Alisson's Escape

Alisson walked into the kitchen and was met with concerned glances. "Good morning Luna, did you sleep well?" Asked one of the women with a strained smile, obvious worry in her tone. "Yes," she responded in a whisper and walked over to the pantry to fetch the ingredients for Henry's breakfast. She could hear the whispered conversation going on behind her as if they were standing beside her. They all knew she could hear them but it was a sort of game they played where they would whisper to each other in the hopes that she would ask one of them for help without them having to offer it. Everyone knew how stubborn Luna Alisson was, she would not ask for help even if she was on death's door and she looked like she was. With bruises littering her pale skin and her eyes swollen with a yellowish-green tint, it was hard to get mad at her for refusing help. She made a pitiful and horrifying sight that sparked righteous anger in any sane person that caught a look at her. How slowly her wounds healed was a testament to Alpha Henry's rage, werewolves could heal a broken bone in just a few hours, but Alisson's injuries always seemed to take days to heal. Some of the pack members speculated that years of abuse have stunted her healing powers or that the injuries were so violent and damaging that most of the damage would be gone by the time she appears before them. At the end of the day, the speculations always remained just that, because no one did anything to stop it, they tried to help their Luna in any way they could like assisting her in cooking (because Alpha Henry insisted only she should cook his meals) and fulfilling other chores she had, but that did nothing to lessen the blows she was dealt. Alisson knew none of them will ever stand up to Henry for her. They placed him on such a high pedestal and turned a blind eye to his faults. Her mind went back to five years ago when she was still just a pack member and not the Luna, she couldn't help but reprimand herself for thinking of a time without her mate. She was here now and that was all that mattered, she thought to herself in resignation. Alisson came from a family of three, it was just her and her parents and she was more than fine with it. She grew up happy and loved by her parents and she loved them just as much. They belonged to the Moon Shadow pack, a medium-sized pack of about four hundred members. Their territory consisted of a small town with no humans within it, their only contact with humans being the neighbouring town filled entirely with humans and a sprinkling of werewolves. They had everything they needed here so they rarely had reason to leave their small town, most of the older wolves have never even crossed the border. Alisson at eighteen, had the same dream other she-wolves her age had, to find her soulmate. A Soulmate is someone special chosen by the Moon Goddess for a wolf. They were your other half and the person who completed you and understood you better than anyone else could. She longed for when she will find her own partner because it was described as the most breathtaking feeling in the world. Growing up, she had heard stories of soulmate's first meetings and always imagined her own to be just as magical as that of others. Two months after she turned eighteen, Alisson had still not found her soulmate. To say she was heartbroken would be an understatement, she was devastated and inconsolable. When she was a child she thought having to wait until she was eighteen was the worst thing ever, but now that it seemed she was one of those werewolves who found their mate late, she couldn't help but wish for the Moon Goddess to just give her a date. Even though they will meet twenty years in the future, knowing when will help suppress her worries. She spent her days moping around, which worried her parents. They could not help but feel bad for her because they had found each other really early and had told her stories about their meeting when she was still a pup. The day she found Henry started like others of its kind. She woke up got dressed and did the things she normally did, preparing herself for another day in her mateless existence. The only difference to her day was that a pack gathering was to take place that evening, to celebrate the return of Alpha Duncan's son, Henry, the future Alpha of the Moon Shadow pack. The air was filled with excitement because Henry was finally coming back after two long years of Alpha training. The training usually tested the future Alpha's ability to survive in harsh conditions and how powerful he was. He was taught all the skills required to become a good alpha and then some. Future alphas are usually accompanied by their beta to-be, which in this case was Hunter, Henry's best friend since diapers, which was expected for them to lead the pack effectively. Alisson had never met Henry before for multiple reasons, he was two years older than her meaning he played in a different age group when they were still pups and another reason was, that Alisson spent most of her time around she-wolves, so she rarely ever had contact with the males her age. Tonight was the first time she was going to meet him and she couldn't help but feel excited. Her wolf had gone silent in her head this morning, even though she was extremely excited and giddy yesterday. She tried multiple times to talk to her and get her to respond but her wolf had remained stubbornly silent. When evening came, her wolf had suddenly begun to purr, she tried to ask her what was happening but she remained silent so she let it be. She would deal with her later. Walking towards the community centre, a building the pack often used for gatherings involving a large number of people, she took a deep breath of fresh air. The moon was bright tonight and soothed everyone just as much as it did her, judging by the serene look on their faces. They walked into the hall and took a seat where the other normal pack members sat. Her father was a bookstore owner and her mother worked at the communal garden, making them low-ranking pack members. The higher you are in rank the closer to the alpha you seat, which was why they were seated all the way in the back. Alisson knew her parents were always envious of those high-ranking members and wanted to be one of them, but her father failed the pack warrior test and her mother wasn't particularly good at anything, which left them where they were. She, on the other hand, could care less what position her family had, as long as they were together and contributed to the pack in their small ways she was content with her family. Her attention was drawn to the stage as the current Alpha and Luna, Alpha Duncan Reese and Luna Penelope Reese walked to the centre of it. The whole pack stood in unison and bowed to them in reverence for a few moments before looking up at their leaders. Alisson stared in admiration at them, their Alpha was a strong, tall and huge man with dark brown hair and bright blue eyes while his mate was a small blonde-haired woman with warm brown eyes and a soft personality. They were the embodiment of everything an Alpha and Luna pair should be and Alisson was so proud to call them her Alpha and Luna. Alpha Duncan began addressing them, his voice a deep rumbling one that commanded respect, "welcome my brothers and sisters to the presenting of my son and your future Alpha, Henry, alongside his Beta, Hunter." He stopped as the crowd clapped and roared with excitement, before continuing. "For centuries, it has been the culture of the Moon Shadow pack to send its future alpha into the world, to learn the necessary skills needed to become a great leader. And today, my son Henry has returned home to take his rightful place among us." He ended with a proud gleam in his eyes. He turned towards the left of the stage and beckoned for someone to step forward. "I present to you, your future Alpha and Beta!" Alisson felt the world tremble when she caught sight of Henry, he was beauty personified with his dark blue eyes and dark blond hair, his sharp jawline covered in a dusting of facial hair, a perfect combination of his parents. She felt her wolf howl in triumph as his eyes connected with hers, nothing else mattered except Henry, who was so far away yet so close. She was frozen in place as she watched him make his way through the crowd and towards her. She could hear exclamations and questions being asked, but none of that mattered except him, who was finally standing in front of her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her towards his hard and muscled frame. "Mate," he growled in a low rumbling voice before capturing her lips in a bruising and passionate kiss. She kissed him back and let him devour her lips without any concern towards all those who were watching. "At least we don't have to worry about a Luna now," she distantly heard someone say but refused to take her mind away from the kiss.