THE MOONLIT PACK

CHAPTER TWO :THE ALPHA'S ENEMY

THE MOONLIT PACK

A Dark Romance Novel by Ambrosia Naidoo

CHAPTER TWO: THE ALPHA’S ENEMY

I barely slept that night. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the black wolf with golden eyes standing between the trees, staring at me as though it knew something about me that I didn’t know myself. And then there was Xavier. His storm-grey eyes kept appearing in my thoughts, along with the way his entire expression had changed when I told him my name. He had looked at me as if I were a ghost from his past, or perhaps a nightmare he had been expecting. I hated that I was curious about him. I hated even more that a tiny part of me wanted to see him again, if only to demand answers. Unfortunately, the universe apparently had a cruel sense of humour, because by the time morning arrived, I had discovered that my problems were only beginning. “Lisa!” Shayna shouted from the other side of my bedroom door. “If you’re awake, open this door before I kick it down!” I pulled my pillow over my head. “Go away!” “I brought breakfast!” “Then eat it!” “It’s your favourite!” I hesitated. “What is it?” “Toast.” I threw my pillow at the door. Shayna burst into laughter, and a moment later, the door swung open. She stood there wearing a pair of mismatched socks, an oversized sweatshirt, and the expression of someone who had already made several terrible decisions that morning. Her crimson-streaked hair was tied into a messy knot, and she held two slices of toast in one hand. “You look awful,” she announced cheerfully. “Thank you. You look like a laundry basket came to life.” “That’s hurtful.” “Good.” She dropped onto the edge of my bed and handed me a slice of toast. For a few minutes, we ate in silence, which was unusual for us. Shayna was normally capable of talking through an entire thunderstorm, but this morning she seemed distracted. Finally, she glanced at me. “You were thinking about him, weren’t you?” I nearly choked. “Who?” Her smile widened. “The Alpha.” “I was thinking about how annoying he is.” “Of course you were.” “He ordered us around like we were children.” “He also looked at you as if the moon itself had personally delivered you to him.” “That makes absolutely no sense.” “Neither does your face every time someone says his name.” I grabbed my second pillow and smacked her with it. She shrieked, nearly dropped her toast, and retaliated with enough enthusiasm to send us both tumbling off the bed. We were still laughing when Eleanor appeared in the doorway. The moment she saw us, her expression softened, but I noticed how quickly her eyes moved from Shayna to me, checking that we were both there. “Girls,” she said quietly, “I need you downstairs.” Something in her voice made the laughter die away. Shayna and I exchanged a glance before following her. Michael was waiting at the kitchen table, and beside him stood a man I had never seen before. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and dressed in a dark coat. His hair was silver at the temples, and his eyes were the pale blue of winter ice. He stood perfectly still, as if even the smallest movement required his permission. “This is Jeremiah,” Michael said. “He has come to speak with us.” Jeremiah inclined his head. “Lisa. Shayna.” I folded my arms. “Do we know you?” “Not personally.” “Then how do you know our names?” His gaze flickered briefly toward Eleanor. “Because your names have become a matter of concern.” Shayna moved closer to me. “Concern for whom?” Jeremiah regarded her for a moment before answering. “For everyone involved.” I immediately disliked him. There was something about the way he spoke, so carefully and precisely, that made me feel as though he had already decided how this conversation would end. “We’re not going anywhere with you,” I said. “No one has asked you to,” he replied. “Good, because the answer would still be no.” Michael cleared his throat. “Lisa, please.” I looked at him, startled by the warning in his voice. He rarely spoke to me that way. Eleanor reached for my hand, her fingers cool against mine. “Jeremiah is here because the forest incident has attracted attention.” “What kind of attention?” Shayna asked. Jeremiah answered before either of our parents could. “The kind that makes it dangerous for two untrained young women to wander into Blackthorn territory after dark.” “We didn’t know it was Blackthorn territory,” I snapped. “Now you do.” “Wonderful. Is there a pamphlet? Perhaps a map with all the places we’re forbidden to walk?” His expression remained unchanged. “Mockery will not make the situation less serious.” “And speaking to me like I’m an i***t won’t make me listen.” A strange silence settled over the kitchen. Jeremiah studied me with an expression I couldn’t quite read. Then, to my surprise, the corner of his mouth lifted slightly. “I can see why he has a problem.” My stomach tightened. “Who?” Jeremiah did not answer. Instead, he turned toward Michael. “The Alpha expects you at the estate this afternoon. He wishes to discuss the girls’ safety.” “The Alpha can expect whatever he likes,” I said. “I’m not going.” “Lisa,” Eleanor whispered. I turned to her. “Why does everyone keep acting like he gets to decide what happens to us? We’re not members of his pack. We don’t even know what a pack is supposed to mean beyond a group of wolves that apparently thinks it owns the forest.” “It doesn’t own you,” Jeremiah said. “Then tell Xavier to stop acting as though it does.” For the first time, something resembling amusement crossed Jeremiah’s face. “You may tell him that yourself.” “I would be delighted.” Shayna raised her hand slightly. “And do I get to tell the mysterious brother that he has the personality of a locked cupboard?” Jeremiah blinked. “Which brother?” “The one with the dark hair who looked at me like I had personally offended his ancestors.” “Edward,” Jeremiah said. “Ah. Yes. Him.” Shayna nodded as though she had made a useful discovery. “Tell Edward that I have no intention of seeing him again.” “I will pass along your message.” “Please do. And make sure you use small words. I’d hate for the meaning to get lost.” Jeremiah left shortly afterward, taking with him the uncomfortable feeling that our lives had somehow become part of a game whose rules everyone understood except us. Once the door closed, I turned toward Eleanor and Michael. “You promised us the truth last night.” Michael rubbed his forehead. “We did.” “Then start explaining.” Eleanor sat down slowly. “The Moonlit Pack is an old community of people who can shift into wolves. They live by their own laws and traditions, and their Alpha is responsible for protecting the pack.” “And Xavier is their Alpha,” Shayna said. “Yes,” Michael answered. “His family has led the pack for generations.” “So why does he care about us?” I demanded. Eleanor looked at Michael, and the silent conversation that passed between them made my stomach twist. “Because of your parents,” she finally said. “Your biological parents were connected to the pack. Their families were important, and their disappearance left behind questions that were never answered.” I stared at her. “What does that have to do with Xavier?” “We don’t know everything,” Michael said. “But we know that the old families have been searching for signs of your bloodlines for years.” “Searching for us?” Shayna’s voice had lost its usual teasing edge. “Why?” Eleanor reached across the table and took her hand. “We believe your parents were trying to protect you from something.” “Something like what?” I asked. No one answered immediately. That silence told me more than any explanation could have. “You keep saying you don’t know everything,” I said, my voice rising. “But you know something. You have known something our entire lives, and now you expect us to sit here while strangers appear at our door and tell us what we can and cannot do?” “We were trying to give you a normal life,” Eleanor whispered. “You were babies, Lisa. We loved you from the moment we brought you home. Everything we did was meant to keep you safe.” My anger faltered, because I knew she was telling the truth about loving us. Eleanor had held me through nightmares, sat beside me when I was sick, and celebrated every little achievement as though I had conquered the world. Michael had taught me to ride a bicycle, helped with school projects, and pretended not to notice when Shayna and I ruined his favourite shirts during our many disastrous attempts at cooking. They were our parents in every way that mattered. But love did not erase the years of silence. “I believe you love us,” I said, swallowing the ache in my throat. “I just wish you had trusted us enough to tell us.” Eleanor’s eyes filled with tears. “I know.” Shayna squeezed my fingers beneath the table. She was frightened too, although she tried to hide it behind her stubborn expression. “What happens now?” she asked. Michael looked toward the window. “Now we find out why the pack has started looking for you.” That afternoon, Jeremiah returned with a black vehicle, and despite my objections, Michael insisted that we accompany him to the Moonlit Pack estate. Eleanor stayed behind, promising to follow after she had gathered some documents. I spent the entire journey staring through the window, watching the familiar town disappear behind us as the road narrowed and the trees grew taller. The forest looked different in daylight. Sunlight slipped between the branches, illuminating patches of moss and wildflowers, but the deeper we travelled, the more the woods seemed to close around us. I could feel something beneath my skin, a strange restlessness that had begun the previous night and had grown stronger with every mile. Sometimes I thought I could hear whispers in the wind. Sometimes I felt as though something was moving beside the vehicle, keeping pace with us just beyond the trees. I told myself it was imagination. I was beginning to suspect that imagination had very little to do with anything anymore. At last, the forest opened onto a vast clearing, revealing a mansion built from dark stone and timber. It rose above the surrounding trees, its tall windows reflecting the afternoon sun. Beyond it stood several smaller buildings, a training ground, and a collection of cottages arranged along winding paths. People moved through the grounds, some carrying supplies and others talking in small groups. A few stopped when our vehicle arrived. Their gazes followed us as we stepped outside. Some looked curious. Others looked wary. One elderly woman standing near the steps pressed her fingers to her lips when she saw me, then whispered something to the man beside her. I pretended not to notice. Jeremiah led us through enormous wooden doors into a grand entrance hall with a polished floor and a sweeping staircase. The air smelled faintly of cedar, smoke, and something wild that I couldn’t identify. “Try not to insult anyone before we reach the Alpha,” Jeremiah said. “I make no promises,” I replied. Shayna leaned toward me. “If you insult him before lunch, I’m blaming you for everything.” “You insulted his brother before breakfast.” “That was different. Edward deserved it.” “You’ve spoken to him twice.” “And both times were exhausting.” I nearly laughed, but the sound died when Xavier appeared at the top of the staircase. He wore a black shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows, dark trousers, and a silver ring bearing a symbol I had seen on one of the pendants in our wooden box. His dark hair fell carelessly across his forehead, and his grey-blue eyes found mine almost immediately. For one brief second, the sternness in his expression disappeared. He looked relieved. Then he seemed to remember himself, and the familiar arrogance settled back into place. “You came,” he said. “Against my better judgment.” “At least you have some judgment.” “And you clearly have none if you think that was a compliment.” Jake appeared behind him, grinning. “I like her.” “Nobody asked you,” Xavier replied without looking away from me. Edward came down the stairs next, his expression unreadable. His eyes moved to Shayna, who immediately folded her arms. “Don’t,” she warned him. Edward raised an eyebrow. “I haven’t said anything.” “Your face is saying plenty.” “My face has done nothing to you.” “It’s thinking loudly.” Jake burst out laughing. Even Jeremiah’s mouth twitched. Edward looked at Shayna for a long moment before shaking his head. “This is going to be a long day.” “For you, perhaps,” Shayna replied sweetly. Xavier gestured toward a set of double doors. “Come with me. We need to talk.” “We need to talk?” I repeated. “You make it sound as if we’re old friends.” “Would you prefer that I drag you into the room?” His words were sharp, but there was something uncertain beneath them, as though he was measuring every response and trying not to make the situation worse. “I’d prefer that you ask instead of issuing commands.” His jaw tightened. For a moment, I thought he might argue. Instead, he took a breath and stepped aside. “Will you come with me, Lisa?” The simple change in his tone caught me off guard. I hated that I noticed. “Fine,” I said. “But if you start acting like you own me, I’m leaving.” “Understood.” The answer was so immediate that I looked at him suspiciously. He led me into a private study lined with bookshelves and old maps. A large window overlooked the forest, and on the desk lay several documents, a silver pendant, and a photograph of a woman with dark hair and striking grey-blue eyes. Something about the woman made my chest ache. I stepped closer before I could stop myself. “Who is she?” Xavier followed my gaze. His expression changed. “Her name was Amara.” “Was?” “She died many years ago.” I looked at the photograph more carefully. The woman was standing beside a man with dark hair and a gentle smile, and between them was a little girl wrapped in a pale blanket. The man wore the same silver ring that Xavier wore now. “Why do I feel like I’ve seen her before?” I whispered. Xavier’s gaze sharpened. “You knew her?” “I don’t know. Maybe. She just looks familiar.” He picked up the photograph and studied it as though it had become something dangerous. “Amara was my mother.” I stared at him. “Your mother?” He nodded. “She was the Luna of the Moonlit Pack.” I glanced back at the photograph. “And the little girl?” “My sister.” He paused. “She disappeared when she was a baby.” A chill moved through me. I thought of the letter, the old photographs in the wooden box, and the warning about the brothers discovering our identities. “What happened to her?” I asked. Xavier’s expression closed. “No one knows.” “And you think I have something to do with it?” “I think your arrival has awakened questions that my family has spent years trying to answer.” “That’s not the same thing.” “No,” he admitted quietly. “It isn’t.” For the first time since meeting him, I saw something beyond the Alpha’s confidence. There was grief in his eyes, old and carefully buried, and I found myself wondering how long he had carried it. Then I remembered that I had come here for answers, not to feel sorry for a man who seemed determined to keep half the truth from me. “You recognised something in me last night,” I said. “When I told you my name, you looked as though you had seen a ghost. What was it?” Xavier set the photograph down. “There are things about your bloodline that you don’t understand.” “Then explain them.” “I’m trying to confirm what I know before I tell you something that might be wrong.” “How convenient.” “Lisa—” “No. You don’t get to say my name in that tone and expect me to become obedient.” He stared at me, and the silence between us grew thick. I could feel the strange warmth beneath my skin again, a quiet pull toward him that made absolutely no sense. It was as though some invisible thread stretched between us, tightening whenever he came closer. I stepped away from the desk. “What is this feeling?” I asked before I could stop myself. Xavier went completely still. “What feeling?” “Like I’m supposed to recognise you. Like something keeps pulling me toward you even when every sensible part of me wants to walk away.” His eyes darkened, and for a moment, he looked almost afraid. “You can feel it too?” I swallowed. “Feel what?” He approached slowly, stopping several feet away so that I had room to move. “There is an ancient belief among our kind,” he said. “Some wolves are connected by a bond that begins before they ever meet. When the bond awakens, they may recognise each other through scent, instinct, or an inexplicable sense of familiarity.” I stared at him. “You’re saying we’re connected?” “I believe you may be my destined mate.” The words seemed to drain the air from the room. I stared at him, waiting for him to laugh or admit that he was testing me, but he did neither. “Your what?” “My destined mate.” I took a step backward. “Absolutely not.” His eyebrows rose slightly. “I didn’t ask you to agree.” “Good, because I don’t. You’re arrogant, controlling, secretive, and possibly insane.” “You forgot handsome,” he said, and the faintest trace of amusement appeared in his eyes. “I was trying to be polite.” A quiet laugh escaped him, surprising us both. For a second, the tension eased, and I caught a glimpse of the man he might have been without the weight of his title. Then the moment passed. “The bond does not give me ownership over you,” Xavier said, his voice becoming serious again. “You are free to accept it, reject it, or take whatever time you need to understand it. I will not force you into anything.” His words unsettled me more than a command would have. I had expected him to demand obedience, to insist that some ancient rule meant I belonged to him. Instead, he stood before me with his hands at his sides, looking as though he was fighting an instinct he did not entirely understand. “Then why do you keep ordering me around?” I asked. He looked down briefly. “Because I have spent my entire life protecting people who refuse to listen when danger approaches.” “That doesn’t make it your decision.” “You’re right.” The admission surprised me into silence. Xavier looked back at me. “I am still learning how to protect someone without treating every choice they make as a threat.” For the first time, I didn’t have an immediate insult ready. I was saved from responding by a knock at the door. Jeremiah entered without waiting for permission, his expression grim. “Alpha, we have a problem.” Xavier’s entire demeanour changed. “What happened?” “Someone crossed the eastern boundary during the night. The patrol found tracks leading toward the old ruins.” “Whose tracks?” Jeremiah hesitated. “We’re not certain. But there was a scent on the ground that we haven’t encountered in years.” Xavier’s hand curled into a fist. “Blackthorn?” “Possibly.” My stomach tightened at the name. Eleanor had whispered it on the telephone, and the letter had warned us to stay away from Blackthorn territory. “What is Blackthorn?” I asked. Both men turned toward me. Jeremiah’s expression became guarded, but Xavier answered. “Another wolf bloodline. Once, they were allies of this pack. That changed after a conflict involving our families.” “What kind of conflict?” “The kind that left people dead and secrets buried.” He looked at Jeremiah. “Find Edward. Double the patrols, and no one enters the eastern woods alone.” Jeremiah nodded and disappeared. Xavier turned back to me. “You and Shayna need to remain here until we understand what is happening.” I folded my arms. “There it is again.” He closed his eyes briefly, as though asking the moon for patience. “Lisa, I’m asking you to stay because someone may be looking for you.” “Then tell me who and why.” “I don’t have all the answers yet.” “Then stop expecting me to trust you with half of them.” He looked at me for a long moment before nodding once. “Fair enough. I’ll tell you what I can, and I won’t ask you to believe something without giving you a reason.” I wanted to remain angry, but there was something sincere in his voice that made it difficult. “I’ll stay for now,” I said. “Not because you told me to, but because I want answers.” “That’s fair.” He opened the study door, and we returned to the entrance hall, where Shayna was standing beside Edward, arguing with him over a map. “I’m simply saying,” Shayna declared, “that if your security system allows mysterious strangers to wander around your forest, perhaps it isn’t a very good security system.” Edward pointed at a marked section of the map. “The boundary has held for decades.” “And yet someone crossed it.” “Which is why we’re investigating.” “Excellent. I look forward to your report titled How We Failed to Notice Someone Walking Into Our Woods.” Jake was leaning against a nearby pillar, laughing so hard that he had to wipe his eyes. Edward noticed Xavier and straightened. “The patrols are being organised. We’ve found another set of tracks near the northern trail.” Xavier’s expression hardened. “Another?” Edward nodded. “And there’s something else.” He glanced at Shayna, then at me. “The tracks lead toward the old ruins, but they stop abruptly. As though whoever left them simply vanished.” A cold shiver travelled down my spine. For one impossible moment, I remembered the black wolf disappearing between the trees without leaving a sound. I looked toward the windows, where the forest stretched beyond the grounds, dark and endless beneath the afternoon sky. Something was out there. Something connected to our arrival, our parents, and the secrets buried in our blood. I could feel it watching us. Then, from somewhere deep within the forest, a howl rose into the air. Every wolf in the estate fell silent. Xavier turned toward the sound, and I watched his face change from guarded concern to something far more dangerous. His eyes met mine. “Stay close to Shayna,” he said quietly. “Why?” I whispered. “Because I think the people who came looking for you have finally found the trail.” And as the howl echoed through the trees a second time, I realised that whatever had begun in the forest the night before was no longer waiting for us to discover it. It was coming for us.