The Alpha Luna's Veiled Emotions

ELEVEN

"Luna...I-I'm not sure...," the doctor stuttered.

Though I was sure that he felt seen, he was still an important person to the Alpha, and less easily replaced. His place here in the pack was far more protected than Sarah's. I knew that I would have to sell this to him. I reached out, and gently laid my hand on his arm, trying my best to be reassuring, and genuine.

"Mr. Marley, please relax. I promise I am not trying to endanger you, or your family," I whispered, "How is your wife holding up by the way? I read that she was an Omega - was her tongue removed as well?"

His eyes went big as saucers, the wrinkles around them expanding until you could almost imagine his face as a young man.

"I..." he trailed, "No, she was able to keep her tongue. We-"

"Lied and said that she was a nurse?" I asked softly, smiling at him reassuringly, "I told you, your secret is safe with me. All of them."

"Luna, why did you call me here?" he asked, his voice slightly firmer, though I could see the softness still in his eyes.

I understood his wariness wholeheartedly. This was not easy, and my plan could completely fall apart if he turned around and left this room to go report what I had said to the Alpha, or even if he mind linked him right now. I was walking a dangerous line, but I only saw one path towards salvation. My own, my packs, and this packs. Most of the people here were afraid, terrified of their Alpha, malnourished, and treated badly. I could give them freedom - I would give it to them. So I gathered myself, met his eyes, and with a smile on my face explained it to him.

"Because I will kill Kane Copeland, but I will need a friend to do so."

If I thought he had gone pale before, it was nothing compared to how he blanched now, and for a moment, I even thought he would faint, so I quickly reassured him.

"Don't worry, Doctor, I won't be slitting his throat in our bed - even if I would like to. But he will not be able to survive these atrocities long term. I will be leaving. On the next full moon, fleeing here with a friend," I said carefully, not wanting to show too much, in case this still backfired, "I have heard that there are large parties outside the packhouse on the nights of the full moon, but as you know, I've never been able to attend."

I paused for a moment and made sure he was listening. His eyes stared at me intently, so I continued.

"Kane will come up that night, he will take me," I said, my voice cracking ever so slightly, "And I will need a distraction to get away. I am working on what that will be but - I need someone on the other end, on the outside, to make sure that no innocents are harmed."

The doctor frowned and held his chin. He contemplated what I said, a worried, but pensive look on his face, and I recited a prayer to the Moon Goddess in my head, over and over again. Finally, after the silence has stretched along for a few moments, he began to nod.

"No one can know that it was me. My wife and I," he appeared to get emotional, tears springing into his eyes, "We've lost too many children to Kane's wars."

I frowned, my heart torn. This poor man. He spent his days no better than a slave to the Alpha, picking up the pieces while Kane continued to tear things apart.

"Harold," I said softly, taking his hand in mine, "I can't promise that no harm will come to you, or your family again. Outside of this pack, no one really knows how bad Kane really is, and I fear that none of us know what he is capable of, but I promise you this. If I can get free, I will return, and as the next Alpha of Rising Sun, you and yours will be welcomed into my pack with open arms."

"How will we know when you are coming?" he asked, his voice laden with doubt.

"You won't," I replied back quietly, "But I will task you with letting as many souls as possible know, that when the attack starts, when the lone wolf calls from the Eastern border, to go to the river."

He hesitated again, his eyes wary as he stared back at me, before he suddenly dropped to his knees, cradling my hand in his. My own eyes widened in surprise, my heart racing in my chest.

"Lu-Alpha Camilla, my family and I declare allegiance to you. Though we cannot renounce Blood Moon yet, I ask that you accept our future call of refuge, and accept us as your own," he said bravely, not a tremor in the old wolf's voice.

I couldn't help the tears that sprung into my eyes. This. This was what mattered. The people are what mattered. That is what my father taught me. I slid off the bed, falling beside him. I took both his hands in mine, and bowed my head, closing my eyes.

"Dear Goddess of the Moon, daughter of night, guardian of the eternal hunt, hear my prayer," I murmured, the words falling from my lips almost without thought, "Carry those who cannot carry themselves. Protect thy people in my stead, as I have vowed to do in yours. May our hearts be full of honor, and our howls light enough to be carried among the stars. Grant us your strength as we approach the battle of dawn."

The warrior's prayer was second nature, something my father said anytime there was a battle to be fought. It was ground into me. There would be death, there would be pain, but with the Goddess at our backs, we could overcome.

-------

Another week came and went.

Sarah wasn't having any luck finding the boy. Part of me wondered if Kane had found him already, and if he has simply been disposed of, but I was still determined. I read over pack files, over and over and over again. I had even asked Harold about it when he brought the results of my bloodwork done after my "headache" and he had been genuinely surprised, but he promised to do something if he needed to.

With less than two weeks to the full moon, I had grown anxious about my plan. I needed the boy, and more importantly, I needed a diversion. Something that would get Kane's attention enough that he would let me go, even if only for a few blessed minutes. Sarah would be waiting for me - with the boy if we could find him.

No, not if.

I wouldn't leave this pack without the child. We were his only hope. I grew more and more worried as the days went by. Was he being cared for? Did he have food? Water? I didn't even know his name. Sarah promised that she would carefully proposition a few Omegas that she trusted, but I just wasn't sure if it was enough. The pack territory was fairly large, with homes spread out to all corners, though Kane had reportedly destroyed several.

I was sitting in my office when suddenly I heard a commotion down the hall. Yelling. Instantly, I jumped to my feet, opening the door.

"Luna," the warrior breathed, "Go back inside."

I recognized Damien's scruffy beard, "Absolutely not. What is the matter out here?"

I quickly stepped into the hall, and looked down the hall, toward the stairs. I froze.

There, just ten paces away, stood Beta Eric.

I couldn't breathe. I couldn't move. I couldn't function. There he was, basically a second father, the man I called uncle. His hair was disheveled, his lip bleeding. He looked tired - not the bright, goofy man I had known my entire life. How was he here?

"Ah! There she is!" Kane said loudly, his voice dark, "I told you she is in just fine shape. Remove yourself from the property, or I will remove you."

My eyes shot to Kane who, much to my amusement, seemed to be nursing a tender nose. He had his eyes on me, those empty voids leveling me with a warning. I bristled. I was torn. I wanted to flee to Eric's side and confess every terrible thing that had happened since I left. I wanted to beg that he take me with him, that he not leave me in this sick hell for one more minute.

But if this was a well check, he could already see what state I was in.

My light brown hair had lost its luster. My heavy curves were mostly unaffected, but the weight loss from how little I ate here was pronounced by my gaunt cheeks and the dark circles under my eyes. My pale skin bordered on sickly some days. I knew that my food was being laced with small amounts of wolfsbane at dinner, but I had to eat sometimes, particularly in front of Kane. I hadn't shifted since before I had come here, and I hardly felt my wolf in my head, her energy too focused on keeping me alive enough to survive.

And there was Sarah to think of, and the little boy left in my care by the Beta that I had befriended, who had died protecting the man in front of me, and others I loved, from the one who called me his mate. So I continued with the show. I rolled my shoulders back, and lifted my chin, plastering a small, polite smile on my face.

"My Alpha," I purred, willing strength into my voice as I strode down the hall, until I arrived at Kane's side, "What is going on here?"

Kane's eyes looked half-surprised for a moment, but he narrowed them slightly, pulling me tightly against his side, and I hoped he didn't catch the small, involuntary reaction my body made away from him before he turned his eyes back to Eric.

"The Beta from Rising Sun came to check in on you, they said that you haven't been replying to their correspondence," Kane breathed.

Another crack formed in my heart, the one riddled with them already. Every assault on my body, every day locked in that silver room, every memory of Alex's bloody body a jagged line through my most vital organ. One that I wasn't sure Kane even possessed. My family had been writing me. It had been more than eight months. What had they tried to tell me? Had they asked about my Luna ceremony? Had they asked when I was coming back?

Had they told me about the attack they had faced at Kane's hands?

I knew what Kane wanted from me though, and I gave it to him, no matter how it pained me. I turned to face Eric and regarded him calmly. I kept my voice polite and hoped he could see everything I tried to tell him with my eyes.

"Ah, I'm so sorry Beta. You'll have to forgive me. I have just been so busy tending to Blood Moon's well being, and I haven't wanted anyone at Rising Sun to have an unrealistic expectation of when I would return," I said.

Eric looked at me uncertainly. I begged him to let it go. I begged him to accept what I had said. I begged him to take it at face value, to trust me, to tell my father to trust me. I was so very close.

"Camilla I-" his eyes shot to Kane, and then back to me, "Well, I'm sorry to have intruded then. I was simply on my way through no man's land, and decided I would just check on you myself."

He was lying. No one from our pack would go through no man's land alone. Scouts traveled in pairs at the very least. I knew that my father had sent him here - or he had offered to come.

"Well, as you can see I am just fine. I will make sure to send word at Christmas. I do know how my mother loves Christmas cards," I smiled, before peeking up at Kane, "Won't we?"

"Yes, we will make sure to send our greetings this holiday season," Kane said firmly, "Now, Beta, please leave our home."

Eric looked at me warily one more time, "Best wishes...Luna. I'm sorry I didn't come bearing any gifts."

With that, he turned on his heel, leaving down the stairs, two warriors behind him. I could see that big monster, the new Beta to Blood Moon, standing at the bottom of the stairs, his eyes on me. The heavy doors opened, and he followed the other three out before they slammed closed in silence. My mind was racing, and I tried to go to my room but was interrupted as Kane shoved me - hard.

I cried out as my shoulder blades slammed into the wall, and Kane's hand went around my throat, my hands instantly grabbing at his, trying to pull him away, fear creeping into my body.

"Are you trying to pull a fast one on me, pet," he hissed into my face.

"N-no, no" I choked out, my voice hardly a squeak.

I knew instantly that his hands would leave marks on my neck. I could already see stars. I prayed that he wouldn't crush my windpipe.

"I know you've been fraternizing, I'm not dumb, " he growled, "I will know if you do anything I don't want you to, do you understand?"

I did my best to nod, black spots appearing at the corners of my vision. Blessedly, it was enough for him, and he released me. I instantly began scrambling to breathe, tears falling over my cheeks as I struggled to get enough oxygen to my brain. One of his hands grabbed my hip, pulling me against him, his other caressing my face, blatantly ignoring my pain.

"Just remember how much I love you, okay?" he whispered, running his nose against my other cheek, "No one will ever love you the way I do."

Suddenly, he tensed, and I could tell he was receiving a mind link. He let out a growl and released me.

"I have to deal with something, go, rest sweetheart, you look a bit pale," he chuckled, before turning and taking off down the stairs.

I didn't hesitate. Fear still coursed through my body at what Kane insinuated. Had someone betrayed me? No, I didn't think so. He was just nervous - rightfully so. Somewhere in his dim head, he must know that my obedience was too good to be true, but he would not know how right he was until it was too late. I fled to my room, Eric's words still beating through my mind.

Gifts.

I threw open my bedroom door, slamming it behind me, and ran straight to the closet. The door thudded open, and I fell to my knees, searching under the dressers with my hand, trying to find it. It had to be somewhere. Finally, my hands closed around a familiar canvas sack, and I yanked it out. It must've fallen out of the pocket of my pants when I had thrown them into the basket near the door just a few days after I arrived. I looked down at the canvas bag. It was no wider, or longer than my hand, and tied securely. I quickly pulled it open, dumping it onto the ground. My heart stilled, as two vials the length of my finger rolled out. Each one was glass, corked with a thick piece of wood, and contained shimmery silver and red flakes. My pack had given me a gift when I left, they knew something was wrong. They knew better than I not to trust the man that had taken me away. Little did they know, it would truly be the answer to my problems.

Silver fire.