Hannah: The Red Moon

Chapter Seven - Hair Ties

The three of us walked out the front steps and into the driveway. It was a long driveway. One of the many SUV’s that had been at the Red Moon Pack’s decimation day was parked out front. I walked towards the vehicle, but Evan stopped me.  

“We’re walking,” he said gruffly. I stared at him and Harry nodded.  

“Well you’re both walking. I’m running,” Harry said. Then I heard the sound of joints popping out of their sockets as Harry shifted into his wolf. He was a magnificent dirty blonde wolf with a black nose and honey colored eyes. He shook his coat and walked over to Evan, did a little nod and strode off down the drive way.  

Evan started walking away from me down the driveway too and I followed a few steps behind silently. As we neared the bottom of the really long driveway we were coming up on a bridge. There was an entry house to my left and a guard inside. Two guards were posted on either side of the bridge as well on the side I was one and also on the other side. Evan was already on the other side of the bridge when I stopped in the middle and looked down at the roaring river beneath us.  

The river was roaring, almost howling, as it rushed beneath my feet. Cascading over rocks and white foam billowing up along the shore line on either side. I just stood there and watched the water writhe its way around boulders and listened. It felt calm here... an almost serene peace. Suddenly my body wanted to literally feel this peace envelope me. I don’t know why, but I climbed the rail and stood up on the top railing. I held my arms out, standing there in the shape of a cross, and closed my eyes. As I leaned forward I felt a sharp tug on my pants and instead of falling forward into the river, I fell backwards into the arms of two guards.  

“Just what the f**k do you think you’re doing?” Evan spat out at me as the guards helped me up on my feet. “Why are you always trying to kill yourself?” 

“I wasn’t trying to kill myself,” I answered him. “I just wanted to take a dip in the river.”  

“If you want to die I’ll kill you myself,” Evan said coldly, “but for now you get to live another day.” I gulped for a breath of air and held it in. I closed my eyes and slowly released the breath I took in and stared at Evan. Even though he did give me two mind blowing orgasms earlier, this wolf was still my enemy.  

“I told you,” I said through gritted teeth, “I wasn’t trying to kill myself.”  

“That’s not what it looked like!” Evan spat out as he walked right up to me and stood his ground in front of me. I stood my ground too with my head held high. I wasn’t going to let him intimidate me. I’m the last Red Moon wolf. The last of my birth right and name. I wasn’t going to let this Alpha Evan, or whatever he claimed to be, tell me what I was feeling or what I was doing. Evan’s eyes bore into my own and I could feel the heat rising from my stomach again. It wasn’t lustful heat this time. Oh no, it wasn’t. It was rage and anger and all I could see was red. I felt my body trembling and had to break eye contact from Evan.  

“That’s what I thought,” Evan muttered as he turned away and started walking to the other side of the bridge again. “C’mon, we still have quite a ways to go.” I stayed where I was until he was on the other side of the bridge. I was seething and I didn’t know why. Evan’s change of attitude made my attitude change too. He waited until I caught up with him, turned around, and continued walking. Along the way we saw some omega’s and some of his warriors.  

I started hearing the hustle and bustle of people talking, music, smell food, and children laughing. As we rounded the corner, the street spilled out into a clearing. There were tents up on either side of the clearing. One side was for food vendors and the other side was for merchants selling their goods. In the middle of the clearing was a fountain and although it wasn’t spewing water at the moment, there was water in there with fishes swimming around.  

A wolf came bounding towards up panting and stopped in front of Evan. He nodded slightly and nodded his head over to a vendor.  

“Oh yeah, hair tie,” Evan said. “Thanks Harry.” Harry nodded again and trotted towards the food vendors. He disappeared behind a tent and came back out with shorts and sandals on. He was shirtless, but that didn’t last long as he bought a shirt from one of the merchants selling tie dyed shirts, dresses, and scarves. Harry came back to meet up with Evan and they both went into the tent next to the tie dyed goods. I stood there as Evan didn’t ask for me to follow him and the hell if he told me to follow him.  

I went to sit by the fountain and brushed my hair with my fingers. Then I braided it and tied the end into a knot. I watched the fish swim around and ran my fingers through the water. The fish all darted away, but swam back. A couple of them would swim right up to my fingers, nibble, and then dart away again. A smile crept up on my face seeing the brave fish do this several times, but then the smile turned into a frown as I was reminded of when my mother and I would sit down by the stream on Red Moon lands and just listen to the water rush over the rocks. One time my mother waded out into the middle of the river behind our home and caught a fish with her bare hands. That was the moment I called her my hero. For catching a fish with her bare hands, I felt that she could do anything she wanted. I decided that I wanted to be just like her. What I didn’t understand though, was that that night she prepared the fish she caught for dinner for my father and I, but she didn’t eat with us. She never ate with us. Father would always tell me she was tired from spending all day with me, cooking, and cleaning so she wouldn’t eat. My mother would tuck me into bed, pull the covers over me, kiss me three times on the tip of my nose and wait for me to fall asleep before she slipped out of my room.  

I could feel tears stinging the back of my eyes and sniffled. I wasn’t going to cry. I wouldn’t. As much as I loved my mother, I also hated her for leaving me. For leaving us. My father and I. One night she tucked in me like she always did and never came back. I woke up to my father sitting in their bed with a letter in his hands shaking and mumbling something.  

“Hannah.” I snapped out of my memories and looked up. Evan was standing there with a little plastic bag. He handed it to me and I opened it to find several hair ties in there.  

“Thanks,” I mumbled as I took one out and pointed to my hair, “but I kind of figured it out on my own.” Evan just shrugged and turned back around and left me alone again. I sat there with the little bag of hair ties and watched the fish swim around again. When I got bored of that I started walking along the market and looked at what vendors were selling. At the very end of the square was a black tent with a sign that read “Fortunes”. I c****d my head to the side and stared at the sign. It was just a plain sign with letters written in black. Nothing else on the sign. Nothing elaborate to make the tent stand out. Just a black tent with a sign.  

I sighed and turned to walk away when someone said, “My child, you have a very strong aura about you. Would you like to get your fortune told?” I turned around to see a she-wolf with an dark blue maxi dress on and a black shawl around her elbows. She had tied a scarf on around her head with coins that jangled when she c****d her head to the side and nodded for me to follow her.  

“I don’t have anything to pay you with,” I said.  

“You can pay me with a hair tie,” she said opening the tent flap and waiting for me to step in. What? How did she know? “I know almost everything. Now are you coming inside or no?” I slowly nodded my head and stepped into the tent with her following behind me. It was dark inside except for some candles burning and the light from the hole in the middle of the tent roof.  

“Please sit,” she said she sat down across the table from me. I took a seat and kept looking around.  

“Who are you?” I asked.  

“Why? Who wants to know?” she asked leaning over the table as the light hit her face. I gasped for a minute as I saw a scar running down across her left face from above her eye and disappearing around her cheek. “It’s old and a story I do not wish to repeat to anyone, but one I’m proud of. Now... let’s read you your fortune. Please hold out your hand. Any hand.” I placed the bag of hair ties on the table and gave her my left hand. She held my hand in the palm of her hand and traced some lines. Her brows started to furrow and she started to shake.  

“What? What is it? What’s wrong?” I asked getting nervous.  

“You... you’re very powerful,” she said as she looked up at me. “Are you the one from the Red Moon pack?” I nodded. “What I’m going to tell you is strictly between me and you girl. Others may know this, but very few others have heard the story. The full story.” She got up with a quickness to check and make sure there was no one else outside the tent waiting for their fortune to be told. She took the sign and brought it into the tent with her.  

“I... I don’t know what’s going on or what you’re talking about,” I said as I started to get up out of my seat.  

“Sit,” she said as she pushed me down on my shoulders and I sat back down. She sat back down too across the table from me, crossed her hands, and just stared at me.  

“Umm... okay....?” I said. “What’s going on. If Alpha Evan is trying to punk me then I’m leaving.”  

“Alpha Evan?” she whispered. “She it’s begun.” She hung her head down and sighed. “I never thought this day would come especially in my lifetime, but here you are. The Red Moon right in front of Mama Rosa’s eyes.”  

“....the Red Moon?” I asked slowly. “Yeah, that’s my family name and my pack name, but what do you mean the Red Moon?”  

“Listen girl and listen well,” Mama Rosa said narrowing her eyes at me. “You are the Red Moon and now you’ve met your Black Moon the way the Moon Goddess has willed it. Do not fight him... well at least not too much.”  

“I am so confused,” I said shaking my head. “Red Moon, Black Moon, and Moon Goddess?”  

“Hannah!” Mama Rosa and I perked up at the sound of my name.  

“Ahhh... the Black Moon is calling for his Red Moon,” Mama Rosa said getting up from her seat. “I’ll have to tell you this story another time. Now go. Your moon calls you.” Mama Rosa got up and ushered me to get up too. “Come one girl. Don’t keep him waiting.”  

I got up, grabbed the bag of hair ties, and walked towards the door. Then I turned back around, reached in the bag, and presented her with a black hair tie.  

“Payment for your time,” I said.  

“I didn’t even read your fortune. I mean.. I did, but I didn’t even had time to tell you child,” Mama Rosa said.  

“It’s okay Mama Rosa, but I need to know. When can I see you again?” I asked as Mama Rosa took the hair tie from me.  

“Tonight,” she answered.  

“Tonight?” I said confused “Why tonight? I don’t think I can leave the Alpha’s house tonight.”  

“Where you are staying is not the Alpha’s house. It’s just the pack house. Alpha Evan lives else where alone.”  

“What?” I was even more confused. This whole time I thought was staying at the Alpha’s house and it was just the pack house.  

“The Alpha will bring you to his house tonight. Do not run away. I will come to you. Now go,” Mama Rosa said as she ushered me outside as she lifted the flap. Daylight poured into the tent and we both squinted immediately.  

“Hannah!” Evan said as he rounded the tent to my right. Harry came to my left. They both stopped in front of me and tried to get in-between Mama Rosa and I.  

“Whoa guys,” I said side stepping Mama Rosa and coming between them and her.  

“Hannah what were you doing in there?” Evan asked huffing and puffing.  

“I was getting my fortune read,” I said pointing as Mama Rosa took her sign out.  

“It was a private reading,” Mama Rosa said, “hence, no sign out here so we wouldn’t be disturbed.” I could see the assumption on Evan’s face as he stared at Mama Rosa.  

“Fortune telling huh?” Harry said coming around me and sniffing at Mama Rosa.  

“Yes, yes. I can give you one too,” Mama Rosa said, “Beta.” Harry stopped sniffing her and froze. He didn’t even tell Mama Rosa his status in the pack.  

“How...” Harry whispered.  

“Alpha Evan,” Mama Rosa smiled at him, “anyone would know the Alpha when they see him.” She gave him a curt bow and looked at him again. “So handsome. Just like your father.”  

“Thank you,” Evan said nodding in her direction. “If you don’t mind, I’ll be taking my mate now.”  

“She’s not your mate,” Mama Rosa said. All three of us froze when Mama Rosa said that. Evan narrowed his eyes and his face was turning red.  

“What did you just say?” he said through clenched teeth.  

“She’s not your mate,” Mama Rosa said again, “because she’s the moon in your sky and you’re the sun in her life. You’re both fated to be together. It’s time.” Mama Rosa started mumbling something and went back into her tent. Harry, Evan, and I just stared at each other and then she re-emerged just as fast as she disappeared.  

“Here,” she said handing me a little vial. “Put this in your drink tonight. Any kind of drink. It will help you with your nightmares.” I took the little red vial from her hand and inspected the black liquid inside. Mama Rosa then turned to Evan and said, “Here.” She handed him a clear vial with red liquid inside. “This will help you with your nightmares too.”  

“Thank... thank you,” Evan said taking the vial from her.  

“You are most welcome my Alpha,” Mama Rosa said bowing again. She stood up and turned to me. “Remember, tonight.” And with that she went back inside her tent and didn’t come back out. 

“What about me? I have nightmares too,” Harry said. I chuckled at Harry and looked at the vial in my hand again. Then I looked up at Evan.  

Evan was staring at me with ice cold blue eyes. His jaw was clenched and he was boring holes through my skull. His hands were in fists as he stared at me.  

“What about tonight?” Evan asked as his nostrils flared.  

“She’s coming to see me tonight,” I answered. “She’s going to tell me my fortune.”  

“And what do you want your fortune to be?” Evan breathed out. His body started trembling and a vein in his head and neck popped out.  

“Why are you so mad?” I asked. “I didn’t do anything wrong.”  

“You disappeared. Harry and I were looking for you everywhere!” Evan screamed at me.  

“Um... guys,” Harry piped up, “we got an audience.” A small crowd had gathered when they heard Evan scream at me.  

“What’s wrong with going to find something to do when I’m bored?” I asked Evan. “You and Harry just took off without me. You didn’t tell me where you were going either.”  

“I went to buy you these.” Evan threw a bag at me. “When I came to find you to try them on, but you weren’t at the fountain. So I bought these and Harry and I started looking for you.” I wasn’t ready for Evan to throw something at me, much less a bag. The bag was thrown at my face and landed on the ground at my feet with the contents spilling out. Two dresses had fallen out; one red and one yellow.  

“So... you’re mad because I disappeared. Because when you were buying me dresses, I wasn’t there to try them on?” I whispered angrily. “And then you throw a bag in my face to make me feel bad?” I picked up both dresses and clutched them in my hand. I looked from the dresses to Evan and glared at him. Then I threw the dresses on the ground and stepped on them. “I don’t need your charity and I especially don’t need you.”  

Evan just stood there glaring at me, fists still at his sides. Then he took step toward me. I didn’t flinch one bit. Step by step he came towards me and then he was standing right in front of me again like he had done on the bridge earlier. This time he took my chin in his right hand, tipped my chin towards him, and then - WHACK! 

Mama Rosa had sneaked her way out of her tent and sent a bamboo cane down on Evan’s hand.  

“Ow!” Evan groaned. “Do you know who I am!?”  

Mama Rosa looked up at him and said, “Yes, my Alpha. But an Alpha doesn’t treat their moon like that. You don’t hurt your moon.” She narrowed her eyes at him and scoffed. “You don’t scare me boy, just like how your dad didn’t scare me. I’ve seen enough Alpha’s come and go and none of them scared me.” The crowd began murmuring being Evan.  

“I think it’s time to go my Alpha,” Harry said. “We don’t need any more publicity than we’ve got right now.”  

“Come Hannah,” Evan said commanded. 

“Softer,” Mama Rosa said to Evan.  

“Come Hannah,” Evan said again this time less commanding and clearing his throat. Mama Rosa looked at me, smiled and nodded.  

I just looked at Evan and shook my head. I had been biting back tears this whole time when Evan threw the bag in my face. Feeling humiliated in front of strangers who didn’t know me. They were all murmuring and conversing behind their Alpha and the only person on my side was Mama Rosa who I just met and didn’t even know why she was on my side.  

Evan held his hand out and I shook my head. I started backing away from him, turned on my heel, and ran behind Mama Rosa’s tent.  

“Leave her be,” was the last thing I heard Mama Rosa say as I ran into the woods behind her tent. I just kept on running as far as my legs could take me. I still had the bag of hair ties in my hand as I ran and little did I know that I was leaving bread crumbs for someone to come and find me.