Luna's Howl (boyxboy)

Chapter 10: Save One

Jason POV

I flinched as Alpha James backhanded the blue eyed wolf throwing him a yard away from door where I stood. My heart ached at the sight. Please don't hurt him. I wanted to scream but my voice betrayed me letting out only a low whimper. I drew back into the lounge at the glare Alpha James threw at me, my lips quivered in fear at his semi wolf form, a wall of solid muscle and brown fur towering over six feet with glowing brown iris and a mouthful of fangs.

He snapped his head back to the blue eyed wolf, growling deeply with so much power forcing other wolves to submission. He kept his gaze on the snarling wolf whose eyes never left me. His ever blue eyes bore into mine piercing deep into my soul, I winch at the pain those eyes held.

"Enough son." Alpha James bellowed. "I have had enough of you."

I gasped at the words. My blue eyed friend is Marcus Anderson. Alpha James’ deranged son. My eyes blurred with unshed tears. I moved unconsciously out of the house towards him but wavered in my step at the growl of Alpha James. I glanced at Marcus whose eyes were still on me. His gaze pierced my heart holding nothing of the warmth it had once held rather it's now mixed with pain and other emotions I couldn't figure out. His lips parted in a snarl revealing his fangs as Alpha James stop me. I had moved unconsciously again towards him. All I wanted to do was wrap my arms around him and soothe him just like I did years ago when I helped him with his wounds. My mind still won't accept that the wolf that stands before me was once that sweet little boy I met back in camp. The only thing I could recognise on him was his blue eyes;every other thing was either gone or hidden since he was still in his semi wolf form.

"Stay where you are Jason." I heard Alpha James growl with his hands outstretched blocking my path. Marcus snarled at the sight. My eye widened in fear as he rested his weight on his ankles in a stance as if he wanted to pounce which he did the very moment I took one more unwilling step pushing against Alpha James furry hand.

Alpha James met him in midair, both of them snarled against each other before spiralling down to the ground. Alpha James remained crouched protectively before me daring Marcus to move again. Only their growls can be heard as everyone watched for their next move.

"Take him inside." Alpha James growled to no one in particular. It didn't register to me that it was I he meant until someone's hands wrap around me carrying me back in house. I resisted, watching Marcus launch in the air again towards me, his eyes lit in anger but Alpha James intercepted him and they began to fight.

"Leave me." I screamed at the person holding me,kicking and thrashing in his arms. "Let me go. He is going to hurt him." I cried watching Alpha James hit Marcus again and again. Each blow made me winch. Marcus held his ground, clawing at the Alpha's side looking for a means to breakthrough.

"Please...... Don't.... I beg you." My voice cracked as I made it inside. The hand around me tightened as we made our way back up the stairs into my room with me still thrashing around longing to go back to plead with Alpha James to stop hurting his son.

"Stop that." The person holding me voiced out. My claws dug deeper into his skin. I glanced at his face. Dave! I recognised him. He was the guard that came in earlier to call Wayne. His face held a scowl as he returned my look. "Stop it..." he said again. I didn't listen but kept kicking and thrashing in his arms. My heart throbbed as the growls continued outside making me fight my way out of his hold more fiercely.

"You are leaving me no choice." I heard Dave say before he dropped me hard on the floor. I winched in pain but shrugged it before dashing back towards the stairs. "You aren't going back there." He called catching me in his arms.

"Stop me." I kicked his shin hard.

His face hardened for a moment. "You are as stubborn as a goat." He blurted out of the blue. "and I know just what to do."

"How dare-" I said before a sharp pain shot from my neck to my head. My body went limp in his arms in seconds. My head throb in pain, my brain seemed to freeze in its operations. I watched him carry me into the room then lay me on the bed. I tried shouting at him wanting to ask what he had done to me but I had no control of my body. I felt myself been drawn into darkness.

"Don't fight it." I hear him mutter as I slip out of consciousness. "You’ll be better when you wake. Sleep." My eyes snap shut.

I felt my body drift further into the overwhelming darkness.I couldn't struggle as I continue to plunge deeper. I felt weird. I am sleeping. I thought. I shouldn't be thinking if I am. My body warmed up suddenly like I was bathed with light. My eye fluttered till they opened to see myself lying down in a room of light. Light shone into the room from no particular source. It was white and glowing like that of the moon. I laid still for a while taking in the blissful feeling. The pain in my head had gone. My neck didn't ache as well. Weird. I thought. I moved my fingers tentatively feeling the soft material beneath me. My body responded to my every move then I sat upright.

"Hello Jason." A figure approached from the light.It walked with grace towards me. I squinted to see clearly, the light bending around the approaching figure. "I have waited a long time to talk to you." it said halting few feet from me.

I gasped at the sight of her. A woman, fair and beautiful,her white hair dropped past her shoulder glittering in the white light. She clothed herself in a long white off shoulder dress that accentuated her curvy bosom. Her face lit up in a warm smile as I met her eyes. She looked somewhat familiar as I continued to stare into her green eyes. Just like mine. I thought. I blinked in admiration feeling lost in those charming eyes. You remind me of her, Jason. You have her eyes. My father's words rang in my head. I blinked at the thought. Why did I remember that?

Then I gasped.

"Mom?" I asked unsure taking in her presence.

Her smile broadened. "I see you got several things from your father."

"Mom....” I croaked again, my eyes blurry of unshed tears. I had always imagined what she looked like and here she is right in front of me. I stared deeply into her eyes feeling nothing but love and safety.

"Hello son." She sat down beside me. "We've got the same eyes. I told your father you would."

I smiled softly never taking my eyes off her. She was mesmerising to behold. Her smile was heavenly. She smelt of like the freshness of the early morning.

"Now you got to stop staring dear." Her soft voice broke my thought. "I don't mind though because that's the effect we both have on people."

I nodded. "How is-"

"Possible?" She cut in. I nodded. "First, I'm still dead. So don't get your hopes high." Her smile never wavered.

I sighed part of me wished what she's said was untrue that I could have her back with me.

"I am always with you." She said. My eyes widen in surprise. "Yes Jason, I'm in your head. All these..." She gestured at both of us and around. "….are all in your head. Your subconscious but it is also as real as the world outside."

"How?" I said.

"It happens only to those with powers. Going by what you are, it is the same with you." She said. "It happens first when you black out after your emotions heightens. Be it pain, anxiety, love, pity,anger but it later becomes easy for you to access."

"So it is like a safe haven where you can be alone with your thoughts?" I asked.

She smiled. "Yes, Jason but I will always be here with you whenever you come."

My heart jumped in happiness at her words. So this isn't the last time I will be seeing her. I thought. This will suffice.

"But it won't be easy to come here until you accept your nature." she said.

"Accept my nature?" I stared confused of what she meant.

She sighed. "You are a True Luna, Jason; the first in the last three hundred years."

I stared blankly at her wishing she never mentioned the Luna thing. It has yet to settle in me that that was who I was. A harbinger of war and chaos. My heart skipped a beat at the thought.My breath became uneasy. I began to pant drawing air into my lungs.

"Listen Jason, you don't have much time. You are not strong enough to stay here any further. Your body is waking." She said quickly.

"No... No.... I wan-want to stay." I replied.

She held my hands. Her touch was cold but soothing."You have to accept who you are but you have to save him first. You are the only one who can. He has waited for you long enough but you have to accept your role of a True Luna first." she said quickly.

My lungs collapsed even with the deep breathe I drew in. My eyes began to blur. I held tightly her hands refusing to let go. I have always wanted to have a glimpse of her; I won't allow anything to separate us again.

"I want t-to s-s-stay." I gasped. The light began to fade.

"You will come back dear. Just remember, do everything you can to save him. He is important to you." her voice distanced. "Search for what you both lost." I heard her so before I was plunged back into darkness.

The darkness was suffocating. I tried drawing breathes but my lung wouldn't accept them. No... Not again. I screamed in my mind. My body drifted around in the dark. I closed my eyes in determination willing my lungs to open up then I tried again.

I gasped aloud drawing sharp quick breathes into my lungs. I shot upright from my bed, knocking someone off me. My eyes tear up as I drew in quick breathes.

"Don't do that again, Jason!" I heard Wayne scream from somewhere below me. His image came to focus after I blinked several times.He sat down on the floor, his hair messy and sweat covered his face which was red obviously from several attempt of blowing air into me. He rubbed his hair sighing deeply.

"Sorry.... I couldn't breathe." I said.

"You didn't breath, Jason, not couldn't." He snapped. "You literally died for minutes. Thirty to be precise."

Thirty? I gasped in shock. I had only spent few minutes with her. I shook my head in disbelief.When will I stop spending most of my lifetime blacking out? I glanced at Wayne who seemed shaken. Off course he would.I thought. You died.

"Thank the goddess." Dave breathed collapsing into a chair too. He also was covered in sweat. I glared at him.

"You caused this." I said. "If only you hadn't knocked me out."

"You gave me no choice." He countered.

"What?" I shouted. "I gave you no choice? Last thing I remember, you had me secured in your arms."

"You kicked me in the shin and I should say you kicked hard. Also, you kept thrashing around like a little pup throwing a tantrum which obviously you are." He shouted back.

"Now you are calling me a pup." I shook my head in disbelief. "Calling me a stubborn goat isn't enough for you?"

"Enough both of you!" Wayne shunned us glaring at us both. "I am tired and I need to rest. You..." he pointed at Dave"get out and guard the door and you get some sleep. I don't want to see those bags under your eyes by tomorrow." He pointed at me before storming out of the room with Dave trailing behind him.

I sighed deeply falling back into the bed. My head now throbbed with pain reminding me of how hard Dave had hit me. My body ached throughout. I shivered at the thought of what might have happened to Marcus.Alpha James probably might have beaten him to pulp. I closed my eyes smiling as the image of my mother popped up in my head. Her charming green eyes smile back at me relaxing my aching nerves. At least something good came out of Dave knocking me out. I met her. My mother.

I am always with you.Her voice echoed in my head. I smiled weakly before drowning in a dreamless sleep.

"Wake up sleepy head`." Dave called out earning a glare from me but kept smiling. He pulled back the curtain flooding the room with the mid-day sun. How I knew that I don't know. Seem it's one of the Luna thingy. I made a mental note to ask my mum next time I go visiting inside my head.

"A simple reply to my cuddly warm greetings would be appreciated rather that glare you have on." He said.

"You really wanted to get rid of me yesterday now you want some cuddling." I said.

"That was yesterday, besides it was for your safety I did what I did. I apologise." he said calmly.

I relaxed my glare. "Accepted!" I muttered. My stomach grumbled embarrassingly which made Dave chuckle loudly."What?" my glare returned covering the flush I had on both my cheek.

"You are lucky I stopped by the kitchen to get you a late breakfast meal." Dave chuckled dropping a tray on my lap, on it was a heap of syrup covered pancakes and a glass of juice. My stomach growled in anticipation again. "Come on, dig in, and don’t keep the babies waiting." He mocked sitting on the chair in front of me.

A moan escaped my throat as I dug in, syrup dripping down my chin. In minutes, I had wolf down the food. I belched loudly. "Sorry and thanks for the meal." I smiled at Dave whose gaze never left me.

"It’s alright. You needed it." He gave me a cocky smile. I raised my brow at him.

"What was that for?" I asked.

"What?" He asked back.

"The cocky smile?"

"You like it?" He grinned.

I rolled my eyes setting the tray carefully on the dresser beside me. I knew what he was up to. "Trying to flirt with me?"

"Do you mind?" he replied shifting in his seat.

I laughed a bit. "You won't be the first."

He faked a hurtful face. "Oh.... Thought I would be but would you consider me?" I rolled my eyes again, shifting to get more comfortable. I rested my head on the headboard relishing the moment.

"You are quite charming." He said breaking the silence. "You've got a lady's face."

I giggled refusing to meet his gaze. I had an idea what kind of look he would have on. This moment reminds me of how flirty Marcus can get and those sexy and lustful eyes he would look at me with. I now understand why my mother asked me to stop staring, that was the exact feeling people get when they look at me. She was right when she said our look have an effect on people.My face is just has mesmerizing as hers. I thought on some of the things she mentioned especially Marcus. She'd said I would help him. Save him. How? I barely even know him. We never got the chance to talk back then. He's too wild for Wayne to treat, how am I supposed to pull it off but she had also talked about me accepting who I am. A True Luna.

"Thinking about him?" I hear him say. I peered at him. His brown eyes bore into mine. I nodded.

"How did you know?" I breathed.

He sighed. He shifted in his seat again before looking away.He remained that way lost in his thought. I continued to stare at him refusing the urge to look away.

"He was a sweet kid." he blurted out. "We grew up together, practically inseparable, calm and reserved and way too playful when he gets into the mood." He laughed softly. I blinked nodding for him to continue. "I love him like the brother I never had. He was always there for me especially when I lost both my parents to rogues. Marcus would hold me all night as I cry myself to bed. He never left me even packed few clothes to stay over at my house against the Alpha's order. Marcus can be hard headed sometimes." he chuckled.

I blinked at the words. I never thought Dave would be that close to Marcus. They seem to be just like Marcus and I back home. We were both inseparable always beside each other with me getting him out of any mischief he finds himself in. Marcus was just like the brother I never had too.

"I miss my friend back home too." I said without thinking. Dave eyes rested on me willing me to continue. "We were both inseparable too. We did a lot together." I chuckled as my mind flooded with memories of Marcus and I. "I love him like a brother and I miss him so much." My voice cracked. "I never had the chance to tell him goodbye before I left." I choked down a sob. "His name is Marcus too."

"That's why it hurt you so much when you watch Alpha James beat him?" He asked. I nodded in response. "I feel bad every time I watch him go wild. I hate seeing him that way."

"What happened?" I asked wanting to know Dave side of the story.

"I don't know. He snapped I guess, probably could not take the pain of losing his mother and brothers." He shrugged.

"Wayne noticed something about him." I said sitting straight looking straight at him. "He noticed he always tear down his mother things every time he gets loose."

I watched Dave thought for a moment. "I never really noticed myself but why would he? Marcus adored his mother. She was everything to him. He was much closer to her than his dad though he never loved his dad any less. I don't see any reason why he would do that."

I sighed. "Wayne probably thinks Marcus he's in search of something."

Dave stared at me. He frowned then sat upright. "In search of something?"

"Yes...” I asked hoping for an answer.

"perhaps." he shrugged. "He didn't go to the pack house like he does before yesterday he got close though but turned towards here like what he wanted was in this house. He'd never crossed to this side of the pack before." Dave said then added with a chuckle. "Maybe he smelled you."

I laughed at his words. Smelled me? I have been here for weeks but yesterday was the day he finally sniffed me out? I laughed softly again. Search for what both of you lost. My mother said. What have we both lost. I thought. I turned to Dave. He should probably know since they were best buddies before Marcus turned wild.

"Do you know of anything Marcus misplaced or lost before he turned wild?" I asked.

He thought for a while. "Nothing that I can remember although he kept a lot of things in a shelf in his room. He was much an adventurer and a collector of junks, always wondering around in the forest searching for bits and pieces, something new to add to his collections of nonsense." he air quoted at the last word.

I giggled, just like myself. A collector of trash. Maybe we are not so different, Marcus and I. "Things like what?" I smiled.

He shrugged. "Same trash little pups likes to pick.Chipped metals, shells, shiny stones, scaly twigs, faded coins and artworks and numbers of other things. I would bring him some myself whenever I find them." He laughed. "I remember him returning with a jewellery of sort after he went missing for days."

"Marcus went missing?" I asked.

"Yes. He put the whole pack on their toes. We search everywhere for him but he was nowhere to be found. No scent, no trail. He just vanished only for him to show up three days after looking tattered and bruised with a bloody arm in toll." Dave said.

My eye widened in shock. Marcus found a way to the Northern Province during one of his adventures that was how he ventured into our campsite where I found him fighting. My heart beat faster as everything fell in place. He ran back into the forest without a word. I shook my head in disbelief.

"Are you alright?" Dave asked.

I nodded. "Do you remember when he went missing?"

Dave laughed. "How can I forget? That was the year we had much fun though it was short-lived because he's mum died few weeks after.He was thirteen."

My heart skipped a beat. I was thirteen then too. It was really Marcus I met. I straighten up uncovering the blanket from myself.

"Are you sure you are alright? You look pale." I heard Dave.

Search for what both of you lost. I thought again. What did I loss that time? My head spin as I task it to do a quick check.

"I'm going to get Wayne, Jason. You don't look well. "Dave said as he stood up to the door.

"Wait." he paused. "You said Marcus pick things right?" I saw him nod. "Have you seen him with a necklace before?"

He thought for a while, my heart pound as every second tick by. "I don't remember seeing any necklace with him." He said finally."But he had this pendant with him after we found him. He refused to let go off it, even slept with it for weeks."

I gasped. My face drained of colour. My hands shook slightly. Marcus was with my family heirloom all this while. He had taken it from me back when we met. The Crescent moon necklace.

"Was it a moon shaped pendant? A crescent moon?" I asked.

It was Dave's turn to pale. His eye widened. "Yes. H-how did you know? I swear nobody was there when he showed me."

I choke down a sob. Marcus had it for real. What had cost me several months of anguish was lying safely in the hands of Marcus.

"Was Marcus found with a purple cloth tied around his bruised arm with a twig as a support and with a deep gash beside left eye?" I asked as I remember how I took care of his wounds.

I heard Dave gasp aloud. His breathe uneven. I peered at him to see his eyes fixed on me in fear and shock. His eyes flashed in anger.

"Who are you? What are you not telling me?" he growled.

I let down a tear. "Dave, the purple cloth was from my shirt, the one my Alpha back home gave me as a birthday present. That pendant is my family heirloom."

His mouth dropped. "H-how? That's impossible. You couldn't have met Marcus before." he shook his head in disbelief. "You are from the north. That is several leagues far from here. Jason, we are in the south. Marcus couldn't have gone northward and back in three days."

I walked steadily to him. "I don't know how it happened but it was Marcus I met back in my province almost five years ago." I said. "Dave I can save him. I know what he wants."

Dave stared at me in shock probably deciding whether or not to believe me. "If what you say is true and you can help Marcus then you better hurry and find what he wants." he said sternly.

I frowned. "What? Why?"

He turned backing me then let out a deep breath before facing me with his eye teary. "Alpha James can't hold up again after yesterday." he said. I nodded for him to continue. "Marcus will be executed tonight when the moon is high."

My heart tore as his words hit my ear. He gave up. I cried. When I have the solution, he gave up. I felt Dave hug me tightly as the gates of my eyes opened letting out torrent of tears.

I am not going to lose another Marcus. I thought.