Trials Under The Moon

Flash Back - 1 year before

Zoe.

She had just turned 18, blessed with her wolf, Aliya.

About ten t3o's were walking back to the barn one evening, after being the last to finish chores in the pack house. Zoe and I included.

Three drunk males were passing through the track fields at the same moment as we were. Warriors. We prayed to the goddess that they wouldn't cross our path or pay us any mind.

I knew it was futile.

We all huddled close and quickened our steps to get home sooner. But the scent of booze and cigarettes swirled in my lungs and my stomach dropped.

They didn't even speak to us. It was only later that I realized they must have mind-linked each other. They said nothing. Just started laughing, and then charging at us.

Jevin, was only about 15, so sweet and so kind. He knew better, but in the moment, fear must have won over as he broke away from our group and ran. "No!" I screamed to him, "come back!"

It was too late. One of the males, white hair, green eyes, shifted. The large brown and red wolf was swift on Jevin's trail, and pounced before the boy was even 5 meters away. A gargled cry left Jevin's throat as the wolf tore into his neck, shaking his limp body from side to side.

I covered my mouth with my hand to hold back a scream of my own. This is what we were. What I was. A play thing for them.

Zoe clung to me tightly as another male, with dark hair and a leather jacket raised his hand.

Finger nails elongated into claws, and he slashed the throats of two girls in front of us. They hadn't even the chance to cry when their bodies slumped to the ground.

"P-please.." Another boy whined, "don't-"

Before he finished, the boy was sliced in his arms, face and torso. He would live, but he'd be in pain for a long while.

"Since he said please," mused the leather jacket. It was Eric Black. The Alpha's son. The other I recognized as Chai. He was a general to the packs army.

The two unshifted males were busy mutilating omegas, when the wolf turned his attention from Jevin's remains to me. Zoe hadn't noticed, her eyes wide on on Eric. So I let her go and slowly walked away from her. If I die, I wouldn't take her with me. I tried to keep the mutts' eyes solely on me.

A low growl echoed and I spread my legs and bent my knees, ready for the impact. This wolf did not appreciate my challenge and immediately began stalking towards me. I heard the cracking of a whip, Chai must've had one on him, then the pained wails of pups begging for mercy. Zoe stayed untouched in my peripheral view, so I continued to side step away from her.

The wolf picked up into a run, "Zoe run!" I called to her. Her brown hair whipped around and she screamed to the wolf, "NO!"

I was ready to buy her time, to bite, fight and die so she could get away while all 3 males were busy. But before the crazed, mangy mutt even reached me, the ripping of flesh struck my ears. Then the snapping of bones. The noises of a body twisting into a new form.

Every one of my muscles tensed, waiting for the dog to slam into me. It never came.

A small light grey wolf jumped in front of me, sliding to a halt in the dirt. Aliya. Zoe’s wolf.

I'd only seen her once before, but from the small patch of white fur on her back, I knew it was her. She must have seen me in danger and forced her way forward and out to protect me. Aliya kept her chin low to the ground, protecting her neck, and created distance between the larger wolf and me.

The brown male lunged for Aliya's throat, pushing her back to me. Aliya wasn't looking for a fight, she just wanted to keep me from being hurt. She barked, and growled and backed away from the larger male; trying to communicate that she wanted me safe, and to leave.

It wasn't going to happen.

"What the hell?!" Eric made his way over to us, leaving a trail of bloodied omegas behind him. He grabbed a fist of Aliya's scruff and tossed her ten feet behind me, before stomping towards me and picking me up by my throat.

Kicking and squirming, I scratched at his fingers trying to loosen his grip. Air wasn't making it's way through to my lungs.

"Turn!" He ordered Aliya. She had no choice but to relinquish control back to Zoe, and resume human form. "Are you out of your God d**n minds runts?" Eric continued.

Finally, he chucked me on top of Zoe, releasing my windpipe, and I let out a gasp for air.

I fumbled to remove my apron, throwing it over Zoe to cover her up, as quickly as I could. She was exhausted from shifting.

Eric started stalking towards us, so I pushed Zoe behind me and opened my mouth to create some sort of excuse.

But someone else beat me to it.

"What the hell is going on here?" Damien asked, walking up from behind Zoe and I.

All of my muscles visibly relaxed with relief upon hearing his tired lazy voice. The goddess is watching us after all.

No one said a word. Eric simply wiped his face with the arm of his leather sleeve.

"Eric, Chai and....Aiden? Ugh I can smell you from here, and look at this mess!" Damien sounded like an irritated mother, fussing at toddlers.

Chai and Eric burst into a fit of laughter, leaning on one another for balance before Eric explained, "Wasn't our fault man, they got in the way! And then these little *burp* bitches," pointing to me and Zoe, "that one shifted and tried to challenge Aiden!"

Damien glanced down at us, and I could see the worry in his eyes that he desperately tried to hide from the others.

"You two get back to the barn." He firmly commanded.

We made to leave, but Aiden shifted back, and in all his glory, protested, "No no no, now wait a minute Damien. This pup thinks she can challenge me, then she can participate in the tournament this year!"

Damien's jaw clenched, and Zoe's jaw chattered as she began shaking her head.

Damien looked us over once more before shrugging, "Fine. Whatever. I'll make it happen."

My eyes widened in horror. How could he?! What was he thinking?!

Damien gave a nod of his head for us to go home while he cleaned up the mess.

-

A few weeks later, before the Tournament, Zoe became extremely ill. Her body was burning up with fever, and she couldn't keep any food down. No one would go near her for fear of catching what she had. Except me of course, and Damien would bring by food and medicine whenever he could. Her sickness lasted 3 weeks. And thank the goddess, the Tournament happened in that time span, so Zoe wasn't forced to enter.

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