The Blood of the Moon

A dream. Sebastian looked at the sky, it was a usual hunt day for him and his blood brother. But the sky looked different – for a sunny day, the moon was still showing. It could be because the full moon had just ended. But still, why is it so clear? It looks like it is watching him. Maybe it’s the moon goddess or it could be nothing. Today was a challenging day to hunt, his mind was hazy. Something was calling out to him - a voice, an intuition , a feeling but he just couldn’t put a sense to it.    As they approached the clearing, the scent hit him.   It was like sudden rain on a meadow, the smell of freshly cut grass during summer. It was laced with sickeningly sweet honey and vanilla that you can't get out of your head. His mind went blank while he walked to the edge of the clearing to inspect what was making him and his wolf lose their mind.   There she was- under the rays of the sun, walking at the clearing and picking up wildflowers. She looks so beautiful and so pure. He heard her heartbeat as she was mindlessly walking and enjoying the summer sun. He had the sudden urge to run and jump on her, smell and kiss her and even make love to her.   As sudden as her scent had hit him, he also felt his wolf's warning -there was danger. He saw a bear slowly walk to her; it was like it was also mesmerized by her smell. Sebastian didn't have time to think, against all the concord - he changed into his wolf and jumped in the clearing towards the bear. His mind only had one thing running - he had to save her. His mate.   He jumped over her and on top of the bear, biting the neck and everything he can put his canines on. He had to kill it or else it will hurt his love. He doesn’t even know what is happening to him. His mind and heart just know and feel that he has found his mate even if she is not even a wolf like him.   As soon as the bear was dead, Sebastian looked for the girl. Rightfully so, her scared face had made his heart stop. She was so shocked that she was crying while on her knees. Sebastian changed into his human form and walked slowly towards her.   “Please do not be afraid, my love. I had to save you. He was going to hurt you”   Sebastian felt those words were the only things he can say even though he thought he might be perceived to be creepy by this woman who just saw him kill a bear and change from wolf to a human.   She whispered, “Please don’t hurt me” and even with the tiniest of whispers he heard the fear in her voice. She was shaking and he wanted nothing more than to hug her. The pull was making everything difficult for him. He had to be near her. He had to smell her. He had to kiss her.   A few seconds had passed, and the girl had calmed down. That’s when he knew, she is his mate. It was that calming force when you are near your love. He sat down a few feet from her and asked, “What’s your name?”   She looked at him with eyes opened wide, “My name is Amaris. Am I dreaming? Why can’t I wake up? Why do I want to be near you?”   Sebastian just looked at her, he had to tame his wolf and to slow down his heartbeat. He was having a hard time controlling his wolf, Koa.   “Will you kill me too?”   That snapped him out of his internal struggle. “I will never hurt you and I will always protect you. You are my mate. You are my one true love” He knew his words would overwhelm her, but he had to say it. Even Koa was fighting with him, they both need and want her now.   Amaris had so many questions especially when he called her his mate. She repeated his words, “Mate. I am your mate? What do you mean?”   Sebastian had nodded, “If you come with me, I can explain everything. Even that feeling you have that you want to be near me.”   Amaris wanted to be close to him, touch him and smell him. There was something about the man she was talking to that was making her feel complete. A feeling she had yearned for so long. She stood up and walked slowly towards Sebastian. He felt so right. She saw him reach out for her and just welcome her into his arms. She had her hands on his bare chest, feeling his warm skin. She was engulfed in his smell, it was different. He smelled sweet and she wanted more of it. She had put her arms around his neck and slowly looked at his face - chiseled jaws, furry brows, head full of brownish hair and his lips - she wanted to kiss him.   As he reached for her chin, he suddenly stopped - his face started to crumple, and his mouth opened wide. She felt something dripping wet on her arm, as she looked at it, she screamed, Sebastian was just shot with an arrow and it hit just beside her elbow. She felt him slipping away from her, his body just slumped on the grass. She screamed out to him as his eyes just closed and his hands slipped away from her.   Sebastian felt a cold and hard rock hit him, it was nothing and then painful at the same time. It burned his whole body. He was just looking at the love of his life, why does he feel so much pain. He just saw a silver arrow on his chest, the pain was indescribable. It was searing and freezing at the same time. It was like changing into wolf but make it a thousand times more painful. He saw Amaris’ face full of tears and heard her screams and everything just turned to black.