His Missing Luna

Chapter Six

Peyton's Point of View

I took the stairs down to the first floor three at a time. I could hear some of my toughest warriors whimpering. They were obviously terrified of what had just blown up our re-enforced front door. When I reached the bottom step, I noticed that said door was embedded in a wall about twenty feet from where it had lived its entire life. Although I was acutely aware of the possible danger, I sighed, I'd have to get that fixed tomorrow. Nothing was going right today!

Finn was standing opposite the new gaping hole in our building. The hairs on the back of his neck were raised, and he had adopted his fighting stance - feet shoulder width apart with his dominant foot slightly forward, elbows tucked in, although his fists were not yet raised.

"Oh will you get a grip," a small and beautiful voice called out from in front of him. "I might be a witch but I'm only five years old."

I heard whoever this was stamping her foot and imagined her rolling her eyes. I smiled. This five-year-old had my strongest fighters on the ropes and she hadn't even stepped into the pack house.

"Stand Down Finlay!" I commanded. He held his position but did take a few steps backwards so that I was able to see the person responsible for scaring my men.

I have never seen such a beautiful child in all of my life. I didn't have much experience when it came to kids but I'd say most of them were pretty cute at around the age of four or five. This little girl though, well, she was on a different level. Her eyes were the color of a summer sky, and her long hair was golden. Her features were doll-like and, if she hadn't been scowling, then I would have to say that her face was positively seraphic. She was wearing mini-mouse pajamas which she complimented with a sponge bob square pants dressing gown. Her feet were completely bare, her toenails were painted emerald.

"Hi." I said causally. "I'm Alpha Peyton."

"I know," she replied.

I stood there waiting for her to disclose her name but she said nothing.

"Can I help you with something?" I asked, after what seemed like an eternity of silence.

She sighed dramatically. "You have to invite me in! I can't come into your house unless you invite me!"

"So you can't come in without my say-so and yet you smashed my door to pieces."

She looked down at her feet shyly. "It was an accident."

"It's embedded in the back wall. I didn't want a rear access point!"

"I was cross!" She shouted, balling her small hands into tiny fists. "Amelia should not be wearing a protection shield without her knowledge. Especially now that she's 18!"

I looked at her incredulously. "How on earth do you know about that?"

"Because I'm the Winter Witch."

I could feel my eyes widening to the size of satellite dishes. The Winter Witch was the most powerful creature on earth. She was also a) a myth and b) dead!

"It's quite clear that I am neither." She huffed, picking my unspoken thought right out of my mind.

I opened my mouth to say something but all that came out was a small squeak. With no other ideas forming in my temporarily diminished brain, I simply said "Won't you come in?"

"Thank you." She said.

"Alpha?" Finn asked nervously.

I raised my hand to silence him. "Bethany is a personal guest of mine. Please treat her accordingly."

"Yes chief." I watched as his eyes zoned out, presumably to mind link with an Omega to organize refreshments for our visitor.

I walked in a slight daze towards the living room. The little girl followed me silently.

I took a seat on the sofa. Bethany opted for a reclining chair. She reached for the lever on the side and the front flipped up so that she could rest her feet. "This is neat!!" She said, clapping her hands in childish joy. "I don't sit down much but I can see why people do it."

I had no response to that, so I continued sitting mutely until I felt like I had something to offer.

"I live with Alpha Lucas," she stated. "There aren't many that know of my existence and those that do protect me. I've placed a perception shield around his territory. Anyone looking for me without my permission simply will not find me."

I nodded for her to continue. I was sure that eventually I would understand what she was talking about.

"But I did it with Lucas's consent. It's unethical to use magic on someone without their approval."

Of all the ways I expected to spend my afternoon, discussing ethics with a five-year-old was not one of them.

"I'm very cross that Amelia's mother has used my magic in this way. I didn't give my permission for that!"

"I'm sorry, did you know Juliet?" I asked in surprise.

"I met her a long time ago. She came to me when Amelia had just turned four years old. She was running from your father."

"Do you know why?"

"He wasn't a very nice man." She shrugged.

"You don't have to convince me of that. But specifically why?"

Bethany screwed her face up. "That's not my story to tell."

Well, that was helpful. Juliet was dead and Amelia would be too young to remember much about it.

"I can tell you that it was enough for me to help her, to offer her and her baby protection. But the shield was never meant to operate like that."

"Bethany, I'm so sorry, but I don't have the slightest clue what you're trying to tell me."

The Winter Witch grinned at me. "The logistics of it don't concern you. All you need to know is that I can remove it."