Moon's Fury; The Wolfless Mate

CHAPTER 2

The forest floor rustled under Becky's steps, each step a painful memorial of her failure. The air, generally filled with the scent of pine and damp earth, smelled stale and heavy, mirroring the weight in her heart. It was nearly dusk, and the shadows stretched long and threatening, much like the shadows that now impeded over her future. She had walked back from the Whispering Glade, the sacred clearing where every Silverfang member, on their 18th birthday, embarked on their transformation into their wolf form. A ritual of passage, a defining moment, and for Becky, a crushing disappointment.

Her fingers traced the rough balk of a gnarled oak tree, a familiar gesture that always brought a sense of comfort, a connection to the ancient wisdom of the woods. But at that moment, the trees felt indifferent to her plight. Her twentieth birthday had actualized brightly, filled with the implied expectation of the transformation that would bind her to her lineage, to her pack, the Silverfangs. But as the sun had dipped towards the horizon, the change had not come. There was no c******g sensation, no unforeseen swell of power, no comforting warmth spreading through her blood. Just nothing.

Her eyes, red and swollen from unshed tears, glanced towards the faint figure of the Silverfang pack house, a sprawling structure of rough-hewn gravestone and timber that had been home for as long as she could remember. A surge of depression washed over her. The weight of her failure, the disappointment she felt for herself and her pack, the fear of the unknown, each pressed down on her, threatening to crush her.

Becky stumbled through the final stretch of trees, her feet heavy and her breath ragged. She pushed open the heavy oak door of her room, the familiar scent of wood and leather hitting her like a physical blow. She threw herself onto her bed, her body pulsing with a mixture of grief and terror.

The tears eventually came, slinging down her cheeks, hot and grim. She cried for the wolf within her, the wolf that had no way awakened. She cried for the future she had envisioned, a future where she'd stand beside Alpha Karl, her mate, her protector, her leader. She cried for the acceptance she now knew she'd no way have.

The tears subsided, replaced by a numb and hopeless pang. She knew she wouldn't be able to face her pack again. She knew clearly what she would now be facing. She closed her eyes, allowing sleep to claim her, hoping for a respite from the pain and from the crushing weight of her reality.

As darkness enveloped her, her mind drifted into a dream. She saw Alpha Karl, but his eyes held a cruel glint, a mocking expression. He laughed, a cold sound, and with a voice trickling with vernom. He said, "You are not a wolf, Becky. You are just a shadow, a forgotten echo. You do not belong here. Go, find your place among the shadows. This is where the real wolves are."

The laugh echoed in her ears, the pain of his words searing her soul. She jolted awake, heaving for air, the sweat sticking to her skin, the dream's image burned into her memory.

A slow, steady knock on her door broke through the silence. Becky sat up, her heart pounding in her chest.

She took a deep breath, trying to steady the trembling in her hand as she reached for the door handle.

The message, a wiry young man with eyes that held an uncomfortable mixture of pity and sympathy, informed her in a cropped tone. "You're summoned to the pack house. The Council of Elders wishes to speak with you." He announced and Becky nodded, her throat constricted, her voice lost.

The messenger, without uttering another word, turned and left, leaving Becky alone with the heavy dread that had come as her constant companion. She had been dreading this moment, trying to push it down, but it had arrived at last.

She spent the following minutes preparing herself. She showered trying to wash down the residue of her despair. She changed into her finest clothes, trying to project an air of confidence, of defiance, even though she was worsening from within. She ran her fingers through her hair, trying to constrain the stubborn hair.

As she walked towards the pack house, her steps echoed in the stillness of the streets, each beating a metronome counting down the seconds to her fate. The pack house loomed before her as a true testament to the strength and might of the Silverfang pack, a symbol of everything she had always wanted to be a part of, a symbol of everything she was now fated to be barred from.

The heavy rustic door creaked open, revealing the council chamber. The council table was massive and carved from ancient oak, its face scarred with the passage of time and etched with the stories of numerous meetings.

Seated around the table were the faces of the elderly, the faces she had always looked up to, the faces that now held her future in their hands. There was Alpha Karl, his face stern, his eyes filled with an undecipherable emotion, a mixture of disappointment and perhaps, just perhaps, a splinter of pity. Beside him sat Beta Brian, his face Stoic, his eyes fixed on the table, his expression undecipherable.

Also, there were the Elders, the men who held the wisdom and weight of generations. Elder Sebastian, the oldest, his face old and wrinkled with his eyes filled with a deep, knowing sadness. Elder Angus, his body bent with age, his eyes twinkling with a mixture of wisdom and anguish. Elder Dan, his face etched with the lines of numerous moons, his eyes reflecting the wisdom of a life devoted to the pack. Elder Pius, his eyes holding a hint of hope, as if he still believed there was a hint of possibility for her. Elder Henry, his face stern, his eyes reflecting the unvarying devotion to the pack. Elder Ronald, his face filled with a quiet sadness, his eyes reflecting his own sense of loss. And Elder William, his face grave, his eyes reflecting the weight of his responsibility.

Alpha Karl cleared his throat, his voice reverberating through the chamber. "Becky, you have been summoned here because of the unfortunate circumstances causing your transformation. The Council of Elders has meditated on this matter, and we've reached a decision," he said.

He broke, allowing the words to hang in the air, each one a hammer blow to Becky's heart.

Elder Sebastian began, his voice raspy and worn. "The Silverfang pack has always been a pack of the strong, a pack of strength, a pack of werewolves. Every Silverfang member is bound by the wolf within them, by the spirit of the pack. Still, your failure to transfigure." He faltered, his eyes filled with a mixture of anguish and disappointment. "Your failure to transfigure has left you outside the pack, outside the spirit we share. You're an anomaly, a diversion from the natural order. This has caused uneasiness and queries within the pack, and it has lowered the strength of our pack," Sebastian said.

Becky tried to speak, to defend herself, but the words choked in her throat. She could only nod, a small, helpless gesture.

Elder Angus spoke next, his voice low and meaningful. "We understand that this is a delicate time for you, but the pack must come first. Your presence here, despite your incapability to transfigure, weakens the pack, undermines our strength, and risks disturbing the delicate balance. We have no choice but to..."

His voice trailed off, leaving Becky hanging, her mind racing, her heart pounding.

"The council has decided." Alpha Karl stated, his voice hard, his eyes filled with a mixture of remorse. "The pack won't be able to offer you sanctuary or protection. You're hereby exiled from the Silverfang pack." He said.

The words, like icy shards, pierced her heart. Exiled. Banished. She was no longer a Silverfang member.

The others, the Elders, the Beta, all echoed their agreement, their voices a chorus of agreement. Alpha Karl, his face etched with pain, looked directly at her, his eyes filled with a mixture of guilt and sadness. "I wish things could be different, Becky. I wish there was another way. But the pack must come first. We can not allow your presence to disrupt our order. You have 24 hours to leave the pack." He declared.