The Waning Moon Of Pain

Chapter One:

Softly shaking her awake, Diana slowly blinks her heavy lids open, looking over at her father, a kind smile on his lips.

"We are about to enter Twin Moon packs territory. We will be arriving in thirty minutes at the pack house." He softly tells her.

She nods silently, sitting up stretching her stiff body for being stuck in this car for three hours straight. She will miss her family and pack, but she is hoping just like her father to find a new purpose, with a fresh new start in the Twin Moon pack. She won't join the pack right away and stay linked with hers until she believes she has found this new purpose.

Passing the Twin Moon packs border, she looks out the window at the large town ahead. She hasn't been here since she was only five years old, but it amazes her every time she sees it. It's a beautiful sight to see with the comfort of the town, surrounded by forest lands and mountains. It's still hard to believe sometimes that this town is just all wolves. On the outskirts of the town is the large mansion pack house the Alpha, betas, and their families stay at.

Her and her father will be staying at the pack house for a few months for her to get a feel of the place, see if it helps her mood. She hasn't been out much since she lost her mate, everywhere she went reminded her of Darius. It was just too painful to bear. Being here, in a similar but new place, already made her feel like she can breathe a little easier. The air didn't seem as thick here for her, being suffocated by her pain.

Jack looks over at his daughter and smiles, seeing a slight smile on the corner of her lips as she rolls the window down taking in the fresh air of the new place. Seeing this, made him more determined to help find her a place where she can start fresh here. He will miss his daughter deeply if she does join this pack, but he knows she will be safe here and happy. No wolf or father wishes the pain his daughter had to go through at such a young age, but he can't be more proud of her for holding on still. Most wolves that have lost their mate, do not usally survive much longer after.

Pulling up to the beautiful large mansion, Diana marveled at it in awe. She forgot how beautiful it is here, she can't wait to walk around and explore the place. She hasn't felt this nervous and excited in a long time. Her father parks the car out front, he steps out and hurries to her side to help her out.

Diana is a bit thin and lacking the proper strength these days, but she can manage simple light walks. She takes a second to stretch her stiffness out, leaning on her father. They hear others come out of the mansion to greet them.

"Alpha Jack! Diana! My old friends, it's great to see you both! How was the drive up?" Alpha Max asks them, walking with his wife and mate, Molly.

Diana gives a small smile, hugging this large man as he greets them. Max looks down at her, his hands resting gently on her shoulders looking at her with a kind smile. Max had a little bit of grey now in his brown hair, but other then that he looked just the same from when she last saw him. Standing six feet tall, brown chocolate eyes and a clean cut beard with some peppering.

"It's good to see you again Alpha Max. Thank you for letting us visit." Diana softly says with her sweet kind voice.

" You have grown into a strong beautiful woman, Diana." Max warmly says.

She smiles a little and turns to Molly giving her a warm hug. Molly is a bit shorter than Diana, about five five. Diana is five seven. She has soft golden brown hair that flows down to the middle of her back and bright hazel eyes. Max shakes her father's hand and they give each other a pat on the shoulder laughing.

"Come, let's go inside and relax. You both must be tired from your trip. Would you like to rest for a bit or are you okay to chat for a while?" Max asks them, walking in front of them with Molly at his side.

Diana holds on to her father's arm as they softly walk together up to the large mansion. The omega helpers of the mansion, get their things and carry them to the rooms they will be staying in. Max holds the door for them as they walk inside,

"You okay to talk for a while Diana or do you wish to rest?" Her father asks her.

She looks up at her father after she glances around the giant place, taking it all in. The place is always breathtaking and magnificent. With it's fine cherrywood furnishing and accents, a giant double entry staircase that reaches to the fifth floor, and her favorite, the bright sparkling chandelier that hangs above their heads high up from the ceiling.

"I have rested enough. I don't mind catching up and talking for a bit. I wouldn't mind a glass of water, if it's not too much trouble."

" It's no trouble at all dear. Let's have a seat in the front room here." Molly says warmly.

Max has an omega come over to have them get the water Diana wishes and then joins them in the front sitting area of the mansion. The whole place had the color theme of their pack colors, blue and white. It was a very calming color combination.

Sitting down on the sofa with her father next to her, Diana couldn't help notice a faint smell in the air that stuck out to her. It smelled like pine and mint and it seemed to linger all around the place, maybe just a refreshing scent they use in the place.

"Where is Alpha Ulric and Luna Freya. I was hoping to thank them for letting us visit and stay here for a few months." Diana asks, turning to Max and Molly sitting across from them.

"Alpha Ulric and Luna Freya are having a check up at the hospital. They will be back shortly to join us. They apologise for not being here to greet you." Max tells them.

Jack looks at them slightly concerned, " Check up at the hospital? Is everything alright?"

"Oh perfectly! I thought Max would have told you. Luna Freya is with pups. She is two months along and is having twins!" Molly says excitedly.

Diana subconsciously puts a hand on her stomach and her heart twists in pain for a second. She forces a small smile not wanting to be rude for their happiness,

"That's wonderful to hear. Congratulations." Diana says with a cheerful tone.

" That is fantastic news! They are truly blessed by the moon goddess." Jack says with joy.

Max and Molly smile warmly, their eyes soften a little looking over at Diana.

"If we may say...we are terribly sorry for your loss Diana." Molly softly says.

Diana gives them a strained smile, trying to ignore the ache from her mate's mark going through her body.

"Thank you. I am as well. I heard about Isaac, I'm sorry I was unable to be here for his funeral to show my respects." She says in a soft tone, wiping a tear from her cheek.

Her father wraps a warm arm around her to comfort her, gently rubbing her arm.

"You have no need to apologise for that Diana, you had your own troubles and need to think of your well being. We completely understand and Isaac would have too." Max warmly reassures her.

Diana softly nods, falling silent. She then scrunches her brows feeling her wolf Rin in her head shift a little. It is always strange when she feels her wolf just slightly once in a while. Rin cut her off when they lost their mate. She hasn't spoken a word to Diana in over a year, it is also why Diana is thin and weak still. Her wolf kept from connecting with her will make her weak.

She can sense that the smell in the air is what is making her wolf suddenly stir a bit, which wasn't normal. She glances around to see if she spots any candles or some type of device that puffs freshener in the room, but she sees nothing.

"You okay Diana, you seem troubled about something?" Her father asks her, seeing her glance around a bit confused.

" Oh it's uh nothing. There's this smell in the air that keeps catching my attention, I was just curious if it was from a candle or something in here." She calmly tells them.

The three of them look at each other slightly shocked, then confused,

"What is it you smell?" Max asks curiously.

She looks over at him, " Pine and mint. Do you guys smell it?"

They looked at each other again, they didn't smell such a thing in the air. Max and Molly also know they don't use any scented candles or air fresheners around the house. Before they could respond to their question, they heard the front door open and close.

"Welcome home Alpha and Luna." An omega says, greeting them at the door, taking their things.

Max stands leaving the room to greet them, "Alpha Ulric and Luna Freya, welcome back. Our guests are here, come greet them."

Diana stiffens at her father's side, the smell suddenly gets stronger in the air. Her father looks at her gently hugging her,

"Diana are you alright?" He asks worried as her eyes stay locked at the entrance of the room, gripping her hands tightly

Her wolf stirs some more in her which makes her heart pound in her chest. Max steps back into the room first, then Alpha Ulric and Luna Freya right behind him. Ulric had a confused look on his face, smelling something sweet in the air, like strawberries and Lavender.

His blue eyes trail to Diana on the couch, stopping in his tracks as he locks eyes with the most beautiful green eyes he has ever seen. His wolf Blake growls in his head loudly 'Mate!'

Diana felt like her heart just stopped in her chest, jumping up staring into those beautiful dark blue eyes. For the first time in a year her wolf speaks. She whimpers 'Mate' in her head and then howls out in a cry of pain and happiness. Diana's senses get overwhelmed, her eyes roll to the back of her head and faints. Last thing she remembers is that wonderful scent filling her nose, this comfortable warmth embracing her.

Ulric was across the room to her in seconds catching Diana before she fell seeing her suddenly faint. His handsome face filled with worry looking at his mate limp in his arms. What did he just say mate? He has a mate already, how can this be? Freya is his mate, not this woman.

'She's our mate too' Blake growls and then whimpers in worry for her.

"Ulric? What's going on? Why did you just call her yours?" Freya asks with a shaking voice, gently coming up behind him, resting a hand on his arm.

His blue eyes look over at his other beautiful mate. Confusion twisted in his brows looking at her. The mating bond between her and him is still there like it always has been.

"I...I don't know."

Jack was breathing heavy trying his best to stay calm watching this man holding his daughter tight to him,

"Alpha Ulric, please, she needs a doctor. She's out cold." Jack says through clenched teeth.

Ulric looks at the large older man in front of him that had some of the same features as the beauty in his arms, his eyes almost black trying to keep control of his wolf. He blinks and looks at the lovely unconscious frail women in his arms. He can't seem to bring himself to let her go. He gently moves his arms to pick her up bridal style.

"I'll take her to the in house doctor and then we will have a talk about what is happening." Ulric says quickly rushing out of the room.

Her father was hot on his feet with the others quickly following behind them. Ulric takes her to the left wing of the mansion that is set up like a small clinic. He mind linked the doctor beforehand. He takes her to the room they had set up and waiting for Diana. It took everything in Ulric to release his hold on her, back away to let the doctor and nurse get to work and help her.

"Ulric?" Freya softly says to him, gently touching his arm to help comfort him, feeling his deep concern for this woman.

He looks over at her and smiles, putting his arm around her, holding her close. Letting her honey and jasmine scent relax his nerves, stepping out of the room to get out of their way. Jack stood by the door looking in with worry for his daughter. This is not what he wanted for her, to end up in a hospital bed again so soon.