The Guardian: Full Moon

Chapter 16

Enya’s P.O.V

“So his name is Raiden huh?” Arima teased smugly. “Enough Arima.” I retorted as my face heated up in a blush. Out of curiosity, I had hung around close to the shore and had overheard the Western Alphas talking. Then I had started swimming towards the path back to my base. As I swam, my mind was still reeling from the events that had just happened moments before. Why was I so comfortable around Raiden? Why didn’t I push Raiden away when he kissed me? Why did he make me feel like Leon did? Try as I might, I couldn’t figure out why it just felt so right with both of them, like we all belonged together. Yet at the same time there was a nagging feeling in the back of my mind that told me that there was still more to this puzzle.

I eased my way out of the water into the base and started walking upstairs. I felt somewhat uneasy for some reason, and just felt like aimlessly wandering around the base. Not really looking for anything in particular, just walking around simply to move. Eventually, I ended up in front of a storage room that I had yet to explore in depth. Since it was near the bedrooms, it hadn’t initially peaked my interest, so I entered the room and started looking around. Inside I found chests labeled with numbers that matched the numbers of the spare bedrooms. I opened up each of the chests in turn and found spare pillows and blankets in relatively good condition.

A quick restoration enchantment had them all looking practically new again. On an impulse, I decided to grab two of the lighter woven blankets and went back to my room to rest. It wasn’t that I was tired per say, I just felt like snuggling with the blankets. It was as if some more primal instinct was telling me to make the blankets smell like me. I laid down on my furs and nuzzled into the blankets, holding them close as I drifted off into a light slumber.

I woke up a few hours later to a wrenching feeling in my gut that something was wrong, but I wasn’t sure what. I could feel dull aches all over my body, as if I was being injured and healed over and over again. I stood up, bringing the blankets with me. My instincts led me out of the base, where I found the wolves anxiously pacing around in their den. The wrenching in my gut grew as I took the last few steps outside, where I was immediately overcome by the stench of werewolf blood.

I took off running, not knowing where or why, just that my instincts told me I needed to go to the source of the smell. The dull aches that I had been feeling stopped as I came to the edge of the forest. Standing at the cliff I looked out to the beach where I had met Raiden. There my eyes fell upon the image of two werewolves laying on the ground, surrounded by crimson sand. I couldn’t tell who the two were, but something told me that it was the two men that I had recently developed an attraction for, Leon and Raiden.

I started moving before I knew exactly what I was doing. With both blankets still wrapped around my shoulders, I started climbing down the cliff towards the beach. I brought a wave up to meet me half way, riding it down to the sand. Crouching down low, I stopped to assess the situation. Relief came flooding over me as I watched them sit up and laugh after a wave had washed over them. I let out the breathe that I didn’t know I had been holding, as a long sigh.

I stayed where I was for some time, just watching the two interact. I couldn’t make them out clearly from where I sat, but I could tell that they had come to an agreement about something. I was curious to know what had caused such a violent fight between them, and even more curious to know what the outcome was that was now making them act so close with each other. As the light faded, I watched the two lie back on the sand and I slowly started to make my way closer to them. Staying in the surf so that my footsteps would be washed away.

I got close enough to be able to hear their breathing even out, signifying that they had fallen asleep. I wasn’t really surprised though. Judging by the sheer amount of bloodied sand, the fight was intense. So it wasn’t really surprising that the two would be exhausted enough to fall asleep on the sand. What did surprise me, was the view that greeted me when I made my way closer to the now sleeping men. “Oh my.” Arima said as a hard blush bloomed on my face and chest. There before me Leon and Raiden were soundly sleeping, as bare as newborn babes.

I did my best to avert my gaze as I instinctively started to cover each male with the blankets I had brought with me. I knew they weren’t going to be cold since they were werewolves, and werewolves weren’t shy about nudity by nature, but something deep inside me felt like I needed to do this. I was feeling, dare I say, territorial over these two men. As I was covering them, they actually snuggled into the blankets like pups snuggling with their mother. It was so cute, I almost laughed. But as I finished covering them, the breeze once again brought the smell of blood to my attention.

My gaze swept over the battle scarred sand, and I knew I couldn’t let the others see this. I gently brought the waves over the beach, washing away the blood and evening out the sand. When I had finished my task, I glanced back at the two sleeping figures, still curled up with the woven blankets. My lips turned up in a warm, gentle smile and I started walking back the way I had come. A very faint but comforting scent that I couldn’t quite make out following me as I went.

Leon and Raiden awoke to find themselves surrounded by the confused faces of their peers. “What are you all looking at?” Leon asked tiredly, slowly sitting up and yawning. Raiden was similarly sitting up while rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “What’s with the blankets?” Amirah asked, bringing both male’s attention to her. They both questioningly looked down at themselves to find that they did in fact have blankets covering their lower halves. They looked from the blankets back to Amirah, then to each other, then back to themselves. “No idea.” Raiden said, bringing the blanket up to his nose. A quick sniff had Raiden wide eyed and he looked over at Leon.

Without even speaking, Leon understood what Raiden was saying and he closed his eyes as he sniffed at his own blanket. Leon’s eyes shot open as he glanced over at Raiden, and Raiden nodded at him. “What is it?” Ryan asked as he watched the exchange between them. “It’s nothing.” Leo blurted out, as he started to wrap the blanket around his waist. “Wait a sec.” Ryan said reaching for Leon. Raiden stepped in between them, grabbing hold of Ryan’s wrist and growling at him. Raiden roughly released Ryan’s wrist and started to wrap his own blanket around his waist. The rest of the group looked on in shock at the scene playing out before them. When Raiden had finished covering himself, he walked over to Leon and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. “Let’s go.” He said, gently urging him. Leon nodded and the two started walking away together.

Leon’s P.O.V

I was desperately fighting the urge to blush as Raiden and I walked away from the rest of the group. Something about Raiden stepping in to defend me felt exhilarating, but I didn’t understand why. I was an Alpha after all, I’m the one that’s supposed to do the protecting. Was it just because Raiden was older than me, or something else? All I knew for sure, was that I was feeling more at peace than I had since Enya disappeared, and that I didn’t mind the feeling of the strong arm draped over my shoulders. I allowed myself to relax into his grip as the faint scent of cinnamon and fresh cut pine made it’s way to my nose.

Raiden’s P.O.V

“What am I doing?” I wondered as I walked away with Leon by my side. I don’t know why, but something inside me didn’t like the idea of Ryan touching Leon. I felt drawn to protect him. Was it because of our shared connection to Enya? I couldn’t be sure, but I oddly found that I liked the feeling of Leon by my side. As we walked I felt him relax into me, and I couldn’t stop the small grin that made it’s way to my lips. “I’ll figure it out later.” I decided as I caught a faint whiff of orange and rain.

The rest of the Alphas followed after Leon and Raiden, whispering confused comments amongst themselves. The group returned to the fields where they had met in order to say their farewells and return to their respective territories. Leon and Raiden secluding themselves from the rest as they said their goodbyes to each other. “Can we hang out again sometime?” Leon asked, a hopeful glimmer in his eyes. “Of course.” Raiden said with a chuckle, ruffling Leon’s light brown hair. Leon smiled as they both unwrapped the blankets from their waists, gently placing them on the soft grass in order to shift.

As they shifted, Thorin and Koen finally had a chance to meet face to face. The two wolves took turns circling each other, taking in the other’s appearance. Golden eyes gazed into olive green as the two shared an unspoken acceptance of each other. Before finally parting ways, the two wolves rubbed their foreheads and the sides of their muzzles together. The entire interaction had left the rest of the Alphas in absolute shock, as the entire display was a sign of affection reserved for close friends, family, and mates.

Thorin and Koen picked up the blankets in their mouths and walked over to the other Alphas. With a final nod between Ryan and Amirah, the two groups went their separate ways, both better than when they had arrived the day before. Leon and Raiden couldn’t speak for the others, but they both knew that they were glad for the chance to meet each other, as well as the chance to see Enya. Leon and Raiden both felt like there was sunshine in their hearts as Thorin and Koen happily ran with the blankets gently clasped within their jaws.

Both males felt like the other had filled a place that they didn’t realize was empty. They weren’t quite complete, but they felt more whole than before. It was like meeting Enya made them realize just how incomplete they were, and meeting each other was a piece of a bigger picture. Neither knew what the future held, or when they would get to see Enya again, but they both took comfort knowing that they would have each other.