The moon's favourite lovers

Introductions

November 21st 2000

Farrahs pov...

Illios slept most of the way, but each time he woke, he screamed and cried for his Dada. I worked hard to put on a brave face for my son and the Gamma couple accompanying us, but inside, my wolf howled mournfully. The absence of our mate sapped all the strength from my human body and mind.

The journey felt incredibly long, yet it took only 30 minutes to reach the borders of The Moon Gazers Pack. We pulled over, and a guard approached the car. I opened the window to speak with him: "Hello, I am Luna Farrah, and this is my Gamma couple, Chris and Sarah, from The Moon Seekers Pack. We are here to see Alpha Samuel; he is expecting us." The guard mind-linked his Alpha to confirm our arrival. Receiving confirmation, he smiled, waved us through, and said, "Yes, he is expecting you. Make a left at the end of this road and keep going; the Alpha will be waiting at the pack-house. You can't miss it."

We reached the pack-house 15 minutes later. It was a beautiful, four-storey mansion, pristine white with a red-tile roof and red-painted shutters and doors, all encircled by a wraparound porch. In front of the mansion was a semi-circular driveway featuring a gorgeous wolf-howling fountain nestled within a medium-sized pond.

We stepped out of the car when a massive white German Shepherd came streaking toward us, barking furiously. A shrill whistle and the command, "Prince, heel!" rang out, and the dog screeched to a halt only inches in front of me. He then whined, tucked his tail, and scurried back over to the man I assumed was Alpha Samuel.

Alpha Samuel came jogging over 'I'm so sorry Prince scared you guys like that, I'm just starting on his training, he's very young and full of energy' he laughs, he's so handsome and smells so good, like peppermintandhot chocolate, it makes my mouth water, I step forward with my hand out for a shake 'I'm Luna Farrah, well I was before my Beta killed my Alpha and husband yesterday, so I guess you can just call me Farrah' he reaches out to shake my hand, the electric jolt vibrating on my hand and quickly coming to rest in my core, my underwear dampens and the scent of my arousal is in the air.

I quickly flinched away from the contact; it felt deeply disconcerting to find another mate a mere day after losing Darren—my fated mate, husband, love, and best friend. Tears pooled in my eyes; I tried desperately to hold them back, but they fell nonetheless. My new mate looked on with a worried expression as I started to sob. Sarah pulled me close, and I wept onto her shoulder, while Chris stepped forward to introduce himself and Sarah to Alpha Samuel.

"Please give Farrah some time, Alpha Samuel; she is grieving," Chris said. "They were fated mates and very much in love. As the Gamma couple, we will be here for Farrah and the little man, who is still sleeping in the car."

Chris moved to check on Illios, but I called out to him, "Chris, please wake him up, or he won't sleep tonight otherwise."

Then, turning my attention to Alpha Samuel, I stated, "I hope we can rely on your help; we have revenge to plan and our pack to get back."

"You can definitely rely on me and my pack," he said, his eyes sparkling as he gestured towards the entrance. "We will be glad to help. Come inside, and I'll show you to your rooms."

We stepped inside, leaving the crisp air behind for the warmth of the pack-house. As promised, Alpha Samuel showed us to two comfortable-looking rooms down a long hallway, informing us the pack ate together at six and we were welcome to join. The offer of food brought my own hunger pangs to the forefront of my mind, a stark reminder of how little I had eaten since yesterday's tragedy. I thanked him, and he smiled warmly, leaving us to settle in.

Once inside our assigned room, Chris and Sarah helped me bring the still-tearful Illios in from the car. We laid him on one of the large beds, and Sarah began to unpack some of his things, including his favorite stuffed wolf, which brought a moment of calm to his otherwise frantic state. I sat beside him, stroking his hair, the scent of Samuel that still lingered on my hand a confusing and unwelcome sensation in my time of mourning.

I knew I couldn't wallow in this grief for long; I had a son to raise and a pack to avenge. Wiping my eyes with the back of my hand, I stood up, feeling a renewed sense of purpose. "We will wash up and be down for dinner," I said to Sarah, "then we can begin to discuss strategy with the Alpha." My resolve solidified; the path ahead would be difficult, but I wouldn't walk it alone.

A few hours later, having refreshed ourselves and settled Illios, we made our way to the dining hall. The room was buzzing with activity, filled with the cheerful chatter and hearty laughter of the Moon Gazers pack members as they enjoyed their evening meal. The sight of a healthy, thriving pack, a community so like the one I had just lost, brought a fresh wave of sorrow, but I quickly pushed it down.

We found a table toward the back of the hall, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible in our black clothing and solemn demeanor. It wasn’t long, however, before Alpha Samuel spotted us from across the room and made his way over, balancing a plate piled high with food and a tall glass of milk. "I thought you might need some sustenance," he said with a kind smile as he placed the plate in front of me and sat down, immediately drawing the curious, but respectful, attention of his pack members.

"Thank you," I murmured, grateful for the gesture and the opportunity to focus on something other than my swirling emotions. I picked up my fork, the scent of the home-cooked meal a welcome distraction. As I ate, Alpha Samuel began to ask subtle, gentle questions about our journey and our current situation, his tone empathetic and his focus entirely on us. It was clear he was a leader who cared deeply for others, which only reinforced my hope that we had come to the right place for help.

"How is the little one doing?" he asked softly, glancing towards the sleeping Illios, whom I had thankfully been able to put down for the night in our room before coming down for dinner. I swallowed a mouthful of stew, my eyes prickling with tears once more at the mention of my son's distress. "He's asleep for now," I managed to say, my voice trembling slightly. "He's having a very hard time with... everything." Samuel's expression softened further, a silent pledge of support passing between us that provided a small, much-needed comfort in the vast ocean of my grief.