where the moon sets

NARRATOR'S POV Ever since Miranda was born, her father made sure she knew life wasn't easy. Especially for a Luna. Being the daughter of the Alpha was already a great responsibility. However, being the only daughter of a widowed Alpha... now that meant she had her job cut out for her. The Ocean Howl pack was one of the biggest in the country, one of the toughest and, therefore, one of the most feared packs. Alpha Channing had worked day and night to earn the reputation his father had longed for when he was in charge, and his biggest, most important mission in life was to get his daughter to uphold it. "Our job is to always look after our people," said Alpha Channing. Large, wide, dark brown eyes looked up at him, full of wonder and admiration. The pair were standing in the middle of the training field, the tall trees looming over it, providing some shade at the edge, marking the entrance to the forest. Behind them was the Pack house, with different families' cabins dotted around it, making it appear even larger than it was. "Do you understand, Mira?" Asked her dad. "Our people are the most important thing in the world. Our pack. Keeping everyone together, healthy and thriving. There's nothing more important than that," he said, glancing down at her, flicking her nose with a gentle touch. The young girl giggled at the action, nodding, understanding what her father was trying to tell her. "One day, you'll be in charge, and you have to be ready to take over and prove to everyone that you deserve to be the chief. Can you do that, dear?" He questioned, already knowing the answer. Miranda had proven to him, at the young age of thirteen, time and time again, she had what it took to be the next leader. "Yes, Alpha," she said, extremely respectful of her dad. "I can do it. I'll make you and mother proud, I promise," she said solemnly. Her father couldn't help but smile at his daughter, knowing her words were true. His Luna had passed away giving birth to Miranda, but that never stopped him from mentioning her. He did his best to make her mother a big part of her, adoring the way she came through his daughter's personality and soul. "I won't stop training until I become the very best. I won't let anyone fight me for the position." They'll respect me just as much as they respect you. "I know you won't," retorted Alpha Channing. "Come on, then," he patted Miranda's back. "Give me two more laps, you'll spar with Elijah as soon as he gets here." Elijah was Miranda's best friend since birth, son of Alpha Murphy from the Crescent Moon Pack. Their packs were neighbours and had been friends for years after Miranda's grandfather signed a trade agreement that built peace between them. Alpha Luke Channing and Alpha Christian Murphy grew up being almost as close as Elijah and Miranda were. Miranda was closing in on her second lap when Luke spotted Christian, Elijah, their Beta and some other pack members walking in his direction. He raised his hand, waving at his friend and his son, who waved back excitedly. "Luke!" Exclaimed Christian, holding out his hand and bringing his friend in for a hug. "Look at her go! She's way faster than she was last month, isn't she?" Asked the slightly shorter man. Satisfied, Luke nodded his head. He had Miranda work on her human form as much as her wolf form. Normally, werewolves turned for the first time at around ten and Miranda was no exception. "She pushes herself more and more each day, just like your boy," he said, gazing down at Elijah and ruffling his blond hair. "Gonna be an amazing Alpha one day, aren't you, buddy?" Elijah smiled up at the man, bowing his head in appreciation for his words. The boy adored Luke with all his heart. "Eli!" Miranda's black, wavy hair flowed with the wind as she rushed over to her best friend, arms wide open. Elijah did the same, hugging her tightly, smiling as they pulled away. "Hi, Mira," spoke the older boy, blue eyes shining, "Ready to lose?" Miranda smirked at his words, shaking her head vehemently. "I'm not losing either," said Elijah with determination. Eli knew exactly which buttons to push to get the best out of his best friend. Their parents chuckled at their actions, finally instructing them on how to fight and letting them go at it as safely as possible. They did this a couple of times a week. Luke knew it was good training for his daughter to be able to take down a future Alpha or at least feel comfortable enough to go up against him. It was a cruel world, and Lunas were one of the most sought out and endangered groups. That's why Betas also trained with them, they needed to be able to defend their Luna if the time ever presented itself. Miranda was at an obvious disadvantage, being shorter than Elijah and smaller in size, but she had grit and passion, which allowed her to stand against him and be a dangerous and tough-to-beat rival. They were soon ordered to switch into wolf form, and they did it without question. Mira's white fur contrasted with Elijah's brown coat as they wrestled on the ground, rolling around the grass. Despite the fact that they were fighting, Miranda knew she could trust Elijah to never hurt her, and he could do the same. Elijah had no idea, but every time he approached her, every time they talked, every time they lay in silence, Mira's heart would flutter. She had talked about her feelings with her father, and he'd chuckled, telling her it was a crush, it would pass, it happened to a lot of people. Of course, she believed him. Luke had encouraged her to confess her feelings, but she never felt comfortable enough, something inside her always pulled her back and away from Eli - at least in a romantic way. "There we go!" Cheered Luke as Mira held Elijah in a compromising position, finally beating him and forcing him to submit. "Release him," commanded the Alpha. Miranda did as told, both of them switching back to their human forms and bowing to the other before sharing a short and friendly hug. "Well done, both of you," commented Luke, patting their heads. "Your dad and I have some business to discuss now, you two rest and get ready for supper." "Yes, Alpha," they both chorused, nodding. As their parents walked away with the Betas following close behind, Elijah pushed Miranda in a playful manner, causing her to squeal in surprise. "Hey!" She exclaimed, pushing him back. Eli laughed loudly, throwing his head back. "We're tied now," she claimed, thinking about how many times he'd beat her in training versus how many times she'd come out on top. "I'll take the lead soon enough, watch me," stated Miranda, sticking her tongue out. Elijah chuckled, a half smile on his face. "I always am."