Shadow Moon: Secrets

Ceremonial Trouble

Scarlett POV

                The chatter of the crowd echoed around us all as we gathered on the platform in front of the entire pack. There were so many people standing out in front of me. I couldn’t help but feel a little nervous. I may have grown up in this pack but standing in front of at least 400 people was far too much for my liking. I took a deep breath steadying myself and tried to mimic my mother’s posture. Shoulders back, head held up high as I gazed at the sea of wolves before us. Most of them were in human form, although there were a few already in their wolf forms.

                 “Can we get this show going already? I’m so ready!” Deva howled in my head. She wanted to run. She had made that point insanely all week, not understanding our packs tradition.

                “Soon enough. There will be a speech, and we’ll shift with Carter, then there’s a run with the pack and you can have all the fun you want. “I reminded her.

                Alpha Nolan stepped forward, standing in front of us on the platform. We stood to his left. The Beta family stood to his right. And his family stood at his back. “Welcome, Shadow Moon!” His voice boomed in the all too familiar Alpha voice. He was drawing the crowd’s attention to get the festivities started.

                “First off, I would like to thank our guests for joining us on this celebratory day. Our alliances are just as important to us as our own members. You are more than friends; you are an extension of our pack. Welcome to our home and thank you for helping us to celebrate the introduction of our future Alpha, my son, Carter Grey. As well as the introduction of our future Gamma, Scarlett Blake!” Alpha Nolan’s voice boomed seeming to echo across the crowd. There were cheers and howls amongst the group. He turned to face the ranked families raising his arms to indicate to Carter and me that we step forward. I took a few steps until I stood before the Alpha, Carter stood directly in front of me.

                “Tonight, we formally welcome you both into the ranks of the Shadow Moon pack. Blessed by the moon goddess herself. By the light of the moon, with the blessing of the moon goddess, we welcome you to announce your formal acceptance of Shadow Moon as your pack. By accepting this pack as your own you are swearing to stand by and protect your pack with no doubts or hesitation. You are promising to hold the life of your pack above all else. Carter, Scarlett do you swear your allegiance to our pack under the blessing of the moon goddess herself?”

                “On my honor. “Carter spoke solemnly bowing his head.

                I bowed my own head repeating the words. “On my honor.” We turned to face the crowd once more before Alpha Nolan began to speak again.

                “Shadow Moon, I introduce you to your future Alpha, Carter Grey, and your future Gamma Scarlett Blake. May they both share with us the blessings of the Goddess herself. May they grow and prosper and carry on the traditions of our pack!”

                There were more cheers and howls erupting from the crowd. A couple of omegas walked on the stage handing Carter and I each a white cloak like robe. Now was the part I was most nervous for. We would shift in front of the entire pack. The first shift was said to be the most painful and could take anywhere from minutes to hours. I cradled the cloak looking nervously over at my parents.

                “Don’t worry, have trust in me and the shift will go fine, little one. It will hurt but only for a moment.” For once Deva’s voice was soft, reassuring to me. I believed her.

                Carter and I were both ushered back behind the stage where makeshift changing rooms had been thrown together. I walked into mine undressing completely before encasing myself in the warm white cloak the omega had handed me earlier. I took a moment to gather myself before returning to the stage. Carter was already standing there. I gave him a nervous smile.

                Alpha Nolan raised his arms. “Shadow Moon! As tradition states we will join Carter and Scarlett in a pack run after they have completed their first shift. Those of you that have been blessed and received your wolves already will be invited to shift and run after their transition has completed.” He smiled proudly to both of us.

                I knelt to my knees on the stage. I watched Carter do the same before we both turned our focus to the moon. Closing my eyes, I could feel an almost pins and needles like sensation enveloping my body. It started off mildly at first before the feeling became more intense. It was almost a burning feeling now. Then it happened, I felt the first bone snap and shift positions. Tears escaped my eyes as I yelped out like a wounded pup.

                Let go. Let me take control. Deva coached in my head.

                I hadn’t even realized I was struggling against the pain. I took slow breaths trying to embrace it. Another bone snapped and I fell forward. Another and another broke and changed positions. I was losing focus, my vision blurry with tears. The pain seared through me. After a while though it felt as though it had become a part of me. I did everything I could to just focus on my breathing no longer caring that I was screaming out.

                The transition felt like it took forever, the cloak I had been worn was tattered in pieces around me. My vision was coming back slowly as I realized I was lower to the ground. I could see the crowd more clearly. I looked down gasping mentally at the snow-white fur I was seeing. White wolves were extremely rare. I hadn’t ever seen one before.

                “I told you we were special. “Deva smirked in our combined mind.

                “You didn’t tell me we were white!” I yelled at her.

                “We are blessed, little one. “She repeated the same sentiment she’d been trying to get through to me all week.  

                I looked over at where Carter had been. His large black wolf looked menacing. Deva walked over to Evan we stood eye to eye. How could that be? I couldn’t be the same size as Carter. He was the Alpha. Had what they suspected been true? Was I really an Alpha as well?

                Evan howled, and a moment later Deva joined in. Soon the rest of the crowd was howling with us. It was time for the run. I moved back in my mind allowing Deva to take full control and she flanked Evan’s left side. Running in the position of the gamma. Soon enough Riley would be on his right.

                Our wolves ran the perimeter of the pack before being allowed to disperse to eat, drink and visit. Deva and I weren’t ready to join the crowd yet. She raced through the trees yipping and nipping at things. Content to play by herself. She slowed and stopped at the hot spring, staring down at the water. It was only at that moment that I finally understood what she had meant by we’re special. In the reflect of the water I saw a large white wolf. As big as any Alpha. With a black crescent moon marking between the brightest green eyes, I had ever seen. Markings weren’t unusual, but this one nearly looked painted on.

                “We are a blessed wolf. And now that we have shifted, you will soon see the gifts we hold. “Deva explained.

                “How are we blessed? Gifts? Seriously Deva, you have to explain more.” I argued.

                “You will learn more in time as our gifts develop. I will be just as surprised as you will be, little one.” She said simply.

                I was about to argue with her more when I heard a twig snap. Deva twisted around; hackles raised. We hadn’t seen anyone follow us. There was a muddy brown wolf standing about twenty feet away. If it hadn’t been for the ease of night vision, I wouldn’t have noticed it. Deva sniffed heavily and snarled loudly making the bushes near us vibrate with the sound. She was challenging the wolf in front of us.

                “There’s a rogue by the hot spring!” I yelled through the mind link attempting to reach Carter, my father and Alpha Nolan. I didn’t know if it would work this far from them, but I had to hope they’d get my mental message.

Before I could attempt again Deva launched herself forward nipping for the rogue’s throat. The rogue had moved just barely in time, only to run and barrel into our side trying to knock us off balance. Deva recovered quickly and bounded a little way backwards before charging the rogue again, clamping her teeth on his leg and pulling viciously. The rogue yelped and whimpered pulling hard to try to get out of her grip. Deva clamped down harder and jerked her head from side to side. Her teeth ripping the hide clear off the rogue’s front leg before she lost her grip. Bouncing forward again she tried for his throat. She missed again, and even I started to scream when I felt the pain of the rogue clamping his teeth down on our right front leg. I slowed my breathing trying to focus on the rogue and watched as he flew back into a boulder. Deva pushing through the pain of our injured leg launched herself back at the rogue finally contacting its throat and effectively ripping it clear out. I could literally taste the copper of all the blood.

“They didn’t respond we have to get back to the packhouse! “I told Deva as my shock wore off. I could hear barking and howling behind us towards the packhouse. Maybe this wasn’t the only rogue. Deva didn’t bother to respond she bounded off racing back to the packhouse as quickly as she could on the injured leg. Pain could wait, my family couldn’t. As we got closer, we heard snarls and howls more clearly. Breaking through the tree line we saw a group of pack wolves had surrounded a group of at least 10 rogues. They were circling them and growling threateningly. I didn’t see Carter’s wolf or Alpha Nolan’s in the group watching them. Every so often a warrior would nip out at the rogues.

“These warriors have them under control. We need to find the other ranked members.” I told Deva. She stuck to the trees following the other commotions that we could hear. As we neared where the ceremony had been held my heart jumped into my throat as I watched a large rogue take down Alpha Nolan’s wolf. Deva raced forward trying to break through the wolves fighting around them. Trying to get as close to the Alpha as she could. He wasn’t getting back up. Once she got us closer, I focused on that wolf willing myself to throw him the same way I’d thrown the other two, and Carter once. I managed to hold the wolf to the ground. Not exactly what I was going for, but it worked as I saw Harry and Adrian’s wolves bounding towards us killing the rogue in question.

I had questions but they had to wait. Deva and I were trained to be a gamma, and that meant we needed to get the threats under control before we investigated anything. Deva moved us to check the Alpha, her large frame matching him in size as she stood over him. I couldn’t tell if he was alive or not. She whined lowering her head to lick at the likely fatal wounds around his neck.