant, the pull of his mission too strong. A moment later, Dean relented, sensing the resolve in Theodore's stance. He stepped away, leaving Theodore alone amidst the activity.

Just then, Seth appeared, his curiosity piqued. He had been watching Theodore from a distance, intrigued by the mysterious figure cloaked in shadows. There was something about him, an undeniable pull that Seth couldn’t shake. He approached cautiously, his gaze fixed on the hooded stranger.

“Who are you?” Seth asked, the words tumbling out before he could stop himself. His heart raced with anticipation, fueled by a mixture of intrigue and an inexplicable connection he felt towards Theodore.

Theodore turned slightly, feeling the intensity of Seth's gaze beneath the hood. For a fleeting moment, their eyes met, and the air between them crackled with unspoken tension and curiosity. In that instant, the chaos of the battle and the aftermath faded into the background, leaving only the two of them, drawn together by something deeper than either could understand.

Theodore blinked, shaking himself from the intensity of their moment, the weight of Seth’s gaze lingering in his mind. “It’s not important who I am,” he said, trying to deflect the attention from himself. His voice was steady, but inside, confusion swirled like a tempest.

“Are you one of the unique werewolves?” Seth pressed, his curiosity undeterred. “Are you from the Stellar Crescent Pack? The one that was massacred?”

At the mention of his old pack, something inside Theodore snapped. An unexpected surge of cosmic energy welled up within him, a force he had never consciously tapped into. Before he could comprehend what was happening, a pulse of energy burst forth from him, striking Seth squarely in the chest.

Seth staggered back, eyes wide with shock as he was propelled across the clearing, crashing into a pile of debris. The pain on Seth's face cut deeper than any physical blow Theodore had ever dealt. In that moment, guilt and anguish washed over him, mingling with the remnants of the raw power that had escaped him.

Theodore gasped, confusion overwhelming him as he realized what he had just done. In a panic, he instinctively teleported to his hideout, the familiar surroundings offering him little comfort as he grappled with the reality of his actions. He stared at the walls of his secluded space, heart racing, still reeling from the shock of what had just happened.

He hadn’t known he could channel such energy, let alone that it could hurt someone. The image of Seth’s face, twisted in pain and surprise, haunted him. A feeling of dread settled in his stomach, and he clutched his head, trying to understand why this affected him so deeply.

Torn apart by guilt, he felt a heaviness in his chest, as if the pain he had inflicted on Seth was a mirror reflecting his own inner turmoil. Theodore paced his hideout, emotions swirling within him, the shame of his power surging through his veins. Why did it hurt him so much to see Seth in pain? The questions lingered, unresolved, as he fought against the tide of despair rising within him.

Seth groaned as Leroy and Cody rushed to his side, their concern palpable. Leroy helped him to his feet while Cody scanned the area for any sign of the hooded figure. “What just happened?” Leroy asked, a mix of worry and curiosity in his voice. “Who was that guy? What did he do to you?”

Seth shook his head, brushing off the dirt and debris as he tried to regain his composure. The image of Theodore’s face and the surge of cosmic energy still rattled in his mind, but he couldn't articulate it to his friends. “I don’t know,” he replied, his tone clipped as he turned away from them. The urgency in his chest was growing, drowning out their questions. He needed answers—answers that could only come from his father.

Without another word, Seth strode past Leroy and Cody, ignoring their calls for him to wait. He felt a mix of frustration and determination as he made his way through the camp, dodging pack members who were still cleaning up after the battle. Each step propelled him closer to the alpha’s quarters, where his father would undoubtedly be conferring with the other leaders.

As he approached, the heavy air was thick with the scent of sweat and tension. He pushed through the flaps of the tent and found Dean deep in discussion with several other alphas, their expressions serious. The moment Seth entered, the room fell silent, all eyes turning toward him.

“Father,” Seth said, his voice sharp and demanding. “I need to know about that stranger. Who is he? Why does he seem so important?”

Dean exchanged glances with the other alphas before stepping forward. “Seth, you need to calm down,” he said, his tone authoritative but laced with concern. “That was Theodore. He’s been through a lot, and—”

“Through a lot?” Seth interrupted, his frustration bubbling over. “He blasted me with some kind of energy! I felt it, and it hurt! What’s his connection to the Stellar Crescent Pack? Why does he even have that kind of power?”

Dean's expression shifted, a mix of sorrow and understanding crossing his face. “Theodore is the last known survivor of the Stellar Crescent Pack,” he admitted, his voice dropping to a more serious tone. “He’s been hiding ever since the massacre, and his abilities are… unique. He’s struggled with them for a long time.”

Seth felt a mix of shock and sympathy flood through him, but his anger didn’t wane. “So that’s why he acted out? Because he’s scared? That doesn’t excuse what he did to me!” He paced the tent, running a hand through his hair. “I need to understand why I felt such a pull toward him. Why does it feel like there's more to this?”

Dean placed a hand on Seth’s shoulder, grounding him in the midst of his turmoil. “The connection you felt might be deeper than you realize, Seth. You need to be careful how you approach Theodore. He’s dealing with his own pain and power, and we can’t afford to escalate things further.”

Seth met his father's gaze, the urgency within him battling with the reality of the situation. “I have to find him,” he said, determination set in his voice. “I need to know what’s going on, and why he hurt me. I can’t just let this go.”

Dean nodded slowly, recognizing the fire in his son’s eyes. “Then we’ll find him together. But we need to approach this with caution. Theodore is fragile, and we don’t want to scare him away.”

With a shared understanding, they prepared to seek Theodore out, the weight of the situation settling between them like a storm on the horizon.