THE REBIRTH OF THE LUNA

CHAPTER THREE

AERYS

“But he just got made the Alpha, didn’t he?” I questioned, following behind Melvin and Andrew. “He can’t possibly have that much authority. Besides, I heard that the route cannot be blocked without the agreement of both pack leaders.”

“It can be blocked if the leader who made the order wants war,” Melvin said.

By the time we reached the route, we found our traders heading towards us with frowns of annoyance and wonder on their faces.“They blocked the route. We can’t give, we can’t receive” one of the traders announced to us before we could even ask.“Head back to the packing warehouse and store your crops,” Beta Andrew ordered them. “We’ll figure out a way to get to the bottom of this.” We went on further, and we finally found the root of the problem.

“Turn around! Return to your pack! The pack of Dark Moon will no longer trade with Moon Cove from now on. Go back!” One of the soldiers yelled out, using his hands to signal for us to turn around and leave.

“Stand down!” Melvin called out to them. “The Luna of Moon Cove is here!”

“We have not been asked to take any orders from any other leader but our own. Return to your people!” The soldier countered.

“Why has your Alpha blocked our trading routes without prior notice?” I questioned as we got close enough to the soldiers.

“We only follow his orders. We have no right to question his decisions, so we do not know. All we know is what he has asked of us,” the soldier replied.

“Go and tell your Alpha that we will no longer be coming along this route for trade since that is what he wants, but he needs to prepare himself for a meeting with the Luna,” I told the soldiers, turning around and leaving.

“I need to speak to him,” I informed Melvin and Andrew. “I need to summon him for a meeting.”

“While that isn’t exactly the best idea right now, I don’t think there’s any better idea,” Melvin finally agreed with something I had suggested for once. I called a messenger, writing a quick letter to summon Alpha Jordan for an emergency meeting to talk things out and ask him why he had decided to block the route.

“And now, we are sitting and waiting for his response.”

~~

“Luna Aerys,

I’ll have you know that my pack isn’t one for reconciliation whenever yours is in need. We need the crops we are trading with you as much as you do, and I have decided that, for the benefit of my pack members, the trade will officially come to an end. I have no intention of meeting you and talking things out as my opinion is final. Take things the way they are and deal with them, like a true leader, if you are. I have important things to do.

Alpha Jordan.”

I read the letter Alpha Jordan had sent back to me through my messenger aloud.

“This is unacceptable!” Melvin protested out loud. “What does he mean by that? He is clearly challenging your title as the leader of this pack. We need to do something about this!”

“What do you suggest, Melvin?” I asked. I had come to learn that I was not good enough for the title I had on my head and the responsibilities that came with it. Perhaps, if my father had stayed longer, he would have seen that Melvin was a better fit for being the Alpha of Moon Cove than I was.

“I suggest you take some of your strongest soldiers and march to the Dead Moon Pack. As the Luna that you should prove you are, you must summon him. Drive him out of his house if you must! Then, you can talk things out. If he does not take your words for what they truly are, you can start a riot with your soldiers right behind you to back you up.” I looked towards Beta Andrew to see what he thought of it. For the first time in a while, Beta Andrew didn’t look to be in support of Melvin’s idea.

“Do you have something else to suggest, Andrew?” I spoke up.

“Well, yes.” He cleared his throat and adjusted his seat. “I believe that what Delta Melvin has suggested is exactly what Alpha Jordan wants you to do. He wants a war, but he doesn’t want to be regarded as the person to kick-start the war—”

“If that’s the case, then he didn’t think it through. He was already kick-starting it when he told his people to block the trade routes without consulting Luna Aerys first,” Melvin argued.

“But he already gave his justified reasons for doing that, and he has expressed that he has no interest in seeing Luna Aerys so—”

“All the more reason why she should go to see him. His letter of response was bordering on being disrespectful and challenging. I think you should take my advice, Luna Aerys,” Melvin said.

“I believe you should stay back and see if Alpha Jordan gets frustrated enough to make the first move of the war.” I couldn’t tell if it was the fact that my father had trusted Melvin his whole life; or the fact that I was desperate to prove that I was the Luna, and I deserved as much respect as the leaders that had come before me, but I settled for Melvin’s advice after giving it a thought.

“I’ll take my soldiers and go with them to the Dead Moon Pack. Whether he likes it or not, I will have a talk with Alpha Jordan and get him to renew the peace treaty.” I stood up and walked over to the soldiers' quarters, selecting the best among them and ordering them to come with me to Dead Moon Pack. It took us almost an hour to get to Dead Moon Pack, and another fifteen minutes for the guards at the borders to let us in after I had settled for using threats on them. One of them was forced to lead us to Alpha’s house.

“Now, go in and tell the Alpha that Luna Aerys of Moon Cove Pack is outside his house, waiting to talk things out. If he still has no intention of talking or settling things, then he should be prepared for whatever happens within his pack and to his subjects.” The guard ran into the house, and it took him a while to return.

“The Alpha requests your presence in his meeting room immediately,” he said.

I looked at my soldiers, nodding at them as I ordered them: “Be on guard.” I walked behind the guard into the Alpha’s house and up the stairs, where I was led into a room with chairs surrounding a large table in the middle of the room.

“He said to wait for him here,” the guard told me, leaving without another word. It didn’t take long before I heard pounding footsteps headed for the room that I was sitting in. I adjusted my posture, making sure I didn’t look unserious as a leader. I started to wonder what Alpha Jordan was like; how he spoke, how he dressed, and how much attention and respect his mere presence commanded. All of my wonders crashed to the floor when the door opened, and he walked into the room. The only thing I could see about him was the pair of hazel eyes in his head, surrounding his pupils which were now dilating as he stared back at me with his mouth slightly agape. An airy feeling seeped into my chest out of nowhere and filled up my heart, making it seem as if it was going to combust anytime soon. I had once asked my mom how I would know if I met my mate, and she simply replied by telling me that there would not be a single doubt about it – I would just know. There was only one word in my head that I could form, as if every part of myself knew what exactly that was.

Mate.

Alpha Jordan of Dead Moon Pack was my mate.