The "Boy" Mated to Five

The morning air bit at my fur as I bounded through the dense forest, my paws barely touching the ground with each stride. Being the fastest wolf in the Red Moon Pack had its perks. I got to see every corner of our territory, from the crystal streams in the north to the ancient oak groves in the south. Today's route took me along the eastern border, a path I could run blindfolded, which meant, without realizing it, I had let my guard down. The attack came faster than anything I’d ever experienced. One moment I was leaping over a fallen log, the next I was tumbling hard into the ground as something massive slammed into my side. My ribs screaming in protest as I rolled. "Well, well. What do we have here?" Three rogue wolves emerged from the shadows, their forms larger and more feral than any pack wolf. Their eyes were wild with bloodlust. The largest one, scarred with patches of missing fur, stepped closer. "Just a little messenger," he sneered, his voice a gravelly growl. "Perfect for sending our own message to your precious pack." Panic flooded through me as I desperately reached out through the pack link, sending a frantic call for help across our bond. But the eastern border was remote. I wasn't sure if anyone would hear my silent scream for aid. I hoped Silas would…but could he make it to me in time? The rogues lunged. I threw myself sideways, barely avoiding the snapping jaws of the first attacker. I skidded on the slick pine needles as I spun, ducking under the swipe of massive claws that would have opened my side to the bone. I was much smaller than them yet I was faster. But there were three of them and they were vicious, coordinated. The second rogue came at me from the left while the third circled behind, trying to cut off my escape route. I dodged and weaved between the towering pine trees, leaping over fallen branches and using my size to slip through gaps they couldn't follow But I couldn’t shake them. No matter what I did, they followed, herding me like prey. The largest rogue rounded, blocking my path as I tried to dart between two trees. I feinted left, then dove right, but he anticipated the move. His massive jaws caught my hind leg, teeth piercing through fur and flesh, sending me sprawling towards a large tree. My back slammed into the rough bark with a sickening crack that echoed throughout the forest. Searing hot pain burned through me as I yelped, the metallic taste of blood filling my mouth. "Did you really think you could get away?" the largest one growled, pinning me down. Fear laced through me as he continued pressing down even harder, his claws digging into me, making stars explode behind my eyes as I felt my ribs crack from the pressure. Tears burst from me as the pain became unbearable. Was I really going to die like this? I looked to the Moon Goddess, sending up a silent prayer to her. Then a silver blur exploded from the treeline. Luna Helena in her magnificent wolf form, her fur gleaming like moonlight. She slammed into the rogue bearing down on me, throwing him off with incredible force. The other two rogues snarled and lunged at her, but she was already moving, placing herself between them and my broken form with the unshakeable resolve of a mother protecting her young. The rogues hesitated for just a moment, recognizing the power radiating from her. The largest one bared his teeth. "The Luna. How convenient. We can eliminate two problems at once." Her response was a snarl that seemed to shake the very foundations of the earth. She was every inch the fierce protector. She growled before glancing at me quickly. Elara…Run! Her voice echoed in my mind through the pack link, sharp with command. Get back to the pack. Tell them what happened here. I won't leave you. That's an order! She growled loudly again as the rogue wolves stepped closer. Go. Now! I forced my broken body to move. The sound of claws meeting claws erupted behind me. Every instinct screamed at me to stay and fight beside her, but I couldn’t disobey a Luna's orders. I ran harder than I'd ever run before. Tears blurred my vision as I stumbled through the underbrush, my injured body sending waves of pain through me with each stride. I didn’t know how much more I could take. My whole body shook violently as I continued pushing. I felt like I was going to collapse at any moment… but the Luna needed me. Hold on…please. The pack house came into view just as my legs gave out. My wolf form shifted instantly as I collapsed on the front steps, gasping as the first warrior reached me. "Rogues... eastern border... Luna... help." Within minutes, a search party thundered out of the pack grounds, led by the Alpha himself. Even though I could barely move, I still tried to follow, but the pack doctor caught my arm. "You're injured, Elara. Let me tend to those wounds." I shook my head but the world went black as exhaustion and pain finally claimed me. When I awoke, darkness engulfed me. My head pounded as I tried to orient myself, my eyes quickly adjusting to the dark room. Memories of the fight flashed across my mind. I gasped. The Luna… Suddenly the door flung open, the bright light blinding as my father thundered in. Where I expected to see relief, I saw anger instead. "Dad?" My voice came out as a croak. "Did they find her? Is the Luna okay?" His jaw tightened. "The search team found signs of a fight. Luna Helena's blood.” He paused as he scanned my face. "No body, but... no one could have survived what happened there." The words hit me like a physical blow. "No. No, she can't be—" "She's gone, Elara." My father said coldly. "Luna Helena is dead." I struggled to sit up, my mind reeling. "But I got help… I did exactly what she told me to do!" "You ran," came another voice from the doorway. Silas, our soon to be alpha and my mate, stood in the entrance, his face a mask of barely controlled rage. The anger radiating through our bond felt like another blow. Behind him, I could see other pack members gathering. Warriors, elders, friends I'd known my whole life. But the warmth in their eyes was gone, replaced by something that made my blood turn to ice. "You left her there," Silas continued, his voice deadly quiet. "You left my mother to die while you saved yourself." “I…I didn’t want to,” I protested weakly. Silas snarled at me loudly and a whimper escaped me. I had never seen him this angry before. I looked around at the faces who had gathered. The accusations in their stares were painful. These were the people who had raised me, loved me, called me family. Now they looked at me like I was the enemy. Grief crashed over me in waves. Pure, crushing grief. Our Luna was dead. The woman who had been more of a mother to me than my own had died protecting me, and now everyone I'd ever loved looked at me with scorn. A wild, desperate laugh bubbled up from my chest. I had survived and in the process lost one of the most important people in my life in the cruelest of ways. And now I was hated by everyone.