Tied By The Moon | Editing

Chapter 33

There were very few times I could say I had been frozen in my tracks, my wolf was strong hearted and had a steady mind, there were no things I knew of that could render us speechless.

Except, of course, the unspeakable mystery of my mother and her absence. Or rather, her disappearance. It was an unspoken rule never to talk about her, for my father, with all his sharp senses and unconditional love her, had, to this day, no idea where she had disappeared.

I, as an eager and curious child, had made the mistake of once asking where she was. My brother had always warned me to be careful, but neither he had any idea of the cautions he should take either. I had asked my father in a spur of the moment, and as soon as the words left my mouth I immediately regretted it; the pure dread and sadness that filled his eyes made my wolf harshly scold me and prompted me to apologise quickly.

My father stopped me though, saying that he didn't know of her whereabouts at all, that she had vanished one day without a trace, like the Moon itself had just taken her.

Just like that.

My persistence didn't stop there, though I never touched my father on the matter again, instead, I turned to the pack for answers. But they too were in the dark, they did smile whenever I mentioned her though, their words and stories filled me with the image of a beautiful woman with a kind heart, but a short temper.

They told me of the way the Alpha looked at her, and how his scent of lust would make the room tense. I had a solid idea of who had taken her if not the Moon then it was surely the Alpha.

But I got too careless and my father discovered my actions one day, I found him in my room one day pouting over the evidence I'd found with tears in his eyes. He demanded I stopped delving too deep before I got hurt, and as much as I'd like to say I didn't, I did stop.

Because I couldn't break his heart again.

But I hadn't realised I had sparked something in him that had long since been buried; the need for answers.

And that was were it had started. My father, a few days later, was the one who confronted the Alpha that day. He started the fight and ultimately got beaten, which is where I stepped in to defend our family.

-

The Alpha held a sly and knowing smile on his face, blood dripping from his wounds as he pulled back his lips to expose blood stained canines. He snorted and spat out the blood, the smile growing on his face as I anticipated his next move.

But it never came.

Instead, he shifted back to his vulnerable form and stood up. I growled at him as he stumbled forward like a drunkard, an even more infuriating smile on his face.

"You know...you look very much like your mother," He proclaimed, and from the sides, I heard my father groan with sadness.

"She was a beautiful woman." He said, licking his lips and letting the sickening scent of his want for her radiate out him.

I growled as a warning, crouching low as I inched forward, my limbs preparing to spring into action and my mouth anticipating the satisfying taste of his blood. I don't think I felt myself react, because in actual fact it was my wolf who did. I was forcefully pushed back to the sidelines as my wolf took over, muscles pushing us up as she aimed for the neck.

I didn't even spot the knife until it was too late, the pain of silver caused me to arch my back in pain and the Alpha was able to grab hold of me and twist violently, slamming us onto the ground.

"It was such a shame I had to slit her neck." He growled into my ear, then held the knife to my neck until I shifted back and passed out.

-

I woke up with rain beating down on my sore body, I had been injured severely and the clothes I had on my body weren't enough.

I sat up and looked around, the scent of my pack was barely detectable, but I knew where I was; the unclaimed lands, which only meant one thing.

I had been banished.

I let my head hang as I pulled my knees in and rocked myself, trying to think of how I would survive.

I didn't even know how my brother and father were.

Had my father survived?

I was so engrossed in my own thoughts that I didn't know when someone had crept behind me. I almost jumped out of my skin but realised quickly it was my brother and embraced him quickly.

"What are you doing here?" I managed to choke out.

He quickly shushed me and told me father was in a horrible position, the Alpha was refusing to let anyone treat his wounds and accommodate them. He explained he tried to persuade father to come, but there was no way he could move.

"You stay," I said.

He nodded in agreement and made me a promise I haven't forgotten to this day.

"I promise, Alastrine, once father has gained his strength we will come and find you."

I'm still waiting, brother.