MOONCROSSED LOVERS

"Wait up Zara!" my friend called from behind me as we ran around through the forest. There had been news that the border had been infiltrated. As I breezed past trees that had surrounded my entire childhood, my hearing picked up my friend, Hanna's beating heart as she tried to catch up to me. "Come on. Hurry!"I yelled as I increased my pace. "You're too fast!" she called back. My lips widened in a proud smile because I knew that was true. Even as a werewolf, I had been created differently. According to my father who had been my strongest support. He had told me stories about the day I had been born. My mother had died during childbirth. With my distinctive white hair and bright eyes while he and my mother both had normal brown eyes that changed to a light shade of yellow when they turned. At first, I had been tagged as cursed but had been eventually accepted as one of them. I grew up following in my father's footsteps as best as I could. As a veteran Decorated warrior who had fought in the battle between the humans and our kind, and been among the leaders that had come back in victory. So now, I wanted to fight for my people. I pulled to a halting stop, stilling my actions. There stood a wide net that had been laid wide open and positioned for prey. Tracing the rope up to a thick tree in front of me. I stopped short of the trap, two trees away. Waiting for my next plan of action. Henna breathlessly caught up to me sometime during my wait. I tried to silence her. "What's going on?" she said in a whisper. "Listen" I replied. We watched nothing for a few moments but hid backwards behind the tree when a figure suddenly jumped down from the tree. The hunk of the man, crouched down to examine the net. We suspected. We watched him run a frustrated hand through his sandy brown hair. My hands fisted on my sides as I recognized that unmistakable grin. "Hey, Connor!"I yelled, getting out from behind my hiding place. He spun around, halting like a deer caught in the headlights. "What do you think you're doing here?"I questioned walking up to him until I was a few inches away from him. He recoiled in embarrassment. "Why are you here?"He said, grinning mischievously. "Do you know you almost created a ruckus"I chastised. "That's why I told you to wait"I turned at the sound of Henna behind me. My eyes widened to saucers as the scene unfolded. Connor had his arm wrapped around her waist and they shared a chaste kiss on the lips, smiling shyly back at me. My smile faded. "What is happening right now?"I asked. "We're together"Connor declared, smiling sheepishly. I stood there dumbfounded for a few minutes before regaining my voice. It all made sense now. The message had come only to Henna and unfortunately, I was there when she had received it. Alarmed, I took off running in the direction of the supposed danger without hearing her out. "You would have told me, "I said dryly. "Well, I did try to tell you and you sort of ...run off"Henna explained. "No, you would have told me beforehand. How was I supposed to know that it was an invitation message and not one of danger? You can never be too cautious"I defended. They rolled their eyes at me with a knowing smile. "Why does everything have to be too serious with you?"Connor joked. I didn't refute it. "Still...you would have told me. Now it's going to be an agonizing trip back to the pack house. "Sorry for the misunderstanding"Henna interjected but was not remorseful at her actions instead she embraced Connor with all her might, giving him a passionate kiss. I took that as my cue to give the two love birds privacy. The questions could come later. And trust me. I had plenty. "Oh and Connor, We have to patrol the pack borders tonight. Make sure you're ready for it"I called over my shoulder and I walked further and further away. I heard his agreement with a knowing smirk. He was going to definitely get some tonight. Later that evening, I sighed once, twice. I realized that Connor wasn't coming anymore. So with a little pep talk, I decided to start my patrol. My thoughts wondered what could have caused his delay and I grimaced at the mental image that had popped up. Shoving the thoughts aside, I got to work. The full moon was at its peak. It was mating season. Married or mated couples would be unable to resist this time. But as one who had never been one to succumb to such selfish desires, I had never been able to relate to couples who said that they felt a strong pull to mate when the moon was at its peak. Almost like they had been possessed by the spirit of lust.Until now. I felt him before I heard him. His scent wafted through mine, my foot moved in the direction of the call. Without thinking I marched in the direction of his cry.His cry for me. He needed me and judging by my trembling hands, I needed him too. I felt a strong itch and I knew that he was the only one that could scratch it. I walked safely through the array of forests that splayed around the huge fields until I got to the border. The last of my brain cells cried for a reason but my inner wolf bellowed for him. So reluctantly, I walked past the demarcation against my better judgment. As I walked through the unfamiliar grounds no direction other than his scent. I trailed through the forest until I got to a high-rise edge where a black wolf stood howling at the full moon. His fur was beautifully luscious and glistened under the moonlight. He was big for a wolf and stood powerfully arched toward the moon. I stood unnoticed for a few seconds. "Get closer" my inner wolf whispered. Without thinking, I took a step forward snapping a branch. I stared back up in surprise to see piercing green eyes staring straight at me with hunger in his eyes. My palms were sweating, my heart palpated faster, and I felt entranced almost like I was floating. My body instinctively drew closer to where he stood. All I heard were two words as I drew closer to him. "It's him" "He's mine"