I am the Moon Spirit

Eventful evening

“You look abnormally pleased, father” his eldest son commented during dinner. “Did something good happen?”

Beau was used to Logan’s straightforwardness, but Nash’s question took him by surprise. He stared at the young man for a second with a stunned expression before smiling fondly at his son.

“Yes, something really good happened today.” He answered calmly. His words caught his other son and his wife’s attention. Now they were all looking at him for an explanation. “Your uncle has called me earlier. He managed to make contact with this individual that has been putting down rogues and there will be a meeting in three days.”

“That Moon Spirit thing?” This time it was actually Logan to ask. “So it is real... I had plenty of doubts.”

“Me as well,” Nash put his fork down and pushed his plate away, set on taking that conversation further. “How did he manage to contact them? I thought no one ever even saw them.”

Beau took another bite of his steak as he formulated his next words. “Your cousin, Leo was taken by a Scarlet Rogue and she put them down with a single arrow. Aiden was the one to spot her.”

Alyssa, who had been silent until now finally looked up from her still full plate. She arched a brow at her father.

“The Moon Spirit is a woman?” She questioned a bit suspicious. “Are you sure?”

“Cool! Is she hot!?” Logan’s interest seemed to have perked up again.

Alyssa, Nash and his father gave him reproving looks, but his mother just laughed softly.

“I swear you’ll never change my son.” She said in a weak voice before coughing. She quickly reached for her glass of water and took a small sip before looking at her husband. “Are you going to be there for the meeting?”

The king shook his head and gave her a wink. “I couldn’t leave you in this state.”

“Beau-” She tried to argue, but he stopped her.

“Theresa, we’ve talked about this already. You mustn’t stress yourself with these matters.” He put a hand over his wife’s knee. “I’m staying here with you and our pack, Nash and Logan are going to represent us during the meeting. As future alpha and beta.”

Nash didn’t seem so pleased. Alyssa much less, she was tired of always being left out of everything since she was the youngest child and a girl. Logan on the other hand, seemed ecstatic to be able to leave.

“I’m not that young anymore, nor as strong as I was before. You know that as soon as Nash finds his mate I’ll retire from being king. And seeing as he’s already an adult man I'm sure he’s already capable of taking responsibility for this pack.” Alpha Beau looked at his eldest son with proud eyes. “Until that happens he and his brother must make acquaintances with all of our allies, as well as strengthen the bonds we have with the other leaders. They must know him and learn to trust him as their future king.”

Alyssa rolled her eyes at how fondly her father looked at his sons. He never looked at her like that. He never even spoke to her unless it was extremely necessary.

“Father, you know I’m not in a hurry to take over your throne. My only priority is, as it has always been, the safety of our people.” Nash mumbled. “Besides, I’ve been looking for my mate for almost six years...”

Logan smirked, noticing the grumpy tone on his brother’s voice. “Come on, man. You’ll most definitely find her! I'm anxious too! There are only three packs left for us to look into. Our mates are bound to be in one of them.”

“You know your brother is right, dear” Theresa smiled weakly at her son. “Once you visit your uncle’s pack there will be only two left. But I have a feeling you two won’t even have to worry about that after this trip. I’m sure you’ll both come back to us with your beautiful mates right beside you.”

Alyssa looked at her mother with an empty expression. She felt completely invisible in her family.

“Dad,” she called in a serious tone. She had made her mind. “May I go with Nash and Logan on this trip?”

Beau looked at his daughter with a surprised face. It was almost as if he had just noticed she was even there. And Alyssa noticed that. And that hurt.

“I’m afraid that’s not a good idea, Alyssa.” He answered curtly. “After all, this is a business trip. Your brothers aren’t going for fun-”

“Your point?” She questioned with a slight frown. “I won’t get in the way, I just want to be a part in the meeting. I have questions as well.”

“You can’t go.” Her father narrowed his eyes in slight annoyance at her audacity of interrupting him. “You are to stay here and help me look after your mother.”

Theresa tried to argue about that last statement, but her husband made a gesture with his hand that immediately silenced her.

She pursed her lips in frustration. She wanted to voice her thoughts about that decision. She was sick, yes. But she wasn’t that weak that she needed both of them to look after her. Also, she was certain that wasn’t the real reason why her husband wasn’t allowing their only daughter to go.

As an alpha Beau always put the safety of the pack in first place and that’s exactly why he wanted Alyssa to be there by his side. It was simply in case there were any unexpected threats circling their territory while the boys were away.

It was a pity her husband had such a hard time getting his true feelings and intentions across to his only girl. Now that she thought about it, Alyssa and her father were exactly the same when it came to expressing themselves. They're so stupid.

Theresa sighed in defeat.

The tension in the room was so thick it was almost palpable, nothing uncommon. Nash and his brother simply observed the situation unfold before them. Watching with empty stares as their father and sister glared at each other.

It wasn’t until almost five minutes later, when Theresa finally had enough of the two and let out one of her famous luna-like growls, that all four cast their eyes down to their plates.

Logan chuckled quietly to himself, but stopped as soon as he felt the air in the room become cold. He and his brother knew very well what that meant as they both glanced towards their younger sibling. And while Alyssa’s face didn’t show any kind of emotion, they were certain she was upset and obviously plotting something that would either get their father dangerously angry or that would cause lots of trouble for their old man to take care of later.

When she closed her eyes for a moment and let out a small sigh, even Theresa expected a full argument to take place.

“Fine,” Alyssa muttered glancing at her father. “May I be excused?”

They all shared a shocked look before staring at the girl with a stunned expression. Not even Beau expected that kind of reaction; not after eighteen years of her always standing up to him.

The alpha opened his mouth to say something, but his wife beat him to it;

“Yes, you may” Theresa made a small gesture to her daughter, that quickly and silently left the table carrying her almost untouched food to the kitchen.

Those who remained at the table heard she cleaning the plate and then rinsing it at the sink before quietly making her way upstairs and probably to her room.

“Well...that went better than expected.” Logan commented to his brother, and Nash just nodded.

“I swear this girl is gonna be the death of me,” Beau complained looking at his wife. “I told you you shouldn’t have spoiled her so much.”

Theresa just gave him a look that pretty much meant he was gonna get himself in trouble if he continued to speak. The alpha seemed to immediately understand the message, seeing as he quickly looked away and back to his sons.

“Back to the matter at hand,” he sighed in frustration. Even though he clearly had to have a serious conversation with his youngest child, he still had to take care of the Moon Spirit business. “You two got back later than expected, so I’ll have to change your flights to the morning. Prepare your bags and then come by my office to take the documents and the tickets. Also, I wrote a few questions I need you to forward to the huntress.”

The two boys nodded in response to their father’s demand and finished with their dinner.

“You take mom to rest,” Logan said with a big smile. “Nash and I can take care of the dishes.”

Beau looked at his wife, only now noticing how drained she looked. He hummed in reply and did as suggested.

It took only fifteen minutes for the two to clean everything. Soon they were both in their rooms preparing for the trip.

...

Alyssa grabbed the first bag that came into view as soon as she entered her room.

She didn’t waste too much time choosing what clothes to take with her, she just threw a few pieces of underwear and comfortable clothes into the brown leather backpack. And after gathering a few basic items she would obviously need in her trip she was off through the window.

The only daughter of the werewolf king knew the routes used by every warrior on guard around their territory. It would be almost impossible for any of them to spot her on her way out.

Despite what it would seem like once others noticed, she didn’t decide on leaving her father’s house on the spur of the moment. Alyssa had been thinking about leaving all those feelings of being an useless child behind and starting over for some time. In fact, she had already made her decision about living with her aunt several months before. She just never had the courage to tell her mother due to her sudden illness.

Now that she thought about it she was sure people would call her an egoistic child for abandoning her mother in such a time of need. But Alyssa was afraid the pressure of being such a deception to her father would make her ill as well. She just couldn’t take that anymore.

Alyssa believed it was better to run away than to stay and be a shame to her family. Because no matter how hard she tried to deny it, she was sick of being treated like she was a frail, useless doll simply because she was a princess.

Alyssa was tired of being cast aside by her father, who seemed to only remember her existence when he needed her or to lecture her. She was tired of never being able to make her own decisions. And she was even more tired of having to fight her own wolf over the desire to be recognized as a powerful and helpful being within the pack.

Now all that would be left in the past. Now that Alyssa was old enough to do as she pleased by the laws of humans she was going to make the most of it.

With those thoughts in mind and her backpack on her shoulders, Alyssa ran for almost one hour before reaching the nearest road.

She took out her phone and called a taxi to take her to the airport. It would take at least eighteen hours of torture trapped inside an airplane plus a few more hours by car to get to uncle Lewis’ territory’s border. Yet somehow she still felt like it would be all worth it.

Her wolf believed it would all be worth it. Maybe even life changing.