The Girl In Red

Part Of Us

“I’m fine, really!” I said for the hundredth time. Stephon was beside himself. He couldn't believe what just happened. He brushed his fingers in his hair, obviously frustrated.

“I should have been there!” He balled his hands into fists staring at Katie and Mike. A few other pack members were helping them up and handing them rags to wipe the blood away. Silvia had ran back upstairs with new rags. She handed it to Lily before going to Mike. Mike was on his feet waving Silvia off while Katie pouted on the floor, complaining how I ruined her perfect face. The pack members helping them gave the two nasty looks the whole time. They both had stopped bleeding. Mike wiped the smudges of leftover blood off his face while Katie dabbed her finger under her nose, spreading the blood. She’d dab her bloody face a few times, look at her hand in shock, then dab again and repeat. Her white tank top now had drops of blood on the front looking more like flowers than blood.

“Should’ve been worse, Luna!” Lily stood in front of Katie and threw the rag at her, smacking on her face. Katie gasped as it hit her. She snatched the rag and glared up at Lily.

“How dare you!” She screamed at Lilly. Lily’s eyes went dark.

“How dare I? How dare I!?” Her growling voice steadily rose. Katie's face became one of shock and horror as she shrunk away from Katie. Silvia took a step towards Lily, placing a hand on her arm. Everyone else took a step back seeming to know she was a ticking time bomb by now.

“You have been nothing but a nuisance to this pack since you came! Now you go and try to bully your Luna! You should be exiled! No! Worse! Death!”

“ENOUGH!” Stephons’ voice echoed in the home as silence fell upon the pack. He oozed authority as he spoke to the members present. All eyes were on him, hanging to his every word. This is what it meant to be an Alpha.

“Mike and Katie are going to be held until further notice. Tonight is to welcome our Luna and officially make her a part of the pack! Nothing will darken this day for our pack!” He pointed his finger down as he spoke. His voice was deep yet loud. He was demanding this from everyone, including me. I may not be an official member just yet, but I could still feel the authority in his words.

“Hold them in their rooms until tomorrow morning. Beta Chris and I will deal with it then. Until then,” He glanced around at his pack, eyes landing one one man. “William. Take first watch over Mike.” His eyes roamed again for a second till he stopped on another man. “Tom. You will join William at sun down. After the ceremony is complete, relive William and you will watch till dawn. I will be up by then.” His eyes wandered to two men standing side-by-side. “Jeff. First watch on Katie. Micheal. Join him at sun down then relieve Jeff. I don’t want anyone getting any ideas of interrupting the pack bonding. We will still mind link you all in the ceremony. Understood?”

“Yes Alpha!” Everyone said in unison and bowed their heads.

Once the orders were done being given, everyone went back to work. Stephon grabbed my hand and dragged me towards our room. I looked back to see Lily and silvia looking at me with a small smiles and both gave me a thumbs up. I gave them a nod and a small smile back. I had never seen that side to Lily. She seemed to be a very loyal friend. She’d be the one to take into battle. I knew she had my back. Silvia had the gentler side. She was better with comfort and consoling. Two very opposite people were friends and my friends. I smiled to my self at the thought.

“Okay.” Stephons’ voice snapped me back from my thoughts. He had shut the door behind me. He sat on the bed, looking defeated and tired. His elbows rested on his knees with his hands together as if praying. He brought his hands to his lips and closed his eyes.

“Tell me what happened.” My gut clenched a little at the memory. I cleared my throat and swallowed hard. I took a deep breath to calm my nerves.

“Well,” I began telling him what had occurred. He sat and listened without interruption, changing positions and shifting a few times. Once I was done, he was looking at me with an odd look on his face.

“What…?” I didn’t understand his expression. He burst out in a short laugh. The smile never faded from his lips.

“You're amazing.” Okay, what? Now I'm really confused. I just beat up two of the pack members!

“Look,” He stood, ready to explain. “With everything you’ve been through-and don't think I believe you have spilled the beans on everything, cause I don’t. Well, color me impressed!” He raised his hands in the air and began laughing again. He dropped his hands and licked his lips.

“I’m proud of you. You stood up for yourself. You found your voice.” He pulled me into a tight embrace that I welcomed.

“You will make a great Luna.”

Night came quickly after the incident was settled. My nerves began creeping up on me. I was standing outside, on the porch of the massive house that I now called my home. I was looking at my new pack as Stephon began introducing me as the new Luna. His voice drowned out as a chilled breeze blew by. The hair on my arms began to rise. The breeze still continued brushing against my skin. I turned my head slightly towards the direction of the breeze. There, at the end of the clearing where the forest began, I thought I could make out the silhouette of a person leaning against a tree. I squinted my eyes, trying to focus more on it.

“Alexis.” Stephon called my name. I jerked my mind back to the moment and he took my hand. I looked at him and he smiled.

“Ready?” He asked. I smiled and nodded.

“Close your eyes and open your mind. Think of the pack.” I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Thoughts and faces of those in the pack that I have met. I thought of Silvia, Chris, Lily, Stephon and everyone else that I could. Warmth seeped into my bones as joy began filling my heart. I could feel the pack.

‘My pack.’ I thought.

‘Welcome, Luna!’ Voices echoed in my mind. There were so many of them that I gasped in surprise. My eyes sprung open and I looked at Stephon. His eyes wide. I smiled.

“Did it work?” I asked. He just stared at me with shock.

“How’d you do that?” His voice was a whisper. I furrowed my brow.

“Do what?”I asked.