His Luna

Chapter 3

Twigs slashed against our heavy fur as we ran through the woods, you could hear the sounds of fighting up ahead. Howls had filled the silent night, my claws dug into the frozen mud. I wish I could go back to the day when I dug my toes in the warm dirt, just relaxing under the Sun's warm rays and no man came for me, I was free and happy. Hearing a piercing howl my ears perk up towards the noise, an authoritative cry for war makes Luca barks for us to pick up our pace, soon we are sprinting into a clearing. Wolves move in silent blurs, droplets of dark blood cover the frozen tips of grass hovering above a thin blanket of fresh snow. Many of the wolves from our group have already joined the fight, but as the wolves from our third group race towards the center I feel the buzz of excitement race through my bloodstream. I almost start prancing towards the gory mess, thirsty for the taste of blood and victory. Suddenly a large figure steps in my way, Anfisia moves to block my path, I step to the side to excited for a real fight. Growling comes from my left, I turn to see her glaring at as she nods her head to the side, signaling to the side of the woods.

I growl lowly as I lower my head, my growling gets louder until I sit down in the foliage with whiny sigh of discontent. I grumble as I watch her participate in the small battle, wishing I could join in the act of pure joy. Now that I regard the fight before me it seems so small, only twenty to thirty wolves in total. Maybe there is more wolves fighting in different areas, but as I look closer I see only ten or so wolves are from the Russian's pack and the other twenty giving take or two are from my old pack, excluding the dozen dead ones too. Now I realize no one from the Russian's side is deceased, and no one is really that injured either.

I watch as each Russian moves with agility and

grace, stepping easily out of the way as the pack

wolves try to draw blood. Moving my eyes I watch

as Luka and Anfisia fight as a team, using the other to launch each other at the enemy, lour one wolf in while the other makes the strike killing off several wolves with ease.

Watching them together makes me yearn for my

other half, I feel a squeeze in my chest, wishing for that embrace and comfort only he could bring. I continue to watch their every move with jealousy eating it's way into my soul and mind. I do not want a mate now, I need to find my footing

before I start running head on into the man I'm

supposed love for the rest of my life. I need to

balance life out before I add on a extra weight to it.

I cry out in pain when I'm tackled to the ground,

blood starts to run down my thigh, as the wolf

slashes at the back of my leg. I turn around,

shifting into my human form grabbing the wolf's

muzzle, yanking upwards I thrust my fist at the

throat of the wolf, the body stills due to the shock. I take that moment to shove the Russian to the side. Picking myself up, I run away in fury.

The cool ground pricks at the bottom of my feet,

and the bushes scrape against my ankles. I pump

my arms, and kick my heels up trying to run from

the Russian wolf. The shadows move silently as I

run, distorting the nature, I leap over fallen trees

and stubble on the uneven ground.

I pull my wolf's vision forward and everything

comes clear, ahead there is a smaller cliff, around

fifteen or twenty feet tall. I can hear the wolf

behind me gaining ground by every passing second, knowing hand to hand combat would drain me, already my wolf is deprived of food, water, and injured. I have the disadvantage, and I don't know if I can run again if we fought.

I push through the pain and dripping blood on my left leg, I'm probably only thirty feet away from the drop off. I lean into my run - twenty feet away. I swing my arms forward and backwards with more force ten feet. I legs move with more agility over the rubbish on the earth's floor - five feet. My leg muscles tighten, I thrust my right arm and leg forward, flying over the edge. Soon I tuck and roll, trying to avoid any more injuries upon impact. I look up, just to see the blonde wolf coming to the edge and peering over.

He growls in frustration, watching my figure

disappear into the foliage some fifty feet away,

knowing I've bested him. I run for several minutes before stopping against a tree, the ache hurts, but not as much as the feeling of betrayal, I left the nicer Russians there. Even though I left them with their own pack mates, I promised to deliver them to their Alpha. Deciding to follow through with the promise, I turn back around hoping that specific wolf is long gone.

Walking through the dense foliage once more I

retrace my steps, after several minutes of light

jogging I lean against a large evergreen tree feeling the sap stick to my bare shoulders. Rubbing my arms to create friction, I huff in

annoyance as the white cami does nothing for the

cold October nights. Glancing towards the clearing, I watch as the Russians clean up the mess of dead bodies, Anfisia stands off to the side discussing something with Luka, Vlad, and a few others I do not recognize.

"She would've just ran away, it's not something she would do." Anfisia states.

"She's a prisoner, of course she would want to

escape."

"John that doesn't make her a traitor." She

counters back, "Something must have happened to her, I suggest we go looking."

"Sia, look you only knew her for what, a few

hours?" Luca looks towards Vlad, getting his

answer, "You hardly knew her and I know you're

good at reading people, but she was probably very desperate and saw the opportunity to flee."

"No, I felt this loyalty in her, she truly wanted to-"

stopping, she turned around sniffing the air,

twisting her body she starts walking. Feeling the

1blood tickle my ankle, I squat down and whip the

running liquid off with the palm of my hand.

Straightening up, I lean back into the tree brushing my hair out of my face. "So you didn't run?"

"Cut the tough girl act, I saw you over there, I know what you were talking about so let's just move on. What's the plan?"

The rest of the Russian's circle around, looking

around I smile at them. Instead of receiving the

greeting they all stand defensively, their glaring

eyes tracing up and down my body finding any and all flaws to it. Pushing her way through Anfisia

enters with Luka closely behind.

"Ustupat" 'stand down' she calls to the group,

turning she looks them all in the eyes.

"Plan?" I ask again.

Chuckling she looks at Luka. His deep, husky voice

resonates around the circle, bouncing off the

bodies, "There is no plan, your attacking warriors

are dead. We will meet up with our group."

"Is my assistance really necessary then?" Popping

out a hip in annoyance, I draw out my words with

cockiness tainting them as I speak.

"You never know what could happen." He replies

knowingly.

“So yes?"

"Of course your part is not fulfilled, girl." Vlad

mocks me. His wrinkly skin pulls into a cruel smirk, "Who even raised you?"

Ignoring his hurtful comment and my parents'

death I turn away. Looking at Anfisia I ask, "Where

will your rendezvous be?"

"North East border, near a large lake."

I walk off in that direction, motioning for them to

follow, "The ground is quite flat, we should be fine

just running."

"Sounds good, lead the way."

Together we ran, over the dying grass and frosty

dirt. This made me feel, as though I am actually

part of something. I feel important and desired, for something other than a mateship. It feels good to be wanted.

Anfisia tells Samara the story on how they became

prisoners- "We were sent on a diplomatic 'mission', if you would like to call it that. We were sent to supervise your Beta, his actions were concerning the council. So they sent a message to our Alpha to deal with it, obviously because they are too busy sitting on luxurious thrones wasting away their life."

"Isn't one of your members on the council? Every

pack sends one of their-"

"That doesn't stop them from being lazy, we no

longer have control over Abidjan, he follows the

path of the council. He lost the right to be part of

the Leonov pack." She spats back.

"I am sorry that happened to you."

"Oh don't worry Sami girl, your advisor is just the

same." Luca chimes in.

"So what did he do that peaked the interest of the

council? I mean besides being crazy." Samara

glances at Anfisia.

"That is what drawn their attention to him. The

expect a coup d'etat." She replies.

"Not surprising," Samara chuckles, "He has always

been a greedy bastard."

Luca laughs, "Amen to that, besides imprisoning

my beautiful mate, I always thought him to be an

asshole."

So many questions flutter around my head; what Was the arrangement between the Russians and

Alpha Opai; why did it collapse; who's fault was it;

why was the arrangement made in the first place,

no one dealt with the Russians besides the council

and they too feared them so truthfully no one dealt with the Russians. I knew I could not ask Anfisia this, I would either get a vague and unhelpful answer or directly told in was none of my concern while receiving pointed and untrustworthy looks from the others. Both of these options did not sound pleasant, therefore I did not ask them when I desperately wanted too.

Not even twenty minutes later the scent of the

Russian's grew stronger, "I'll lead the rest of the

way, it would be best if they caught my scent before your's,", Anfisia moved in front, "when we arrive say nothing and soon you will be gone."

"Gone?" I question her choice of vocabulary.

"Left alone and sent free to do your business, of

course." I nod in agreement.

"I see this agreement turned out to be very

advantageous for the both of us, you may spread

the word if any of your people ever find me. For

may be they will spare my life, not that I could not

handle them to begin with, but to spare bloodshed is good, is it not?"

“You still think of us as monsters do you not?" She takes in my expression and continues, "Simply fear of our name only increases the hate of our name. Do you not think we do not know this?"

"So you are not monsters, but you acknowledge

your...infamous reputation and use it to increase

your respectability?" Anfisia and the rest of the

group slow to a stop.

"How did you come up with that answer?" Vlad

asks with astonishment from behind.

"I read through the lines, yet then again it was not

too hard to see as you all continue to deny the

rumors but never try actually to support your said

'argument' of not being, evil I suppose." I start to

walk again, feeling slightly embarrassed and very

much under heat, the rest follow. They all look at me bewildered,

“How the f**k is what you said have to do with anything that she just said?" A warrior says from the back.

"Does no one else see the congruence between

them?"

Luka laughs, "If we are talking within the realm of

mathematical terminology; I see the equation and

the sum, but no I do not see the coursework. B

minus you unworthy twit of a student."

At this everyone stops looking at me to look at Luka with the same confused stare and I join them.

"What? Math can be funny."

"Luka, not now." Anfisia pats him affectionately on

the shoulder.

After that, we all walked in a general silence. The

trees moved and swayed in the breeze, and the

moon gleamed brightly through the foliage. After

awhile we began to see and hear others. Anfisia taps my shoulder, "Remember what I told you and you will be fine." I bob my head as we walked towards the clearing, our shadows dancing

across the last few trees before. Beyond any

scientific reason I could think of, the smell of pine

grew stronger away from the tress, this left me

dazzled and confused. Lightheaded, I look around

the blurring scene, and I stand there taking it all in. Impatiently Anfisia grabs my shirt mumbling to me to remember what she said. As we move further in, the scent grows stronger but one look at the many campfires around I shrug off the pine smell. Eight warriors approach us, all dressed in black with a dark green arm band on the left sleeve. A light, blonde haired woman walks ahead, lifting her banded arm up she motions for us to stop.

"Who is her?" She mutters in i think Russian tone.

3"Prisoner?"

Anfisia smiles slightly, "Their prisoner, our navigator. Really Ana, you do not trust me?"

Ana's face heats up a brilliant rouge, "No sir, doing

my work, apologies sir."

"Your 'work' is to not question your superiors." The woman blushes fiercely in embarrassment. "Where is the Alpha? I must speak to him."

"Over the small ridge behind us, he is expecting

you, sir." A sturdy man comes forward, speaking to Anfisia.

"Good. Samara come." She ushers me forward with a flick of her hand. Walking with her I grumble, "I am not a dog, I do not like to be commanded."

She smirks, "Poor word choice, to be frank, you are a dog. I will also command you as I please, I

outrank you."

Thinking of sparky responses, I choose to be silent. I follow Anfisia as asked so nicely and we push past the Russian's pack.

"Now when you meet the Alpha say nothing unless spoken to." Anfisia once against commands. "Also if needed address me only as Beta." She looks over to me as if she expecting me to have written down notes. "Yes, I got that. Do not look so concerned, I was courted by many high ranking officials, I know how to act around them."

"I sure hope so, for your sake."

"Umm, question. What is that smell?" I ask

gingerly.

She sniffs the air, "Which one?"

"Well a pine smell is very strong, it's strange."

"We are in a forest." She deadpans.

My cheeks heat up, "Well yes, but it's so strong and then there is this underlining hint of cinnamon, it's enticing."

She snorts softly, "You know you seem so smart,

but you are so stupid."

"Hey! Just because I ask about a smell dose not

mean...holy f**k no! I cannot, I need to leave! I am

not ready."

She grabs my arm and drags me up the small incline, "Be quiet, you are embarrassing me. He's

your mate and he's from my pack, as Beta I will not deny him you."

"Please." I thrash in her arms. She continues to pull me towards her Alpha, but worst of all the smell gets stronger. As I twist and turn, people stare and point, some even laugh. A half a dozen men stand grouped a few yards away

and I get a lurching feeling in my stomach.

"No, Anfisia, please." I beg. She turns and snarls, spit flies on my face and her angry one hovers above mine. "Beta." She unleashes with an dangerous whisper.

"No, no...no, no, no." I mumble.

Only a few steps away now, they all turn to look at me. The smell grows unbearable, and a wave of

nausea flows through me. My knees weaken and

sway like a ship in a storm, and his eyes too match

the grey, fury of that stormy sky. All I can do is

silently scream no.