Blood Moon

Chapter 3

"Lydia do you really need to leave?"' Richard asked Lydia as she packed her bags.

"I need to return back to at least see what it is like. What if my parents just couldn't find me?" There was anger in Lydia's voice. She would have thought Richard would be supportive of her and happy.

"I know, it's just that you still do not have any powers,how would you survive out there?" This time it felt like he was begging her not to leave.

"I really appreciate all you have done for me but l have to leave." She picked up her bag and stared at Richard who couldn't bear to watch her leave.

It broke Lydia's heart to leave Richard but she needed to go back to her pack,her mother and father who could still be alive.

It was a confusing journey finding her way back.

She suddenly heard rustling nearby. She put her hand in her bag and pulled out a hunting knife Richard had gifted on one of their many nights together. She missed him greatly but she had to find her family first.

The rustling continued and Lydia just swung the knife in the air.

"Come out now and I'll sparel" Though her palms were sweaty from how scared she was,she spoke with so much confidence.

"Richard!!!" Lydia was shocked to see Richard come out from behind a huge tree nearby.

"Surprise!!!!" He said with the broadest smile ever.

"What are you doing here?" She badly wanted to hug him.

"Well,I thought you would be happy to see me." He sounded somewhat hurt as Lydia's reaction to seeing him wasn't what he had pictured.

"Of course I'm really happy to see you, I'm just....."Lydia didn't complete her sentence before Richard drew her in a long embrace.

"I'm sorry you had to leave the way you did. I was only scared of losing you. I realized I never should have let you leave alone so I handed all affairs to Dean and followed you here." He held her tighter.

"But how did you find me? It's been two days."

Lydia was so happy to have him there.

"You have a very keen smell. I followed your scent." he finally pulled away from the hug and looked intensely at Lydia.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" His intense stare pierced through Lydia's heart. She could hear her heart beating out of her chest.

"I badly want to kiss you." Richard replied.

"So why aren't you doing it?" The only thing on Lydia's mind was the thought of what Richard's lips would feel like on hers.

"well." He picked up Lydia's bag from the ground and smiled.

"I'm following your lead." He said to her when just stood still.

"Well I wasn't completely sure but now I can tell you that we are close." She said excitedly and led the way.

"Mama!!papa!!!" Lydia screamed as she ran into the village.

She stopped in her tracks at the sight before her,her once lively and beautiful village now looked like a terrible nightmare.

It was evident that something tragic had taken place there, the whole village reeked of death.

Lydia ran into the once familiar chamber where she grew up.

Richard, who was saddened by the state of the village, could only follow calmly behind Lydia.

Lydia dropped to her knees as she cried uncontrollably. She had hoped that her parents would still be alive.

"I'm so sorry Lydia." Richard knelt beside her and hugged her.

"I can't believe they are really gone." She held onto Richard tightly as she kept crying.

"How do you feel now?" Richard had asked before realizing it was a stupid thing to ask.

"I feel broken. I remember it all vividly, I can hear the screams,the blood everywhere. I couldn't do anything, all I could do was run." They sat on the table in the room.

"I'm sorry Lydia. I wish there is anything I can do to help relieve you of the pain you are feeling."Richard took her hands in his.

"I know. Thank you for being here,l can't imagine how lonely this would have been if you weren't here with me." Lydia squeezed his hand gently.

"Can you smell that?" Richard suddenly got up and sniffed the air.

"What is it Richard?" Lydia got up with him as she looked around them.

"It smells like fresh meat." He kept sniffing in the air as he walked out of the room while Lydia followed suit.

Soon they were at the end of the village where by then they could see smoke in the air.

"Stay behind me." Richard said to Lydia as he stood in front of her.

"Who are you?" A young woman screamed as Richard approached their tent on the outskirt of the village.

"Amelia?" Lydia jumped from behind Richard as she recognized the voice.

"Lydia? Lydia, is that really you?" Lydia ran to hug the already weeping Amelia.

"I thought you were dead Lydia. I at least searched for your body but I Couldn't find it. I"m so glad that you are here." Just then a young boy walked in on them holding a bunch of firewood.

"Is that Steven?" Lydia said and rushed to hug him.

Amelia and her younger brother Steven had grown up with Lydia. They were practically siblings. Lydia just couldn't contain the joy in her heart to find out that they had both survived.

"This is where Steven and I buried your parents."

Amelia led Lydia and Richard to the burial site.

"Mama, Papa. I'm so sorry it took me so long to be here." Lydia cried gently.

It still felt like yesterday when she was having a hearty dinner with her parents. She closed her eyes as she remained in the good memories they had shared.

Lydia remained next to her parents' graves with Richard gently sitting behind her. He hadn't uttered a word but sat gently as he tapped her back.

"They were the sweetest people ever. I don't know how any of these could have happened.

One minute I was getting ready for my wedding ceremony, the next minute I could hear screams in the village. I feel bad to have escaped alone." Lydia said for the first time since the hours they had spent there.

"I'm so sorry for everything that happened to your family and friends but you must know that it wasn't your fault.

Your parents would be happy knowing that you survived." He gently lifted her chin, wiped the tears on her cheeks.

"I'm so glad you are here, Richard." The tension between them was so sharp it could fell a tree.

Lydia's chest rose and fell in anticipation of what was to come.

Richard finally realized that he had fallen head over heels for the young, fragile, brave,beautiful woman in front of him.

He pulled Lydia closely,enough for him to feel her breath on his nose.He paused a bit to see if she would decline but when he looked up to see Lydia had closed her eyes, he finally kissed her.

It was the most heartfelt moment for both of them. Lydia closed her eyes tightly as she relished in the moment. It was her first kiss,and kissing the man she cared deeply for in front of her parents' graves,brought tender tears to her eyes.

Richard finally pulled back and kissed her on her forehead just like her dad used to.

"Let's head back to the tent."Lydia said shyly.

Laughter echoed in the night as Richard and Lydia chatted away. Amelia and Steven had retired for the day, leaving Richard and Lydia to themselves.

"Why do you keep looking at me like that?" Lydia said. Richard's gaze on her felt so deep,each time he looked at her like that,she could feel movement in her stomach.

"You are so beautiful,brave,and charming. I think I have fallen deeply in love with you. I love you Lydia and I am crazy about you." Richard confessed. It had taken so many nights before Richard could finally admit to himself that he loved Lydia.

"I have loved you for so long." Lydia confessed.

After the night Richard had talked to Lydia about his Luna,something in Lydia had changed. She began to see Richard in another light but couldn't say anything because she was scared he wasn't over Anna, his Luna.

Lydia's heart began to pound as she felt a desire run from her heart, to her chest, to her fingertips and down to her inner thighs.

Richard reached for her hair and swept it aside in order to get a better view of Lydia. His hands gently touched her shoulder and he placed a kiss on it. Lydia's heart was pounding loudly as she closed her eyes.

He brought the kiss up to her neck,down to her shoulder again and ran his fingers down her back.

The intensity of the kiss deepened as he laid her on her back,he slowly began running his fingers till her got to her navel.

He brought his lips to her pavel and kissed it gently-Lydia gasped with pleasure,she had never felt her heart beat out of her chest in that way before.

Richard ran his fingers and eventually got to her inner thighs when Lydia flinched.

"Do you want me to stop?" Richard looked up to

Lydia who had her eyes closed.

"No, don't stop,it's just that it's my first time. I'm sorry." she suddenly felt embarrassed.

"There is nothing to be sorry about. Are you sure you don't want me to stop?" Richard gently removed his hands from her inner thighs.

"Please don't stop." Lydia brought back his hands to her inner thighs. She wasn't sure what he wanted to do but she didn't want him to stop.

Her heart was still racing and she didn't want it to stop. Richard placed a kiss on her neck and all Lydia could do was gasp in pleasure.

"Good morning." Richard placed a kiss on Lydia's lips.

"How did you sleep?" She asked.

"It was the best night ever." Richard smiled as he got dressed.

Lydia brought up the sheets to cover her red cheeks.

They had made love multiple times in the night and only slept for a few hours. She felt sore all over but the reminiscence of the night's event was a pain relief for her.

"I'd like to go to the moon pack village." Lydia announced as they were having breakfast.

"No!! You shouldn't go there." Amelia shouted.

"Why,what's the matter?" Lydia asked.

"After the m******e at the village, Steven and I went to the moon pack village but as soon as we told them we were from here, we were cast out.

Not long after we left there, we were attacked and barely escaped." There was a hint of anger and sadness in her voice as she spoke.

"What? I know it was an arranged wedding but the least he could have done is help you both." Lydia's voice quivered In anger and hatred.

"There were rumors about the m******e being Jackson Green's work,some even say he agreed to the marriage because he needed our pack's moonstone." Amelia said.

"Do you mean he murdered our whole pack all for this?" Lydia pulled out the necklace her dad had gifted her.

"On the night of the m******e,he got married to his longtime lover Britney. Many say he never intended on going through with the wedding ceremony." Lydia got up and began pacing.

"Richard, you have been away from your pack for too long. I'd like for you to return,and if you don't mind I'd like for you to take in Amelia and Steven."Lydia said as she sat next to Richard.

"And what about you?" He asked although he knew just what she wanted to say.

"I need to find out exactly what happened on that night. I can only do that if I get into the moon pack village." Lydia said as she closed her eyes.

"That is dangerous, and besides I can't let you leave again." Richard was upset. He got up and stepped outside.

Lydia got up to go after him. As much as she didn't want to leave him,not after he had promised her under the moonlight to make her his Luna as soon as they got back to his village, but she needed to unravel all that led to the death of her family and pack.

"Richard." She called out to him and when he didn't respond she hugged him from behind.

"I'm sorry but I have to do this,l wish I didn't have to." Richard finally turned to face her.

"I know once you make up your mind, nobody will stop you but at least let me come with you." He was willing to follow Lydia to the ends of the earth.

"An Alpha shouldn't leave his pack,you know that.

I promise to return to you safely okay." She held his warm hands and brought them to her cheeks.

"I can't imagine the thought of losing you Lydia." Lydia looked up to see tears welling in his eyes.

She had never seen him that way, vulnerable. Before he could say anything more she leaned in and kissed him on the lips.

"I promise to return to you In no time,and then we can get married." Her voice sounded reassuring. Richard knew that dragging it on for long would not change her mind.

"Alright then,but don't take too long. I love you."

He finally gave in.

They all packed their bags,ready to part ways.

"I'll be back okay." Lydia said to them as they went their separate ways.

Richard got to know more about Lydia on their way back to his village. On getting to the village, Dean came up to him and told him there was someone waiting to meet him.

"Hello Richard." A young beautiful woman said with a smile on her face.

Richard instantly froze at the woman before him.

"Anna?" He asked as she ran to hug him.