Under the Blue Moon

Ch 4: Gone Wolf

"Where have you been all morning?" Shelby asked me as I approached the pack house.

"I had a successful night and slept in, sue me." I shrugged. I walked ahead of her up the stone stairs to the log home.

"Stop." She commanded. I attempted to burry any emotions from last night deep down before I left this morning so I could avoid letting them get the best of me.

I turned on my heel as she came up beside me on the step, "Yes?"

Her blue eyes studied me for a moment, "You seem... different." She speculated.

"I don't see how." I shrugged.

"Who is it?" She crossed her arms over her chest. My mind went to Jace for split second, I felt my heart speed up. I tried to slow it down before she could notice.

"Don't know who you're talking about." I shrugged before making my way up the stairs again.

"Was he good at least?" Shelby asked, wiggling her eyebrows as she pulled her short brown hair away from her shoulders into a loose ponytail

"Was who good?" Lucy chimed from the distance meeting us at the top of the stairs.

"Beas new lover." Shelby informed.

"Yeahhh- she does seem to have a glow to her." Lucys hazel eyes gave me a once over as she placed her hands on her hips, studying me further.

"What can I say? My beauty radiates, giving me a seasonal glow." My tone sarcastic as I made my way towards the pack house again.

"Well someone's dodgy." Shelby said as they followed behind me. 

"I'm not dodgy." I rolled my eyes, making our way into the pack house meeting hall. I mentally gave myself a high five for successfully covering up my feelings for my new mate.

My father came through the large double oak doors with my mother, the hum from chattering group subsided as they bowed respectfully to their alpha and luna. My brothers stood on the opposite side of the room from me. I gave my fraternal twin Beck a questioning look, he meet my question with a shrug. This intervention was uncalled for, we already did our monthly meeting with the leading pack members and warriors, so what was this about?

"Thank you for coming," my father voice echoed throughout the hall, "it has come to my attention, there has been an abduction among one of our own last night." The room stirred in an uncomfortable silence as he continued.

"Addie Ward was taken last night while on patrol. She was on our territory when it took place, her family reported her missing when she failed to return home by morning. We don't know the motive behind all this, so I'm putting us on high alert. Groups will be assigned for the search taking place within the hour." Dad informed.

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We got our orders, I would lead a group north, my brothers Beck and Hayden would lead their groups east and west. My father and his beta took another search party south, and my mother would be overseeing other duties from the pack house.

"I don't see why we are throwing up the smoke signals yet, she probably wanted to get away from this dictatorship we call a pack." A high pitched voice met my ears. I followed that voice to Gabrielle Darby.

Oh Gabrielle, the girl in this pack that made me catch myself from snapping her neck one too many times. An entitled one she is, who tries too hard to be known among my family-more or less, Beck. She would have gone for Hayden because of his next in line position among the pack, but he was already married and had two children.

Of course she was in my group. I stood a few feet behind her now as I listened to her argument to the others, who stayed respectfully quiet in my presence.

"Why should each and every one of us take time out of our schedules to track down some child that is playing hooky to the pack. For all we know she could have found her mate and they ran off into the night together." She crossed her arms over her chest, her light blonde hair resting in loose curls below her shoulders.

"Well if things aren't done to your liking Gabrielle you have every right to leave. No one is making you stay, trust me." My voice stern as she turned around quickly, her mouth popped open as if she was going to say something. I held my hand up, stopping her.

"Maybe you're right, she could have found her mate and ran off, maybe she decided she wanted to go rogue. It's her choice that she will see the consequences to later. However, before you go making assumptions ask yourself this; what if she's not? What if she really was taken from the pack against her will? She could be in danger right now." My voice stern as I continued, "we do what we do to protect our own. If we didn't- her blood would be on our hands. Is that what you want?" I directed my question to her, narrowing my eyes.

"No." She shook her head.

"Good. You talk too much Gabi." I walked past her, looking over my group as Lucy and Shelby flanked both my sides. "Let's move." I commanded.

I caught Liam glancing at me. He was the smooth talker of our pack- and one I payed no attention to. His way of thinking was; if he could be with as many mateless women in the pack-he would find his mate. It's pathetic and a little poetic at the same time depending on how you looked at it.

"It's rude to stare." I said to him. He gave a cheeky grin.

"Not staring- admiring." He corrected as he threw his shirt off, reveling his muscular build before following the rest of the pack into the woods. I rolled my eyes before shifting.

My human skin disintegrated from my body revealing my auburn fur, my paws standing firmly against the cool soil. I raised my head high as a howl erupted from my throat, it broke through the air and my group stood at attention in their wolf forms. I took off through the thick brush as they followed close behind.

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