CHAPTER NINE - MEETING

VALENTINA

MERCURY MOON PACK

[FLASHBACK. FIVE YEARS AGO]

I laughed when Sara shrieked, running laps around the throne room, her gown bundled in hand. The other maids looked on disapprovingly but none said a word. The moment I had her cornered, my throat burning with laughter, I flicked the insect at her. But in a stunning twist the mantis opened its wings, flying up and away from our grasps.

“Oouh, I wanted to play more with him.” I complained.

Sara heaved, face red. “Where do you even find those disgusting things—”

“I supposed this is how Miss Sara spends her time, goofing off in the throne room instead of handling her chores.”

On hearing my fathers voice we both dropped our heads to a bow.

“I’m sincerely sorry your highness. This will never repeat itself.”

I eyed Sara from my peripheral, her fear eminent. But I had never considered her as a maid though she was supposed to be my handmaid Sara was more like a sister to me and she rarely did anything rather than goof off with me and keep me out of trouble.

“I’m pleased to see you father. But may I bed that you do not focus punishment on Sara as I was the one who forced her out her chores.”

My father stroked his silver beard, eyes bored where he assessed both girls.

“Taking the concise blame for your actions even if you weren’t in question. Admirable quality young Valentina.”

My father held his hand up, the mantis fluttering noisily through the air from its spot up above and resting on his finger.

He brought it down so we both could see it. Big round eyes with gnarly sets of mandibles. Sara jerked back when the mantis raised it praying arms defensively.

“Harmless this little creature is to us, yet a ferocious beast it is to its own kind.

“Funny how the order of nature can make the beasts who are feared by all, a mere insect before another.”

I was totally clueless on what the lesson he was trying to teach.

“Now, I need you girls on your best behaviours for tonight. I’m having a very important meeting today and I can’t have you two running about with a mantis do you understand?” I had never known an ill tone from my father, even the times he scolded it sounded more like a precautionary warning. His anger was a side of him I’d never truly seen and the mere fact of that made me always strive to be on my best behaviour.

Sara nodded and did the same but with a twirl around and a ballerinas bow at the end which made my father chuck.

Next, I had basically flown up the flight of stairs, bumping into my mother who yelped my name in bewilderment. “VALENTINA!” And I shrieked an apology in reply.

When my fathers guests arrived later that day I made sure to stay hidden up my favourite spot in the air vents tunnels that ran through the ceilings of the throne room, spying through the grates of the removable metal frame. The man who I assumed was the main person was a greyed Alpha cladded in tactical gear consisting of a metal plated jacket, heavy set boots and a dagger holstered by his right side. The kind of gear usually worn by war commanders.

Behind this man was a younger boy, he looked like he was too young to be in the room amongst aged Alphas and Betas. From my spot high up in the large vents it was hard to make out the details of their conversation but a few minutes into the meeting and the Alpha whom was also a war commander slammed his fists into the desk, in the millisecond following he exploded into a massive grey wolf, the sudden and terrifying shift and growls making me shriek into the palm of Sara’s hand.

Between my freight of the sudden Alphas shift and the shock from Sara who has managed to find me in the vents without my knowing I could see the younger boy step in front of his Alpha. My father had surprisingly remained seated, unfazed by the display.

My heart thumped in my chest, so hard with the blood pumping in my ears I could have sworn they could hear it from me up in the vents. Slowly, I had crawled my way out of the vent tunnels, only ever living that memory with Sara who had save me from screaming down at my father and his raging guests.

I wondered why this memory was coming back to me now of all times. Maybe it was because of the way I had stared into the black maw of the Alpha who had shifted mid meeting, same kind of maw I stared into now, dagger clutched in my hands. Or maybe it was because of the younger man who had stepped between the wolf and my father, the way his golden eyes had flicked up at the grates the moment Sara had covered my lips with her hand as if he could feel my presence.

My hands flew up above my head, sailing down upon Jaymes large white head, the hot breath from his wolf’s mouth wafting against my face.

But my dagger never made contact, and his teeth never shredded my shoulder off. In a blur I was blown back by a blunt force, Jaymes wolf knocked to its side and he whimpered slightly as he slammed hard against a tree, snow falling onto his face.

I looked at who it was, tall and angry Teira stared at me, then to Jayme who now sat on his back end.

“Damn, I take my eyes off of you guys for one minute and you try to kill each other?” She had her fingers pressed to her forehead, furry knee high boots trudging through the snow towards me.

‘We were simply catching fun Teira… you and I used to do this a lot back when you weren’t so haughty and stuck up.’

She rolled her eyes, I guessed she could hear Jaymes telepathic link too.

“Come on miss, let’s get you cleaned up. The Alpha wants to see you.”

She took my hand, pulling me to my feet gently. Her eyes lingered on the dagger for a moment before I stowed it into the pockets of my jacket.

“Where’d you get that from?” She asked as we walked through the snow.

“Had it long before…”

Jayme stalked behind us, I glanced him over my shoulder periodically only to find his wolfs yellow orbs staring daggers into my back.

“Is he always like this?” I asked after a few moments of silent walking.

“Like how?” Teira kept her eyes ahead.

“Kidnapping girls and talking them to isolated areas so he could eat them?”

A sly smile appeared on Teira’s lips and she did not answer my question immediately.

“Wait— no I did not mean eat like in that way I meant like attack.”

Teira laughed heartily, something I found she did when she thought something amusing.

‘I could give you both a ride home you know.’

“Yeah and have my pussy on your back? No way.” Teira snapped at Jayme who snorted in reply. She looked at me. “He is fund of kidnapping girls, though they always come back in one peace. As I said before Valentina, Jayne is harmless I mean look at him.” We both looked over our shoulders, “he’s just one big white fluffy fluff ball.”

I did not know why her words made me laugh so hard maybe it was because of the way she said it, or the fact that Sara had used the same words to describe the terrifying Alphas wolf.

When we rounded up on Lucean’s manor I was surprised to the see the Alpha standing at the very front door. I avoided eye contact with him, remembering what had happened between us the last time we were together and hating the warm blush that flushed my neck red.

“Where were you Valentina…”

I tuned to the white wolf that now stared happily at Lucean, tongue dangling out the side of his open mouth.

“Him. Crazy.” I pointed to Jayme and noticed the way Lucean had rolled his eyes. He stepped forward, his hands taking me by the side of my face with the most gentle touch, he turned my face, inspecting both sides of it and I had to hold my breath so he didn’t know I had been hyperventilating.

I avoided his eyes but when his hand dropped from my face I mourned his touch, no, wanted more of it.

“Valentina. I have something I’d like to show you.” Lucean’s voice woke me from the luscious thoughts that had so naturally invaded my mind. “Teira?”

The female sentry nodded, gesturing that I followed her and I did just that. We walked towards the main community and Teira led the way to a large two storey manor that I was sure served as a community home to many refugees.

“We salvage refugees from different packs, packs that have suffered coups and wars, like yours Valentina…”

She stopped at the front door to the community home, turning back to face me. “You may not have the best experience with our Alpha, and you must have heard the worst about this pack, but we are not monsters Valentina.”

Together we entered the building, inside bustled with many people. The ground floor which served as a large mess hall had a starcase at the back that led up.

“Most are given a choice to either live by themselves or in the community home, the ones that decide to live by themselves are provided with a share of land and a cabin. Those that choose this home are assigned with a room.”

As she spoke I quietly listen, processing every word and wondering how the mad-Alpha had become werewolf Santa clause overnight. What motivated him? The death of his Luna maybe.

We walked to the first floor, and stopped by the second door to the right.

“I believe you might want to go in alone.”

Teira said, turning away and walking back down.

I sighed. “Well if she wanted me out of her own house she could have just said so, no need to give me a whole lecture about it.”

I twisted the door knob, stepping into the rather large room. A single cabinet, bed and fire place that crackled with a bright flame. Nothing too special.

But seated on an arm chair by the window stared back dark eyes that grew wider the longer we locked gazes.

“SARA!” I shrieked. My feet moving fast in the heavy boots and crashed into her open arms, both of us of falling onto the bed.

“Where— How— When—” I struggled to find the right words, Sara exploding into laughter and I couldn’t help but laugh along, the corners of our eyes moist with held back tears.

“After Ryker came back seething about your escape I knew I had to follow suit, tracking your scene wasn’t easy but my wolf would never miss even the faintest something I doubt Ryker was used to.

Sara pulled me into a big hug again, her dark hair falling to her face when she pulled back. “A woman, Sentry. She found me along this packs borders, she was agressive at first, warned me to retreat but when I mentioned your name. She told me she knew exactly where you were.”

I held her hands on the bed, my eyes never leaving hers as she spoke. A strong rush of nostalgia filling me, Sara was the only person I had from home. My best friend.

The door cracked open, we both turned and I expected it to be Teira was instead the warm scent of Lucean filled the room as he stepped bent to step through the door. I stood up, my lips parting slightly but was thrown back by Sara almost immediately.

“BEHIND ME VALENTINA!!!” She roared, stepping between I and Lucean, the dagger that had been in my jacket a second ago now held firm in her hand.

“Sara it’s just—”

“THE MAD-ALPHA!” She roared again, drawing a concerned frown from Lucean who did not say anything nor felt threatened in anyway whatsoever by the dagger she held out and I remembered how easily he had disarmed me that night in the forest.

I made to move past Sara but she pushed me back, her hand immensely stronger than it looked.

“He’s name is Lucean Sara.” I said and noticed the proud way the Alpha raised his chin as if knowing that I would speak up for him. “And he’s the one who saved me from Ryker.”

At this point Sara looked back at me, her hand never dropping from the outstretched position between us and Lucean but I could feel the kid of fright and rage that coursed through her begin to die out.

“What the heck?” Sara said, throwing me a look that clearly said ‘You must be out of your mind.”