The Red Moon Pack

Season One. Chapter 8.

School was a drag and Maximus was getting bored of it very quickly lately. He was always a high graded student and never had to put much effort in. Personally, even though he could easily finish his school now, Maximus hung around. Firstly because he wanted to hang out with his friends and secondly it gave him more time with Stacey. He loved her, and she was the reason his heart still beat firmly in his chest. She was amazing and even though she had been very unsure about Adira, she was now shaping up to help the girl fit in more. They hung out from time to time and Stacey even took Adina out shopping for a dress to go to Sebastian’s birthday party. Truthfully, they were all sick of seeing that girl in pants and a top, like she did not put effort into being a girl.

After the party, Maximus, his father and Alpha Gabriel had gathered in the office with Sebastian to discuss the conversation between him and Adira by the water. The information did not surprise them too much, but Sebastian was very clear on the fact that he believed her, when she told him that she was not there to do harm. It made their anxiety over the girl ease off, but it did mean Alpha Gabriel was really considering having a conversation with Lord Vincent. He kept putting it off wanting more background to use during such a discussion. He was doing the more logical thing and so they had to still wait.

It did not mean that they would pull back the watch on Adira, because there was still things about her that they did not know or trust fully. That was the other reason why Maximus stayed in school, to keep an eye on that girl. He did not think she was a threat at all. Strange and different, very strong when needed, but no… he did not think she was a threat, but he was curious, why so many people had that strange pull towards her and why it was her that Lord Vincent had chosen. How true was his own story, that he found her as a baby and did not know who she was. Why did he mask her strength with wolfbane and why did he raise her in his coven and not hand her over to a Park where she would grow up with her own beings.

These were questions that Alpha Gabriel had and Maximus was curious about then as well, he wanted to know… so then maybe he could help her. Maybe if they found out who her real family was, then that would give them answers to what happened and why she was found alone by the Vampire.

April was upon them and the weather was cooling down, it also meant that the schools annual football games were going to start. Normally the nations football, or as people call it AFL, started around end of March, but they always pushed it back that little bit. How the school played… was that four teams were put together. Most of the time it was two teams each to each pack and they would play. The top two teams by points at the end of the twenty week season played against each other and the winner was clearly the winner of the season.

Maximus was normally on the team, as was his friends, however, this year, they had decided not to be, simply because there was so much going on and while they were all only hitting seventeen or eighteen this year, for them… this would be their last year of high school. With this and learning to become leaders of their pack, it was just too much to get involved in the sport this year.

Even so, being on the team every other year, Maximus was keen on watching the first day of training to see what the teams were going to be. He wore the Redmoon pack teams jacket still and felt proud that he could have been a part of that legacy. He knew that in the future, he hoped for his own children to be involved in the football teams. He knew he and Stacey were waiting until they finished school before they started a family and he was secretly very excited for it.

His thoughts were disrupted with a loud crushing noise coming from up the hall he was walking. A frown crossed his face, school was over and he was only there because of football. It sounded like somebody was still in the school, in a classroom down the hall. Approaching, he heard a crashing noise again and a couple of growls. Was somebody fighting?

Quickening his steps, he was right upon the door and about to push it open when it was pulled in from the other side and a figure came rushing out. Things happened very quickly and Maximus was confused and shocked not able to process quickly enough at first. Who ever came out ran straight into him and the moment they did their scent hit his nose and he knew exactually who it was. Their body trembling, Maximus wasted no time in putting one of his strong arms around their back and held them close.

A growl left the room again and within second of the door opening, another figure came rushing out in chase. The moment Maximus saw whom, he allowed his own growl to emit from his lips. With Adira in his arm, he held her protectively, warning Julian to back off.

What a s**t head!

Had he not learnt, not to mess with her?

It seemed he did not understand. Knowing that he had to do something first, Maximus shifted Adira to the side, near the wall and stood in front of her, the same moment that Julian raised a hand to attack. What Maximus saw created a knot in his stomach to form. A dagger and not just a normal dagger, a pure silver dagger. Not sure what that s**t head had been planning, it was clear he was not acting lightly. Why was he so bent on causing trouble for Adira? Was he so sure that she was his mate but not admitting it? Even so, this was no way to treat a mate.

Before Julian got a swing in, Maximus reacted and knocked the knife out of the other guys hand. He yelped in pain from the hit and went for the knife again. His actions were erratic and unthoughtful, not much like a werewolf at all. However, Maximus had always expected Julian was mental and this was just proving the matter.

Max, where are you?

Stacey… tell the guys Julian is causing issues near the English classes. It is serious.

He had no time for anything more. Maximus cut off the link trusting Stacey to do what was needed. He focused back on Julian, who without a knife did not seem so imposing any more. Maximus pulled a fist back, flinging it forward and casting a heavy upper cut to Julian’s face. He caught the jaw and heard the snap. Julian growled in pain and seconds later he was shifting, gracing the floor of their school hall in his wolf form.

Yes, this was serious now. The schools number one rule was not shifting on the property. It was clear that Julian did not care and the moment he changed he lunged. Maximus was prepared and gave Julian’s wolf a boot of his foot to the snout. Julian howled but Maximus did not stop there. He was in warrior mode now and he had not even bought his own wolf out. Julian attacked again, with bad aim and the moment he did, Maximus moved position and in a quick manoeuvre he landed on Julian’s wolf’s back, his own arms around the animals neck. He tightened his hold, as Julian’s wolf seemed to panic, moving about trying to use claws to scratch at Maximus and buck him off his back. It did not work and within moments the wolf started to weaken, not being able to breath and soon enough, with a small whimper, Julian’s wolf stopped moving, collapsing onto the hall floor and shifting back to his human form.

Pissed off, Maximus gave the guy a hard kick to the gut and another to the face, just to prove to Julian once and for all, he was not going to be welcome around these places so openly anymore. He was foolish and he deserved to be locked away and trialled for treason against another pack. Taking a deep breath, he looked down at the naked guy, disgusted and wanted to kick him again, but hearing foot steps coming up the hall he knew back up was finally on the way.

That was when he thoughts returned to Adira. He had shifted her to the wall and had focused all his attention on Julian. Thinking of that tiny girl now, who had ran out of the room with a trembling body, he turned back to where he had left her. Panic filled his mind as he noticed she was not standing near the wall now. She was on the floor and there was blood around her.

“f**k!” he growled. “Adira… Adira… come on girl, wake up.”

He was kneeling next to her, brushing hair from her face. She was not responding and her eyes were closed. Had Julian got her with the knife? The asshole!

“What the hell happened?” Sebastian asked rushing to their side.

“Julian… she came out of the room and he followed.” Maximus said panicked. “I think… he… caught her with a silver knife.”

“A silver knife?” Kinley asked shocked.

“It’s on the floor over there.” Maximus pointed.

“She needs Doctor Shelt right away.” Sebastian stated.

He wasted no time, like he had done when he got her out of the cells, Sebastian picked her up. She did not look good and the whole front of her shirt was covered in blood. She was loosing too much too quickly. Maximus followed as they rushed back down the hall and out of the building. Stacey had a car waiting for them and the moment she saw the state of Adira it was clear the fear she had in her eyes. They piled in, leaving Kinley and Nathanial behind to do what was needed with Julian and the scene of attack.

Stacey was surprisingly a good driver, always had been. She drove fast and they arrived at the pack hospital safely within fifteen minutes, halving the normal travel time. They got out the car and rushed inside, Doctor Shelt already waiting with a bed. Adira was placed down on the bed and she was very quickly taken, straight through double swinging door into an emergency theatre room. Maximus was angry, pissed off at what had happened. He had not been on guard for her and he had no idea who was meant to be, but it was clear who ever had been was not there when they were meant to be. Yes, the guard was there to keep an eye on her, but if they had been there, then things may not have gotten so bad.

Sebastian was thinking the same thing and Maximus listened as he opened a mind link to those that needed to know. He spoke directly to Alpha Gabriel, however they all heard it.

I want whom ever was meant to be guard this afternoon to be taken to low holding cells and await questioning. Julian has attacked Adira on school property with a silver knife, I am at the Pack Hospital, she is in the emergency theatre room. I want to know why nobody was watching her which could have avoided this!

Maximus nodded to him the moment the link ended. He knew that Kinley and Nathanial would also take Julian to the cells, the basement cells. They would be sure to question him the moment he woke up, but right now, the focus was on Adira, making sure she was going to be ok. Stacey stepped up next to Maximus and placed a hand in his holding it.

“Is she going to be ok?” Stacey asked her voice shaking.

“Doctor Shelt is the best.” Maximus promised her.

They fell silent, but that did not mean things ended there. Within moments, Kinley and Nathanial arrived, followed by Alpha Gabriel, Luna Iras, his father Beta Luke and mother Lady Beta Sam. It was very clear they where there to find out what was going on in more details. They all looked towards Maximus now, seeing as he was the first at scene.

“I was walking the hall after checking out the football training. I heard crashing noises and growls. I went towards it and then Adira pretty much came running out of the room, straight into me.” He started to explain. “She was trembling and then Julian came out after her. I knew it was not a good situation, so I shifted her to the wall behind me and fought with Julian… he shifted and I had to strangle him until he passed out to subdued him. Then I looked around and Adira was on the floor and Seb, Nate and Kinley had arrived.”

“So, that was why you have blood all over you. You are not hurt?’ his mother asked worried.

“No…” he said shocked and looked down, seeing he was indeed covered in blood. “I … was not hurt at all. Julian was too rash to do anything to me.”

“The class room was a mess.” Nathanial spoke up. “Some of the heavy tall filing cabinets were on the ground and there was blood in there too. Desks all over the place. Looks light there was a struggle in there before Adira got out of the room.”

“This is the knife.” Kinley stated holding up a bag. “I don’t want to make assumptions… but the tip is broken and I could not find it anywhere.”

They knew what he was implying and they all glanced to the doors of the emergency theatre room. Was the tip still in her? Was she going to be ok? While there was still that concern she could not be trusted, she had not done anything wrong since arriving and they were slowly all starting to feel a lot closer to her. She was still young, confused and it was clear while she was fast and strong at times, there was still things that could bring her down.

Silver was poison, just as much as Vampire venom was. Silver in the blood stream was deadly dangerous and Julian knew this. He had attacked her knowing he was going to be doing damage. But why? Why did he do it? Was it an obsession, or was there more too it than that. With Delta Danial not present Maximus knew that he was likely at the cells interrogating Julian or waiting for him to wake up.

“The one who was meant to be on guard.” Alpha Gabriel spoke up. “Was just found in a bathroom cubical at the school, bound by ropes with wolfbane. It would seem, he was on duty, but had been attacked himself.”

“What is that kid playing at?” Beta Luke asked.

“Why Adira?” Luna Iras asked.

“Because Julian is a nut case and the moment he felt that pull, he wants to claim it.” Kinley stated.

“Like… as possession?” Nathanial asked confused.

“Exactly. Remember what he did to that other girl. While he did not get this crazy, he was still crazy when they dated and she ended it after finding her mate.” Kinley said.

“He needs to be stopped, he is deranged.” Sebastian stated.

“And he is a massive danger to Little Wolfy.” Kinley pouted.

“Little Wolfy?” Alpha Gabriel asked with a raised brow.

“Adira… I thought that was obvious.” Kinley said cheeks going red.

“Stupid.” Sebastian scoffed at him shaking his head but smiling.

They did agree though, it was clear that he was becoming too dangerous to allow him to just walk away easy. He needs to be punished. One, he attacked a member of another clan on a no mans land. No attacks were allowed at the school. He had broken many laws agreed by the two packs and he was going to have to face them and accept the punishment that came.