The Tribes Luna

CHAPTER 9

ERIK'S POINT OF VIEW

I was trying desperately hard to challenge Mathias as professionally as possible, but he was really testing my patients, trying to aggravate me and unfortunately, it worked. Anyone else would have backed down and submitted when I growled even some Alphas did, but this guy clearly didn't know when to quit. That just seemed to irritate Fenrir even more than he already was. When he accepted my challenge he was far too cocky about it and clearly seemed I would be an easy opponent.

I heard someone gasp and was shocked that I hadn't realised Astrid had walked in. She looked absolutely stunning with the sun that was shining behind her it made her look more like an Angel than she already did. I had barely time to stare at her blue eyes when she started to scream and shriek in pain, clutching at her head. It was so sudden that it took everyone in the Longhouse by surprise, I shook my surprise off and ran to her as I saw she was falling as if in slow motion. I held her against me and gradually her screams and shrieks turned to whimpers. I just about resisted that the tingles were getting stronger.

"It's okay Angel. I've got you now. You'll be okay." I whispered to her, stroking her hair and rocking her slightly.

Her father was opposite me holding her hand. Geir ran out saying he'd get a healer. Camron and Logan stood on either side of me like guards, while Danny was nervously pacing and biting his nails. Her Raven had landed on my shoulder gently but he didn't do anything more than just look over at his owner, in a concerned way. Mathias tried to get me away from her but Camron and Logan stopped him and even Chieftain Bard ordered him not to come near her. I didn't have time or the mental capacity to question this right now, I was so focused on my mate in pain.

"What's the matter with her?"

"She's getting her wolf."

"But why is she in this much pain? I know your first shift is the most painful but it shouldn't be this painful."

"Mate is special and blessed."

"That still doesn't answer why she is in so much pain."

Fenrir still didn't answer that question again. Geir came running back in with someone following him close behind. The healer did a quick examination and said that she was shifting, the only explanation she gave about her being in so much pain was that her body and mind had to adjust so suddenly for her wolf. Although she didn't seem to be confident for this reason. Geir went over to stop Danny from pacing and they both stood side by side anxiously watching on, Danny biting his thumbnail short it almost looked like he was sucking it. The healer was going to stay till Astrid had shifted back and given her a check over.

Mathias was still running his mouth in the background, I didn't bother paying him attention although my brothers were growling at him. Astrid's shift took the best part of an hour and now I was stroking her head of silky soft fur I looked over her body and was astonished to see her fur. It was a pale turquoise colour or an icy blue that quite literally shimmered when it moved.

"My princess your wolf is beautiful and blessed." Her father said.

She stirred and stretched out her legs and very slowly stood up. She yawned and turned around to face everyone. When I saw her eyes and I felt my jaw drop open, I heard some others gasp. Her eyes were a bright red and there was a perfectly shaped crescent moon on her chest, and two small ones behind her ears, these were the same red as her eyes.

Astrid's wolf stood proudly with her chest out, she looked at me and our eyes locked together. Loki hopped from my shoulder to her back and she didn't seem to mind or even notice. She came over to me and gently nudged my jaw closed with her snout, she licked my cheek gently and touched her nose to mine. She looked over and saw Geir and Danny standing close together, she walked over to them and circle them closer together till they were shoulder to shoulder. They both looked at each other and quickly looked away blushing, interesting. Astrid proceeded to walk around the longhouse, Loki still riding on her back.

The healer and her father were kneeling with their heads bowed. Astrid nudged the healer with her snout, the healer looked up and Astrid nodded her head. When she turned to her father she tilted her head in a confused way and her eyebrows knitted together in worry almost. She repeated what she did with the healer though this time her father instantly broke out into a sweat and his whole body started to shake I thought he was going to have a seizure. He fell over onto his side and the healer started to check him over.

"He'll be okay. I had to release him from his bonds."

I was startled hearing this unfamiliar voice in my head, I looked around and saw everyone else had a similar look of confusion on their faces. I turned back to Chieftain Bard and I saw Astrid facing us.

"My name is Mona and I am a child of the Moon Goddess. I shall give you all more of an explanation later, but for right now I need to rest. Chieftain Bard will be okay, I promise you, he just needs rest."

Mona shifted and where she had been there crouched Astrid still fully clothed, she was panting slightly. Loki now on her shoulder looked around slightly panicked before her beautiful blue eyes landed on mine.

"Mine!" We growled in unison.

We reached for each other desperate to embrace one another before Mathias quite literally stood in the middle of us.

"Listen here Alpha!" He says, pointing at me, I start to growl lowly. "She is still my betrothed, we all know our first shift is painful and traumatic. She clearly doesn't know what she is saying!" He states so confidently it's really quite pathetic.

I couldn't take this anymore, before I could say anything Fenrir instantly takes over and shifts on the spot. Shredding the clothes I was wearing, it hurts a bit more than it usually would've, but we were so consumed by our rage for this prick that I couldn't think about that right now. For some reason, everyone gasps even my brothers, which is odd as they've seen my wolf form many times before. Mathias looked horrified at seeing my wolf, Geir and even the healer had similar looks of wide-eyed horror on their faces, Geir pushed Danny behind his back while the healer stood in front of Chieftain Bard protectively. I looked over at Astrid and she also had wide eyes but not of the horror of shock and surprise. I started to feel very confused and even a bit self-conscious. I heard Camron link me.

"Bro, Fenrir, your wolf has like grown an extra foot in height."

"What are you talking about?"

"Look the f**k down."

I did. Where I was usually about 7 feet tall as a wolf, and that was taller than most Alpha wolves, I now stood at about 8 feet tall on all four paws. Now I was really getting confused, though that did answer why it hurt a bit more than usual.

"Fenrir, why the f**k are you suddenly so tall? Did you have a fricking growth spurt or something?"

"Talk later. Kill now!"

"No! No! No killing. At least not right now, we'll probably do that when our challenge has started."

"Why do we have to wait to start?"

"Because I would rather not seem like a monster because of some prick and the Chieftain needs to announce it for it to be official. If we just kill him here and now it'd be murder."

Fenrir huffed but didn't reply and begrudgingly gave me back control. I shifted back and it still hurt a bit, Logan came up to me and throw me a blanket to cover myself, he had a look of concern on his face. I looked around and saw the healer and Geir still looked at me like I was already a monster. Mathias had a look of cunning on his face, that made me feel if possible even more uneasy. I looked at Astrid and she just looked a bit confused.

"You are Fenrir?"

Nearly all of us start not realizing Chieftain Bard is standing, although it looks like he is going to collapse.

"That is my wolf's name," I reply.

"Fenris wolf? The youngest child of Loki and the giantess Angrboða? Older siblings Jörmungandr, the world serpent, Hel queen of the underworld? Chained by Gleipnir and destined to be released at Ragnarok to eat Odin and to be killed by Vidar?"

He was now standing right in front of me and even though I was taller than him, I still felt a bit pressured by all the information he just hurled at me which to me sounded like a lot of made-up words. Mathias looked so smug like he had just won a prize and that made me worry more because if it was making him happy it was not good for me at all. Fenrir was almost whimpering like he was ashamed and was being told off, but he wouldn't give me any information so I couldn't even answer Chieftain Bard. I'm not sure I even wanted to answer, but I had to answer him, I just didn't know how or if there was a right answer to get out of this. I looked around to Astrid, her blue eyes were out of focus and she was clearly talking to Mona, Loki still on her shoulder. How did it even happen that I became the bad person in less than 5 seconds?