Dark of the Moon

Chapter 1: The Hunt Is Afoot

As the Chasers and Strikers descend upon our sacred land, I look to the window and murmur "Oh, bloody hell; this cannot be happening..."

My wife, Skye, also known as the Great Wolf, rests her head in my shoulder and strokes the length of my arm, her chestnut hair brushing my skin all the while. "Everything will work out, darling... We just need to get some troops together."

This causes a sigh to escape from my lips; Skye always knows what to say. A vampire named Nicolai Harris was the first to alert us of 'the danger that lies ahead.' Chas raises his hand.

"Why don't we send the oldest child of each family to fight against the assholes that will soon be out there, banging of the door to try and knock it down and kill us?"

Suddenly, a lightbulb illuminates above my head - literally. "I've got it! Let's send Chas out there to distract the bastards, and then every male in each family will follow him!" Everyone agrees right away... everyone but Chas, that is.

Asher's mate, Keisha, raises her hand and asks "What about the cubs; who will defend them?"

"The same people that nurture them, Keisha; unless of course they are capable of self defense. In that case, they'll defend themselves. But you, my dear, may be an asset to me-"

"No!" Asher pulls her away from me and growls. Never have I been so disgraced in my entire life! Not even my own wife speaks to me that way! "Gildren, control your delinquent, please... I swear to God that your children will be the death of me..."

"I apologize, Grandfather; Keisha has been born anew recently, and Asher just wants to show her how to... to live off the land, for lack of a better word." I nod and yell 'Ruche [pronounced ROOSH]! In here, now!'

Suddenly, a young man, no more than thirteen or fourteen years of age in appearance, rushes into the room and kneels at my feet. 'I-I didn't mean to scratch the dishes, Master...' Even after a few thousand years of life, even after I'd been such a crab-apple all those years, I still kneel down and whisper 'I don't give a shit about the dishes, Charlie... I just want you to know that you are my best and most trusted ally in this world.'

In an instant his face brightens up. 'Really, Master? You really mean it?' Tears stram down our faces as I reply 'Yes, Charlie; I mean it. Why don't I introduce you to a few people?' He nods - more like tries to decapitate himself by nodding - and says 'Yes, Master; please, Master...'

We walk over to everyone and I introduce him to each person we pass, including Gildren aand his offspring. Asher glares at him when we walk by. 'Asher, he isn't going to hurt Keisha - by the way, where is our little sprouting wolf? Is she alright?'

'Yeah; she just doesn't want to be around people right now. Introduce whoever this is to her later.'

'Have you asked for her hand yet, Asher? You were thinking about it earlier.'

'No; not yet. I made her and Rose[mary] leave with my credit card; Keisha's going to buy me something nice, she said.' He says the last sentence with a grin on his face.

Ruche and I both stare. In case you are wondering what Ruche is to me, he's my servant-boy. He has been working for my wife and I for a few centuries now. Asher then explains that Keisha and Rosemary were gone to buy lingerie for themselves.

An hour later, two women enter the house; Keisha enters first, then Rosemary. Orion, who is standing beside me, nudges Jayden's shoulder and, while pointing to Rosemary, whispers 'Why don't you talk to her, Jayden? You should jump at the chance to claim her while she's still... er... available...'

Kane growls and sneers 'You act as if my child, my daughter... my jewel is a piece of property! News flash, Orion; in this day and age, she is her own person, and if your "son", as you so blatantly call him, hurts her in any way, I will ensure you never have a child of your own!' Kane lunges at Orion and scratches his jowls.

That clinches it; I cannot stand by and watch my kind tear apart another supernatural being. Cyrus and I both advance on the two at the same time; Kane struggles under my grasp, but eventually succumbs to the will of the Great Alpha.

'You wanted to know why I don't trust you, Redclaw? That is why I don't trust you.'

'Help me in clarifying something, Theron, because there's one thing I don't quite understand...' I barely have a chance to speak before he continues ranting 'I don't see why we should have to follow some asshole who doesn't fucking care about his own fucking people! Since when have you forgiven anyone for anything!?'

'I have-' Kane interrupts me, stating 'Since when!?'

'I have forgiven Charlie numerous times for little slip-ups he's made over the years. In fact, just today, I forgave him for scratching my dishes.' Kane then turns to his daughter and says 'Just remember, Rosie, that this started with you! Go to your room and don't come back out until you decide to be less of a fucking embarassment to all of us!'

An hour passes, and Jayden grows weary of Rosemary's abscence. 'I can't just sit around and wait for the world to kiss my feet, Orion. I'm going in her room if it's the absolute last thing I do!' Jayden walks over to her chamber door and knocks. A small voice replies from inside 'Go away...'

Jayden: Rose, please talk to me... if there's anything I can do, let me know.

Rosemary: I want my father to apologize, Jayden...

After she concludes her reply, I yell, so both she and Kane can hear me, 'If he values his standing in the High Wolf Council, he will!' Kane growls, and Gildren tries to hold him back, but Kane mutters 'Just let me at him, Gil; he killed my wife, for fuck sakes!'