Under the Crescent Moon

Chapter 12

Devon POV

“What could possibly temp me to stay here?”Tara asks. What indeed? I have to think fast, and maybe make it sound like something of no consequence, like my entire life’s happiness doesn’t depend on her answer. Even if it does.

“I’ve got snacks!” I say with utter confidence, and she starts cracking up laughing. Obviously a good choice. She is so young and naive, I want her to choose me for the right reasons. We can just enjoy being young for now. There is no rush to finalize our lives together, even if my wolf River is telling me to drag her off into the woods, to mate with her and mark her as ours forever more. The i***t thinks she will find that romantic. Not very likely. That would only have been an option if our mate were an adult wolf, not an underage human who burst into tears from fright from her first encounter with my wolf.

“Snacks, hmm… tell me more!” She asks playfully.

“Hmm, let me think,” I say, trying to recall what all I tossed in my backpack before I headed here. “I know I’ve got beef jerky and skittles in my bag, and a bag of chips, or maybe it was Cheetos? Might have some other candy in there too. I was in a hurry.”

“I could kill for some Cheetos!” She claims. “Mom doesn’t let hardly any “processed poison” into the house these days, claiming we will all live longer healthier lives as a result. I think it’ll just feel longer.”

“Is that right?” I say, thinking fast about how to work this to my advantage. “So this date I’m planning for your birthday, dinner and a movie. What junk food do you miss the most? I would have probably taken you out for a steak dinner… but if you’d rather have something like a big greasy hamburger and a milkshake…?

“Mmm, now you’re talking my language! I’d actually love to go out for sushi! And I know a decent place right next to the theater.” She says, and I must have made an odd face, because she started to laugh. “Don’t tell me! You’ve never tried sushi before?”

Wow, she’s getting good at reading me. She starts telling me that she will help me find things that are cooked, if I’m uncomfortable eating raw fish, and how this place has one of those little conveyor belts where the food will pass right by and you can just grab whatever you like. Apparently you get charged per plate, each plate having a different color and price.

“And if you end up not really liking it, you can always fill up on popcorn or nachos at the theater afterwards,” Tara suggests.

I give her a kiss, and tell her that I’m sure if she loves it, then I’ll enjoy it, too. That seems to make her happy, and we cuddle up close in the warm water. She tells me about a new movie she heard that was coming to theaters soon, that she was tempted to see, and I promise that would be the one we see if it’s out by then. I contemplate the small fortune i’ll be spending at the concessions stand for all the junk food I’m going to buy to make my mate happy, but it’ll be totally worth it. And it’s not like I can’t afford it, as future Alpha.

Crescent lake isn’t the largest or wealthiest pack around (that honor goes to the Emerald pack in Seattle where the seat of the Emerald Kingdom lies), but we certainly do alright. We have a large logging industry in the area, plus we make some money on fishing and tourism in the area.

“What time will your family be leaving tomorrow?” I ask after some time had passed. I can’t bear the thought of her leaving, even though I know we will see each other again in about a month.

“Right after breakfast,” she answers sadly. “As soon as we can get the car loaded up.”

I really want to spend the night with her, making sure that we will be alright, as a couple. Convincing her that I’m not some scary monster, but a cuddly guy who wants nothing more than to make her happy and feel loved. Yes, I can be a ferocious beast when the situation calls for it, but that for her alone I will be loving and protective. I will take care of her, and make sure she wants for nothing as long as it’s in my power to give her.

We get out of the hot spring to go search through my bag for the promised snacks, and Tara is quite delighted to find that the bag of Cheetos is in fact the spicy kind that just happened to be her favorite. I’m delighted to see that the cool evening air combined with her damp swimsuit has caused her n*****s to show up quite plainly through the flimsy lilac fabric. I feel myself harden at the sight before me while she checks out the rest of the contents of my bag, apparently unaware of the effect she had on me.

“Oh my god, you’ve got sour skittles! I love you!” Tara is saying, and I don’t think she realizes what she is even saying, but hearing those words, even said accidentally, made me feel happy. One day soon I hope to hear her say it for real.

Soon her father is saying it’s time to head back to the campsite. The hot spring would be closing for the night soon anyhow.

We all head back into the changing room, where we change into our dry clothes. I’m feeling rather glum already, away from my mate. Trying to resign myself to being apart until my classes start in the fall.

“If you hurt my daughter I swear to goddess I will put a silver bullet in your brain.” He father threatens me as I dress. I’m not terribly scared, but I don’t discount the threat either. “Have her back by 9 am tomorrow.”

He’s giving me permission? That sounds wonderful, but I don’t know how to make it work.

“I didn’t bring my car,” I say, beginning to feel depressed at my lack of foresight. “And Tara is scared to death of my wolf.”

Her father then suggests something that might work. And solve a couple other issues as well. I begin to get excited about the possibilities ahead.

The entire family walks back to their campsite, and I can tell Tara is beginning to feel unhappy about our imminent separation as well. Until her father directs us some way into the forest along with her brothers, while Jessica has no interest, and goes to their tent.

While we walk, their father explains how he is a werewolf, but that he can no longer shift. But that the boys may soon be shifting.

“Devon here is a werewolf as well, and has offered to show you what will happen, so that you won’t be afraid when it happens to you.” The father tells them, as I begin to undress. The boys assemble to be equal parts impressed at my physique, doubtful that any of this is true, and excited about the possibility that it might be.

“Alright, is everyone ready to meet my wolf River?” I ask. The boys are definitely excited, while Tara hangs back just a bit. “I’ll caution you that while he will be friendly, do not run because he will treat it like a game of chase. He is very competitive, and once I’ve shifted, he will be in charge, not me!”

Then they watch in awe and horror as I quickly shift, doing my best to downplay the pain. Now that I had been shifting for so many years, it was just a bit uncomfortable and took no more than two minutes. The first few times, though, it had been agony, and had felt like it took forever. In reality it had taken no more than 20 minutes the first time. Each time after becoming quicker and less painful.

I can hear their father telling them all this information from his own experience. Then the boys are excited to pet me. I even lick Jayden playfully, like a dog, since River is pleased with his boldness. And I want them to like me, and to show Tara that she need not be afraid of me.

“This is going to happen to me?” Gavin asks his father. “When?”

“Devon believes so,” his father replies. “It should happen the during the first full moon after you turn 16.”

Then the family starts heading back towards the tent site, but Tara stays put and I c**k my head at her like I’m questioning whether she will stay or go. Then she turns towards her dad and I suddenly lose heart.

“Dad?” She calls after him.

He walks back.

“Go with Devon,” her dad says, and helps her to put my backpack on her back. “He promises to bring you back in time to leave tomorrow.”

She looks over at me, confused.

“Climb on his back, he is plenty strong enough to carry you, and he will take good care of you.” Her dad tells her, and kisses her forehead. “I love you, sweetheart!”

And her father walks away, leaving us alone together.