Curse of the Luna (Wolves of Dralesa: Book 1)

First Encounter

Four years later - Present

I sat at my desk ruffling through all the papers slowly piling up. None of it could be handled until I am able to deal with the distressing issue on my doorstep. A mass of Hunters that way out numbered my pack sat camped right at my boarders. I was still awaiting news from the King to see if he'd send help. Even with my alliances, if we attack them now, so many lives will be lost in the process.

“Jet, is there no one out there that can help our Misty?” Alyce asked me again, reminding me she was here. I sighed deeply, once again catching the annoying floral scent that has been following me these past three days. It made my wolf pace, not even he knows its origins.

“Mom I am as frustrated as you are in this, but now is not the best time to discuss this.” I was just as desperate as she was to figure out why my four-year-old sister speaks only gibberish. I have brought world renowned speech therapists and even they were stumped. “For now, she understands us, and that's going to have to be enough for now."

“But!” She started but was interrupted by my Beta.

“Alpha,” Ivan knocked at my office door before letting himself in. Normally he'd wait for my permission, but the look on his face told me it was something urgent.

“What's up?” I took off my glasses and rubbed my dry eyes. He hesitantly looked at Alyce then to me, but I nodded at him to continue.

“We have an update on those Hunters that were nearing our territory.” He didn't even sit down. His body language was rigid. I shot up from my chair, going from relaxed to defensive in only a second.

“Have they crossed the border?” He was clearly on alert and tense.

“No Alpha.... T... They're all dead.”

“If they were all dead, then why the hell is he this so uptight over what should be considered good news?” My wolf scoffed irritably, obviously annoyed. I wanted to agree with him, hopeful that the King had taken my letter seriously and immediately sent reinforcements right away instead of a reply.

“And? Spit it out Ivan.”

“They were attacked by what seemed to be a single Rouge. We wouldn't have been able to tell if she hadn't been injured. Her blood smelled weird, even for a wolf.”

“You are telling me a single she-wolf took out an entire two hundred plus clan of Hunters. How do you even know it was a female if you couldn't find her scent anywhere else besides her blood?” My Beta's face flushed, as if it were an embarrassing thing to tell me.

“She must've gone into heat in the middle of battle. Her scent wasn't picked up until where the last of the fighting seemed to end.” I leaned against my desk, nearly sitting on it, running my hand through my hair.

“So, you're telling me that someone who is capable of invisibly annihilating any large group of people is near our boarder? Or worse, on my territory?” When he nodded, I knew what I had to do.

“Take me to the hunter's camp.” I ordered him as I walked out my office, ignoring my frightened mother.

“W... why?” I knew he meant no disrespect to me, which is what I had to convince my wolf just now. Ivan was never one to get scared, so seeing this side of him was eerily unsettling.

“We need to find this Rouge and kill her while she is still vulnerable.” I stated as I began to call some of my strongest warriors to the pack house. Some of them were on the same scout mission I had sent Ivan on, and when I mentioned my plan, they too had glints of fear in their eyes.

Once we were all shifted, I began running towards their camp.

Eight Hours Ago

Amethyst's POV

For some reason I felt a pull towards this region, and as I looked down upon the hoard of Hunters, I thought I knew why. In my years of travel, I have become very familiar with modern technology and especially with these wolf killers. Even though my life is only for the purpose of eliminating that so-called pack of wolves, I didn't mind a sidetrack here or there. If it meant protecting those who are innocent, then I will make sure no one ends up as my pack had.

I had watched them from the trees for a few days. I carefully analyzed their weapons and strength, all the while storing as much Energy within myself as I could.

During the first day of observation, I had noticed a scout of wolves that then proceeded to appear several times a day soon after. In all honesty, they were my biggest concern. I had to make sure their village was out of hearing range before I attacked. Masking my scent was no issue, but I could not hide my physical body.

The second day I followed them, making sure they were far enough. I was quite impressed by their choice in land. It was easily guarded by sheer cliffs, such as were the ones that were meant to protect my pack. The area the Hunters were camped at was their only weak point. Pleased with how far they were I wanted to head back. However, a subtle breeze brought the scent of home, causing me to stop in place. Even as I stared at the Hunters now, I could still smell it. It took all my will to not go back, nostalgic for that unique smell of cypress. I didn't have time for such pleasantries. Over my last meal before battle, I formed my final plan.

The alignment was perfect. I'd attack when the full moon was at her highest. The scouting wolves wouldn't be back until daybreak, and by then I should be long gone. After my last bite I extinguished the small fire and set to work.

I watched as the moon reached her peak, standing near my readily set boulders.

“Goddess, even though you had forsaken me, hear my pleas. Help me protect those who are innocent from the evils of men. Give me the strength to be their guardian in the night.” My feet bare and firm to the ground, I raised the six boulders in the air and catapulted them towards the Hunters' camp.

Hours passed and now time was of the essence. The sun had begun to rise, but still so many remained. Staying in my human form allowed me a slight advantage, as I wasn't seen as an enemy at first sight. After the boulders, I attacked with waves of fire, finishing off their massive weapons of steal. After that, I had proceeded with a more discreet way.

I was battling the last group of Hunters when it hit. I did my best to conceal the whimper of pain as my heat kicked in.

“s**t!” I internally screamed as the distraction allowed a Hunter with a seemingly, lucky on my end, terrible aim to shoot me. The silver bullet embedded in my thigh, only affecting my ability to shift.

I ended it quickly, burning the rest with the rest of the fire I could procure. I waited only a second to listen for any other life before making a quick tourniquet to stall the bleeding.

I cursed the Goddess for my luck as I caught a whiff of the nearby wolves. My only options were to retreat into the woods of their territory and pray I could stay concealed long enough to heal.

Jet's POV

The stench of death was overwhelming, even for as far as we were. I could understand why my warriors were shaken when we rolled up to their camp. It was annihilated. That was no understatement. Tents were smoldering ash, all the vehicles were flipped or seemingly blown up, young saplings had been uprooted and thrown on some unfortunate Hunters, there were even boulders seemingly from the cliff nearby that had created craters from being launched from that direction.

My wolf's eyes took in each horrific scene that lay before us.

“There's no wolf prints.” I let out a growl. “Are you sure a single she-wolf did all this?”

“Yes.” I got a response from all the wolves that were on the scout mission.

“What's this?” Suddenly I was drawn to one of the bodies. This one wasn't charred, burnt, or crushed. There was an arrow embedded right between his brows. The arrow was none like you could buy in a*****e. It was authentically carved; you could see each stroke of the knife that had chiseled it to life. The feather was from a golden eagle, one of my favorite birds of prey. As I continued to look at more bodies, all the ones that had perished from an arrow had one in the same exact spot, right between the brows.

“All of them were killed in a similar way. No one died from a bite or maul.” Ivan padded up to me. His blonde fur was bristling, his eyes darting constantly on the search for danger.

“Show me where you picked up the attacker's scent.” I've seen enough. It wasn't that I didn't trust their judgment and tracking skills, but it was physically impossible for all this damage and bloodshed to be done by one person. In all reality, it looked like they had done this to themselves.

I followed Ivan until the wind blew our way from the direction he was taking me. It was as if I was bull dozed by one of those boulders behind us. That floral scent I've smelled for a couple days was now intensified a hundred-fold. I couldn't be mistaken now; it was the smell of wisteria flowers with a hint of something that just reminded me of sweet spring air. It was if a dam had been broken and I could now smell her everywhere. Whatever she had used to mask her scent no longer worked on me. I felt a shiver run through me. It was also laced with an intoxicating aroma. My pack members did not mistake it, there was a female here and she was in heat.

“Our mate is hurt!” My wolf growled at me, and I couldn't move. It was so sudden, all these emotions I never fathomed of feeling.

"No, it can't be. My mate can't be a killer like this."

“We have to find her!” He was insistent, and I could feel him fighting for control. I dug my nails into the soft soil and clenched my teeth.

“Alpha, what's wrong?” My behavior did not go unnoticed. One of my warriors was staring at me, worry obvious in his voice and brown eyes. Because of him though, now everyone was staring at me. I tried so hard to ignore all the turmoil within me, but I couldn't beat my wolf. He, aka we, bolted towards where the scent was at its heaviest. I found the puddle of blood, the scene where she had gotten hurt. The smell of wisteria engulfed and danced around me, making my legs feel weak. My pack had only just caught up to me, all still continuously asking what was wrong.

“Mate.” My wolf growled at them as if it were obvious. They were all speechless and I saw them back up as my eyes turned black. My wolf began sniffing the air, determined to pick up her scent.

“Even if she's your mate, her scent ends here. It's as if she vanished in the air.” Ivan was careful with his words, knowing it was my uncontrollable wolf who had taken control.

“She's in our territory.” My head snapped towards the way she had fled. It led towards the outskirts of my territory. My pack looked at me like I was crazy. “How can you not smell it? Besides it smelling like my mate, it should smell like a Rogue! Incompetent fools.” My wolf was a no-nonsense type wolf. He always expected the best of my warriors, especially the ones with me. They were supposed to be my best, and they were. For some reason though, they couldn't pick up her scent that was clear as day to me now.

I, under the control of my wolf still, began to hunt our mysterious mate down. I tried reasoning with my wolf that she was obviously a killer, a skilled one at that. Of course, I was brilliant when it came to combat. It ran in my blood as an Alpha. But that was not combat or fighting, that was a slaughter. None of which seemed to concern my wolf. He ignored me, staying true to her trail until we reached one of the smaller waterfalls on my land.

It really was the perfect place to hide, and if I wasn't immune to whatever she used to cover her scent, we would never have noticed her trespassing. I then saw a cave I had no memory of in the face of the cliff the waterfall flowed over.

Immediately my wolf ran towards the cave, getting confused and scared shouts from my pack that had halted in their tracks.

“What are you doing?” Ivan shouted and I shouted back.

“She's in the cave!”

“There's no cave!” Another piped in, but I knew what I saw. My wolf didn't hesitate as he ran straight into the cave, skidding to a halt once inside. I didn't even notice the absence of my pack from my mind as I stared at the most exotic woman I've ever seen.

Her long red-blonde hair was styled nearly like a Vikings with many Dutch braids. Her sharp cheek bones led to her subtly pointed ears. Though she was stained in blood, she seemed to be covered head to toe in beautiful body paint. All accept her left arm which had too many black tatted lines to count circling down the entirety of it.

Her small body sat on the cave floor, in the middle of pulling out a silver bullet from her thigh. Her hands were shaking from the pain of her heat.

I couldn't rip my eyes away from her wide, and beautifully hypnotizing, purple eyes that stared at me as if she never expected anyone to find her.

“But we did.” The smell of her heat was almost too unbearable to ignore. Surprisingly my wolf was under better control than I. “Shift back and calm her, our mate is hurt and needs help.” My wolf ordered me as he suddenly forced me to shift back.

“What the hell you stupid dog!” I yelled at him as I quickly slipped on my shorts that were tied to my wolf's leg prior. I gulped as I put my hands up as a sign of peace. Though she stumbled from the pain, immediately she pulled out a long and deadly dagger. She held it defensively, her back against the cave walls. The longer I stared at her, the less of a threat she seemed to me, and Goddess only knows how crazy I felt for feeling like this.

“Mate,” I whispered breathlessly. Her shock suddenly turned to anger.

“No!” She growled at me. Surprisingly my wolf took it with a grain of salt. Her knees buckled slightly, fighting to keep herself up. “I will never submit.” She warned me when I hadn't even said anything else. Submit? Weren't mates supposed to be ecstatic when they meet? Instead, mine looked at me accusingly, as if I did something wrong.

“I don't understand.” I took a step forward. “You're hurt, let me help. Put the knife down.” I didn't expect the knife to drop right away, and she immediately started to cry.

“You ruined everything!” She fell to her hands and knees, her whole body shaking.

“Just calm down, I can help you.” Obviously telling her to calm down was the wrong words. I had nearly fallen back when her head whipped up at me, her purple eyes now literally glowing brilliantly.

“Help, you don't want to help me! You want what any other he-wolf wanted with me and my pack.” Through her glowing eyes I saw the disabling sadness and the rage that rivaled that of a volcano.

“I promise you. I just want to help you. You're on my territory, I won't allow anyone to touch you little one.” It was if something clicked in her when I said little one. I felt the ground below me shake before I got launched from the cave without her touching me. I was beyond shocked. I have never heard of a wolf being able to wield magic before if that's what that was.

I flew several yards back, thanking that the ground was padded with moss. Suddenly, my pack was in my head, they were freaking out. Saying how I had disappeared. I wasn't paying attention though as my pissed off mate strolled out of the cave, revealing herself to my pack.

Before I could stop them, they ran at her. I yelled at them to stop, but they had just witnessed me being thrown through the air. I shifted and was about to order them to stop again, but it was the she-wolf who had.

“BACK OFF!” She growled at them, and surprisingly they all halted in their tracks as if it were me who'd given the order. They had lowered themselves to the ground with their necks showing in a submissive stance. Who the hell is she?

If I had blinked, I would have missed it. Her shift was unbelievably fast, going from a small girl to an undoubtedly beautiful white wolf that towered at the same height as me. How could she be as big as me? She was so small in her human form.

“Do not call me little!” Rage flickered in her eyes, and it made me want to laugh. She had a height complex, for reasons I didn't know but craved to understand. “Reject me and let me go. I'll never bother you again.” She growled and there was no doubt now, she was an Alpha. Piecing together what she had said minutes ago, she most likely once was.

“Why should I?” My wolf growled back, taking over again. Just the thought of her wanting to reject us had upset him.

“Don't be stupid, you don't know me. If it weren’t for this bond you wouldn't know of me! Who I am! You don't want me, let's just end it here. It's the right thing to do, so just reject me and go back to leading your pack.” Something bothered me and my wolf. She kept telling us to reject her, but why wasn't she saying it herself.

“If you want us to reject you, say it yourself.” I challenged. Her strong demeanor changed to how she was back in the cave.

“You won't do it, will you?” She whimpered, as if her world was falling apart. I didn't understand. If she wanted to reject me, she could just do so herself. Why make me do it?

She suddenly turned around and walked back to the cave. My pack looked from me to her and back at me. They didn't know what to do, and truthfully neither did I. I followed her back into the cave, and she was already getting dressed.

“You won't let me run. I can already see that.” She told me. Unfazed that she was standing before me with no top on yet and that she was still in heat. Her body was perfect, she was lean, strength radiated from her toned muscles, and her curves created the perfect hourglass figure. I had to shake my giant head, willing myself not to succumb to these urges.

“I will make you reject me and let me go.” She forewarned me as if I had her locked up in some sort of prison. But wait, did that mean she was coming with us willingly?

“Not to her.” My wolf whimpered. He was normally so strong, and bull headed. Nothing like he was now. He also seemed to understand something I didn't, but he wouldn't tell me. Instead, since my wolf had taken control again, he walked up to her and rubbed our head against her hand. The sensation was amazing, and I wanted more, she was so warm. She slowly pulled back with her brows furrowed. How could such a small rejection hurt so much?

“Unless you are going to let me go, you had best start leading the way back. I can't predict when another wave hits, and I personally want to be somewhere safe when it does.” She threw her gear over her shoulder with ease. It looked as if she was from some sort of medieval era. She had a full quiver of arrows and a bow slung across her back. She was currently buckling up belts up both of her legs. It seemed to be a sheath for multiple daggers, one of which was empty until she sheathed the one she had dropped after I told her to.

Crossing her arms, she looked at me expectantly. One of her arched brows rose as she studied me. Those purple eyes pierced my soul, even though they were accusing and filled with hatred. I shifted back, no longer caring I was naked in front of her. She didn't flinch when I lightly grabbed her chin to look up at me. I could see the struggle in her eyes, fluctuating between hatred and confusion.

“What's your name?” I asked, myself breathless over the feeling I felt by just lightly touching her.

“Why?” I could tell she was holding back tears. They swam in her eyes, making them glisten. My instincts to kiss her, to hold her, to calm her, were overbearing. I always thought when I found my mate, she'd be just as happy as I was to meet her, as if our lives were just beginning. Mine though looked at me as if I was her destroyer. It broke me.

“I'm Jet Hunt,” I tell her as I cup her small face. “I'm only going to give you this opportunity to reject me. Once I take you to my pack, I won't give you another chance.” I felt her lean slightly into my hand as if on instinct, and her tears finally fell. My heart stopped for a second, as I saw her mouth try to form the words, but nothing came out. She was sobbing now and this time I couldn't stop myself. I brought her in to my embrace and I felt her struggle at first, hitting my chest halfheartedly before dropping her arms to her side.

“You stupid stupid dumb wolf.” She cried her insults. I was surprised my wolf wasn't angry but basically purring.

“Maybe I am.” I chuckled, bending down to nuzzle her head. Her scent was amazing. I don't think I could ever get sick of how intoxicating it was.

“You and your stupid ironic name.” She continued along with calling me stupid again multiple times. “Don't even know what you're getting yourself into.” She was starting to calm down through her ranting.

“So, I don't care.” I reassured her stubbornly. She looked at me, her tears finally stopping. I inwardly smiled as she cutely shook her head as if she were shaking her feelings away. I felt quite cold when she wiggled her way out of my embrace.