Guardians of the Opal Moon

Chapter 6

Axel looks over Ava as they walk side by side, while trying to keep an eye on Jade and trying to work out where to start this impossible task. Ava is a gentle, happy looking girl, yet the aura of power she has does not match her outer naive shell.

"Are you alpha blood?"

"Yes, how did you know?"

"Just a sense, how did you and Hunter meet?"

Ava’s face blossoms with a soft smile at that question, still her favorite time was when she met Hunter, back when the world seemed so uncomplicated, when the hardest thing she had to face was trying to keep herself away from the handsome man.

"Alpha Academy"

Axel’s face doesn’t change much, but the faintest hint of surprise can be seen. Going to the academy and then still become a Luna is a surprising twist in events.

"You went? Are you next in line at your old pack?"

"No, my twin brother is. Dad just persuaded them"

Axel is suitably impressed. First that she wanted to go so badly, second, that her dad actually took the step to convince the archaic style of the academy to allow a non-future alpha in, it would have been quite a task. So the fact that he had so much determination to further the skills of his daughter in a world ruled by boys, knowing full well there was every chance that Ava would leave his pack.

"Those stuck up old fools? Nice work"

Ava is impressed with how easily conversation has been between Jade and Axel and herself. Jade even listened to her suggestion and Axel, while looking slightly cold on the outside, is actually easy to talk to, probably helped by the fact that her own mate is cold on the outside and has a warm and gooey center so she is not intimidated by the powerful beings.

On the other side of the crowd, Hunter watches Jade as she is seamlessly checking peoples arms. This is one of the more uncomfortable tasks he has ever attempted. He feels like he looks like he is trying to seduce whoever he checks, whether it is the man or the woman. He doesn’t want to get mistaken for hitting on a man because it is an awkward conversation to get out of, yet it is just as bad to be seen to be hitting on the Luna when the alpha is right there. The aim of the exercise is to not end up in brawls for trying to come on to a Luna that he has no interest in, he is just trying to innocently check arms with no explanation.

Hunter swears that Jade is keeping an eye on him, silently laughing at his efforts. He assumes it must look as bad as it feels, but what Jade can get away with as the organiser of the event and also a female, versus him as an unknown, has a vast difference.

Hunter grits his teeth and gets back to the task at hand. Luckily, he has golden eyes. Most people get momentarily lost as they look at them, so he stuns them with his eyes and then is able to do a quick check. While it sounds like a good plan in theory, holding eyesight with someone long enough to stun them is harder than it sounds and still seems to give the impression of flirting, he links Ava.

‘If I don’t end up in a fight by doing this I will be very surprised’

‘Do you need me to come over and protect you?’

‘I don’t need protection from the fights, I need protection from the Lunas thinking I am coming onto them’

Ava’s smile falls off her face as her blue eyes flick to Hunter. She is happy and carefree about most things, but she is overprotective and jealous of anything to do with Hunter. Hunter looks over and sees Ava’s ghastly expression and feels a lot better. He continues his task with a slight smile on his face.

Axel is having better luck with the process, but he is not finding it fun in the slightest. He doesn’t particularly like touching other people unless completely necessary. He looks around the crowd, there seems to be a lot more people to do and people keep moving so making sure to get everyone in an orderly fashion is becoming increasingly difficult.

Axel spots a couple out the corner of his eye, the girl is looking out at the crowd while rubbing calming circles on the man's chest, the man is looking down at the woman with love in his eyes even though he is obviously agitated. He holds her in a manner that Axel knows all too well, it is a show of untold protection.

It is the girls eyes that get Axel. While she is obviously calming her mate, her eyesight as she looks at the crowd is sharp and holds power and wisdom.

Axel starts his path over to the two while still checking the couples on the way. Alina stands rubbing circles on Phoenix's chest, she breathes a sigh of relief as she feels him start to calm down in her arms, his muscles start to relax. Her eyes scan the crowd, she notices Axel moving through the crowd shaking hands with others.

“That looks like an exhausting job”

“It does”

Phoenix is just beyond glad that he doesn’t have to do anything like that. Trying to be nice and polite to all these id*ots sounds terrible. He looks down at his mate with a smile on his face, no matter the problem or no matter how agitated he gets Alina is always such a calming force, patiently ready to do whatever it takes to make him feel better. He kisses her on the top of the head, she looks up at him with a bright smile on her face.

“Are you feeling better”

“I am, thanks babe”

Alina’s hand moves from his chest up to cup his cheek as she guides his face down and attaches her lips to his, giving him a small teasing kiss. Phoenix’s lips curl up slightly as he gazes down at the sly smirk on Alina’s face, he grabs the back of her head in his big hand and kisses her deeply and passionately.

They only break apart when they notice a presence right in front of them. Axel stands in front of the two unworried about their passionate make out session. After all, if Jade was here he would enjoy doing the same thing. He looks back over at Jade and wonders if he can just cancel this whole search and just get busy kissing Jade, when the couple notice his presence and break apart he extends a hand to the man.

“Hi I am Alpha Axel”

“Hi I am Phoenix and this is my Luna Alina”

“Very nice to meet you”

Phoenix extends his hand and shakes Axel’s, keeping the other hand firmly embracing Alina’s waist. Phoenix’s sleeve is fairly tight on his large strong arm, so Axel has a bit of trouble trying to reveal his forearm. He wants to laugh at the whole situation. Surprisingly, no one has said anything about the whole thing. He can’t help but feel if the shoe was on the other foot he would be seriously questioning the persons motives behind the bizarre behaviour. Alina’s sleeve looks easier to move but by the looks of Phoenix’s possessiveness, that would be a sure fire way to a fight, again he would not blame him because Axel would be the same if someone started chatting up Jade. Phoenix looks at Axel with one eyebrow raised, he doesn’t retract his hand because he does have respect for the wolf in front of him, but he can’t help wondering what he is up to. It is really odd behaviour and the fact that Axel is trying to lift the sleeve on Phoenix’s marked arm also peaks his curiosity. He can’t help but ask.

“Can I help you with something?”

Axel finally manages to move Phoenix’s sleeve up far enough to see the very start of a black mark. He breathes a sigh of relief, he was really worried that he was drawn toward this couple and did such strange things all for nothing. Axel finally casts his blue eyes up to meet Phoenix’s green eyes.

“This may sound weird, but can I see your arm?”

Phoenix looks at Alina, they both shrug at the same time, they have nothing to hide, they got the marks but they didn’t do anything to get them. It isn’t a sign of doing something wrong, so they have nothing to fear. Phoenix pulls down the sleeve that is nearly cutting off the circulation to his hand thanks to Axel’s, none too subtle movement, undoes the button at the cuff and pulls up his sleeve to reveal his strong tanned forearm with the eight perfectly symmetrical lines around his arm, each line is five millimetre wide and perfectly spaced just like Axel’s and the others. Even though he assumes the fact he still has to ask Alina.

“Do you have the same thing?”

Alina nods her head and pulls back her sleeve to reveal the same. Axel is slightly excited to actually find another after the search, he would hate if it was all for nothing. Axel links Jade.

‘Found another’

'How many more do you have to get through?'

Axel looks around the crowd and looks at Ava, who is still busy. She looks up at him when she notices his sight and shakes her head, indicating that she hasn’t found anyone.

'A few'

'Get Jasper to take them aside'

Axel links Jasper and soon Jasper appears by his side. The dark haired green eyed Beta of Opal moon, that just happens to be Axel’s best friend as well as Jade’s brother.

“Jasper, can you take these 2 to the meeting room?”

Jasper nods to Axel without a word, Alina looks at the two cautiously.

“Is there anything wrong?”

Axel looks back at her.

“It is just to do with the marks on your arms, nothing bad, I promise”

Alina and Phoenix look at each other, Phoenix’s lips move together, twisting his face into a slight grimace, but he doesn’t say anything. Alina resumes her calming of Phoenix and looks at Jasper. While the whole thing is weird, Alina can't help but be curious. They have no idea about the marks, so maybe Axel knows. They would like answers too.

“Lead the way”