The Blood Moon Turned Gold (Book 1)

If I rubbed my head any harder I was sure the wrinkles were going to permanently set in so I decided to take a break from all of the paperwork and grab a drink from the bar cart. I poured the amber colored liquid in the small glass and headed over to the window. The horizon was covered with thick fog and I just sighed. I was hoping the fog before the festival but it hasn't shown any signs of budging. just as I took a long gulp I heard the knob to my office turn. It was my beta and from his extra quiet entrance I knew he was coming to tell me more bad news. " Alpha, sorry to interrupt but your son was found in the Silver Moon Pack Territory and they are bringing him back now. he was found with a girl but the young lady is not his mate." I closed my eyes so tight that I thought that when I finally opened them everything would be different, but they weren't. "Okay when he is returned make sure he is brought straight to me and make sure the Luna is informed of his little... adventure." he bowed his head and scurried quickly from the room closing the door behind him. My Beta Caesar and I haven't been close since high school when I found my Luna. I always assumed he was jealous of us and he became irritable all the time. But the older we got I began feeling sorry for him because he never found his own mate. I would watch him as he looked at us longingly. Things seemed to get better between us when the Luna and I separated but it was still just business between us. Caesar was a strange and sometimes cruel man. I had to on many occasions stop him from torturing or worse to some of the omegas. It had been a few years since his last attack and seemed to have slowed down over the years. I swallowed the rest of my drink and I sat back down at my desk. I have been thinking about what to do for a while now and my decision was becoming clearer and clearer. I know with the behavior my son is displaying I cannot leave my pack to him but I would be a fool to think I could just tell him that without having a least one attempt on my life he is 20 but he shows no promise. I had once thought about leaving the pack to my daughter, I wouldn't have been the first Alpha to do so but since she turned 16 about 3 years ago something changed and she hasn't talked or came out of her room since. I wished that I knew what caused this but she wont speak to anyone and I am broken behind . I mean other than my children growing older there is no reason to retire just yet. The Luna and I hadn't shared a bed in 19 years, since we conceived our baby girl. So there I was, the Alpha of one of the weaker packs in North America, in a loveless marriage, with 2 children who seem to be damage beyond repair. I have been trying to turn things around for years now and nothing has worked so lately I have been looking outside of our pack for help. Recently in a dinner with the Alpha King, I had a little too much to drink and told him all my troubles. Besides the embarrassment I felt in the morning for being so vulnerable, he kindly gave me the number of a mage saying he thinks it could help. I've been staring at the number for a week now wondering if I wanted to take my shame any further by calling. I looked at the bar cart for a few seconds and contemplated if I should pour another drink and then as if I switched my mind off I picked up the phone and just dialed. It didn't even ring when and old hard and irritated voice picked up on the other end "Alpha Titus took you long enough, let's just skip the pleasantries as I already know what ails you. I am Mage Rafi and I will help you free of charge." I started to ask why she was so willing to help me but she quickly cut me off "let's leave it at helping you helps me shall we? No need to ask any more silly questions, as I sense your son is on his way to your office. I will meet you at the Blood Moon festival in 3 days time." And just like that she hung up the phone. I stared at it for a second but then my door opened so I rushed to put the phone away. I watched as my son shuffled to the velvet green chair in front of my large oak desk. and as usual not a scratch on his head. He was looking down avoiding eye contact and waiting for me to lay into him like I always did but this time my mind was elsewhere and I had no tolerance for him and his sorry excuses today. "I have nothing to say to you. You can leave." I said in a bored unamused tone. His head shot up and his green eyes didn't hide the fact he was surprised he wasn't getting a lecture. He started blinking rapidly and making weird sounds as if he was trying to form words. I raised my hand up at him to make the sounds stop and thank god he did because they were annoying. " I said you may go Roman ." He jumped out of his chair and bolted for the door. I was glad to have my peace once more. After a few more hours I finished up my work with my mind still analyzing what the strange old Mage said on the phone. I dragged my feet to my room making sure to take the long way to avoid seeing anybody. I mindlinked my favorite omega Julianna to send up my dinner and took a shower. by the time I was done she was just placing it on the table. I always found it weird how I felt when I looked at her it seemed inappropriate seeing how I already found my mate. Yet her face always made me feel better, before I could acknowledge her she raced out of the bedroom mumbling about work that still needing to be done. I pulled on pajamas and ate alone watching reruns of Good Times. I put the dinner cart outside my door and went to sleep.