Moondust

Moondust ~ 26

The night was cold, just like any other night in New Zealand. It was nothing out of the ordinary. The next got was its usual chilly self, with the wind having little bit of a bite at your skin. It was completely normal.

So of course no one had some magical sixth sense that something bad was going to happen. Because it was also a quiet night, save the wind against the windows, of course.

But I had woken up to a scream that night. Not a scream of delight, but a scream of pain in the middle of the night. I sat up in my bed and stayed still for at least another hour, until I heard another sound, disturbing the silence of the night. Except this time it wasn't a scream, it was a howling sound.

The howl of victory. And it sent shivers down my spine. That's when I knew something was wrong.

There was something so familiar about this night. And I just couldn't put my finger on it. Seeking comfort, I walked to Nikolai's room, and he didn't answer. So I decided to just go in anyway. He wasn't there.

So I then went downstairs. Maybe he was in the kitchen, having a midnight snack.

He wasn't.

Another scream, louder than before, broke out, breaking the dead silence of my house. I walked to the front door. The nerves in my stomach made me break into cold sweat and my hands shook as I grasped the door knob and slowly opened the door.

The first thing I was greeted with was screams. So. Many. Screams. And fire. And it was then that I knew something terrible had begun.

My pack was burning.

There was a stinging pain in my neck as I awoke and I hissed. My hand shot out to grab my neck but halted as I felt a sharp pain in my side. "Son of a-"

"You're awake." A voice said, cutting me off from my cursing. It was a familiar voice. A male's voice and my body instantly heated at the sound. Mate, my wolf, Zara cooed. A smile instantly found its way to my lips and I raised my eyes to meet his. And just as quickly as it appeared, my smile was wiped off my face as I was greeted with the anger and protectiveness swirling in his eyes.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Deuce growled at me. His eyes flashed gold, then back to his dark brown colour as he approached me. It worried me that his eyes had been doing that a lot recently. He used to be so good at keeping his wolf bay. But now, it's like he needed to be set free, like Deuce had kept him in for too long, and found not hold him back anymore. "Why would you do something so idiotic?" I was offended by his words. Idiotic? I am no idiot, thank you very much. It hurt that he had judged me before he heard what I had to say. None of what happened was my fault. I couldn't control myself.

I grasped the black silk sheets of the bed which the Alpha slept in as I remember last night. I had no power. I was weak, I was useless. I was so scared about the fact that I was about to become a rogue. And if I were a rogue, Deuce would've rejected me, no doubt about it. No Alpha would want a Rogue mate. In fact, no wolf would want a Rogue mate. It was embarrassing. Yet I had almost become one.

I opened by mouth to defend myself, but he had kept talking. "Do you know how dangerous that was? You walked out of my border! And I didn't give you permission too," Deuce paused for a moment, his stuff body crumbled as he stared into my eyes. They weren't flashing anymore, they were his normal, beautiful dark eyes. But instead of the light he always had in them every time he saw me, there was just sadness. Sadness and torture. "If you wanted to leave me, you could've just told me." By the Goddess, I felt the agony that he must've been feeling. To think that his mate wanted to become a Rogue, the lowers rank in the Werewolf society, just so she wouldn't have to be with him? I knew that, that must've hurt him.

"No!" I cried. "No, you don't understand. That's not what happened!" Desperation clearly weaved into my words, my tone. I needed to go to him. To take him in my arms and assure him that would never want to leave him. But I was in too much physical pain. "I-I was being controlled."

"Controlled?" My eyes shot behind my mate and rested on a man that I was a all too familiar with. Zachary Whitlock, Ex-Alpha and Deuce's father. I hadn't noticed that he was in the room, and I could only hope wasn't here when Deuce and I were arguing. Scratch that, hope he wasn't here when Deuce was accusing me. He moved toward me slowly and sat down in the bed as he looked into my eyes. "What do you mean, Lyda?" His tone was gentle and I almost shrieked with joy. Finally, I get to speak with the reasonable Alpha.

Zachary, or Zach (as he liked to be called) was a very handsome man at the age of 50. Because he was an Alpha, he was a tall, intimidating man. He stood at 7ft and 1 inch, with tan skin and a very muscular body. He appeared to be a scary man, but as you looked up into his face, into his grey eyes, you'd see the kindness and sincerity that they held. His dark hair was now greying and he had a very (very) nice looking five o'clock shadow around his strong jaw and upper lip.

"What did you mean, Lyda?" He repeated. Zach was (and still is) a menacing man. But he was like a second father to me. Since his daughter and I were the same age and were practically sisters.

"I-I woke up last night an-and I felt..." I trailed off, trying to find the right word. I felt uncomfortable? Cramped? Suffocated? "I felt suffocated. So I went outside to get some fresh air and then I-" I stopped talking. There was noway I could keep going. My breathing hitched and I started shaking. It felt like the hardest thing for me to say. I was so scared about what was happening. I felt the bed dip beside and I jumped as arms reached out and held me.

"Then what?" Deuce's smooth voice calmed me and I felt myself relax instantly at the sound of his voice. His arms wrapped around me and I settled into his warmth. I can do this...

"I heard a howl, and then that's when I lost all control of my body," I looked up at Deuce. "It was like my limbs and my wolf were listening to someone else." I felt Deuce's arms squeeze me as he placed a delicate kiss on my head.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you." He whispered into my ear and then planted a small kiss in my neck. I sighed, snuggling into his chest, feeling the slow, calming beat of his heart against my back.

"It's okay." I whispered back, content with my surroundings... until I heard the masculine sound of a clearing throat next to me. My eyes widened as I realized two things: One, my mate's father was still in the bedroom and two, I was still in my nightie... which was just my bra and panties... while my Ex-Alpha was in the room. And if catching on to what I was thinking. Deuce growled lowly at his father, while tugging a sheet across my half naked body.

"Deuce, stop being a pain in the ass," Zack scolded his son. "I have no interest in a half dressed, 17 year old girl... even if she does have a gorgeous body." Zack added, sending a wink my way. Both my and Deuce's body froze. His arms became rigid and locked around me like a steel cage. His growling became brutal as he death-stared his father. I didn't even have to look at Deuce, to tell that his wolf was fighting to break free.

But I was more shocked at Zach, then I was worried for Deuce.

My mate's father had just hit on me.

Please tell that he was just teasing?

"Well, it looks you two could use some alone time..." Zach said as he gotten up from the bed and walked to the door. He paused, and looked back me. "Don't worry your pretty head, Lyda. We'll find out what's happening to you." And with that, he closed the door behind him.

The whole time Deuce's arms had been struck around me. And his grip instantly tightened as his father said "your pretty little head" to me.

"Mine!" Deuce instantly snarled at me the moment his father had shut the door. He then, stupidly, decided to throw me into the bed and climb on top of me. Usually, I would be turned on by his rough treatment towards me. But because I was badly injured, his actions weren't very exciting for me.

I hissed out in pain and clutched my side and he froze on top of me. I opened my eyes to see that his body was shaking. I glanced up into his eyes and I didn't see Deuce's normal dark eyes anymore. Instead, I saw gold, which could only mean one thing.

His wolf had taken over.