The True Luna's Kiss

Chapter 9

Shadow stopped suddenly in the middle of the run. His canines flashed as he glanced around. Here! She was here. Her scent was so strong, but there was no one in the courtyard. Shadow let out a small growl.

"There's no one here, Shadow." Gabriel muttered to his wolf. Gabe had sat back and given his wolf control of the run, if only to burn off some of the pent up energy that he had accumulated.

Shadow growled again at his human's words. "I can smell her!" He snarled back. "She is here, they are keeping her from us. They have hidden her away and I want her!" Gabriel couldn't argue with his wolf's words. His Mate was definitely here somewhere. If this pack tried to keep her from him, he would tear the place apart. But as he had no guarantee she was here, he couldn't do anything without starting a war. He would find her though, Gabriel decided, in that moment, that he wouldn't be leaving this pack without his mate.

Shadow put his nose to the ground, sniffing around again. Maverick bounced up to him and nudged him, making Gabriel roll his eyes as Shadow huffed. Marco's wolf, Maverick was just as playful and annoying as he was. The grey wolf of his Beta bounced away as Shadow snapped at him. But after giving the courtyard one final look around, Shadow slinked away after his Beta. His mate was not here, so there was no point sticking around.

The two wolves padded on in silence for a while. Despite the tension and frayed tempers this place seemed to hold, the pack lands were beautiful. Lush and green, similar to Gabriel's own pack, but this was not as wild. It had more of a precise, manicured look and Gabriel found he did not like it. The pack member's seemed happy enough though. they went about their daily business, paying little attention to the two wolves walking around. Carefree and relaxed, just as a pack should be. No Alpha wanted their pack to live in fear of being attacked. It was their primary job to protect them. If their pack lived in fear, they were failing as an Alpha. But even though everyone here in the Moon Valley Pack looked happy and relaxed, Gabriel couldn't shift that uneasy feeling in his stomach. Something wasn't quite right.

He mind linked his Beta. "Marco, doesn't something seem.... odd to you about this place?"

Maverick shifted his head around, as if trying to see the odd thing Gabriel had described. A few heartbeats later, Marco responded. "Yeah, everyone is at ease but.... they're too easy. Like they don't have to worry about anything."

Gabriel had to agree. Pups were running around and climbing, as pups normally would. But their parent's and carer's didn't seem to mind what they were doing. As if they had no concern for them getting hurt. The older pack members also seemed to be relaxed - they all looked to be fit and healthy with none of the usual ailments that aflicted the elderly. It was strange, to say the least.

They approached the pack house and shifted, throwing their clothes back on that they had left on the bench outside. Taking another moment to survey the pack, Gabriel then turned to the main doors of the packhouse. And came face to face with Alpha Lucas. Gabriel kept his face neutral, nodding slightly out of respect, a gesture that Lucas returned. Marco, however, waved enthusiastically.

"What do you make of our pack lands?" Alpha Lucas asked, ignoring the Beta's frantic wave. "I hope your run was a pleasant one."

"Indeed," Gabriel answered, keeping his shoulders squared and face impassive. "Your pack lands are extremely relaxed, Alpha Lucas."

"Not to mention, very well kept!" Marco chimed in.

Again, Alpha Lucas ignored Marco, and responded only to Gabriel. "Tight knit security," he said. "And solid alliances. Allows my pack members to feel at peace. They know that no harm can come to them."

Gabriel's eyes narrowed at Lucas' words. Even the strongest Alpha couldn't prevent all harm coming to the pack. Accident's happened, illnesses happened.

"Does this guy think he's a God or something?" Marco retorted through the mind link.

"Certainly seems that way," Gabriel replied. "And I didn't scent a single patrol on his borders while we were out running, did you?" Marco confirmed he hadn't either, causing Gabriel to grpw; softly in his mind. Out loud he said, "It is an impressive pack you have here." Alpha Lucas just inclined his head, accepting the compliment with a smile.

Gabriel was about to ascend the stairs to the pack house when a single howl echoed across the grounds. Shadow's ears had pricked up. He knew that howl.

Lucas took off running instantly and Gabriel followed, Marco at the rear.

"It's Daniel." Marco said over the mind link.

"I know." Gabriel answered. He had recognised his warriors howl immediately and sped up, quickly overtaking Lucas as he sprinted towards the woods.

The sight that met him made his heart beat so fast it almost hurt. Daniel was in wolf form, his soft brown wolf, Cash stained red. Across his back, barely hanging on was Max, naked and bleeding. Gabriel didn't have to look at his Gamma too closely to see he was severely injured. Two other warrior's had returned with them and quickly shifted under Gabriel's hard stare.

"Rogues, Alpha," one of them said, his breath coming out in short pants. "We were overrun. Gamma Max held the most of them off but he went down." Both his warriors had scratches and bites on their pale skin. It clearly had been a fight and a half!

"Get him to the infirmary," Alpha Lucas barked the order to his own pack, who had started to gather. Gabriel's eyebrows shot up. The infirmary, not the dungeon. This would be interesting. "All of them." Alpha Lucas continued. "They are all wounded and need to be checked out."

The Moon Valley pack members lifted Max off of Cash with ease. Gabriel looked down at his Head Warrior in wolf form who had collapsed to the floor. He shifted back and Gabriel could see a huge gash across his face. Blood poured down, into his eyes and onto his chest. The pack members wasted no time in picking Daniel up as well, carrying him into the pack house. Gabriel followed them in, with Marco. Neither of them spoke, their silent looks to each other saying more than even the mind link could. The infirmary, not the dungeon. Alpha Lucas had instructed his daughter to be taken to the dungeon when she was injured, but a guest, who had a lot more than just a few light cuts, was to be taken to the infirmary. Something was definitely odd about this place.

Gabriel entered the pack house in time to see his Gamma being carried towards one of the side doors. Not the same one Alice had been taken through either. He started to follow behind, Lucas saying something about his Gamma receiving the best care possible, but Gabriel wasn't listening. His focus was entirely on Max as he was carried away.

It was only when he heard a gasp from behind him that he turned slightly. Alice was standing there with her hands clasped over her mouth.

"Daddy, please take him to Sirona!" Alice said, nearly causing Gabriel's eyebrows to fly off of his head entirely. Sirona. Was that a healer or a location? Either way it had certainly caught Shadow's attention.

Lucas gave his daughter a dark stare, clearly warning her to keep her mouth shut. But Alice did no such thing.

"Please Daddy, please!" She begged. "Please take him to Sirona!"

Alpha Lucas just turned his back on her and gestured for his men to continue towards the infirmary.

"Daddy, no!" Alice cried out, pulling on her father's sleeve. "Please do this for me. He's my Mate!"