Teenage Luna | ✔️

Chapter Twenty-Four

^Gif of Will Elijah

Josh sat to one side of me and my dad on the other in the living room. Tommy and Kota both took up the two armchairs. Most of the kids were on the floor whilst parents leaned on walls. The people from Will's unofficial pack stood in the middle of the room, awkwardly. 

I crossed my legs and did another head count. I glanced to Tommy, "You said she'd be here."

Tommy grimaced, "She had a dance lesson..."

I sighed slightly but nodded, "And Will, where's your grandad?"

"He put up too much of a fight," Will winced. 

I leant back into the couch.

"To everyone else, I assume you know why we're here. Lady Artemis has given me my mate," I began, wincing at the yuck of that sentence, "and his pack is currently inactive. Will Elijah Gallagher moved to Crestview last Saturday. Lady Artemis has confirmed to me that he was instructed by her to disobey several laws in the book. His family has grown up as rogues. He and his sister now live with William Gallagher on New Folk Road."

Aunt Liv held up a hand. Her British accent cut through the room, "You're willing to trust someone who's grown up as a rogue? They probably have no idea of the implications of being in a pack."

I assured her, "Lady Artemis told me to trust him." I looked directly at Will, "I am absolutely sure we can trust him."

"Hold on," Lea Hart held up a hand, "You guys are talking crazy right now. All I understood is that werewolves exist. I thought I was going out of my mind for three days. I was freaking bitten by a wolf. But I didn't turn into one so why am I here?"

I opened my mouth to speak but Josh cut through, "Females can't turn into werewolves. Only males. Females become druids."

"What do you mean?" Lea raised an eyebrow at my Beta.

"Druids control a specific force of nature," Josh answered, "For instance, America controls temperature. Alyssa controls water. Aimee controls birds."

Sharon scoffed, "Impossible."

I tapped my thigh with my fingers and the room dropped several degrees. I bent forward, "What were you saying?"

I lifted my fingers and the room rose up to the original temperature. 

"Nothing," she mumbled.

Will began speaking, taking a step forward, "I know it will be hard to trust me. I have, after all, been a rogue my entire life. I've never... never experienced the dependence a pack can give you. My entire life it's been me and Molly against the world. But I want to do this."

A few people in the room still looked uneasy. 

Dad stood up from beside me. Ultimately, it was his decision for Will to be the next Alpha. we waited. But what Dad said was, "The Red Tribe pack is going stronger. You know who the Red Tribe pack is?"

Will nodded. 

"They've been a reckless group since before this pack was even founded twenty-six years ago," Dad explained, "And they're just getting more and more dangerous as time passes. We can't have one inactive pack in Crestview, let alone two. That would just put the civilians in danger too."

"What are you saying?" I asked. 

Dad glanced at everyone in the room individually before giving me a loud sigh. He bent down onto one knee, bowing his head. I stiffened and the atmosphere in the room became tense. 

His voice seemed to echo in the silence, "I, Ezra James, pass the role of the Alpha and leader of the Blue Heart pack down to Will Elijah Gallagher. Will Elijah Gallagher must uphold all werewolf laws unless told directly by Lady Artemis. Any breakage of the laws will constitute in the separation of the two packs. Will Elijah Gallagher will remain loyal to the pack and to himself and put the pack before himself. Will Elijah Gallagher will protect his Luna, America Lyra James, with his dying breath. Will Elijah Gallagher and America Lyra James are officially Alpha and Luna. Will Elijah Gallagher is officially the Alpha of the Blue Heart pack."

The silence was incredible as we all moved our eyes from my dad to Will. Then slowly, one by one, people bowed in order of power. 

The Danes' family and the Collins' family both dropped to their knees in synchronisation. Tommy and Kota stood from their chairs and dropped to their knees with my mother, Aunt Liv's family and Uncle Jeremy's family. The members of Will's pack awkwardly bent down with a late reaction, responding to everyone else. Josh and I exchanged a glance before standing up together. I curtseyed and Josh gave a slight bow as was custom. 

Then I said the sealing words, "Welcome to the Blue Heart pack, Alpha Will."

***

"During World War One, England was experiencing lots of bombing," I explained, "There was one period of time where except for one night, London received one bomb per day and night for fourteen days straight. France was also pretty bad. Being two main countries in the war, it was a hard struggle for anyone. With this, most werewolves migrated to Australia in packs. They all formed covenants of safety and secrecy."

Most of them seemed to be with me. Kye was snoring slightly on an armchair. 

"Kye!" I shouted.

He jumped slightly in his seat and straightened himself up.

"As I was saying, those were when the first packs were formed," I said, "But the Alpha, Luna and Beta all came in way before that. Wolves never travel in groups more than four at the most; that's what movies get wrong. Werewolves used to travel in groups between two and four - the Alpha, Luna, Beta and maybe, just maybe, a Beta's mate. That would be it at the most. That changed of course with the beginning of packs, though.

"Lady Artemis said that a pack needs both an Alpha and Luna because, without each other, they're lonely and so, in turn, the pack would be too. That's why, without either, a pack is called inactive. A pack is stronger with both of them which is why in a period of time when the Red Tribe is dangerous, we need an active pack."

"How does a pack become stronger with both of them?" Sharon asked in wonder. 

I shrugged, "I don't know the specifics but I do know that the wolves are faster, stronger and slyer. A druid has more control over her powers."

"What can you use temperature for?" Lea asked, "I mean, it seems pretty boring."

I shook my head, "I can change the entire environment or the environment for a specific person."

I looked directly at her and laid a hand out flat on my thigh. It didn't take long before Lea was taking her jumper off, "Okay, I understand..."

Sharon bent forward eagerly, "When do we find out what our powers are?"

I shrugged, "I reckon it takes time."

She nodded.

Kye raised two fingers, "What if I don't want to be in this stupid pack?"

I glared, "Become a rogue if you want but it won't give you any protection against the Red Tribe pack."

"What's the Red Tribe pack doing that's so wrong?" Kye raised an eyebrow, "They're biting people but so did Will."

"Lady Artemis confirmed that Will did it under her orders. The four of you - including Katie - were chosen by Artemis," I said, "The Red Tribe pack isn't. They're not just biting people though. They're biting them and then living them as rogues with no knowledge of the werewolf world. You do one thing wrong in the Red Tribe pack and suddenly you're dead," I risen my voice, "The Red Tribe pack is a threat to any werewolf or human and it's our job in Crestview to make sure no one gets hurt," I sighed, "I hope you all can agree on that."

I looked at the clock during their silence. 

"It's getting late and there's still school tomorrow. Go home, please."

***

Song: Truthfully - DNCE. 

xx Sharky.