The Luna: Braver Than We Are

Chapter 4

It was 5.30 a.m. and he was up. Not that he wouldn’t like to sleep more, just something was disturbing him and not letting me sleep, waking him up at that ridiculous hour. He wasn’t going to waste it. He went to his cabinet and turned on the laptop. He always had lots of work to catch up with.

“i***t,” he heard the voice in the back of his mind. He ran his fingers through his silvery hair. The mutt decided to speak.

“Not an i***t, Adam,” he sneered. He wouldn’t speak to his wolf often, so most of the time he forgot he had one. Adam Longclaw lived like every human and the only two hints that he was a werewolf were the fact that he had a pack and used to have a mate. He looked at the photo standing on his desk. 

It was taken when his hair was still jet black and when he would smile and believe that there was a bright future for him and his mate. The beautiful girl he was holding in his arms. His sweet Maria. The one he lost and then the part of him died with her. It was when he found her lifeless body and his hair went white in seconds.

He lost all hope and lived only for his pack. Or company it became through time. There were very few traditional packs, living in the woods, running in the wolf form, howling to the moon. Most of the werewolves he knew were like him and shared the same type of relationship with their wolves as his. Most of the time, detached and alienated, but at times hostile. Causing the internal struggle for power almost unbearable. That was why most of the werewolves of the new type had periods of aggression. They had to blow the steam. Some by punching things, some by shaking things, and some by making money. The most dangerous mafia families were werewolves. The Longclaws weren’t one of them. They decided to make money and they did it well, but for the price of permanent restlessness.

Yes, it was different when his mate was there. His wolf was soothed and calm and cooperative and didn’t try to act against him. But with her gone, the best they could come up with was ignoring each other. Now that the mutt spoke, Adam knew that he would have to give him something, even as simple as a run in the forest, so they could be back to ignore eachother. He hated these moments, they reminded him of his nature and he would do anything to forget about it.

He was a cultured man, with refined tastes and a hugely successful company to run. He didn’t exactly want to remember that he ran it because he was an alpha to be. He would prefer to think that people followed him because of his qualities, not because he is destined to lead. And he would prefer to lead as a single man. The problem was that he couldn’t get the pack without… 

His phone rang, interrupting his thoughts. He looked at it, it was still before 6 a.m. and the number on the screen wasn’t on his contact list. What the heck? He was to reject the call.

“Answer, asshole.”

“Only if you shut up for two weeks.”

“Just answer the damn call!”

Adam decided to take it as a yes and slid the green button.

“Yes?”

“H-hallo?” The voice was feminine. Distracted and trembling, but somehow appealing. No, what was he thinking about?

“How can I help you?” He wanted to sound cold, but somehow he didn’t. He should have been furious that she called, but he wasn’t.

“I-I need help,” she snapped out.

“Well, how could I help you?”

“My husband… he beat me and I ran away,” she cried in a small voice. Fury rose in him, in both of them. The wolf was outraged. Ones who dare to abuse a female are the dead ones. That was imperative for werewolves in packs. Females were weaker and they had so many responsible tasks, they deserved respect and protection. That was probably the only thing in which werewolves were superior to humans. The wolf wouldn’t have to say a word, Adam decided immediately.

“Where are you?” He asked, turning the browser on.

“I don’t know, I just drove all night. I think I may be somewhere on route 14, in the forest.”

So she wasn’t that far away. He typed the name of the NGO his friend worked in. They took care of such cases and he donated frequently.

“I will send you the address, go there and I will meet you later today.”

“Thank you,” she muttered. Her voice was still weak, but not as scared and trembling as before.

“What’s your name?”

“I’m Viola, Viola Mason.”

“ OK, Viola,” the name rolled out of his tongue and this feeling was so strange. As if the name had a taste. “Will you make it there? Should someone fetch you?”

“I will, thank you.”

“Well, then see you soon, Viola.” He disconnected before he could say anything else. That was indeed a strange conversation. When he looked at the website, typing an SMS with the address, he noticed it. His phone number and the number of the NGO’s helpline differed in only one number. That was why she called. 

“Good for us.” The stupid wolf was excited.

“You promised to shut up.”

“Maybe I did, maybe I did not.” He snapped but went back to his hiding hole in the back of Adam’s mind.

Yet, no one had made such a mistake in the past and why did he react that way? It would be only natural to inform her that she had made a mistake. Maybe he could find the right number for her. That would be understandable, as a little act of kindness. But why the hell did he announce he would visit her? Well, he was going to find out and the only way he could think of was… to go and meet her in person.

That meant he had to rearrange the whole day. But before he started doing it, he texted his friend to make sure he would let him know when the woman arrived.