Marked Under Blood Moon

⚜ Into the Night Woods ⚜

DAMIEN FANE

"Damien! It's time we leave, let's go." A voice travelled past the thick wooden door as the brief knocks on them receded.

"I'll be out in a moment." Damien answered as he tied the laces of his shoe. After he tied the knot, he ran his fingers through his messy hair, an action which is a poor alternative to a comb and one which he tended to ignore mostly. Damien did not have the patience to comb his hair nor the desire to please anyone. So, he rarely groomed himself. He didn't have a mirror in his room either, one which most wolves loved to possess.

Adjusting the collar of his t-shirt with one hand, Damien opened the door. In addition to the creaky sound made by the old wooden barrier, he was greeted by his friend Lucas's rarely seen grim face.

"What's with that constipated expression?" Damien asked, clearly amused by the sudden display of seriousness by his fun loving friend.

"Don't you find all this..." Lucas paused as if he was searching for the right word. After a pregnant pause, he continued "scary?"

Scary, Damien contemplated as he observed his surroundings. He saw all the members of his pack, though the previous expressions of uncertainty and fatigue faded away, there was an unmistakable dread in everyone's eyes. After their alpha's intimation about the arrival of the First Wolves, which sounded more like a warning or perhaps a naked threat, a tense atmosphere prevailed in the entire pack.

People spoke either in hushed whispers or did not speak at all. There was a cautious veil over their words and actions, almost like they were guarding their words to avoid the wrath of the mysterious First wolves. Damien did not find their actions ridiculous, instead he was the feeling the same dread.

He read about the First wolves long back and if what was listed in the book can be considered as true, then Damien believed that the alpha spoke very less of them. Their alpha must have spoken like that to lessen the terror among the pack. As he remembered the passages from the book, a chill crept down Damien's spine.

Scary was not even close to what Damien felt in his heart. But, he did not want to make Lucas to feel the same. The feeling of terror was never enjoyable.

"I feel intrigued..." Damien lied, ignoring the skeptical look on Lucas's face he questioned "Don't tell me that you are not curious about the First wolves?"

"Or..." Damien purposefully dragged, in a teasing tone he mocked "Have you turned into a p***y at the mention of some wolves who we haven't seen yet?"

His teasing had paid off the efforts as Lucas who had a tense expression turned stiff at once. In a tone laced with anger, he retorted " Who are you calling a p***y, ah?! I've f****d more of them than those you've yet to admire..."

Having achieved his purpose, Damien simply ignored Lucas's outburst. He continued to thread forward while Lucas's stream of complaints sounded behind him.

...

Damien and Lucas stood in the line as the betas and the other high in command wolves continued to check if all the pack members are present or not.

Damien saw them nod their heads at the alpha, mind linking their reports while the latter gave a light indiscernible nod, one that made the betas and the others retreat.

Alpha Dexter swept his eyes across the assembled pack, the expression in his eyes stern. Using the tone of his alpha, he addressed all of those present.

"I repeat once again, none of you are to upset the First Wolves. Behave yourselves and don't attract any unnecessary attention."

Everyone understood the implication behind the alpha's words. His words simply meant Don't provoke the enemy packs and even if they do, don't retaliate. Act ignorant. Damien was sure that everyone understood the unspoken meaning behind their alpha's words.

"Yes, alpha. We will never be the blemish on the honor of our pack." Damien vowed along with Lucas and the others.

The look on Alpha Dexter did not soften but his voice did by a few degrees.

"Follow the leaders of your formations." After giving his command, Alpha Dexter changed into his wolf form, the huge black wolf sprinted away as it's howl warned all the creatures, living or dead to keep away from their way.

Following the suit of their alpha all the members of the pack shifted at once, the combined howls of all the wolves announcing the glory of the pack. Damien and Lucas shot a glance at each other after which they shifted into their respective Black and brown wolves before sprinting after omega Brian, the leader of their formation.

Damien watched his friend Lucas racing along while he fell a few paces behind.

Damned Brown wolf! Damien almost cursed out loud, he had always been envious of the abilities of the brown wolves. Speed, agility and the ability to become one with nature, all of them sounded cool unlike the brute strength of his black wolf. Chuckling at his thoughts, Damien increased his pace, though he knew that he would never be able to overtake Lucas in terms of speed.

A bit of healthy competition never hurts, right?

Their journey continued for a couple of hours, it was then that Damien saw the famed Night woods. He had heard of them, but never once visited the much famed woods. He never had the chance to visit them on his own. The Night Woods is a forbidden territory to all the werewolves, the exact reasons unknown.

He only knew from the books that the Night woods is a dangerous territory for the werewolves to thread upon, for it was a place where the other supernatural beings roamed about.

Form a line, Damien reduced his pace as he heard his Omega's instruction, positioning himself in the line Damien maintained a steady pace.

I feel a pull in these woods, Damien frowned as Eros, his wolf, communicated with him. In fact, Damien also felt a strange pull from the woods from the moment he entered. The pull reminded him of longing and nervousness.

While series of charcoal black trees and the grey vines filled with blood red flowers passed by as they ran, Damien swore that he felt a pair of eyes scrutinizing him, as if observing and dissecting him at the same time.