Invisible Alpha

Alpha I am woken to the smell of eggs cooking, I can cleary smell the oil it's being fried in, too. I take a deep breath and smell  something that I find familiar but I can't point out. It's making my mouth water and my stomach is growling, Oh, I am starving, I have to track down food fast, I feel weak and I can't open my eyes. I lay there trying to figure out where I am, what's happened and why the hell I'm so weak that I can't move or even open an eye lid. I try to speak to my wolf, "Dameon, are you there?"  Silence. He must be weak,too. The smell fills my nose once more and I feel drool running down the corner of my mouth, down my chin all the way to my neck. But I'm paralysed I can't even wipe drool off my own chin. Great, I have been turned into a vegetable. Just f*****g great. "Think Eric,think. What the hell do you remember,  think". I say to myself but my mind is blank.  The smell of food keeps drifting closer to me and I feel my stomach growl again,  I put all my strength into opening my left eye and as I stuggle I feel sweat beads forming on my forehead. Finally after what feels like an eternity I manage to slightly open my eye just enough to see that it is very bright, it's hard to focus, everything  is blurred and it takes several minutes before I can make out what's above my head. I put even more strenght into it and open my right eye, again waiting for my vision to focus. Above my head I see poles holding fabric together, I've seen this many times before. This is my tent the one I use when I go hunting or when I need to roam free, alone away from my pack. It is my safe haven and I use it only when I'm in need of serious stress relief. The fact that at least I was somewhere I considered safe made feel better instantly.  Was I so  stressed that I came camping? Did something happen while I was hunting? Did I eat something and pass out? Is this a heavy ass hangover? I close my eyes and just before they get too heavy to open I shoot them open again. No way I'm going through that again.  I look around trying to figure out what had happend, my mind a complete blank. I'm annoyed, with my weakness, if something made hurt me why am I taking so long to heal? This is not normal. I've never felt this weak. I listen but don't even hear a guard at the tent entrance,no one near. I don't sense or smell anyone or anything, other than those damn eggs being fried. I feel the anger build up in me and like always I let that fuel me and give me a surge of strength,  the more I think about being in such a weak state, not able to move, the angrier I get. My is face getting warm and in a flash I'm pissed, I can feel my eyes change and use this to push myself up on my elbows and then slowly and heaving like an old man, I manage to push myself up into a sitting position. I look around my big tent, that has many compartments and can sleep up to 12 people, I find it strange it's filled with things from my own bedroom at the packhouse. My clothes, hanging on the railing that stood in my walk in closet, my standing-mirror and as I look down I even see my fluffy creme rug under the small bed I'm sitting on. Suddely sharp pains surge through me in farious places on my body and it starts to burn and sting. I let out a moan of pain but I am determined to find out what happend. Moving my legs from under the blanket I bend my head down and see them bruised badly. They might have been broken and in the healing.  They seem to hurt the most. Taking several deep breaths I mumble,'well here we go time to find out'... I move my right leg slowly out of bed while keeping myself up with my arms and put it down on the fluffy rug . Ok not bad it hurt but not like it would have hurt had it been broken. Deep breaths. I mentally count to ten and slowly start to move the left leg. As my foot lands next to the right one I am sure it is not broken.  So I'm beat up pretty badly. This is a horrible feeling, it makes me even more mad . I am the Aplha the strongest one known to date. I have won every single battle I entered since I've become of age, I do not get hurt or injured and I do not need to recover for what seems like days or weeks. I look down at my body and realize that I've lost weight and muscle. I still had some definition but I'm not as big as I should be. This weak feeling does not fit me. Not at all, I refuse to be weak and injured like some common wolf. Anger inside me growing rapidly now, giving me the strength to stand. It takes over and I know I am in another state of mind.  The state of mind that got me the nickname "Tempered Alpha Eric" not only from my pack but all packs that we come in contact with. It is well known that I cannot control my anger and it pains me to know that it has cost me a great many things and at the same time is what I am most ashamed about. All that said it also gives me strength for some reason making me fierce and wild in battle not to metion feared by almost all. The reason why I "hang on" to all of my anger is beacuse it has given me an ability that no other wolf has ever had, and very few creatures for that matter. The ability to become invisible has been very valuble to me in all aspects of live. I have used it often to find out who is loyal or what my enemy is planning, making defeat so easy. The best thing about it is that I've been able to keep it a secret since the first time it has happened, at the age of 13 , just days after I had shifted into my wolf for the first time. Angered filled me as my father refused to let me go into battle with him as we were attacked by a pack of rogues I turned away from him and walked away into the house,  I approached my mother and started complaining but she gave me no reaction whatsover. I screamed as I starred in the mirror and did not see my reflection. Hours later after crying and having a nap I was there again.Suddenly visible. I've never told a single person that I could become invisible. I use emotion as a vice, anger is mostly what works best but through the years I use the emotion I feel in that moment to give me the strength to just become invisible. Finally I decide I'm angry enough to try to become invisible,  I was not leaving the tent into the unknown in this vulnerable state. I close my eyes and hope it's enough, then the familiar surge shoots through me and I know it's done. I turn to look in my standing mirror just incase and there is nothing. "Perfect" I walk very slowly as it's not possible for me to go any faster, to the entrance of the tent, bending slightly I start to unzip it carefully, as to not make any noise. When it's open I breathe in deeply and step outside. It's a moment before I catch my barrings but clearly I'm the in the forest, I sniff and yes of course this is the forest right next to the packhouse. Everything seems even more strange now. Turning I see my tent is at the top of a small hill. I KNOW this exact hill it is north of the pack house and I often met with my Beta, Alex here to discuss sensitive information. I look down to see multiple tents and a camotion further down the hill, it seems the whole pack is here living in tents, little camp fires and woman carrying large buckets of water can be seen. They must be coming from the stream near by. Children running and playing between the trees, clothes hanging to dry on random make shift washing lines. Eldery playing cards sitting in camp chairs. I have so many questions... what in the hell was going on? Why is the pack living like we're in pre-historic times and so so many more questions...Suddely the air fills with the smell of eggs, the smell that woke me, I turn my head in the direction I think it could come from and sure enough a huge plate of scrambled eggs with pieces of bell pepper, spinach and cheese sprinkled on it sits there smiling at me on a small chair just left of the tent entrance , on the floor a mug filled with black coffee. It looks like there is someone stationed here to watch over me. I grab the plate and eat as fast as possible enjoying every single bite, I am starved and feeling like a savage in the process, when the plate is empty I look down at it sadly,  I'm hungry still, but it has got to do, so I gulp down the coffee. I have no time to waste, my mind is still drawing up blank and I need to know what is going on. NOW. Going down the hill is painful and I'm still very weak so it's a gruelling process. On the way down I try to listen to conversations to get any information , I need answers. But my pack seem happy, carefree almost , laughing among each other smiling and what strikes me most is they seem peaceful. They are here in the forest not living in any kind of luxury as they have been for many years and they seem ...fine. I stop to really look at them, and then I hear Mac our 2nd strongest warrior at the top of the hill say in a very agitated voice  "Son of a ... Johnny I'm gonna skin you alive, you know she made them eggs for me" " How dare you man!" " Now I have to go back and stand in the queue, again!" he says defeated and slums his shoulders, cleary pissed. Johnny appears from the opposite side of the tent, with his own plate and mug in hand, looking at Mac with surprise, "No way man, I just got out of the queue, I wouldn't mess with your food, I know how you get." he says sounding truthful if you ask me. "Well what the hell man, someone ate it, I set it down and made the patrol round at the edge, it took 5mins tops, when I got back it was all gone." His eyes big and hands on his hips. "Those kids man, I'm telling you, they are messing with us. Last week they stole my underwear and pants as I went to bathe, this week they steal your food. We need to talk to her, man. She's the only one they'll listen to." Johnny says as he takes a seat on the chair in front of my now empty tent. Johnny was one of the best warriors we had almost as tall as Mac but with a thinner build. I value both of them greatly. I see a bandage on Mac's arm and see Johnny has several wounds on his forearms, deep scratches that will leave ugly marks. It is clear that we were under attack or in some sort of fight and it seems to me that my pack is hiding out here in the forest. I almost decide to drop my invisible act right there and ask them but as I was lost in thought, Mac started his way down the hill to stand in the "queue" what ever that meant and I decide to follow him instead. In the middle of all the chaos is a huge white tent, one that we usually use for celebrations, weddings on pack grounds that sort of thing. It is huge and our 350 Pack members can fit under it easily.  It seems to be the communal kitchen. Long tables connected with portable stoves, kettles and appliances stood in the middle of the tent.  Many pack women and younger girls busy cleaning and preparing food. As you enter the tent it appears there is a queue for food. As soon as I take the first step into the tent my heart starts beating like crazy,  I feel dizzy and the smell of eggs are gone. All I can smell is a fragrance so heavenly,  fresh strawberries and cream. I start to feel weak, but take more slow steps towards the end of the tent, where the smell is drawing me to. I'm, too weak to reach my goal, I can feel that I'm about to pass out so I take a side step to the edge of the tent behind a large table that's standing on it's side. I'm on my side as I'm staring at all the women there one of them smell like ... Everything goes black and I'm out. ****** Alpha I'm woken once more to the smell of food, meat and potatoes with green beans and gravy. This time it's easier for me to wake up. I remember waking this morning and passing out here in the tent. I must have been here the whole day passed out, it seems to be dinner time. My invisible coat stayed on, they would have seen me otherwise. Weird, the invisible shield always goes away after I've slept. Why was it still on now? Man,oh man I have questions about what's going on. I sit up and see a queue forming.  Mac right in the front almost drooling, followed by Johnny. They seem tense and I wonder if they have discovered that I'm not there, yet. Rosi one of our oldest pack members rings a bell and shouts :"food is served, you animals" I chuckle and a smile spreads on my face for the first time since I've been awake. She's so fiesty and makes jokes with everyone,  she's a happy soul and makes our pack a whole. She starts to explain what's for dinner " Alright, we have the steaks, right next to us you'll find the potatoes and gravy and to the back there are buttered green beans prepared by our Luna" she takes a breath and adds " Now, I know you are wolves and most of us are still recovering and might need the extra food, but I've been asked by our Luna to remind you that we have fallen into uncertain times, please take what you need" she looks to the back as if to be sure she has said the right thing and if she is asking someone for permission and then loudly adds "take no more and no less than what you need,family" The room is quiet and the chatter and peaceful atmosphere from this moring seems to have gone. Mac is making his way to the beans and my eyes follow him intensly he seems to perk up towards the back of the food queue, his smile growing and I sense him instantly relax as he holds out his plate and a spoon puts beans on the last free spot of his plate. He seems to blush and I am intrigued to say the least, Mac is hard and tough and he hardly smiles, blushes or shows any form of emotion. His first and only priority has always been to serve me and the pack. He has only ever shown his softer side when with his mother and sister, but even then it was a warrior smile. This man here was like a puppy, and I didn't like it one bit. He seems to have his guard down. I get up to move closer and see what the cause of his puppy eyes might be when Mac says :" Yes, Luna ofcourse. He turns and walks to the end of the table and slides between table edge and tent to go closer, I still can't see as I'm having trouble getting up, I have to observe from my knees and this angers me. What kind of Alpha should have to observe his people from his knees like a slave?!!! I can feel the anger building in me and I know how this might end. I concentrate on what they are saying. Mac is saying "We have to honour his wishes,Luna. It is our pack rules. He will get better. He is a wise and strong leader, we need to give him time" Then I hear her voice, it's soft and sounds like a melody, her words flowing and my heart is pounding. I find myself wanting to move to her and I'm drawn to her although I have not seen her at all. "Well, f**k Mack, he has been up there in his tent for 3 weeks, he is in the exact same state with NO improvements. His plan is a crappy one. How long do think the people can live like this?" She says firm but without anger while pointing to the back of the kitchen. Mac is without words, my once strong fearless warrior is now like a lost little kid. He is still looking at all the people when he sighs and says " Luna, please don't put more pressure on the situation, I beg you. If you push this the people will be forced to choose and this will cause a lot of uncertainty in our pack.." he trails off and I can see the hurt in his eyes. After half a second she lets out a sigh puts her hand on his shoulder and says: "Mac, you are right in the middle of this pack, to me you are apart of the beating heart that keeps us alive, because of this I'm trusting you,  I will not act on my instincts however we are not able to keep this up. This is something you must know. 5 days is what he gets and then I'll be making other arrangements" she sighs "and Mac when that does happen, I hope to see you by my side, supporting my decisions as I have been doing for you for the last three weeks" Mac is not stunned, not shocked, taken aback or even upset.  He nods his head quietly and says with determination, "Then I better get to work and get my Alpha to wake up." He walks off towards his plate and heads towards what looks like a make shift bar, there he picks a mug and tells the pack memeber to fill it up with our pack made beer. He disappears heading up the hill and I'm still there stuck on my knees not able to move. I feel weak, but I cannot stop staring in her direction. I hear a baby that I had not noticed before cry and see her sitting at her feet, she is quick to sooth it, "Hush,hush baby girl, I got you". She picks her up and the little girl, about 1 year old stops crying, I hear her making cute baby noises and then she starts giggling with pure delight and I'm drawn to where they are standing even more. Out of nowhere a little boy runs up to them skips to the back of the table where they are standing and says "I'll take her off your hands Luna, there are still so many people waiting to get food you can't help them with little Bella bothering you" It takes a long time for her to answer but she she replies: "Tommy,you must be the best big brother out there and I hear her leave a kiss on his head, stay here so I can see you, here I'll make her a plate to eat and you can sit with her, make sure she actually eats something?" He seems to like the idea a lot because he answers with " I'd love to stay here with you, Luna."  A short while after that I see Tommy and Bella on the floor at her feet eating happily, they look up at her every so often and she bends down to stroke Tommy's hair more than once. The line grows shorter and almost everyone who leaves her leaves with a smile,  I can sense that they feel happy and at peace. She is busy the whole time and never stops moving or talking to people. Pack members ask her questions about work time tables or about the food, others working want to know details like cleaning supplies and the two kids at her feet keep seeking her attention.  She never gets frustrated or overwhelmed,  she stays friendly relaxed and treats every single member of my pack with respect and dare I say love. I stare at her feet and smile like an i***t. My head wants to explode with questions. I keep playing the conversation she had with Mac through my head and can't figure out what is bothering me. Wait a minute, it hits me. He called her his LUNA! I think about everyone addressing her, every single person in that queue called her Luna LuNa Luna , I hear it again and again. This is impossible! I am the Alpha and this is not my Luna , I have yet to find my mate. What is going on here, rage is rising within me as I start to feel the dishonor that was done to my pack. How did she do it ? Why would they believe this person, what happened that they made a random person their, my Luna without my knowledge or consent ? Was it even allowed. Does the moon Goddess allow such acts? Fury in my mind I feel my eyes change and my face red, I find strength to stand up, I will confront her and she will be punished, thrown in the pit, thrown in and starved to death. She must be a witch, I conclude, No other way. Filled with rage I take a slow step towards her, damn my beat up legs if only I was healed a bit better I could surprise her and attack from her blindside but a blunt and direkt confrontation will have to do. The others in the tent will follow my command and take her to the pit. As I'm planning out her death and punishment, my legs give away and I fall down, just as I look up, she turns to me as if she saw me and the smell, her smell hits me hard . Strawberries and cream everything in my body starts to tingle and my rage is slowly replaced with excitement , I tried to fight it but my wolf steps forward and says "MATE" very loudly in my head. Great . "Dameon, welcome back. Where have you been? " Are you deaf ? Eric!!! MATE !, he says again, this time with more urgency. I know, I know we have to check this out first buddy, and there are more pressing matters right now, we are in bad shape, I can't even walk to her at the moment." Dameon is furious at my decision to ignore our mate. "You are an asshole Eric, all of this is your fault, if you don't go to her now and make it right I will leave".  I think about his words. "Dameon, wait do you know what happened to us? My mind is drawing a complete blank,  please help me understand." But he will not talk to me. I sigh as I stand there staring at her.  She is like an Angel, she moves with so much grace her long blonde hair falling perfectly down her back making small wave like curls at the ends. She never stops smiling and she seems to be just happy. Her green eyes almost glowing and her skin looks smooth and soft. She is wearing skin tight blue jeans and a white top that sits slightly off the shoulder, revealing her sun kissed skin. She turns in my direction and I wonder if she can see me, but she takes her phone out of the back pocket of her jeans and makes a call. " Mac, hey, listen I'm coming over earlier tonight to see him,  there are just a few people left that have to collect their food. Please leave the washing to me tonight, just prepare his water." "of course Luna, see you later." He ends his call and I could tell he was relieved. This gives me time to get back to my tent and talk to my men to get the truth and it gives me time to devise a plan to get us out of this situation before my mind gets clouded with all this mate business.  I gather all my strength and start making my way back to my tent, thankful to be invisible, I do not want any person ever seeing me in this weak condition. ******* LUNA Watching twenty or so women prepare dinner I feel proud of myself that they are finally working well together as a pack. It was not easy getting the two groups that the pack was divided in when I arrived here to finally lay down their issues with each other and work as one. Damn that Eric! I'm still so pissed at the way he handled all of this and the predicament he has put his people in. Not to mention that he probably didn't even have a clue that his pack has been divided for the last few years because of his bad desicion making and the fact the he apparently can't keep his d**k in his pants. I could just scream out of frustration. Keeping calm has been a challenge, I'm very grateful for my Beta Luisa for sharing her yoga and meditation videos that she has on her laptop. It has helped me to sleep better when before I was restless and couldn't close an eyelid because of someone's snoring. She has helped me so much explaining things , everything wolf and pack related, since the day I was brought here. She has also been supporting all my ideas, making me feel more confident in my temporary role here. At that moment I see Mac casually walking past people already forming a line to wait for their turn. He looks apologetic and keeps saying, "Sorry, guys I have to push to the front, Alpha needs me" and I can't help but giggle,  he's a huge teddy bear. Tall and build chunky, but not fat.. pure muscle. His jet black hair sitting short on his head and his big blue eyes always smiling down, they are friendly,soft eyes that always show his emotions. His skin tanned perfeclty and he always seems to have a 3 day stuble on in his chin, making him look even more manly. He had a way of moving that made you think he was clumsy but I've seen him in training and he has perfect control of all his movements, I admire him for being so devoted to his pack. He was loyal to Eric, even when in my opinion Eric treated his men with no respect and did not deserve for them to love him as they do. Luisa has explained several times what the Alpha means to any pack and that all pack members are naturally devoted to him by some kind of link and connection. I'm still learning about all this and I'm trying to understand but since I'm not apart of the pack other than being "Eric's mate" and that having some great meaning, I'm basically in the dark and have no clue what they are talking about most of the time. I try to find easy, fast solutions when they come to me with problems. In the 3 months I've been here I have come to understand that that's what a Luna does, she solves problems and supports the Alpha. Since Eric is always in the worst mood and they all fear him they have been ignoring most conflicts and most simple things like who works at which times or who is responsible for delieveries which caused a huge devide. Unfortunately Eric was always busy planning attacks or trying to form allies. He never noticed and when confronted, he almost attacked the Omega that tried to bring up the subject. To add fuel to the fire he took many girls from "one side" as s****l toys and when he grew tired of them and kicked them out his subconscious suddenly appeared and he gave those girls tasks or jobs that were already assigned to other girls from the "other side" this caused some eerrm feelings and some fights that ended with blood shed, nothing deadly but to say there was a thick atmosphere was putting it lightly. It was something that troubled me, the few times he spoke to me he always reffered to the love he had for his pack , always calling them his family, how could he then treat the girls this way or not notice what he was doing to cause them to act like rivals. Because  I feel like they have been let down so much by the one they all clearly admire I try my best to be a good Luna for them, I stay calm and never raise my voice or my hand. Offering alternative solutions has become second nature to me. I've realised they just need one person to go to and tell them what to do, it is how they are raised and how they have learned to think. At first I found this sad and tried to make them see that they can think for themselves,  but Luisa filled me in that they all share so much love and respect for a Luna, they depend on her to lead them, she is the one who convinced me to just try it out for one day and see what happens. When I agreed and stepped into the role it came to me very naturally and they actually listened to me, no more fights.  People obeying schedules and routines set in place, children attending schools again. It felt good to know I was doing something and that the pack was reacting so positively.  It is however very tiring and I find myself being fake and plastering a smile on my face more often than I'd like. It is becoming a difficult job to do, and with Eric playing sleeping beauty I have no way of knowing what my future looks like. I'm so lost in thought I almost don't hear Mac as he asks for 2 big spoons of beans. I have to get Eric to wake up or die if want out of this whole crazy thing. I sigh so deep two older women turn to look at me. I have to get him to let a doctor come and examine Eric, a real medical doctor, not a doctor focusing on purely natural remedies, they might be good for day to day problems and injuries but surely this is more serious, he has been out for 3 weeks now, he could have serious internal damage or a more serious head injury. Alex, his Beta just keeps telling me that we are to follow his wishes until he wakes, refusing to tell me what those wishes are. Frustrated is an understatement. So in the moment I decide to try to talk to Mac again. I ask him to come to my side of the table and he obeys. I ask him flat out how long we are going to be doing this but he gives me the same tired old line of obeying Eric's wishes . I don't know what snaps in me but it snaps hard. Usually I would accept and obey but not in this moment I want out of this, I want them to take me back to where I belong, as promised. So I say it , I stand my ground and tell him in my best Luna voice that they have five more days to play this game and then I'm getting a doctor to check on him and maybe, hopefully admit him to the hospital. I didn't add the hosptial part while talking to Mac, but I sure did think it. He leaves me looking determined to help Eric, but apart of me feels like it's too late and that he won't make it. He fought well, but not well enough. Suddenly I feel a wave of emotions like I can feel him close to me, almost like he's right here in the room. I almost forget about little Bella playing at my feet. I agreed to watch her .again . Her cute smile makes it hard to say no. Alex the beta of our pack and their mother Luisa my beta was out again looking for ways to help Eric and it's is easier without the kids around so I babysit Bella and Tommy often, I don't mind it one bit they are very easy-going happy children and Alex and Luisa are always on time to pick them up. I'm lost in thought again and get goosebumps all over and I shiver. I'm not sure what that feeling was. My head fills with images of Eric, the last time I saw him awake,I sigh wondering,what would have happened had he not been injured... Bella starts crying at my feet and I am snapped out of my deep thoughts, I pick her up and cuddle with her until she is calm and lots of things happen all at once so that I'm too distracted to think about Eric, I run around and answer questions, help elderly back to their tents all the while keeping an eye on Tommy and Bella. When I see that the dinner rush is over I make an impulse call to Mac and tell him that I'm going to take care of Eric tonight.Sometimes I have a need to just be next to him, it's a crazy urge I have to I hate but can not control. He needs to be washed and dressed and turned so he doesn't get bed sores from laying down in on position for to long. For the past 3 weeks I have been so busy keeping the peace all while trying to show them that I'm very hands on and willing to help whenever they may need me. They took this offer very willingly and it seems they have even more respect for me. So I get my hands dirty and help with whatever I can, that does also mean that I did not have time to take care of Eric, his warriors had to do that, I felt sorry for them as I sensed they did not like bathing and dressing him. So as soon as I had some spare time I decide to give them the night off, from this particular duty at least. As I end the call I note that Mac sounded somewhat relieved and thet made me chuckle a bit. Men can be such babies.