Night and Day: The Alpha Nomad

Guidance from the Moon Goddess

Night-

It was dark, but not like I was blindfolded. I could see tiny sparkling lights surrounding me, flickering like Christmas lights. I wasn’t restrained to the chair like before either, in fact the metal cuffs and chains were completely gone. My body felt light almost nonexistent, like I was floating above my actual body. It was such a surreal feeling I felt like I was dreaming.

An ethereal light dazzled in front of me, and intensified to the point of blinding me. Through the light emerged a striking female figure with pale glowing skin. Her features were too perfect for the real world, which was a clear sign this could not real. I continued to believe I was dreaming. The female’s footsteps were poised like she was floating rather than walking. As she drifted closer to me I felt an unbearable unsettling feeling that was almost painful, and the longer I stared at her the more painful it became.

“My daughter, I am so sorry that we must meet under these circumstances,” the rough but otherworldly elegant female voice resonated in my mind like howling wolves. “I failed in my duty to forewarn you, and for that I apologize.”

I bent into a low bow then my knees gave out and I knelt in front of this divine being. I know I’ve heard her voice before, but could not place when. Somehow I knew she was a deity, and based on her appearance I suspected deep down that she was the Moon Goddess.

“I know this must be hard on you, but you must fight through if you are to survive this ordeal,” her voice never softened and began to hurt my head. “It must be painful for you, so I will try to make this as brief as possible. I will grant you the strength to fight the Bane long enough to give your Alpha a chance to find you. Unfortunately, I can only do this at night, and only on nights when the moon shines. When the sky is dark, during the new moon, I will be unable to aid you. Night, my darling daughter, I believe you will survive this if you just hold on a little longer.”

I could not speak, but nodded my head in acknowledgement. She laid a glowing hand on my shoulder I expected a searing pain where she touched me but it was cool and calming. Her glow flowed into me and persisted even after she removed her hand. A shimmering crescent shaped mark appeared where she touched me.

I felt a power growing inside me and my nerves eased as the Goddess’ power shrouded me. The Goddess smiled upon me once more and seemed satisfied that her magic took hold. Courage replaced the terror inside my heart and gave me faith that I will see Day again.

“Before I leave you I must impart this warning,” the Goddess’ voice seemed less painful this time. “Do not trust a familiar face. I cannot tell you much more than this, but heed my warning young one.”

Darkness grew around the deity as she vanished. The realm that surrounded me faded as well then the sensations of reality returned. Once again I felt the heavy metal cuffs digging into my wrists and ankles, but the effects of the drugs seemed to fade. I could smell the stench of male humans all around me, and the first time my senses and strength appeared to return.

I pulled the chains with all my might to test my theory. I heard a sharp crack and suddenly felt slack on my wrists. The heavy cuffs were still around my wrists, but at least I knew I could break free when the time was right.

………………………

Day-

Nearly a week has passed since I left the pack, Fen and Delphie would be on their way to join me soon, but I was beginning to lose hope. I followed the pull of my mate bond as far as it would take me, but I have wandered blindly for days. Even my wolf was becoming convinced that she was already killed by those hunters.

I was exhausted from the nonstop tracking. This was the first time I had stopped in nearly a week, and sadly my resolve to find Night was weakening. I decided to camp for the night in a wooded edge of the mountains overlooking the eastern plains. Since I was so close to human settlements I refused to sleep in wolf form. The risk of exposure was far too high in this area, especially where the humans are more adventurous. I decided to disguise myself as a backwoods camper and made camp for the night. Although someone may question my nudity should they find me. I left in a hurry without a change of clothes when I left the pack.

Winter was approaching swiftly and the chill intensified with each passing night. Although my alpha blood would keep me sufficiently warm throughout the night, I lit a camp fire to ward off the loneliness and sense of failure that began to develop. Also as an excuse should any humans should find my campsite and wonder how I could survive such a cold night in the nude. I began to stare deeply into the flames and got lost in its dancing tendrils. I was hypnotized by the fire I didn’t even notice that I was beginning to drift off to sleep. I was so hypnotized a figure appeared in the blaze, Night’s visage or so I thought. I longed to be near her again to hold her in my arms. A quiet whimper escaped my lips.

“You truly miss her don’t you?” A deep female voice acknowledged solemnly behind me then continued in an amused tone. “I guess I made a good match then.”

I was so startled I nearly jumped out of my skin. My senses never alerted me of this mysterious visitor, was I truly that distracted by my grief or was this just a dream? The visitor approached the fire, but I would have seen her perfectly well in the pitch black darkness. Her pale skin glowed with an celestial glimmer and she was unsettlingly beautiful. I’d never seen such a beautiful woman, besides Night of course. She was graceful moving like wisps of wind through the trees, but talked like a pack of wolves braying in the night.

“Excuse me? I’m not sure I know what you’re talking about,” I muttered timidly.

“I think you know exactly what I’m talking about, Alpha,” her voice resembled howling wolves and grew annoyed by my ignorance. “Your Luna is locked away by a group of humans and you can’t even open your heart enough to find her? You dare call yourself an Alpha when you can barely protect your Luna?”

My wolf raged inside me at this accusation, “excuse me, m’am, but I don’t think you know what you’re talking about. It is time for you to leave.”

The fire suddenly grew into an inferno as the otherworldly female placed her hand over my heart, “do not take me lightly, Alpha! Listen with your heart and perhaps you will finally understand.”

My heart burned with every second that her hand rested on my chest. I felt giddy and uncomfortable by this strangers touch. Her touch became almost unbearable, but I felt the worry lift from my heart as the heartache healed. My eyes widened as I scrutinized the woman’s face closer when she released her hold on me. She was nearly a splitting image of Night. The flowing dark as night hair and her pale skin that glowed in the moonlight. If it weren’t for her more mature features, I would have mistaken her for my missing mate.

“Now do you realize?” She questioned magnanimously. “Do you see with your heart, Alpha?”

I nodded slowly, “why do you look like her? What are you?”

I was still oblivious to the identity of this woman, and she appeared annoyed by this. She shook her head with a smirk. When the fire died back to smoldering embers, I noticed the twinkling lights within her black locks, which illuminated the darkness outside the dying fire light.

“Foolish Alpha, I bestowed upon you a gift, just as I bestowed a gift upon your Luna. Perhaps it will help you find each other,” the woman sighed. “I cannot remain for the night is almost gone and the day approaches, but remember one thing from our encounter, brave Alpha. Listen with your heart or you’ll never find your Night Princess.”

She stepped off the edge of the mountain and vanished into the night. The sun peaked over the eastern plains as soon as she disappeared. Unlike the previous night I felt entirely reassured that I would find my mate.