where the moon sets

chapter 01: birthday girl

NARRATOR'S POV

"What are you doing, Jason? Those are not high knees," chuckled Miranda, rolling her eyes at the younger boy. The brown-haired kid whined in annoyance.

"But Luuna," complained Jason, trying his best to raise his knees as instructed. "You said you'd go easy on us on your birthday!" In turn, Miranda rolled her eyes at him. It was her twentieth birthday, only one more year for me to be able to recognise my mate, her wolf reminded her. The thought caused her chest to tighten, but she opted to ignore it as the rest of the group piped in, squealing their agreement along with her younger brother.

"Hush now," commanded Mira, shaking her head, pushing her wolf's thoughts to the back of her mind. "Give me one more good set and I'll let you all off the hook," at her words, they started working harder than before, going as high and fast as they could. Miranda couldn't help but laugh as they pushed themselves further than they had in a while. Thirty seconds later they were down, dropping to the ground, tired as ever, panting for breath. A couple of them even turned into their wolf, and Miranda knew it wasn't their choosing. Sometimes, one's wolf would come out when it felt needed. The triggers could be physical or emotional; anxiety was something they had to control and deal with from a young age, otherwise they'd turn in front of humans... "Well done, don't forget to stretch!" She told them, a smirk forming on her face as the group groaned in unison.

"What's with all the groaning coming from your future soldiers?" At the sound of Elijah's voice, Miranda turned around, gasping in surprise. He looked as handsome as ever, his blond hair pulled away from his face, highlighting his deep and hypnotising blue eyes. "Happy Birthday, Mira," he said, a soft smile on his face as he wrapped his arms around her, letting her hug him back as he gave her a squeeze.

"I thought you'd be here tomorrow after your trip -" she started, pulling away, her hands finding her face, still unable to shake off the feeling of shock.

"- I cut the trip short," he shrugged. Miranda frowned, it was an important trip. There had been rogue wolves spotted in the woods, coming from neighbouring packs and Alpha Christian had instructed his son to join him and his Beta in the search for them. "Just for today," added Elijah, grinning down at his best friend. "I'm joining them again tomorrow," he confessed, "I just couldn't miss your birthday," he admitted sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck.

Miranda cooed at the action, mocking him. "Aww, Eli! You love me," she giggled at her best friend, nudging his side. Jason got up from the ground, and walked over to Eli and smiled when the man ruffled his hair.

"We missed you, E," said Jason, wrapping his arms around the future Alpha's waist. Elijah grinned at his words, returning the sentiment. "I'm so glad you came for Mira's birthday," he claimed, offering an even bigger smile. "Did you bring presents?" Asked the younger boy.

Elijah laughed, "so you didn't miss me, you just wanted gifts," he retorted. Jason gave him an innocent look, shaking his head, very obviously lying. "I did bring gifts, they're at the Pack House," said the twenty-year-old. Jason cheered, running over to the main building with his hands in the air. According to him, Elijah had great taste, always bringing the perfect presents. He adored the man like an older brother. "Yours is in the dining hall, Mira," he added.

The future Luna chuckled, "you know I don't care about that," she told him. "Thank you for coming, seriously. It means a lot that you took time out of your trip to see me." The feelings she had had for him were long gone, shoved down and out of reach for the sake of their friendship, but whenever Elijah did things like this, those emotions just threatened to spill out of her like a flood. The bell rang, signalling it was time for all the trainees to go eat lunch. "Go on," ordered Miranda. "You're dismissed for today, I'll see you tomorrow first thing in the morning."

"Yes, Luna!" They spoke in unison, bowing quickly and scurrying away, hungry.

"They call you Luna already," Elijah pointed out, "that's great, it means they truly do see you as a leader," he reasoned. Miranda hummed, nodding in response. She started picking up the things they'd used during training, thankful when Elijah started helping her out. "How about we go for a run, huh? Like old times," he suggested, "it won't take too long, I promise. Alpha Luke said it was okay as long as we returned before your birthday dinner." It was tradition that for Luke's and Miranda's birthdays the pack got together and held a dinner at the dining hall.

After they finished putting everything away, she finally agreed to go for said run. Eli waited for her to change first, his chest tightening as the white wolf stood in Miranda's place. Whenever he saw her in wolf form, he couldn't help but stare for a while, she was just so beautiful. He shifted a moment later, shaking his fur with excitement, feeling comfortable in his wolf. Because they weren't part of the same pack, they couldn't talk to each other through the link. Even so, they knew how to communicate through head nods and soft bumps.

Miranda glanced at Elijah, offering him a wolfish smirk before taking off into the forest. Eli howled in response, running off after her, not wanting to be left behind. Miranda howled back as she continued running around, loving how the dirt felt below her paws. Finally, Eli caught up to her, and they shared a meaningful look before going even faster than before. They went around the trees, jumping over their protruding roots, rolling over the tall grass whenever they could.

The forest always brought a certain sense of calm over Mira. It washed over her, causing her to relax and unwind - which wasn't something she could do often. Alpha Luke or her younger brother, Jason, always joined her on her runs for safety reasons, but she had to admit, she didn't appreciate their company all the time. Running with Elijah was different. He was in his own world, just as much as she was. That meant he wasn't meticulously watching over her or forcing himself to keep her safe. He let her be, he allowed her to feel her emotions and live in the moment. Whenever she was with Elijah, she didn't feel like a Luna, she just felt like herself.

Suddenly, after a couple of hours, the brown wolf stopped, his back arching, fur standing. Miranda followed suit, stopping right beside him, following his gaze, trying to find whatever it was Elijah was seeing. Behind a few trees, she finally spotted a pair of wolves, both of them huge, standing tall and still. Eli snarled, glaring at them, trying to make himself appear bigger than he actually was. One of the wolves caught Miranda's attention. It was possibly the largest one she'd ever seen, its fur was black like a moonless midnight sky, its amber eyes resembled stars as they pierced into her brown ones.

For some reason, she didn't fear him. She felt intrigued by the creature. Were these the rogues Luke and Christian were worried about? When the black wolf took a step forward, Elijah let out a loud bark, trying to get him to stay away from the pair. The wolf tilted his head to the side, confused, as if asking: what's your problem?

Miranda finally tore her gaze away from it, stealing a quick glance towards Elijah before taking a step towards the rogues. Her friend whined, low and worried about her actions, but she ignored his preoccupation, huffing out a breath, trying to reassure him. The larger wolf raised its head, now taking a few steps towards the Luna, inspecting her every move. They circled each other, still keeping a reasonable distance between them, as to not startle the other. Miranda sniffed the air around her, trying to see if she could sense anything, perhaps something familiar, or lack there off.

They both stopped, standing a mere two feet away from the other. That's when it happened. The black wolf bowed its head, showing good intentions. Between wolves, it was almost a promise of civility and consideration. Miranda reciprocated the action, bowing her head in his direction, their eyes still locked. Elijah watched the interaction, squinting, unhappy with the outcome. Everyone knew that after a bow it was time to show each other their human form. Miranda had no intentions of being the first to shift, but it appeared as though the rogue didn't plan on being first either. Elijah rolled his eyes, shifting into his human form, dusting himself off, cracking his neck for comfort. The other wolf did the same, now revealing a six-foot-tall man with feathery brown hair and green eyes with a sharp jaw. "Hello, there," said the man, nodding at Elijah, who nodded back.

"Tell your friend to shift," retorted Elijah, ignoring the man's pleasantries. "He's standing before a Luna, he must show his respect."

With that, the black wolf shifted into his human form. The fact that he'd done so after learning she was a Luna, meant he knew protocol. Not everyone did. The man that stood in place of his wolf was even taller than she'd expected. A good six-three at least. Miranda transformed into her human form to get a better look at him, and when she did, she almost lost her balance. His skin was a rich bronze colour, his hair was as black as his fur, and his back was broad and strong. He was shirtless, chest bare and ab muscles in full effect. "Luna," his voice was low, just like she'd expected.

Miranda swallowed with difficulty, nodding in recognition. She kept her eyes on his, not wanting them to wander towards the rest of his body. She wasn't a short woman, by any means, but standing next to someone as tall as him was different. Her black, wavy hair flew with a gush of wind that came at them suddenly, causing goosebumps to arise on her pale skin. "Why are you in my territory?" Wondered Miranda, her tone soft, yet firm.

"There have been sightings," said the mysterious werewolf. "Rogue sightings near our border and what I presume is your pack... we decided to explore further and wound up finding you two, so we followed you," he explained. This wasn't news to her or Eli. "I'm Hayes Raynor," he introduced himself, not sparing a single glance in Elijah's direction. "Son of Alpha Logan Raynor, leader of the Hill Hounds Pack," he finished, now turning to Miranda's best friend, his eyes wide at the mention of the pack's name. "Excuse our interruption, Luna. We didn't mean to startle you," he said, glancing back at her.

"The Hill Hounds Pack?" Questioned Miranda, staring at Hayes through her eyelashes. "Our border is not near here at all," she said, now slightly suspicious of the pair. The pack he came from didn't have the best history, they were merciless, always choosing to fight, even when there could be a different solution. "Alpha Hayes, your border is at least fifteen kilometres away," she pointed out dutifully. "You're pretty far into my grounds," she commented.

Hayes chuckled, impressed by her way of handling the situation. She didn't seem afraid at all. "Are you questioning my future Alpha?" Came the Beta's voice from beside them.

"Are you denying the fact that your border is not close by?" Retorted Elijah, stepping up for his friend.

"It's okay, Sebastian," said Hayes, dismissing his second in command. "Should we go to your Pack House, Luna Miranda?" Asked Hayes, smiling down at her. "We don't want to be late for your birthday celebration, do we?" He added, a frown etching upon Mira's face.

"How - Wait -" she stuttered, now filled with confusion. "What are you really doing here?" She asked, her voice sounding much more serious now.

ººº

The four of them finally reached the Pack House twenty minutes later, shifting back into human form as soon as they were out of the woods. Alpha Luke was standing close by along with a man Miranda didn't recognise. "Ah, Mira... Elijah," breathed out her father, waving her over. "Meet Alpha Logan Raynor," he said, introducing the tall, dark-skinned Alpha, who stretched his hand out, shaking hers steadily. "I see you met future Alpha Hayes and his Beta, Sebastian, was it?"

"Yes, Alpha," nodded Sebastian in a solemn manner. "We found each other in the middle of the forest, sir," he shared with the two leaders. "We were searching for rogues, as instructed," he said, sparing a glance at Miranda and Eli. Both of them glared back at the green-eyed man. "We apologise for not waiting for your formal introduction, sir," said Sebastian, speaking to Logan, who shook his head as he tossed them a couple of shirts, which they immediately put on.

"That's quite alright, Sebastian, I'm glad the Luna didn't react badly to seeing two strange wolves in her territory," pointed out Logan.

"Well," mumbled Miranda under her breath. "I'm not gonna lie, Alpha Raynor, it was a close call," she admitted, earning a laugh from Hayes' father. "I had no idea we had a meeting set up... Your son mentioned there was something you wanted to speak to me and my father about, sir?" Asked Miranda, looking into the man's honey-coloured eyes, a trait he shared with his first born.

Luke and Logan exchanged a knowing look before redirecting their attention to Miranda and Elijah. "Perhaps we should talk about it after dinner," Luke suggested. "They've brought birthday presents after all," said her dad, "it's only fair we ask them to stay over for supper, is it not, Miranda?" He already knew his daughter would agree. Elijah's nose twitched at the intrusion, but he said nothing. He knew he wasn't in any position to complain or be upset about this situation.

On the rare occasion that Luke called her by her full name, Miranda knew what to do, "Yes, Alpha, of course," replied his daughter, a welcoming smile on her face. The look in her father's eye said almost everything she needed to know - something important was going on... Whatever her dad's plan was, she would support it to the best of her ability. Luke smiled at his child, proud of how quick she was on her feet. He extended his arm, leading the guests towards the dining hall.

'Mira,' came her father's voice through the mind link. Miranda didn't react to him using it, she didn't want to tip-off anyone around her to the fact that Luke was communicating with her. 'Alpha Logan and Hayes are here to make a proposition,' he said, 'One that could impact us all in a good way.' Miranda continued to stare ahead as she walked, feeling Elijah's gaze on her. She made it a point to not show any emotion on her face at her father's words. 'Let us listen to what they have to say and make a decision later, together, as a family.'

'Yes, Alpha,' she responded, closing the mind link after a few moments of silence. The Hill Hounds Pack's reputation preceded them. They had no allies; only enemies and foes surrounded them. The Ocean Howl Pack, Miranda's Pack, was one of the only ones that wasn't a threat to them. They were amongst the most peaceful, and yet, powerful ones of the Northern Packs. They had allies and friends all around, the most important one being Elijah's Pack, The Crescent Moon. Alphas, Lunas and Betas knew of the history between the packs, the alliances and the bloody wars that had been fought years before them. Therefore, Mira was aware that the friendliness her dad was showing their guests wasn't all genuine.

"See how I wasn't lying?" Came Hayes' voice from Miranda's right side, causing her to turn towards him. He was leaning in slightly, a small, playful smile on his lips. Their parents were chatting amongst themselves, about eight paces in front of them, unaware of their children's conversation. "Do you trust me now?" He asked, his voice made it seem as if he were joking, but his eyes... they told an entirely different story.

Miranda hummed at his question, offering him a small shrug, "I guess if I must," she replied. Hayes chuckled lowly, shaking his head. "Would you rather I lie to you and say that I do trust you, Alpha?" Retorted the birthday girl, staring right back at him. "Hmm?" She insisted after a few seconds of comfortable silence.

"No," he settled on saying. "I'd rather you didn't lie to me, Luna. Thank you... for your candour," he added for good measure. He held one hand behind his back as they walked, commanding respect with every step he took. "Are you excited about being twenty-one next year and finding your mate?” Wondered Alpha Hayes.

The brown-eyed girl let out a laugh in disbelief, "You are very forward, aren't you, Alpha?" Responded Miranda, and even though her words were harsh, her tone softened the blow. Hayes shrugged in response, still awaiting her answer. Elijah made it a point to not look at the pair as they talked, but he listened in. That was a question he'd had for years, but he never allowed himself to ask. "I am," admitted the younger woman. "Even so, finding a mate is not my priority. It never has, and it probably never will be, no matter how old... My priority is and always will be my pack," she finished.

Hayes seemed to be taken aback by her answer, but he didn't say anything, he limited himself to a subtle frown. "I understand," he settled on saying, offering the Luna an empathetic smile. Miranda had never seen anyone change so much with such a small gesture: smiling made all the difference with him.

"We're here," said Elijah, making them turn to look in his direction, the corners of Hayes' lips forming a tight line once again. "After you, Mira," he gestured for the Luna to follow after Luke and Logan, grinning down at the birthday girl, who nodded gracefully, walking in alone.

Both Alphas then stood still, staring at each other, not moving a single muscle. It was as if they were communicating without words. The Betas stood a few feet away from them, eyeing them curiously, trying to decipher what was going on. Elijah was slightly shorter than Hayes, but he still held his ground, back straight, shoulders squared. "Alpha Hayes?" Came Miranda's voice, breaking the tension. "Eli... are you coming?" She asked, looking back at the Alphas, standing between them.

"Yes, Luna." "Yes," they replied at the same time. Hayes took a step forward, entering the dining hall before the Luna's best friend. "Excuse me," he muttered as he walked past the blue-eyed Alpha, not sparing him another glance.

This was gonna be a long night.