The Last Moon

Chapter 3: Thalon and Rahul

Caleb's POV

Today has been different from my usual day in school, it started when the new girl entered the classroom. I was teasing Mathew my best friend with his new haircut which was done by his Mom when I suddenly smell this fresh night breeze lingering in the air, I felt like all my senses became alive. It's soothing like a lullaby it made me stop as well as my friends, I know they have felt the same. The teacher came in and we all settled in our chair as the new girl entered the room. She was beaming like a star, or I just imagined it. After the teacher introduced her, she lifted her hood and her face was shown, she looks like a goddess that descended from above. Her name is Halea, it suits her like the name of the twin goddess of the moon. I need her to know me at least to make an impression, no human can resist me, after all, I am the next Alpha. I belong to the oldest clan of Thalon’s, and my clan is the only living direct descendant of the original Thalon. Unlike the Lobo’s of the north we Thalon’s are more powerful and close to the physical feature of a human. We are half human half wolf while Lobo’s are shape-shifting human. 

Ms Simien asked her to sit beside me, I was smitten by her more. This is the first time I wasn’t able to speak to a human. I was able to gather my courage after the first session past. I can see that she’s struggling to concentrate, my presence may somehow affect her. My wolf may have overwhelmed her, this is my chance.

“Night breeze, what’s your name again?” I said loud enough for her to hear. Ah, I can see how star truck she is from the sound of my voice. I can see the confusion in her face, Bravo Caleb!

“I’m Halea, and you are?” Ah, she finally spoke.

Women love compliments, “Nice name, the same name as the Goddess I know. But I prefer NB, Night Breeze suits you. I’m Caleb,” I said and gave her my biggest smile. That should take her off her feet, a little compliment from me.

 I can sense her giggling silently; she will speak again and this will be a good start.

 “Caleb, more like dog boy,” she retorted.

Is she trying to insult me? My annoyance from her response let out a silent growl inside me. 

“since you want to call me NB, I’ll call you furball,” how’s that?” her again.

I can be compared to any beast but not a dog or she is just trying my temper, playing hard to get? Then let’s play, I gave out a quick chuckle, “Are you a witch or something?”

“As you said I’m a God to you, not a witch,” she said laughing

Now I know what she wants, if that’s the case then I’ll give in. I’ll be more serious now, I moved to give her what she wanted I’ll apologize and be more serious, “Sorry, that’s a wrong start. I’ll call you Haliya like the goddess,” 

“Thank you, Caleb. I preferred to be called by my name,” 

See I know you’ll positively respond to that, so I gave out a smirk. I know you can feel it without looking.

“So why do you want to call me 'envy'? It sounds so bad,” she speaks again swaying her head and pretending to write.

Hah, you just wanted to hear my reasons so I will give it to you, “You smell like a night breeze, more like the smell of the new moon,” I responded, that should get your attention.

“You’re weird,” 

“Says the one who called me dog boy, so why the dog,” I said returning the favour

“I imagined you like a wolf boy but since you're small the dog fits you just like the meaning of your name,”

This girl amazed me, is she a witch and secretly know what I am or maybe she’s one of us? She confuses me and made my blood boil somehow. I am starting to like her, for the first time in my stay in this school a human interests me. I cannot take my eyes off her now. I would have her; my wolf must be acting up. It won’t be long and I will be able to hear my wolf, I’ll be coming off age very soon in the next full moon. What if she’s my mate? This is going to be interesting.

I was awakened from my trance when the school bell rang, and I saw Halea stormed out of the room. She definitely can feel the attraction in me. 

I felt a tap on my back, It’s Matthew my best friend. I picked up my backpack and walk out to the next class. 

“What was that, are you trying to bully the new girl?” Matthew is trying to annoy me

“More like it’s the other way around, I think our Alpha is being tamed,” Jason said trying to be funny as usual.

“Shut up,” I said, “I am not in the mood for a laugh or a conversation,”

They are now walking beside me; we all belong to the same clan and the three of us grew up together.   

I can see that she has found a new group, hah, she is with the granddaughter of the shaman (Babaylan). She must be one of them, that explains her thoughts, but she’s a brave one, normally the shamans don’t meddle with us nor speak to us in that manner. She has really captured my attention.

I mind link Matthew and Jason “Can you two check more about this new girl. See what is her relation to Adrienne or if she belongs to any of the witch clan,” I spoke in a serious manner so they would obey.

“Yes, Alpha,” Matthew said and Jason followed

“Alpha, do you think there’s a possibility that she’s your Luna?” Jason asked

“We would have that answer soon,” I answered and closed the mind link

***

During lunch, Matthew and Jason went to work and approached Adrienne and her friends.

Jason being the charmer used his charm to speak to Adrienne. “Hey, Adie, how are you? I like what you have done with your hair,”

“Jayson, you know that wouldn’t work on me, I am charmed. So, what is it that you need?”

“You got me,” he chuckled knowing that he is cornered, “Well, I am curious about the new girl and I see she’s friends with you. Is she a witch or something?”

“I don’t know, we just met her,” she answered, “Amie, do you feel anything about her?”

“You know I suck in that section, I’m not my mother. I’m just clueless as you are,” she said

“There’s your answer. Why don’t you ask her yourself?” Adrienne responded.

“You girls have this girly thing which makes it easy for her to open up,” he said, “do you think you will be able to find out?”

“If ever I found out why should we tell you?” Adrienne asked

“Well, if she’s a healer like your grandma then that would be easier for us to come to her than run to the mountain where your grandma is, right?”

“There’s another way to find out, why don’t you ask your Dad to check out her Dad,” Amelia said grinning

“I don’t think we’re the right person to do your bidding, try to look for answers elsewhere,” Adrienne said.

“You can take your leave now, your Alpha is waiting,” Amelia said

“You girls are no fun, alright I’ll leave you alone,” Jason said as he walks back to his pack.

When Jason was out of sight, “What are you thinking?” Amelia asked Adrienne

“The thalon’s got me curious, maybe they can sense something with Halea, we should find out,” Adrienne said

“And how are we going to do that?”

“My Nana, she should meet Nana,” 

“Will giving her name or something that belongs to her not enough?”

“Oh, you know my Nana, she won’t do such it’s against her integrity,” 

“And how will you make her go?”

“I’ll find a way,”

“Let’s go eat now, we’ve wasted so much time here,” Adrienne said as they left the cafeteria and go to the park where they normally eat.

***

Rahul was doing his rounds to their seafood shops in town, he was tasked to conduct a site inspection to maintain the service quality that their employees do. He does this during his free time. Rahul’s family owns several fish farms, they are the major supplier of seafood in this region.  While he is checking the store, he met Mr Robert, his godfather. Robert is also his adopted fathers’ best friend. Rahul is adopted, the mother that he knows is part of the clan that serves him. He was already with his mother before she got married to the person that everyone knows as his father. This is known by close family friends like Robert. 

Rahul is a half-dragon half-human and he has been living and dying in the past 6 centuries. When Rahul was still a demigod, he helped saved a clan of fishermen migrating, they were almost swallowed by the storm in the middle of the ocean. Rahul is one of the sons of the Ocean Goddess and has the ability to shape-shift he helped the family navigate out of the storm and find the nearest land to settle, that family swore by blood to serve him even after their next generation. They are marked with an anchor tattoo-like in their body which is only visible to deities and magical creatures of the water. When Rahul was cursed by the Gods and turned into a half-dragon half-human, he came to find the clan and asked them to adopt his human form and teach the ways of the human, in return, he rewards them with treasures of the sea and good luck. Whenever his human form dies, they need to send back his body to his mother, the ocean and come back to the shore after 3 days to take his baby form. They are required to raise him until he reached the awakening of his dragon, which is the 16th year in the human world. In the event that a clan member doesn’t recognize him, the mark appears along with the memory of the ancestor in which they need to accept. If a clan member refused to acknowledge the obligation, the wealth and luck that they are enjoying will vanish and the ocean will take their body and the lineage. His story has been passed down to future generations of the clan.

He has reached his aged of awakening in this current human form, the memory of his past life and some of his abilities have slowly come back to him. He is just finishing his studies and will start his journey soon. He needs to keep his human life as normal as possible in order not to attract any suspicion. As he doesn’t age, he moves from places to places keeping his movement within the clan.

After doing his inspection, Robert asked him to join him for lunch and meet the new doctor in town. He doesn’t normally accept invitations but for some reason, Baconava asked him to just follow. He drove his car following Roberts jeep, it took them about 30 minutes to reach Robert's house.

Rahul’s POV

“Bacunava, why do we need to meet the doctor is he special?”

“I sense the newcomer, there is a cosmic energy that surrounds them. I wanted to get close to understand more of it.” Bacunava speaks inside him

“Very well, know that I am doing this because you need to,”

“I understand,”

We arrived at Roberts villa and I parked the car just near the gate to easily go out in case I need to. I followed Robert inside and greeted Mrs Jenny Stark and their guest. Robert introduced me as his godson. In this part of the world to strengthen the ties of some families, they normally take their friends’ children as their godson’s or goddaughters, though I am not formally Robert’s godson he treats me like one. It shows his desire to unite our family with his.

“Arthur and Elena, this is Rahul, my godson. His family owns the Taraka Fish Farm,” Roberts introduction of me, “This is the new Head doctor at Vale Community Hospital, Dr Arthur and his wife Mrs Elena.

“Nice to meet you, sir, madam,” I said shaking both their hands

“I meet him while I was on my way home, he has been doing his store inspection,” Robert said as he taps my shoulder, “so I invited him to join us and meet you and Halea, I believe they are of the same age,”

“Halea,” Bacunava spoke inside me

“You look so mature, how old are you? ” Mrs Caelestes responds, “Halea is turning 16 soon,”

“I’m a bit older than her then, I’m 17 and will be 18 soon,”

“I see, but maybe because of work that’s why you looked matured like 21,” she said

I smiled accepting the compliment.

“Well, I believe you all are hungry so we should head to the dining table,” Mrs Stark said, “Rahul, would you call Veronica and Halea, they are at the garden,”

I’ve excused myself and fetch the ladies to come to the dining hall, I was in the hallway looking at the garden when I saw her. The sunlight touching her face gives her a certain glow which is spellbinding, her long curly hair flies as if the wind carries it dancing, she moves so swift and I can feel that energy that Baconava was telling me.

“She looks so much like Dia Halea,” Bacunava said

As I get closer my heartbeat’s faster and I can feel a fear burning inside me. Veronica and Halea are talking so I gave out a sound to cut in, “Urhum,” Veronica came running to me.

“Rahul!” she called 

I know she won’t introduce me so I took the opportunity to introduce myself, “Hi, I’m Rahul, Mr Robert asked me to call both of you to join lunch,” I said giving my hand.

She shook my hand and introduced herself, “I’m Halea, the doctor’s daughter,”

Veronica with her demeanour holds my other arms and blurted out her desire towards me, “he’s my future husband,” 

I don’t want Halea to take it seriously so I removed her hand and grin, “Veronica, stop fooling around she might believe you. I’m not anywhere close to what she described. His father is my godfather, that’s why we’re like brothers and sisters,” I said redeeming myself.

“You will be my future, Dad said so,” Veronica said with annoyance, “Let’s go inside,” as she marched towards the dining hall.

I looked at Halea and gave out my brightest smile.

I cannot remove my eyes from Halea while eating, I can see how shy she was. 

“If she’s the human form of the Goddess of the Moon, it means you can redeem your demigod form from in this lifetime and I can be free,” Bacunava speaks while glaring at her. 

I can see him rejoicing, moving in my mind. The thought of our freedom gives me hope.

After lunch, I was tasked to bring Halea and Veronica to school. I am still overwhelmed by her presence that I became timid, the whole drive. The school is not far from Robert's house so the moment was cut short and she went down the car and go inside the campus. My eyes followed her until she’s out of my sight.

“So, what are you now waiting for Veronica?”

“We can go someplace else now that we’re alone,”

“I’m busy,” I went out of the car and opened the door for her. And took her hand, and she followed, “Be a good student and go to your class,” I said as I look at her and encourage her to move. She followed while stomping her feet like 3 years old. I ran back at the driver seat and manoeuvre out of her sight.

I will see her again; I need to know if it’s her and if this is the time my mother promised me. She spoke to Battala to give me a chance to redeem myself for the mistake I have done. I know she gave up something in exchange for that request. So, I need to make sure that her sacrifices will not be in vain. I haven't returned to our realm for a very long time and the human world seems so slow and lonely.