The Lunar Bond

He Must Not Awaken

Empress strode into the cave with calculated footsteps, her head high and expression blank.

The past few weeks had brought their fair share of trials for her, with some of the pack members, Elder Rachel at the helm, indirectly claiming that she was unfit for the role because she had not been able to curb the series of attacks. To top it all off, she had brought a stranger to the pack.

“Alpha Empress, we heard that a stranger with strange powers currently lies in the healer’s den, and he gained access to this pack through you.” Rachel hit the nail on the head as soon as all protocols were observed.

“Yes, I did.” Empress replied with a clipped voice.

The elders exchanged looks among themselves when they heard Empress’ reply.

“Pray, tell us, our most esteemed alpha. Why did you bring someone like that into our pack at a time when we are facing gross insecurity and a high level of insecurity? I ask this respectfully.

Jason almost snorted loudly when he heard Rachel’s choice of words. Her words were blatantly disrespectful.

“I didn’t act of my own accord,” Empress replied calmly, even though she felt anything but calm. “I had a vision where the moon goddess told me about the stranger lying down in our healer’s cave.”

The elders started to speak among themselves in soft tones, which became increasingly loud, but they all stopped mid-discussion when they heard loud commotion outside the door, and the door soon burst open.

Everyone except Empress stood, poised to defend themselves against any incoming attack, but instead of an enemy, as expected, Maya stumbled into the cave, chest heaving and eyes wild with adrenaline.

“Alpha!” she blurted out, panting. “We have a serious problem,” she continued, her voice tight with urgency.

Empress stood up sharply and started heading towards the door. “What is it, Maya? What is going on?”

“He... he was calm when you left, but all of a sudden he started convulsing and became uncontrollable.”

Her words tumbled over one another, tangled and fast as if her mind was trying to keep up with the chaos.

There was a flurry of movement and loud discussions behind Empress as she made her way to Maya's healing quarters, but she barely heard them.

She had only one person in mind at that moment.

With one push, Empress opened the door, but frowned when she saw no sign of Lucas. “Where is he?”

A loud gasp and panicked murmurs made her turn to see everyone staring at something, or rather someone, on the balcony.

Lucas stood in the middle of the balcony with his arms stretched out.

The strange mark on his arms blazed to life, and the crystal-lined walls responded by shaking as if in awe, then they glowed as well.

One of the elders gasped, said, “This is impossible.” Then he moved closer, staring intently at the markings on the crystals and the now similar ones on Lucas' body.

Another elder turned towards the first and said. “Are you seeing the markings as well?”

“The markings on him look exactly like the lost glyphs of the first bloodline.”

Jason looked from one elder to the other and asked. “Could he be?”

Wide-eyed, Rachel waved Jason's question off. “That's impossible. The first bloodline is an ancient royal werewolf lineage erased from history after a civil war. That was many years ago, so this stranger cannot possibly be from the first bloodline. He may be a spy, sent here to trap us.”

As they all continued to watch the glow become brighter, Lucas spread his arms farther out and shouted. “Elandros!” and the glow blasted forth like an explosion of light, which made everyone run backwards, covering their eyes.

The glow finally dimmed, but when Empress moved closer to the balcony, she didn't see Lucas. Only a trail of bluish-black liquid.

“Jason, stay back and ensure that there is calm. I have to find him.”

Jason grabbed her arm forcefully and whispered. “Empress, you're surrounded by the elders of the pack, Rachel included. Don't give her more reasons to paint you unfit.”

Empress pulled her hands out of his. “I have to do this, Jason. I must do so.”

And without a backward glance towards the others, Empress raced after Lucas’ trail.

“What did I just witness?” One of the elders asked no one in particular.

Rachel took a few steps forward and then turned to face everyone.

“I think something bad has happened. The Alpha isn't herself. I think the strange creature has put her under a spell.”

“You don't know what you're talking about.” Jason retorted hotly.

“She has been misled by that strange wolf who will bring ruin to us all.” She shouted in reply. “Did you all not see what transpired here only a few minutes ago? And all she cares about is him. Not even us, her own people. Her first priority.”

“You are always quick to say something negative about your alpha, and I am beginning to doubt your loyalty to this pack as one of its elders.” Jason walked towards Rachel with slow, predatory steps and his Beta aura.

“You keep talking about how inefficient Alpha Empress is. When have you talked about the way forward or what to do to help her become better, if at all?”

When Rachel remained silent, Jason was glad that, for the first time, he had shut her up.

He didn't like Empress' actions and considered them a little bit irrational, but he would support her even though he was almost green with jealousy.

Empress shifted to her wolf form and followed Lucas’trail.

She still didn't understand what was going on or how to handle the situation better, but she was willing to try if he was somehow the key to victory for her pack.

Her heart thudded, and an unknown emotion slid through her. She skidded to a stop in front of a huge tree which had smoke protruding from its bark.

But it wasn't the tree or the smoke that drew her attention, rather the message which had been burned into the bark with ancient glyphs, and for some reason she could not explain, she understood it.

It simply read ‘He must not awaken or we all fall.’