Enslaved by the Moon

Shame and Pain

Calib’s POV:

She gave me a couple of side glances as we walked toward the pack. There was something about this girl, some invisible force was drawing me to her, it wasn’t the mate bond that I knew, but something strong and invisible.

I walked into the small holding that was their pack lands. There was devastation everywhere. Injured and dead wolves were lying all over the place and small fires had erupted everywhere.

Their healers had their work cut out for them if they wanted to save some of these warriors. I turned to the girl, and I could see the shock on her face and then she started to silently cry. I didn’t know how to handle this, so I just ignored it.

I heard an order being shouted and a group of warriors with the Alpha rushed over to us. They most definitely saw me as a threat to the girl. They circled me and some of them transformed into their wolves. I didn’t feel much power coming from any of them, so I just took a relaxed stance.

The princess jumped in front of me and held up her hands as she saw them readying themselves to attack. “He’s not a threat father, he actually saved me from the rogues”. She gave me another adoring smile and I felt really uncomfortable.

I stared at the old man. He looked half dead, there was blood dripping from his claws, he was limping, and his face looked haggard and tired, but there was something else there as well. When he looked at his daughter it bordered on obsessive.

At first, I thought the old man was going to send me away, but he stared at me with tired eyes. “Then I owe you my thanks and eternal gratitude”.

He stared at his daughter, and I saw the love shine from his eyes, a love and something darker. I watched as a tear rolled down his cheek. “Come here daughter”, he took his small daughter around her shoulder and crushed her to him. “I honestly thought that this time we lost you”.

I immediately rethought my previous assessment, maybe this was just a father’s love for a daughter, I couldn’t trust my instincts after what I did. I dragged my hand through my hair, I couldn’t even trust myself anymore, if I was mistaking love for obsession.

I stared at them, another question on my mind: “They tried before?”

The old Alpha shook his head. “Since she was small, they are drawn to her, you see, the same way I suspect you were drawn to her.”

I stared at him not sure what he meant, I needed to get away from this family before I destroyed them as well. “Yeah well, I’ll be on my way then.”

The princess whipped her head towards me. “No you can’t, we haven’t thanked you properly, please just stay for the night”.

I wanted to go but something in her eyes kept me rooted to the spot and I found that I didn’t want to say no to her.

“Okay, but only for the night. I need to leave tomorrow”.

She squared her shoulders and, for some unexplained reason, I knew she was going to try again.

When she stared back up at me, she gave me a warm satisfied smile and my heart started beating a little faster.

She ran out in front of us, and I stared after her. She ran toward some women that were helping the warriors. It looked like she wanted to help. I watched as the woman almost flinched back from her. Her father, however, didn’t notice or didn’t want to “My little Aine, such a gift”

“Aine, what an unusual name?”

He laughed “I know my mate was Irish and wanted to name her after the goddess of summer – Aine.”

I nodded my head as we proceeded to the pack house.

“Your daughter said she is almost twenty”.

The old Alpha nodded his head. “Yes, almost a woman”.

“Yeah, but I noticed she doesn’t have a wolf”.

He inhaled deeply “Yes, she is wolfless. I have contacted most of the elders and healers in North America. No one knows why, they just come back with the same answer, the Great Mother willed it so”. Somehow I got the sense that he was lying again. I shrugged it off to my whacked instincts.

I nodded my head. “Yes but why have rogues been trying to kidnap her then? I mean if she is wolfless and sorry to say this but your pack lands aren’t anything special, why do they continue to attack your pack,”

He gave me a sad smile as he turned to me. “I wish I knew son”

We entered the pack house, which was nothing special either. Something felt wrong here and I couldn’t really put my finger on it, but for some reason I wanted to solve this mystery, and protect the girl.

Aine followed us into the pack house and I noticed that she looked worse now than when the rogues attacked. The women’s rejection of her had hurt her.

I frowned not really understanding this girl.

We took a seat at a table and Aine brought us two mugs filled with beer.

I pushed the beer to the side and both of them stared at me. “I don’t drink, never”

The old man shrugged his shoulders and downed his mug. “Well I need this”

Aine disappeared behind a door and reappeared carrying two bottles of water.

“Thank you”

I gave her a small smile but she answered with a radiant laugh and I could feel my stomach start to clench and form knots. There was something about this girl, she was special. I could feel it.

The Alpha gestured to one of the Omega’s. She disappeared for a few seconds and came back with a bottle with green liquid in.

The Alpha grabbed it and shoved it towards his daughter. “Drink your juice Aine, after the shock you suffered today you are going to need it” I saw a fleeting expression cross his face, just for a second he looked almost desperate for her to take the juice, the look was so quick that I almost missed it. he looked down and when he looked up again he was all smiles. The scene felt wrong, but after the whole Connor thing I didn’t trust myself anymore.

Aine pulled her face and the old man gave her an indulgent smile. “Please for your old man”

A surge of unexplained jealousy shot through me and I didn’t know why. All I wanted to do was claim this girl as mine.

Aine took the juice and smiled at me as she took the juice from her father and downed it. She pulled a face and I knew whatever was in that juice, it didn’t taste very good.

“Thank you darling”, her father rubbed her hand, and she gave him a small smile.

As the beta walked in she jumped up, but she must have been dizzy because she fell forward and I managed to catch her just in time.

She opens her eyes and stares at me with those big soul-searching eyes. I looked down and put her back on her feet. I quickly step away from her and rubbed my hands on my pants. I needed to get the feel of her touch of my skin.

Healers came running toward the old Alpha but he waved them off. “Tend to my men first.” My eyes fell on Aine as her father said that and I saw concern there.

My mind drifted to Connor and I felt the guilt hit against the inside of my chest. I jumped up needing to get out of there.

Aine and her father gave me curious glances. The old man looked at me and I could feel myself start to shut down, “Young one, where are you going?”

“Sorry I need to get out of here, your daughter is safe now.”

He grabbed my arm and nailed me to the spot with his pleading eyes. “Please stay”

“I can’t”

“Please, the pack needs you”.

“I don’t think I can live in a pack again”.

“Then I have the perfect solution for you. About 1 mile out there is an old, abandoned cabin. You can live there”.

I shook my head and turned to leave but the old man grabbed my arm. “Please, I’m desperate, please”.

I watched as his daughter appeared in my peripheral vision, there was something about her, something I needed to save and that made me feel angry and made me think of Gina.

I shook my head. “No”

“Please. no one will even know that you’re out there” he moved closer to me and whispered. I felt the desperation rolling of him. “Please, just me and some of the guards and they will be sworn to secrecy.”

I could see the desperation he was in, and I knew what that felt like. Kai’s father and brother made sure of that, but I just couldn’t see myself being part of a pack again.

“There is no need for secrecy, I just want to be left alone.”

I inhaled deeply before I continued, “I’ll give you six months and then I will leave”.

He nodded his head, and I could see the relief in his eyes. “Thank you”

He waved one of his men over, the old Alpha gave me a small smile. “You know I didn’t ask your name.”

I shook my head, for some stupid reason I didn’t want them to know my name. “You can call me Cale”

The old man tested my name on his tongue “Cale”. He turned back to his man. “Would you please take Cale to the old, abandoned cottage close to the western border”

His man stared at me, and I thought I saw anger and suspicion there. “Yes, of course Alpha”.

I watched as his man turned to walk, but I also saw his eyes linger on Aine and, for some reason, that made me angry.