Full Moon Rises

Chapter Two

Daniel was at home when he first heard the ear-piercing scream, though at first, he thought nothing of it. Tonight was a full moon, and Steele had notified him of some unknown wolves in the area. He knew it wasn’t one of his wolves because he knew their sounds off by heart, so he didn’t worry.

Shifting when you don’t want to is immensely painful, so he guessed one of the outsiders was having a difficult time. It will pass soon, he thought.

However, the screaming only seemed to intensify, and this time Daniel lifted his head to stretch out his hearing further. A werewolf would have entirely shifted by now, and that scream was a hundred percent human.

“s**t,” he cursed, reaching for his leather jacket that was hanging over the chair in his bedroom. “Alex!” he yelled, waiting for the smaller man to arrive.

“Yeah, what’s up?” he asked, confusion in his eyes.

“We need to go search the woods,” Daniel stated, knowing how ridiculous he sounded.

“Are you crazy?!” Alex stared at him in disbelief. “It’s a full moon, and there are wolves out there that aren’t our pack Daniel! We already shifted tonight, and there’s no way in hell I’m going out there unprotected!”

“You’re not unprotected Alex, you have me,” Daniel didn’t give Alex time to respond before dragging him out of the house behind him and ignoring all the questions fired at him by the rest of his pack.

“I swear to god, Daniel, if you get me killed, I will haunt your ass,” Alex grumbled, following behind him like a petulant child. Daniel knew Alex couldn’t refuse anything he asked; even if he wanted, his instinct told him otherwise. Being the head Alpha had its own advantages.

“If I get you killed, you have full permission to haunt my ass,” Daniel responded. Stepping out of the open and into the woods.

“You know that’s not helping my nerves,” Alex muttered, surveying the area as best he could. The scream came again, and Alex froze. “That was human,” he stated.

“Yep, that was why I was so adamant on going out,” Daniel responded, “and that’s where we’re going.”

“Oh f**k that!” Alex replied, turning to head back towards the house but grabbed by Daniel before he could really move anywhere. “I happen to enjoy my life Daniel, and if some human has got themself attacked by a f*****g wolf on a full moon, then the last thing I want to do is get in its way!” Alex wasn’t a fearful man, but no wolf wanted to run into a strange or, god forbid, rogue werewolf during the full moon, not even Daniel, but something was telling him to keep moving.

“The human needs me,” Daniel stated factually.

“Off you go alone then,” Alex shooed him in the direction of the screams, but Daniel just dragged him along after him.

“We’re wasting time.”

Daniel let his senses lead him, breaking out into a run when he heard the screams get louder and more painful. He stretched his hearing to hear whatever was attacking the human had left.

Daniel smiled in relief that a fight wouldn’t break out before slowing into a walk just as they made it to the clearing as not to scare the human.

Alex panted beside him as he caught his breath, helping Daniel scan the area for the human.

The scent of blood was thick and heavy in the air, and because of his heightened sense of smell, Daniel wanted to gag. Before he could think of anything, he caught sight of a limp body on the ground. He could tell it was a girl from this distance, with her medium-length hair and her petite figure.

“f**k!” he cursed, running and dropping down at the human’s side. “Hey, look at me, look at me,” he cupped the girl’s head in his hands and detected a faint pulse. “Alex, we need to get her out of here,” he turned his focus to the human in his arms, “Can you hear me?”

The human blinked and opened bright hazel-green terrified eyes at him. Goodness, she was beautiful. Daniel smiled down at her, and his heart warmed when the human gave him a sluggish smile back, right before slipping into unconsciousness.

“We have to move her now,” Daniel ordered. Quickly checking her body for any broken bones he might disturb while lifting her.

“Daniel, have you lost your goddamn mind?! She’s been f*****g bitten!” Alex yelled in a harsh whisper, gesturing towards the human’s blood-soaked shirt.

“It might not have been a turning bite,” Daniel said defensively, though really, he knew better.

“It’s a full moon. There are no other types of bites tonight!” Alex kept turning his head, checking for danger and scenting the air.

“Well, I don’t care. She needs my help!”

“Daniel, let her go! If another wolf has bitten her, then they are going to be pissed when she isn’t where they left her!” Alex reasoned, trying desperately to get Daniel to change his mind.

“Look at her, Alex!” he held the bleeding human in his arms; already, her skin was hot to touch as the fever spread through her veins. “I don’t think this was her choice, and I am not letting her be taken to some pack who would disrespect her enough to leave her after they’ve bitten her and left her to die!”

“So what... you’re going to take her life away instead?”

“No!” Daniel growled at his friend, his inner wolf smiling when Alex backed down. “I’m saving it,”

“Daniel, please don’t do this. The pack doesn’t need this s**t right now.” he wasn’t fighting anymore, simply pleading.

“As the head Alpha, it’s my last word, Alex. Now I’m going to carry her back to the house. The bite needs tending to. You need to have my back and get everyone outside to watch our territory until sunrise. That’s an order.” Daniel didn’t like using his authority like that, but he needed to because every instinct in his body was telling him to protect the precious woman in his arms.

Alex was clearly pissed he’d used his authority like that too, “Yes, Alpha.” he grumbled. He took a deep breath and effortlessly shifted into his other form. A huge sandy wolf stood next to Daniel and motioned for him to start moving.

Daniel nodded his thanks to the wolf and got only a snort in return. “All charm, Alex,” he mumbled before lifting the human in his arms, careful of the bite currently setting her insides on fire. “I got you,” he assured the sleeping bundle. “I got you.”