One

Alex

Geri's loud outbursts startled me awake once again today. This has been happening for a few days now, but today was the first time he actually broke something.

I slowly open my eyes, and without hesitation, I realize I need to get up, no matter how reluctant I am to check on Geri.

I groan as I yank the duvet away and glance at the wall clock. 5:30 am? "It's way too early for this..."

I've been crashing at Geri's place in the Red Moon Pack for a couple of weeks now since I couldn't afford a proper hideout. I've been on the run from the Dark Fur Pack for five years now, falsely accused of a crime. But the struggle is real when you don't have enough cash to stay hidden.

I spot Geri in the sitting room, surrounded by the reek of alcohol. His blonde hair's a mess, and those dark circles under his eyes tell me he hasn't slept in days. He looks utterly miserable, and I can't help but feel for him, even though I don't know what got him into this mess.

Geri's lost some weight since I got here, but I think it's recent. I notice the broken cup and the half-empty bottle of Henny on the floor.

“Damn, Geri. It's early morning and you're already wasted. Come on, man." I shake my head at my only friend and the person I knew before joining this Pack.

“I woke you up?” Geri gives a lopsided grin and I nod, moving towards his drunk self to grab the bottle from him. “That bitch is frustrating the fuck out of me,” he groans as I support his arm and lift him to the couch.

This dude's got the windows closed, sweating like a roasted chicken, drowning his sorrows over some woman.

"No chick should have you drinking and going crazy. You don't even have a mate. So, who's this mysterious lady?" I stand next to a downcast Geri, not recognizing the tough guy I used to know.

"Jasmine," he mutters, followed by a dry chuckle. "How am I getting played by a human girl?" Geri laughs, but I don't get the joke.

"You should hit up Vinx and find some girls to have fun with. This isn't like you, Geri. Are you seriously telling me a human girl has been driving you nuts for days?" I ask, and he groans in response.

"Honestly, I thought you were stressed about the tax increase and other pack issues, man."

Geri's body flinches in response to my words, and he struggles to rise, his face clouded with a gloomy expression.

“Geri, I didn't mean—”

“It's fine, you are right. I should focus more on the Pack’s conflicts instead of a girl who isn't even my mate.” He dismisses my

concern and walk to his bedroom without another word.

This Pack has to be the strangest Pack I've ever spent a sojourn in.

Yeah, the Alpha in this Pack is a real control freak. He's all about his own laws and doesn't seem to care about the struggles of the Pack.

It's crazy how he's ignoring their howls and focusing on his tax boost. And I've heard he's been MIA too. Geri, the Beta, is dealing with some serious anger issues.

Honestly, it feels like Luna Martha is the only one who can fix this mess. Everyone talks about her like she's the savior of the Pack. Guess we'll see if she lives up to the hype.

“Damn, Alex, you are only here for a few weeks. At most, three. You can't afford to be an intermediary between the pack members and their leaders.”

A reasonable thought flashed in my ears the moment I thought of going to Geri and asking more about Luna Martha, to see if the older woman can actually find a solution to the pack’s ongoing conflicts.

I couldn't resist going to Geri's room, even though I wanted to stay out of it. He grunts when I open the door, clearly annoyed.

"What's up, Alex? I'm trying to crash," he says.

I laugh at his annoyed expression and move closer to his bed. "So, what do you think of Luna Martha?" I ask, catching him off guard.

He rubs his forehead and shakes his head. "Forget it, Alex. She's married," he assumes I'm interested in his cousin, but I quickly clarify.

"I haven't even met her yet," I say.

He squints his bloodshot eyes at me, not quite understanding. "Why are you curious about her then?" he asks. I try to find the right words to explain without offending him.

"Is she really as trustworthy as everyone says?" I ask. Without hesitation, Geri nods.

“She will probably put the pack before her interest. That woman was taught to do that ever since she could shift.” He grunts his disapproval.

“If she’s that responsible towards her pack members, why isn't she doing anything about the persistent conflicts going on in the pack? Hers and her daughter’s life will be in danger too if the pack members revolt because of the tax boost,” I dish my concern without thinking of how nosy I sound.

Geri’s eyes drop and he adjusts in his bed. “I'm tired, Alex. I won't lie to you, the last thing on my mind right now is the tax boost. I'm burdened by some thoughts I can't share because I don't even fucking know why it's happening. Martha is a wise leader. She has been Luna for eighteen years and I'm sure she will find ways to negotiate with Alpha Lucian. All of this will be over soon, but I don’t think my life will ever be the same again.” He confides and delves into the duvet before I could give a response.

“Maybe, I should have just minded my damn business,” I say to myself as I hear Geri snoring a few moments later.

I should stay out of the Pack’s issues, but I work at Vinz Bar and every night, I listen to the Pack members lament about how negatively the tax boost has affected their lives.

The less privileged have to call back their children from their various academies to serve, hunt, and do other jobs, be they legal or illegal. Even with this, they couldn't meet up.

I heard the tax multiplied three times and no matter how hard they work, they still find it hard to maintain their previous standard of living.

I know most of them are still here because this is their birth Pack, and they’ve lived here all their lives, but I also know that it won't be long before they rebel.

They are suppressing their emotions and their leaders don't even have them on their minds.

“It's still none of your damn business,” I say to myself as I walk back to my room to change out of my robe and wear a running fit since I don't see myself going back to bed any time soon.

I need to clear my head. There's no way I already feel sentimentally attached to these people when I've just been here for just 13 days.

I really need a run to allow me to get my priorities straight. I am an escapee who can’t afford to stay in a place or be bound to a Pack, so I have no reason to meddle in Red Moon Pack’s affairs.

Leaving Geri's place in my Adidas jogging suit, even though I won't be running in it, I realize it's not me who needs emotional control, but my wild wolf, Xander. He has always believed he's a superhero sent by the Moon goddess to protect werewolves.

I know it sounds crazy, but that's how I explain his grand gestures. It's also why I got to my current situation - my compassion and protective nature.

Shifting at a corner away from Geri's, I embrace my wolf form. With piercing blue eyes, I scan the forest obsessively, kicking up dust as I sprint into the dark woods.

The chilling air on my dark fur confirms it was a good idea.

Running in the woods always fills me with an unexplainable surge of vitality. It's like the forest acknowledges my presence and fuels my strength.

As I run through the thick forest, I catch sight of a magnificent she-wolf with a coat as brown as the earth.

Mesmerized by her swiftness, I find myself drawn towards her, crashing into her without thinking. My breath catches in my throat as I hope I haven't harmed her in my moment of infatuation.

To my relief, she rolls away and regains her composure, standing before me in all her majestic glory.

As her captivating vanilla scent fills my senses, I can't help but wonder, "Could she be Luna Martha?"

I am left in awe of the goddess-like presence before me.