Stolen Luna

Chapter 2 - The Howl

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Amaryllis

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We enter into the forest and I stop. The trees tower high above me and would have been foreboding if it wasn't for all the twinkling stars that seem to adorn them.

"Why have you stopped?" Raven asks me impatiently.

"Well, I haven't been out at night on my own and on a full moon, not forgetting with the addition of you as well," I try to explain.

"Well at least get us further away from the Coven as there is something I wish to try tonight."

So I set off and find myself by a pond. The water looks very shallow and clear as it reflects the moonlight perfectly. You can see the smooth pebbles at the bottom. The trees look extremely eerie with how gnarled their branches are. Even their thick roots venture out of the ground and link together as if holding hands. Tall grass with mushrooms hidden in are spread out over the edge.

"Undress Amaryllis, please trust me. I would like to shift to my wolf form, you are strong enough. I won't lie to you, it will be painful, but it will get easier. Please Amaryllis, we both need this," she says softly to me.

I decide to do as she asks and undress. Before I have a chance to think about getting cold I feel my legs rip apart. I watch claws appear on what were my hands and feet. They are now paws. Fur grows on me and my body falls forwards onto four legs. My head gets larger and longer. I am no longer in control of my body. There is no other way of describing it apart from excruciating agony. This is Raven in all her glory and now I am the one at the back of her mind.

She walks up to the large open pond and looks in. She is stunning and she knows it. Sparkling violet eyes, shining black fur with purple streaks (no wonder she likes my bedroom) and boy she is sleek and tall. Her ears! Aloof, black with purple inside. Raven lifts her nose up to the moon. I feel her take a deep breath in and let out a loud howl that seems to go on forever. The view of the moon like this is amazing. Raven is soaking up the rays that the moon shine down upon us. The energy that flows through her body heats me up to the max. I finally understand that this is what she has been craving to get stronger.

"You've got to stop that, we'll get caught!" I link her.

"At this precise moment I don't care!" Raven replies.

Stopping, she turns and runs. This is simply amazing. All this energy and emotion, the trees whizzing by with the air flowing fast over me, light headed even.

The stars are blurring in the sky, even the moon is looking stretched. All too soon, it seems we are back at my clothes.

"This is going to hurt again," Raven kindly reminds me.

I feel my bones painfully snapping and I shift back into my usual Witch form.

"Thank you Amaryllis. I have wished to be able to do that for a very long time," Raven says softly.

"It was the first of many," I promise her.

We walk in silence back to the magic tree and it is a Fairy named Ernie who lets us through.

"Willow says she'll see you tomorrow," he says roughly.

"Thanks Ernie," I answer fondly. I have always had a soft spot for him, even if he always seems grumpy. Nine times out of ten it was because he can't find matching socks.

Getting back in is easy too. The Coven are still all asleep meaning I am the only one awake so I just have to be very, very quiet.

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Kieran

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On my vast bed in the pack house comes the voice "Oh Kieran baby, give it to me.... harder, no harder!"

"Like that? You want it deep and hard?" Without waiting for her answer I ram myself up her deeper and harder. I hear a garbled scream underneath me. Taking it as a green light I carry on pumping with my member. I look down at her bouncing t*ts and flip her over. Tiffany with her chestnut hair and matching eyes. To be fair she's not bad to look at, just not for me and she's definitely not my mate as she's 19 therefore I would have known by now. I empty myself and pull up my boxers and jeans.

"So soon, but I didn't finish baby," Tiffany pouts at me.

"Finish yourself off.... but not in my room," I tell her forcefully. I just want her gone. She's just there to sort myself out. I hate doing it, but she puts it in my face and sometimes I just need a release.

Once she's gone I look around my room that has yellowy gold carpets and walls, along with jade green bedding and curtains. As I pull the sheets off the bed and grab some fresh ones out of my cupboard for just this kind of occasion, I catch the reflection of the moon in my mirror.

It's a beautiful full moon.

"Let's go for a run, I need it," Goliath, my wolf, links me.

"Already on the way," I reply smiling.

Boy I could really do with a run. It has been a week since my last shift. I didn't usually go for runs on my own and especially not at night but there is something about this moon.

I shift just on the edge of our pack land. We are The Imperial Pack. We are medium in size and situated deep in Epping Forest which is the largest forest in England. It is not a massive pack but big enough to have your own space in your own home whilst the Alpha, Beta and Gamma are all in the main mansion. It has 30 bedrooms on each floor, mainly for guests, a sports hall, swimming pool and two dining areas. All built from white brick work with a courtyard with a maze for a garden where werewolves are often getting caught because they are either players or can't keep their legs shut. I feel a shiver run through me as I remember the last couple I bumped into. It was my Gamma, Trent and some girl who was known to be a complete skank, Janet. He must have been drunk as he's not stupid.

Goliath speeds off on our usual trail, startling the sleeping deer and awakening trees filled with birds and squirrels and the odd angry fae.

Then he comes to an abrupt stand still.

"Listen," Goliath murmurs quietly.

Far away in the distance is a wolf howling. Such a melodious howl, it hypnotises us until it stops.

"That isn't any of the pack members and there are no rogues in Epping Forest that we know of. So where did that come from?" I ask myself as much as Goliath.

"I do not know. As soon as the howling stopped so did my ability to trace," Goliath admits and I know he hates being defeated.

We run further away to see if we can pick up a scent, but it is as if by magic it has disappeared.

He turns his head up and howls in desperation.

We spent the rest of the run back in silent contemplation.

"Alpha Kieran, slow down, you're nearly at the gates," Drake, my Delta links me.

What on earth was he doing up?

"I relieved one of the guards," he said as if reading my thoughts.

"Thanks Drake," I say as I skid to a stand still, my paws clawing the ground.

I shift back and dress in my clothes before finding him.

"You heard that right?" I ask him.

"Heard what Alpha?" Drake replies. He is always so formal.

"The howl.... there was a werewolf howling at the moon," I test him.

"I heard you Alpha as usual," he answers me.

"There was another werewolf howl. The like I've never heard before, it was melodious," I trail off as I remember.

"No, I did not hear that Alpha, it was all quiet bar you," he finishes.

"Well, I definitely heard it," I say more to myself than Drake.

"I'll have asked the other guards by morning Alpha, see what they heard," Drake says.

"Thankyou Drake."

My sleep is broken that night as all I dreamt of was beautiful howling. Even Goliath was restless.

I found Drake first thing in the morning before he went off shift.

"So?" I ask him impatiently.

"Sorry to report Alpha, but none of the other guards heard any howling bar yours either," he says.

I feel myself clenching my fists together with frustration. There is only one thing for it. I have to venture out into the forest tonight and find that wolf!

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Amaryllis

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"Amaryllis, you were supposed to wait until tonight before visiting me again," Willow scolds me. "I could get in a great deal of trouble for this."

I wasn't able to wait that long. The day had begun to drag and it is still morning. Curiosity had got the better of both myself and Raven.

"That is too many hours away," I reply to Willow.

Making sure that there is no one else listening she beckons me to sit on the floor at the base of the tree, by the little fairy door and she comes and rests on my knees looking up at me.

"Very well. Your Mother was brought into this Circle unconscious, by Galahad and Damion, just over 18 years ago. She was literally just pregnant with you at the time. I was told to ask no questions but to find the Calibu Leaf. As I could see they were about to rewire her brain, I gave them one that looks similar with milder effects. Memory loss should have been less permanent. Your Mum looked so beautiful but I could see a trickle of blood from the back of her head. She had a faint smell of werewolf on her, even though I could tell she wasn't. It was then that I knew that I must protect you when the time came."

"Is that it? How do you know about my father?" I demand.

"Over the years, trickles of gossip came through the fairy line. There is a rumour that an Alpha has been slain and his witch Luna had been kidnapped."

I could feel Raven getting restless with pent up anger.

"Do you know his name or his pack?" I ask hopefully.

"No Amaryllis, I'm sorry, I didn't want to ask any questions incase I put you both in danger. You specifically, as you are half your father. I don't believe that your mother's name is Ivy either. "

I sit here sulking and upset, mulling it over, all my world turned upside down, full of lies and deceit from the day I was born.

"Amaryllis, I can tell you that it would be advisable for you to use a different exit."

"But this is the only one," I say meekly looking at her.

"Around the back of the school, there is a little unguarded door. It's hidden amongst an old sycamore tree that's covered in ivy. Hardly anyone knows about this and so you won't be expected to leave that way. Take this exit when you go out next. It will keep you safe and I won't be worried." Willow smiles encouragingly to me. "Just remember to always be back by dawn, no later. You must never be caught," she warns me.

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Jennifer

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I've been waiting for Amaryllis to visit me all afternoon so we can revisit the library and I eventually got so bored that I have gone and knocked on her front door.

"Oh, hi Mrs Redwood, is Amaryllis in?" I ask her mum as she opens the door.

"Hello Jennifer, no she isn't here. Were the both of you supposed to meet?" Mrs Redwood queries.

"Well I thought we arranged it yesterday. I must be mistaken," I respond.

"Well when she does come home I'll be sure to remind her. I will apologise for her," Mrs Redwood says smiling.

"Thanks," I reply and go back home.

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Ivy/Pearl

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Where's Amaryllis? It isn't like her to vanish into thin air. Certainly not to let Jennifer down.

I am sitting down at the dinner table debating what to do next when there came,

"Hi Mum!" through the house. It is Amaryllis and she sounds... different. I just can't put my finger on what.

"Jennifer came here not so long ago Amaryllis," I inform her waiting to see what her reaction will be.

"Oh shoot! I forgot, gotta go Mum. I was supposed to see her hours ago!" Amaryllis says, suitability shocked and ashamed of herself.

Before I have the chance to respond she has gone.