Dark Moon

The Moon

There was a shine to the moon that not many people understood. The sun had a vibrant brilliance that outshone everything around it. The moon reflected the sun with a mysterious glow. The moon's glow was casually reflecting off the back of my wolf's dark gray fur. My head lifted up in the quiet silence hearing a crunching of leaves to my left. My ear twisted slightly edging to hear the sound again. I heard nothing. 

My back was still tense. I couldn't stop turning my head around watching my surroundings. In the midst of the woods, there was nothing to see apart from danger. Rogues weren't welcome anywhere. I had no pack, to begin with, so there was no place I belonged. I was born in a place that rivaled hell and hadn't seen the light of day until two years ago.  My friends were scattered across the woods. They were the closest thing I had to a pack. Even then, I barely knew if I could trust them. They had escaped alongside me and had stayed with me.   A loud growl split the silence. 

I looked up immediately scanning my surroundings and before anything could happen, I ran as fast as my four furry paws would let me. I reached my awful campsite. The others were already back. 

Maris and her mate, David were packed. Maris had met David while we were on the run after the first week of escaping. As a rogue himself, he taught us how werewolves survived, from pack life to rogue life.  David, as annoying as he was, was like an older brother to me. He taught me how to shift properly. He taught me about the packs and how the hierarchies in them worked and developed. He had taught me everything there was to know about being a werewolf. 

Adrianna the other girl in my little pack had a son. Her son was like me, born in that damned place. He got out and when he was older he probably wouldn't remember as long as we stayed gone. Adrianna and I had the shakiest relationship. She looked out for herself; I looked out for the safety of the pack. 

They had sensed the danger beforehand. They had packed everyone's stuff. Adrianna split through the woods with her son in tow. Seeing my face, they grabbed their stuff quickly. I hadn't shifted back yet. I took Adrianna onto my back leaning down for her son to climb on. Maris and her mate shifted quickly and we ran from the woods. 

There was no sound coming from the woods. We ran and ran until we reached the backdrop of a small town. I shifted there pulling on the clothes Adrianna had grabbed from me. 

"Hotel?" Maris asked. I nodded simply. We went to the hotel and finally got ourselves 3 rooms. One for me, one for Maris and David, and another for Adrianna and her son Dallas. I slip into my room exhausted. Adrianna couldn't shift yet. Her child was yet another gift from that damned compound. Nevertheless, he was a child. 

I understood Dallas though. He was born in the place I was. He would always understand what it was like to have a childhood like mine. 

I take a quick shower before tossing a towel over my body. A knock sounds on my door. I freeze checking the peep hole. Maris stands there alone. I open the door. 

"Adaline. What happened in the woods?" She asked sitting on the bed. She tosses me a pair of sweats and a tank top.

"There was another wolf in the woods. I got nervous. Panicked." I pulled my hair ripping through it angrily with a brush. Maris took the brush away from my hands. She sat me down and started brushing my hair.

"I know today is a hard day-" Maris started. I shook my head slightly. Today wasn't a hard day. It was the hardest day of the year. 

"I don't want to talk about it, Maris. You know that" I blinked a couple times letting my tears run back.  They were burning. I wouldn't ever cry again. Not after everything. I had run out of those salty little things.

"We have to talk about it, Adaline. We can't just keep running from every little sound you hear." 

"What's there to talk about Mar? My parents are dead and gone, killed in front of me drowned and then burned. I don't want to talk about it. I want to forget about it. And that man. That man ripped everything from me. I have nothing left." I looked away from the mirror. I had my mother's dark hair and my father's tan skin. I looked too much like them. I couldn't stand myself. It was my fault. Everything. 

"We got out Adaline. It's been two years." Maris soothed my hair down. "Everyone's worried about you."

"I'm fine. Tell them we leave before whatever pack we're in  finds out there are a bunch of rogues squatting in their city." 

Maris looks at me disapprovingly. She might be older than me by a year, but it makes no difference to her as she glares at me like a mother would. 

"Fine. Adaline we are going to talk. Maybe not today, but one day you're going to tell me everything that happened to you down there. Just like how I told you." With that, she let the door close behind her. I slipped into the comforts of the bed surrounding me. Even with the amazing bed, I couldn't sleep. I looked at the clock marking the time at 12:42. I got up to the bathroom running a hand through my hair. I went outside of my room taking the elevator down to the outside of the hotel. I needed to breathe. 

I went outside. Glowing lights filled my vision as I took the scene before me. The bright lights of the hotel shone brightly behind me. I walked around scanning the hotel area. I hadn't sensed anyone, but I could feel something was going to happen very soon.

I headed back into my room. It had taken me 16 minutes to get back into my room and lock the door. I slipped back into my bed. 

When I woke up, I felt something was wrong. There was a tenseness to the air.  It was silent. I headed out of my room. Adrianna's room was shut yet Maris and David's room was left slightly open. I frowned ready to reprimand them when I opened the door. I froze. Adrianna, Maris, and David were all standing deadly still in a corner with Dallas in between their legs. There was a group of men in the room. Wolves. I growled with deadly intent. The man in the center turned towards me letting out a vicious growl. His intent was clear. He was going to kill me. 

He lunged at me and my body hit the floor. I slammed my head into his forehead. The ringing in my head didn't stop as he fell backward. I gave him a quick kick to the face he was holding. 

"Get the hell out of here now!" I yelled quickly as the other men approached me. Adrianna and Dallas raced out with Maris and David in tow. I managed to slip from underneath a man and run out to meet a stopped Maris. The man in front of us was holding Dallas by the collar. His eyes turned to me. I stopped. My heart raced.

My mate. He was tall with electric blue eyes that seemed to search deep in me.  His fluffed brown hair was strewn messily. His arm that was steadily holding Dallas was clearly toned. His entire body was toned from his arms down to his legs and whatever laid underneath his clothes. He strode towards me. I smelled his intent as he tossed Dallas aside. 

"Adaline" Maris whispered. "Run" 

And for once in my god damn life, I listened to her.