THE REBIRTH OF THE LUNA

CHAPTER TWO

AERYS

“What do you mean by that?” I raised my brows at Melvin in utter confusion.

It was barely just my first hour as the Luna, and Delta Melvin was already talking about preparing for war.

“I mean, it’s only normal for other Alphas and greedy people to challenge a new Alpha or Luna for the title and the pack to see if the new leader deserves to be the leader. I sighed in exhaustion.

“What do you suggest I do about it?” I questioned.

“Begin your training as soon as possible, and you have no idea what time anyone is going to rise against you, or even who. It could be an Alpha of another pack, or it could just be a mere soldier of your own pack. Always be on high alert,” he warned.

I nodded at him as he patted my shoulder and walked away. Delta Melvin was my father’s most trusted pack member, and I figured out why I had to keep him close, as well, for a successful and long-running term, as the Luna.

~~

It had been two months since I was crowned the Luna of Moon Cove Pack, and there had not been any challenges so far.

“Congratulations,” Beta Andrew said to me after my last day of training as the Luna. “You have completed your training as the Luna of this pack. You are now free to give commands and make laws regarding the pack without having to be questioned by anyone.”

I smiled, looking down at the floor as tears welled in my eyes. I wondered how my father would have reacted to this if I had done it sooner, when he was still alive. As the soldiers clapped and cheered to congratulate me, a messenger ran into the training room, panting and bending over as he caught his breath.

“What is it?” Beta Andrew and I demanded at the same time.

“Alpha Jared of Dark Moon pack,” the messenger panted.

“How are we supposed to know what you mean if you’re not speaking past the names? What happened to Alpha Jared? Speak,” I commanded.

“Alpha Jared is dead.” I shared looks with my Beta and my Delta, shock filling our eyes at the news. Alpha Jared had been my father’s rival for a long time, and they had both been involved in the war which had been the cause of my mother’s death. After my mother died, a peace treaty was called, and my father signed it with Alpha Jared. Now that they were both dead, I couldn’t tell if peace would be kept any longer.

“When did he die?” I questioned as I walked out of the room with Andrew, Melvin, and the messenger rushing right behind me.

“Just two days ago, I heard. His son will step up as the next Alpha of his Dark Moon today,” he replied.

“Send out my congratulatory message to him. I’ll write down a letter regarding the peace treaty, making sure that we get him to sign a new one so that we don’t have any questions or loopholes,” I said, heading to my chamber and beckoning all three of them to come with me.

“Do you really think this is a good idea, Luna Aerys?” Melvin asked as soon as we got to my meeting room and I picked up a piece of paper and a bottle of ink.

“I don’t quite understand. What could be so wrong with making the new Alpha of the Dark Moon sign a continuous peace treaty? Our fathers signed theirs when they were alive, so this is just a way of keeping the peace and making sure that our people know it.” I shrugged, sitting down and writing down my message of condolence for his father’s death, making sure to hint at the peace treaty at the very end.

“I guess all I’m trying to say is that the new Alpha doesn’t seem to be making an attempt at this peace treaty this early. In fact, I don’t believe he already knows about it just yet. Why don’t you send a message of condolence first? When you do that, you can wait for the offer of the peace treaty If until about a week or two,” Melvin advised. I looked around the room, and they all seemed to be in agreement with Melvin’s suggestion. Even with my training being completed two months ago, I still didn’t have enough maturity to think about things and sort them out without the help of my Beta and my Delta, and it was very obvious. It wouldn’t be long before someone noticed just how incompetent I seemed and would jump in to challenge me for my title. If that happened, there was no guarantee that I would come out of it as the victor. I squeezed the paper and tossed it into a corner, picking up a new one and writing down my condolences with Andrew and Melvin guiding me through it.

I handed the note to the messenger, ordering him to go to the Dark Moon Pack and deliver it to the new Alpha.

Thanking Andrew and Melvin, I walked back to the training rooms and joined the soldiers.

~~

“Luna Aerys!”

I got out of my house, alarmed by the loud voice of the messenger who was now running towards me with wide eyes.

“What is it?!” I yelled back, running in his direction as impatience clouded my insides. “What’s going on? Tell me.”

“The trading route to Dark Moon Pack has been blocked,” he announced as Beta Andrew and Delta Melvin walked out of their homes to find us standing outside on the open path.

“Blocked?” Delta Melvin frowned. “What do you mean? It’s the route that was established by Alpha Jared and Alpha Dorian after they signed a peace treaty. It can’t possibly be blocked for no reason. Who blocked it?”

“I went over to Dark Moon to deliver the letter given to me by Luna Aerys,” the messenger reported. “Alpha Jordan took the letter and asked me to stay and wait for the coronation, stating that he had a message for me to bring to Luna Aerys. I did as he said. As soon as he was made the Alpha, his first order was for the route of trade between Dark Moon and Moon Cove. He told me to bring the message to you.” I looked toward Melvin and Andrew, confused and surprised by what I had just heard. There was only one reason why a newly-made Alpha would start trouble with a pack they had always had peace with.

Before I could fully think about it, Andrew said it out loud and made it even more real.

“He’s calling for war.”