Midnight Moon's new Luna

Chapter 9 - Midnight Moon

Vera

Turns out, Caleb was very efficient. He came to find me the very next day when I was sitting in the cafeteria, eating lunch.

“That lasagna looks good.”

I looked up to see him taking a chair across the table from me, holding a steaming mug of coffee.

“It’s not. It's dry and tasteless,” I said.

“I’ll have you try Pearl’s lasagna once we get to Midnight Moon. Pearl’s head of the kitchen in the packhouse, and she’s a great chef.”

“How did you know we would agree? My mom could have refused, or I could have changed my mind.”

“Did you change your mind?” He asked with a raised eyebrow, voice implying he really didn’t think I had.

“No…” I muttered. “So it’s possible? You can treat my mom there?”

“Yes, if the both of you want to.”

I nodded. “When can we go?”

“I’ve had to send for some equipment,” he said. “It should be there in two days. But we should be able to go today. Your mother’s next cycle of chemotherapy is still a week away. We have everything we need to care for her until then. Her doctor is sending her files to our doctor as we speak.”

“Today? That’s very sudden.”

“I know. But I have to get back to my pack. I should have been back yesterday. I suppose you could come later, but I'd very much like for both of you to come with me. Would that be possible?”

“I suppose so,” I said. “I’ll have to speak to mom, and pack everything. Not that we brought much here in the first place, and most of our stuff is still in the suitcases.”

“Go speak to your mother then. I’ll arrange transportation.”

As soon as he was done speaking, he stood up and walked away, as if he was sure I would do just as he'd said. Who did he think he was?

He’s an Alpha, Nadya said. He’s used to having people do as he says. At least he asked if we were willing to come.

I supposed that was true, but it still irked me.

I ate some more of my lasagna, but I didn’t finish it. Like I’d told him, it was dry. Then it was time to, once again, talk to mom. And if she agreed, pack our suitcases.

“Hey mom,” I said when I reached her room, “do you think you could be ready to leave today?”

A few hours later, we met up with Caleb in the lobby. I was pushing my mom in a wheelchair, and she had her bag in her lap, while I was dragging mine on its wheels awkwardly behind me.

“Hello Vera, Mrs. Jones,” he said. “Let me take those.” He took both of the suitcases and led us out to a black SUV. We managed to get one of the suitcases and the wheelchair into the trunk. It was a cheap, very simple wheelchair, but it was all we needed. My mom could walk, but she tired quickly. She got into the back seat, along with the other suitcase. It seemed that Caleb was going to drive us himself. For some reason, I'd expected him to have a chauffeur. With him in the driver's seat, that left the passenger seat for me.

We started the car ride in silence, but something soon occurred to me. Why had I not thought to ask about it before now?

“Will we be safe there?” I asked. “I mean your Beta was injured. And you said something about a neighboring pack attacking yours.”

“What’s this?” My mother asked. I must have forgotten to tell her. So much had happened in the last few days.

“I wouldn't have invited you if I thought there was any real danger,” he said calmly. “As long as you stay close to town or the packhouse you'll be fine, and keep away from the border. All attacks take place there. They are testing our defenses, looking for weak spots. But they have never been able to get more than a kilometer or so inside the border.”

“Why are you under attack?” My mom asked, she sounded worried, and I didn't blame her. She was in a vulnerable state, weak as she was.

Do you really think that's why she’s worried? Nadya asked me.

“Why else would she sound like that?” I thought at her.

I'm just saying, she doesn't seem like the type to worry about herself much.

“I'm not letting you take my daughter anywhere, where she won't be safe. Tell me what's going on.” Her voice was firm as she spoke.

See?

“Guess you were right,” I said silently.

“It started half a year ago, in late March,” Caleb began. “A girl came running into our lands, and when she encountered a border patrol, she yelled for asylum. She was young, unarmed, and visibly in rough shape. So they split up, and two of the worries took her to the packhouse, where she told me what had happened at Snow Moon Pack.

“Their previous Alpha had suddenly died some weeks earlier. And he didn't have a son to take his place.”

“It's pretty clear what should happen in such a situation,” Mom broke in. “The Beta stepped into the role. At least temporary, probably forever.”

“You're right,” Caleb said. “He should have been the next in line. The previous Alpha had a daughter, and it's possible she could have become Luna when she came of age, if she found a good mate. But Alphas’ daughters are often mated to other Alphas. So it's likely she'd have to move to his pack, whoever he turned out to be.”

I nodded. That exact thing had happened in our own pack last year. Our Alpha and Luna had been very sad to see their daughter go, but also very proud and happy to see that the goddess had blessed her with a good mate.

Caleb continued his story. “With the previous Alpha dead, and his daughter still so young, the Beta should have been next in line. But several prominent pack members stepped forward, and said that the Beta was unfit for the roll. They meant that the Gamma was much better suited.”

“Obviously the previous Alpha didn't think so,” I said.

Caleb shook his head in agreement. “But nonetheless, he got the position of Alpha of Snow Moon Pack. I don't know him well, but he's a cruel man, I can tell you that much. If he got the role due to bribery or threats, I don't know. I suspect he used both.”

“But how can the rest of the pack accept a man like that?” I asked.

“They didn't have much choice. Like I said, he's a bad man, and they’re afraid of him. And he still has the support of those who first backed him as Alpha.”

“But what does all of this have to do with Midnight Moon?” Mom insisted.

“Alpha Cedric is obsessed with the fact that he doesn't have true Alpha blood. He took a chosen mate when he took the role of Alpha, the old Luna. Probably to legitimize his claim to the position. She was the old Alpha’s second chance mate, and stepmother to his daughter, Julia. Julia’s mother died when she was still a toddler. Now he has gotten the idea in his head that he needs to infuse his bloodline with Alpha blood.”

It took a moment before I understood where he was going. And when it hit me, I felt sick to my stomach.

“Oh no…” I breathed. I could see darkness in his face. A boiling rage just underneath the surface. I did not want to be on the other end when that anger broke loose.

“Yes. When Julia realized he wasn't letting her stay in the packhouse out of respect or kindness, or even because he thought to take her in as a stepdaughter, she came running. She asked us for asylum, and I promised her our protection. She's only fourteen years old.”

Disgusting! Nadya barked in my mind. I could only agree.

We fell into silence once more, as the car took us further and further north. Eventually, I grew tired of watching the forest go by. I loved trees, but you can only look at so many pines and birches before they all start looking the same. I must have fallen asleep at some point, because the next thing I knew, we were pulling to a stop.

“Here we are,” Caleb said. “The Midnight Moon packhouse. Mrs. Jones, I'll take you to the hospital tomorrow. You can stay the night in a guestroom. I promise, they are very comfortable.”

“If she's sleeping in a guestroom,” I asked, “where will I stay?”

Maybe we'll get the pleasure of spending the night with him, Nadya chuckled. I pointedly ignored her.

“I called ahead,” he said. “One of the spare bedrooms upstairs has been prepared for you.”

I stepped out of the car and took my first good look at the packhouse. In the light of the setting sun, it was beautiful.

Larger than the packhouse back at home, the white walls were covered in places by vines. Many of the leaves were still green, but the autumn had painted some of them a brilliant red. It was three floors high, with the top floor smaller than the others and balconies running around most of it. And the gardens outside. Everywhere I looked, I saw carefully tended plants, and I thought I could hear the sound of running water somewhere.

While I'd been staring, Caleb had helped my mother into her wheelchair and gotten our luggage. “Shall we go inside?”