Lunar Fracture

Chapter 1

Alpha Varda stood at the balcony of his bedroom in the pack house, overlooking the stretch of land in his territory, his eyes taking in the beautiful sight in front of him but his mind made no register of it. The competition was in a few days, and all needed to go well.

Just then, there was a knock on the door of his bedroom. Alpha Varda turned his head slightly to glance back at the door, his brows coming together in annoyance.

He had asked not to be disturbed; so who was it that was seeking his/ her death?

" Alpha..." Came a voice from the other side of the door, "... It is I.”

The annoyed look on Alpha Varda's face dissipated almost immediately at the sound of the voice behind the door. He turned back inside, hurrying over and flinging the door open to reveal a man that looked no older than thirty-five and had a muscular physique. The man lowered his head the moment the door flung open.

" Alpha," he said in greeting.

Alpha Varda grabbed hold of his arms and pulled him back into the room with him, shutting the door behind them.

" Zain! You are back," Alpha exclaimed, his happiness obvious.

" I've been worried sick these past few days that I couldn't get in touch with you."

Beta Zain lowered his head once again. " My apologies, Alpha, I was not in a position to get in contact with you nor anyone else in the pack; I couldn't risk blowing my cover."

Alpha Varda nodded in understanding, his hands intertwining together at his back. " Any news about the boy?"

Beta Zain nodded, " Just like we thought, he will be on his way back soon, sooner than we expected."

Alpha Varda paced the floor of his bedroom, his hands still intertwined at his back as he did so. His voice had a low, contemplative quality to it when he spoke again, " Do you think they are preparing to challenge us?"

Beta Zain hesitated.

Alpha Varda turned to face him, one of his eyebrows arching high into his forehead at Beta Zain's silence.

" I'm right, aren't I?"

Beta Zain shook his head, " It's hard to tell, Alpha. The information reaching me is that the boy is returning because Alpha Thane is seriously sick, I saw the letter that was sent to him as well..."

" But...?" Alpha Varda asked, knowing Beta Zain enough to realize that there was a but after his statement.

" I can't verify that information," Beta Zain confessed. " While the letter he received says that Alpha Thane is sick, there is every possibility that it's a facade."

Alpha Varda nodded slowly, digesting Beta Zain's words. He was silent for some seconds, his mind spinning with the endless possibilities.

" The competition needs to be held without a word of it leaving our territory," he said at last, turning back to Beta Zain.

" The sooner it is held before the boy’s return, the better."

Beta Zain hummed in agreement. " I will see to the swift preparation of all that is necessary", he volunteered, turning on his heels to leave.

" No, wait..."

Beta Zain stopped abruptly on his tracks, turning back to Alpha Varda. " Have Kane see to the preparations, I need you to handle something else."

" The boy?"

A crooked smile slowly stretched the corners of Alpha Varda's lips. " Zain. Zain. This is exactly why I made you my man. Yes, the boy, take care of him. Just give him a little scare or something, anything that would delay his journey back."

Beta Zain nodded in understanding, bowed his head and turned on his heels once again. The crooked smile on Alpha Varda's face disappeared the moment his bedroom door close behind Beta Zain.

" All this would have been avoided if only I had a son," he muttered himself.

******

Dear Zarek,

I write to you with a heavy heart, for your father’s health has taken a turn for the worse. The past few moons have been trying, with his condition deteriorating steadily. The healers have done all they can, but they fear he is beyond their help.

I am well aware that your training isn't done, but I think that right now is the time to put those things you have learnt into practice. The pack needs you, and your presence may give your father the strength he needs to fight on.

He would never admit it, but he's also longing to see you before he faces the Goddess’ judgement. He speaks of you often, and his pride in your accomplishments know no bounds.

Do not tarry, my son. The moon will be at its brightest in three nights' time, and we pray that you may travel under its light to reach us.

With love, and hope for your safe return,

Mother.

Zarek's hands tightened around the edges of the paper, rustling it. His eyes traced the words of the letter once again, searching. The handwriting was definitely his mother's and there were traces of her frenzied state while writing the letter, he could see it in the smear of the ink at some places, especially the beginning part as if her hands had trembled as she wrote those words.

Her words were unusually clustered together reflecting the urgency and distress under which she had written the letter. Zarek could understand why it was like this, but then, all that could also be because she was being forced by someone to write those words.

But then, she had signed off the letter like she usually does, and the choice of words were definitely hers. While he had his suspicions, especially with what he had heard while undergoing his training, if there was even the slightest chance that his father was terminally ill, he had to make it home.

Why had she said nothing of the illness all these while?

Just as Zarek leaned back on the headrest of the car's backseat, the car came to an abrupt halt, throwing him forward once again. He placed his hand on the back of the passenger seat to steady himself.

" What was that?" He asked, looking at the driver, who turned to him with a panicked look on his face.

" Something is wrong."