The Love Triangle

Moonlighting

     It’s finally the full moon! Alpha said we are going moonlighting tonight. I don’t fully know understand what’s supposed to happen tonight, but he asked for me to meet him in the Alpha hut at sunset. He makes It sound really exciting. I just wish that I could finally learn all of this werewolf stuff instead of waiting and learning something new each day. I feel like I still only know 5% of everything I should know about being a werewolf.

     I’m putting my books in my locker getting ready for first bell. “Boo!” someone yells behind me, pushing my back. I whimper and jump, hitting my head on my locker. I turn around and snarl, ready to fight whoever it is.

     “Carson!”

“What’s up, Cub!”

     “You, Asswhole!” I glare at him. “And Stop calling me Cub!” I command, but he just laughs at me. I try to sharpen my facial expression, but it just makes him laugh harder. I push him away. I wish I could at least feign anger and aggression, but Carson always sees right through me.

     “So Cub,” I snarl. I am on my last nerve with him this. He puts his hand on my shoulder. How does he make me so mad, but calm me down at the same time? He says with so much excitement in his tone, “Tonight is a full moon. We, werewolves, get increased energy and power during the Full moon.” His tone switches from excitement to almost sounding timid. “I wanted to see if you… um, would want to go moonlighting with me?” 

    My heart sinks. His eyes are so precious, filled with hope and secret excitement. I can tell just how much he wants me to go moonlighting with him. I wish I could, but it’s an obligation with the Pack. I need to complete my initiation. “Oh. Um...” I stutter. I wish he asked me sooner, but… “I already agreed to go with Jace. He asked me the other night, saying it is a pack ritual for my first moonlighting.”

     “Oh yeah… I forgot.” His face slips so much. Carson is absolutely heartbroken. His eyes drop to the ground. I wish I could give him another answer, but there is nothing else I can do.

     I break the silence between us by saying “Sorry.” He looks at me again, faking a smile.

     “It's ok. Go make me proud.” I smile back at him, and I see his newly sincere smile grow. Warmth fills me just from his lusty stare.

     The sun has set. It’s finally time! I am going moonlighting! I still don’t know much about tonight, but Alpha told me that our powers are heightened during a full moon. Alpha told me that we get to go “full wolf” for a night. It sounds so exciting and maybe dangerous. Sunset was almost upon us. I met him at the Alpha hut in the Pack House.

     “Pup, I’ve been waiting for you.” I blush. I feel swirls in my stomach. I don’t know why… with Carson, I hate hearing a pet name out of his mouth, but from Jace, I still like hearing him call me, Pup. It always sounds so special coming from him. I hide my face when he looks at me with a smile. “It can get dangerous, so you’re gonna stay right next to me, ok?”

     “Yeah. Ok.” I blush even more.

     My cheeks are tinted red. He gets closer to me. His smell overtakes me, making my breath shallow; the pheromones he is secreting are so strong and powerful. I like it when people are protective of me. I haven’t felt it for a while. At least not this much. “Come on. It’s time.” I nod. My heart rate is up, but I don’t know if it’s because of Jace or because of the moonlighting. I really wish someone would explain it beyond a bunch of hypotheticals. They keep telling me, “it’s part of the experience”. I snicker.

     We leave the Alpha hut. All the wolves are too distracted to notice that we were in the Alpha hut alone together but Lux. Lux glares at me, and my face drains. Goddess, I can’t have rumors about us going around. There is no us, or… is there?

     All the wolves line up near the Pack House. I always forget the pure size of this pack. We’re probably 300 strong. I stand next to Alpha with Lux on his other side. Alpha lets out a gigantic howl. My knees wobble at the pure strength of his Pack Call, and my d**k stiffens in my pants. We all respond with the same shortly after. 

     Next, all the wolves transform and charge forward. I am slow to transforming and wolves push past me. I stumble and fall down. The wolves from behind me keep charging past me and step on me like a pack of wildebeests. Paws jab into my stomach, legs, arms, hands and all across my body. I squeeze myself into fetal position. I grunt and groan as they all run over me. Once all the wolves are gone, I look up. Alpha is nowhere to be seen. I panic. This is what I was afraid of. This is what he warned me of. It is still dangerous. Rogue wolves can break through our protection during the moonlighting. I still don’t know these woods enough. I don’t know where he went. I’m alone. 

     I decide to start running. I figure my wolf senses will come in if I really need something. I’m a Gamma. I am going to be fine. I charge forward further and further, hoping to find at least one wolf, but there is no one anywhere to be seen. I get more nervous, noticing I am now deeper into an unrecognizable part of the woods. I hear rustling around me. I freeze. I don’t prepare to fight or flee; I just freeze. I hear a large growl coming from near me. I panic even more. My heart beats over the silence of the forest around me. Is this wolf from my pack or is this wolf from another pack? Oh, Goddess. I’m in danger.

     The wolf jumps out at me. I try to jump out of the way, but they are just too fast. They pounce on me and we roll until he stands over me. After all the hits to the ground, I shift back to my human form. The wolf holds me down. He growls at me, and I’m scared. This is what I was afraid of before I started tonight. I get a closer look after the growl and realize it is the Beta, but he looks mad. He looks ready to kill me. He must want revenge for what happened during my final test. His mangy teeth are inches away from my neck. I try to move, but he has me pinned down and he gets closer and closer.