The Rising Moon Pack

Chapter 31

Matt POV

*flashback*

It was a crisp August evening, and I was preparing for patrol duty. I was finishing up my food, when Jase strolled into the dining room, closely followed by Alex.

“Hey, man. You free later? Alex and I are thinking PS4 and snacks in the movie room. Wanna join?” He asked me, taking a seat next to me.

“Sorry boys!” I answered, munching on a carrot stick. “I’m on patrol tonight!”

“Girls, or pack duty?” Jase asked, preparing himself for gossip, leaning in.

“Pack duty.” I laughed, backing away.

“Ah, shit.” He pouted, and I chuckled again. “I thought you were gunna tell us you’d found your mate!”

“No, I haven’t.” I responded. He had no idea that I’d felt the pull,but to an underage wolf.

“Don’t mind him!” Alex interrupted. “You know that he’s desperate to meet his own mate.”

“f**k you, man. I’m not desperate!” Jase yelled, and Alex and I exchanged a knowing look,laughing like little kids.

“It’s been a pleasure, gentlemen. But I gotta run, or I’ll be late!” I stood from the table.

“Yeah, yeah. Have fun!” Jase called out after me.

I cleared my plate from the table,handing it to a passing omega. She smiled at me politely, and I headed towards the door.

I met with Lana and Jamie at the front of the packhouse, and we all began stretching out,ready for a long run ahead. Our borders stretched for miles and miles, so running them twice was going to be a lot of work. I looked at my watch, and looked around, puzzled. There was supposed to be a 4th pack member here, to run the north border.

“Any idea who is running north tonight?” I asked Jamie, and he shook his head.

“It was meant to be Timmy.” He answered, “But he’s been having a really tough time recently, so the Luna gave him the night off.”

“So, does that mean we have to run further? Lana asked, confused.

“No, I shouldn’t imagine so,” Jamie answered. “I should imagine that the Luna will have appointed a replacement.”

Right on cue, the packhouse door opened and the overwhelming smell of chocolate cake hit me. Oh god, it was her!

I swallowed hard, as Bella smiled up at me shyly. By goddess was this girl beautiful. Long, silver hair that flowed down her back, pulled into a messy pony tail, a few tendrils escaping and framing her face. Her silver eyes glittering, and I swear that I could see the literal stars in her eyes. I was in the middle of counting the freckles on her nose, as she approached us.

“Hey, Bella! It’s nice to see you.” I said, genuinely. I’d spend all day staring at this woman if I had the time.

“Great to be here.” She answered me,smiling up through her lashes. She turned her focus to Jamie as he began discussing which routes we’d all be taking, and I watched her in awe. I could not wait for her to be mine someday.

“So, we’re agreed? Bella, you’ll run the northern border, then meet Matt at the eastern peak. I’ll run southern, then meet Lana at the western peak.” Jamie clarified, and we all nodded in agreement.

“Alright. Bella, we’ll all be in human form tonight, since you’re unable to shift.” Lana told her, and Bella chewed her lip, nervous.

“If anything happens, I’ll know.” I told her reassuringly. “If you don’t meet me at the eastern peak, I’ll come looking for you.”

She nodded at me, knowing I meant every word, and at that moment I knew I did too. I’d search the corners of the world to find Bella, she’d become my only reason to live and breathe.

We took off on our separate routes, Bella running north, whilst I ran east. I quite enjoyed this part of the pack territory, running past cottages on the outskirts of the town. Eventually, I reached the lake that separated our borders from Sapphire moon, and saluted to their patrolsmen, who were marching their border. The head patroller returned the salute, and I turned to head back.

About half way to the east peak, a searing pain ripped through my chest. I felt as though my heart had been torn out, and blood rushed to my ears. I let out a painful howl, clawing at my chest to ease the pain.

“Matt! What was that? Are you okay?” It was Jamie over the mindlink.

I couldn’t answer, there was only one thought on my mind; Bella.

I shifted, my wolf taking zero time at all to come forth, leaping into action. I tore my way through the forestry, my heart pounding in my throat. Bella was nowhere to be seen, and I’d long ago passed the eastern peak. I pushed my wolf to run faster than he’d ever run before, and together we flew through the night, our paws thundering against the forest floor.

We reached a clearing and the scent of fresh blood filled the air, tinged with a slight scent of chocolate cake. I felt sick, but I stopped and searched until I found what I was looking for.

She lay under an oak tree, dead flowers surrounding her, covered in a thick, wet substance I could smell was blood. Her shirt was torn, and a gash on her chest leaked slowly, her fluids staining her silver grey hair. Her silver eyes were open, staring at the moon, but they were dull, and lifeless. I shifted back, and stepped forward, blinded by my tears. I felt something underfoot, hearing a sickening squish, and I reeled back in horror. It was Bella’s heart,and it had been torn from her chest. I dropped to my knees, and howled again in pain. This time, several other howls joined me, and I noticed that the clearing had been surrounded. Jamie must have alerted the warriors when I hadn’t answered his link,and followed my scent. I turned to Bella, and studied her face intently, sobbing. A lone tear had fallen down her cheek, and was frozen on the bridge of her nose where she lay on her side. I pulled her body into my lap, and screamed in anguish. I’d never got to love her, or feel her love me. I never got to have a life with her, or make her my wife, give her a pup of our own. She never got to be a wife, a mother. She didn’t even get to be 18, and meet her wolf. I screamed out again, and again, until Jase came to my side and pulled me close. We cried together, cradling her torn body in our arms.

“She was my mate, Jase.” I whispered to him.

His eyes filled with hurt, and he hugged me tighter. Alex joined us in the clearing, dropping to his knees, shock and anger clear on his face.

“We have to take her home.” He told us, quietly. “We have to tell her dad, to tell Alpha Ben.”

He was right, but I couldn’t bring myself to move. I wanted to stay here and cry forever. I wanted to swap places with her, and give her a chance to live. I stroked her hair, and closed her eyes gently. As much as I loved her beautiful eyes, she deserved to rest peacefully, and I couldn’t bare to watch them fade. I wanted to keep her alive, but I knew it was too late.

I stood, Bella’s body in my arms. A sheet was brought forward by one of the warriors, and I placed it over her, taking care to place her heart in the sheet with her body. I couldn’t bare the thought of animals finding it on the forest floor, my angel deserved a proper burial. I nodded grimly to Jase, and watched as his eyes clouded over. He was linking his dad, he needed the whole town to be locked down so we could bring Bella home.

“Alright, warriors, move out!” Jase commanded. “We need a respectful procession to bring our fallen pack member home. The Alpha is clearing the streets as we speak; no one is to breathe of word of who she is until we have had time to inform the Beta, am I clear?” He bellowed.

“Yes, future Alpha!” They responded in unison.

“All right, MARCH!” he bellowed again, and the procession began. Warriors walked in twos, a long line of them leading us home in the moonlight.

Jase and Alex flanked me either side, one hand on each of my shoulders, offering me support and strength. Jase squeezed my shoulder gently, I knew he wanted to cry with me but an Alpha’s duty is to show strength in the face of heartache, and he held the role well. We walked in silence, the only noise was the sound of my sobbing through the night, my tears falling heavily on the sheet that covered Bella. I could feel my body was covered in her blood, but at this point I couldn’t care less. I wish I had run the northern border, instead of her. I could have shifted to defend myself, but she couldn’t. She was just so innocent, I couldn’t understand how this had happened. I looked to Jase briefly, and noticed he had a worried look on his face. It seemed we had the same questions, who were they and why had they done this?

We walked the northern streets together, and pack members gathered on pavements,their heads bowed respectfully. By this point, Alpha Ben had alerted everyone that a pack member had fallen, and in true tradition, they lined the streets, heads bowed, tears flowing. It didn’t matter who was under the sheet, a loss was a loss. We were a family, and we all felt the pain.

After what felt like forever, we reached the centre of town where the pack house was based. The lights were on, and all of the staff members were gathered on the lawn to pay their respects. Alpha Ben and Luna Kate were also there waiting, but Beta Harry was nowhere to be seen.

One by one, the warriors kneeled in their pairs, and I bypassed each of them, my breathing ragged, my face soaked with tears. My back ached, my arms felt heavy, but nothing hurt as much as my soul. There was a stretcher waiting in front of the Alpha and Luna, and I placed Bella’s body down carefully, making sure not to loosen the sheet. Nobody needed to see her, nobody needed to know what she went through. She deserved her dignity.

Luna Kate began blessing Bella’s body, and I watched in numb silence, my head bowed. When she finished, she turned to the crowd.

“Please, go home.” She said,loudly. “We must prepare for the funeral. It is getting late.”

The crowd dispersed, and before we knew it, there was only the warriors, Jase, Alex and I left alone with the Alpha and Luna.

“What happened, Mathew?” Alpha Ben looked down at me and asked. His voice was soft, and his eyes were red-rimmed.

“I felt her die.” I whispered, my throat dry. “I couldn’t get to her in time. I felt the moment she took her last breath.”

“Sir, her body was resting in the northern clearing, right on the border.” Jase told his dad, formally.

“Any sign of trespassing?” Alpha Ben asked us.

“No, none.” We all answered.

“Well… there was one thing.” I answered, quietly.

“What’s that?” Luna Kate asked me.

“The flowers in the clearing, the ones surrounding her body. They were all dead.” I replied.

Alpha Ben and Luna Kate looked at me, shocked.

“Are you sure?” He asked.

“Positive.” I nodded, wiping my face.

“Warriors, gather in Meeting room A and wait there. One by one, you will come to Meeting room B to give your statements to me.” Luna Kate spoke, and the warriors rose, marching into the packhouse.

“Jase, Mathew, Alexander. My office,now.” She continued.

We rose to our feet, and headed for the packhouse. I was still naked from my shift, so I headed to the laundry room. I grabbed a pair of sweats from the emergency basket and pulled them on before following Jase and Alex to the Alpha and Luna’s floor. My heart ached as I passed Beta Harry’s floor and could smell a faint trace of Bella’s scent, and my vision blurred again. I stopped suddenly on the stairs, and Alex turned to face me.

“What’s gotten into you?” He asked me, confused. “You’re a warrior, why has this hit you so hard?”

I tensed up, ready to punch him in the throat. Jase, sensing my anger quickly stepped between us, saving Alex from a broken voicebox.

“She was his mate, Al. She was underage so she didn’t know it, but that didn’t stop Matt from feeling it.”

“Oh f**k. I’m so sorry, Matt. I didn’t know.” Alex apologised profusely, looking me in the eyes. I looked away, feeling bitter and unable to accept his apology. I pushed past them both and carried on to the top of the stairs, forcing myself to walk briskly towards Luna Kate’s office, both Alex and Jase following me in silence. Jase was tearful, and Alex made the wise choice to stay silent.

“How am I gunna tell Maria?” Jase mumbled, his tears splashing the ground as the shock wore off and reality set in. “How am I meant to tell her that her best friend was murdered in cold blood?” I shook my head, unable to answer.

At that moment Luna Kate appeared at the end of the hallway. She walked with a calm grace about her, and we all stared at her as she approached us.

“Alex, my office, now,please.” She commanded, and without saying a word he rose to his feet and headed for the office door. He waited outside for Luna Kate to invite him in. She opened the door, and the last we heard was Luna Kate offering him a seat as she closed the door behind them. I leaned back in my chair and closed my eyes. My entire body hurt all over, I had a pounding headache, and my chest felt like there was a gaping hole.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Jase asked me quietly.

“No.” Was all I could muster.

“Okay. No problem.” He replied, placing his arm around my shoulder. That gesture was all it took to force me to breakdown, and I sobbed into his shirt uncontrollably. He wrapped both arms around me and let me cry, crying with me. After what felt like forever, Alex left Luna Kate’s office, and she called Jase in. He gave me one last hug before leaving me on my own, so I wiped my face, and looked out of the window at the moon.

At some point, I must have fallen asleep in the chair, as I woke up to the sound of Luna Kate’s voice, and the feeling of someone touching my arm. I blinked rapidly and felt a headache slowly appear.

“Matt, are you ready?” She asked me kindly.

I nodded and followed her to the office. She opened the door, and I walked inside. Once I was inside, I looked around and immediately felt like I was being tortured. Wall to wall, there were photos of Bella and Maria, Bella with Jase, Bella with Beta Harry and her mom. I began to breathe erratically and felt like I was going to faint. Luna Kate seemed to sense this, and immediately took hold of my hand.

“Focus on my voice, Mathew.” She said, calmly.

The world around me began to feel foggy, and all the pain I felt just evaporated. I couldn’t even remember why I was there, or hear what Luna Kate was saying to me. I felt like I was in a bubble. I smiled along dreamily, and nodded my head to whatever Luna Kate was saying.

Eventually, my mind cleared, in time for Luna Kate to finish her sentence.

“So, you’re saying you found Bella on the northern road?” She asked me.

My head felt like it was filled with sand, so I agreed. “Yes, Luna.”

“You’re aware that she was your mate?” She asked again.

“Yes, Luna.” I answered, nodding.

“So, from what you’ve told me, we believe she was hit and killed by a car on the northern road?” She asked me.

I nodded. “Yes, Luna. Hit and killed by a car.” I repeated.

It was odd. My mate had died, but I felt like I was floating on a cloud, dreaming.

“Very well, Mathew. Seeing as you were first on the scene, we will take your statement as truth.” She told me. “You may go now. Have a shower, get some rest.”

I stood groggily from my chair, suddenly feeling very tired. “Yes, Luna.”

I left Luna Kate’s office as though I was floating, unable to believe the nights events. I followed Luna Kate’s instructions, and went home to shower and sleep. Little did I know, that would be the last time I slept for a while.

*End Flashback*