The Greedy Luna and her Thirst for Power

Duty First

I had been handing water out for hours, on my feet. I was tired but I couldn't complain. There were people in our pack who had nothing left. They had nowhere to rest. My tummy growled but I didn't dare tell my mother.

"Duty first dear daughter," she'd say. "How would it look to our people if you took a break when they cannot?"

And that was when we were just doing normal daily duty.

I was handed the last water bottle and I passed it to the little girl before me. She held the hand of her little sister. They were alone. She looked as hollow as Silas had. Thinking about him, I wondered if he was ok. I knew I couldn't ask my mother but maybe my papa. He was the kinder of the two but he was always so busy. As the alpha of the pack, he had to put the pack before us. At least that's what my mother always said.

"Hey Gracie! I'm so glad to see you little one!" it was my father's beta, Theo. I rushed to the teddy bear of a man and hugged his legs. I didn't realize how much I'd worried about him. He patted my back and lifted my chin up. "Where is your mother?"

I shrugged, afraid that if I opened my mouth I might cry.

"Have you eaten?" he asked softly.

"No," I answered him, still clinging to him.

His jaw clenched and he looked frustrated, "Come dear, let's find your father."

I held his hand as we walked through the pack. So many homes were burned and caved in. Fields scorched. I saw the school building was open and children were being gathered there. Then I saw my mother. She was instructing the soldiers to group the children by age, forcing them apart from siblings. I swallowed hard, I did not want her to see me with Theo. She would think I left my duty and searched him out. I tried to hide behind his leg. He peered down at me with concern.

Theo did not care for my mother.

But he would never say it aloud. She was the Luna. And that was that. Theo had been friends with my father since childhood. He had been there when my father met my mother. He had told me once that when I was older he would tell me how they'd met.

"All able bodied men please follow me!" I heard my Papa's voice and my heart soared. He was assembling anyone capable and uninjured to help look for those trapped or missing.

"Alpha!" Theo called to him, raising his arm in the air.

My father saw him and turned to a soldier near him, who promptly took over the group, leading them on the search. My father walked toward us with a warm smile. I ran into his arms and buried my face in his chest.

"Gracie! Why are you out here? I thought I told your mother to keep you inside the packhouse. There is no need for you to see all this devastation," my father told me as he hugged me tight.

"It appears our princess has been practicing, Luna in training. I found her handing out water," Theo explained. "She is hungry. I have no idea how long she's been out here."

I could hear the anger in his tone.

My papa's body tensed.

"There will be more appropriate times for you to perform your Luna in training," my papa said to me quietly. "Let's get you fed."

I lifted my head up, wiping the silent tears that had fallen down my face, "Papa, there was a boy. Mother brought him to the packhouse. He lost both his parents. His name is Silas. Do you know where he is?"

My papa looked at me with worry, "There are a lot of orphans my dear. They are being brought to the school. But your mother brought him to the packhouse you say?"

I nodded, "But then she took him away. She said he needed his injuries treated. That he has a special place she is making for him at the packhouse. That he is lucky."

"I don't like the sound of this Alpha. All the children are being held in one location so that any remaining family members can find them. Why would our Luna take him elsewhere?" Theo said concerned.

"Why do you ask about him Grace?" my father asked curiously.

"Well.... I'm worried about him. Mother brought him to my room for a little while and I helped clean the blood off his hands and face. He was so sad Papa and so scared. I hugged him and he needed it," I answered.

My father's eyes narrowed, "This boy, what does he look like?"

I was nervous to tell him after seeing him getting mad, "He did nothing wrong papa. Please don't get mad at him."

His face immediately softened, "I'm not mad at him my dear one. I just don't like that your mother put that on you. You did a great job helping to console him. You shouldn't have to comfort a child who just lost everything. Tell me, what does he look like and I will check on him for you."

"He seems about my age. His hair is black. It's his eyes that caught my attention. They are blue and swirling with violet," I said, feeling my cheeks slightly blush.

My father instantly turned to Theo.

"That sounds like Briar's boy," Theo said quickly. "He had been counted as part of the missing."

"Go find him. Bring a few men with you. I don't know what Sarai is planning but she's always paid an awful lot of attention to that boy," my papa said urgently.

Theo nodded and set off.

Papa strode toward the school and I wrapped my arms around his neck tightly. I didn't want my mother to scold me. She didn't like when Papa held me anymore. She said I needed to start acting like a lady.

"Sarai!" my father boomed over the crowd gathered at the school. Everyone bowed when they saw their alpha. My mother stood out as the only one still upright. Her emerald eyes met his and she walked over to him with her head held high.

"Yes my love?" she answered, she eyed me with irritation.

"What's this I hear about you taking Briar's boy to the packhouse? All children were to be brought here. He's been put on the missing list because of your actions. Where is he?" Papa demanded.

My mother narrowed her eyes at me before addressing my father, "Apologies dear, he was alone with his dead mother. I didn't have the heart to just abandon him here at the school. You know how special he is. He had some injuries so I brought him to the medic tent."

Special? Why was Silas special?

My father looked very angry. His blue eyes were starting to turn gold. That meant his wolf was surfacing. An alpha wolf was not something you wanted to be on the receiving end of.

"Sarai, I don't know what you want with that boy but I won't allow it. He will be brought here with the other children," my father growled.

"Whatever you want dear. But you will be the one to tell him he's not welcome in our home. I had instructed the omega who escorted him to get medical treatment to bring him to a guest room in the packhouse. He was exhausted. But by all means, drag him out of there and in this filthy, sad group," my mother hissed.

"You and I will be discussing this further. Also, we will discuss why my pup was out here in this mess when I specifically ordered you to keep her safe inside," my father growled.

I saw my mother's eye twitch when my father used the word 'ordered.'

"Finish up with the children then come to the pack house at once. I'll be bringing Grace to get something to eat since apparently you neglected to ensure she was fed and cared for." With that my father marched off. I hid my face in my father's shoulder so I wouldn't have to see the anger on my mother's face. I would be punished later I was sure of it. She would hold me responsible for why my father was angry.