The moon help him, this was River right in front of him. She wasn't just no longer the frail young lady he met seven years ago, she was a mother too. A beautiful one at that. The full Auburn hair he remembered cascaded down her back, framing a face that held a mix of emotions – surprise, anger, and a sign of something he couldn't quite place. The playful banter between the children had ceased. The little girl with her amber eyes wide with curiosity, stared at Gonzalo but her small hand still clutched in River's firm grip. The boy only looked on with confusion. Time seemed to stand still. The bustling town, the aroma of fresh bread wafting from the bakery, the distant calls of children playing– they all faded into a dull buzz. All that remained was the intensity of their gazes locked across the space that separated them. A million questions swirled in Gonzalo's mind. Where had she been? How had she survived? Was the little girl his? How did River become this beautiful? This g
Gonzalo left the bakery. He glanced across the street towards the restaurant, hope fluttering in his chest. He thought that he could maybe catch a glimpse of River. But the fading light and the bustling crowd outside obscured any view.He didn't see shit.He groaned, turned his back on the restaurant, and headed towards Doctor Sofia's house. As he approached the house, he saw her sitting on the porch with a cigarette dangling from her lips. Her face which was earlier composed and professional, held a hint of surprise when she saw him.Whoa; Gonzalo thought– he didn't know she smoked. She didn't look like one who did. Or perhaps, could that be her way of dealing with her grief?"Early back from work, aren't you, Alpha?" she greeted him, blowing out a plume of smoke. "Did the bakery close down already?"Gonzalo chuckled in a little too strained way. "No, the bakery's open. My boss, well, let me off early so I could check on Rourke."“Oh, that's very nice of him, I must say.” Sofia chuck
Sofia's voice dropped to a whisper as she leaned forward. "It might sound absurd, Gonzalo, but hear me out. What if there's a traitor in our midst? Right here in my pack. Someone high up in the Ironclaw pack who's been feeding information to the rogues?"A traitor in the Ironclaw pack? What gain could they possibly achieve from betraying their people? For all he knew, wolves were dying everywhere in the hands of those feral rogues.He scoffed. "A traitor? That's a serious accusation, Sofia. We're all hurting here. The rogues are attacking everyone, not just the Moonstone pack. People in the Ironclaw pack are also hurting.”"I understand your point, believe me," she said, and a plume of circled smoke followed. "My husband was one of those killed recently, I'm sure I have mentioned that earlier."Her words struck a chord with Gonzalo. He remembered the grief etched on her face when he emerged wearing her late husband’s clothes arrived.He flinched and a wave of sympathy washed over him
Gonzalo stared at the two graves as he stood with Sofia beside Rourke and Pym’s grave. They had done what they could to hurry the two. No investigation would be done on their deaths as it would all eventually be concluded as ‘rogue attacks’.Sincerely, no one cared here. No one. They weren't even members of this pack. Any fuss and Echo might just send them off.With a final and tearful goodbye, Gonzalo turned to Sofia with a voice that was hoarse with sentiments. "Thank you, Sofia. For everything."Sofia nodded and her already dull eyes were clouded with sorrow. "They deserved a proper burial, Gonzalo. And you deserve some time to grieve. We'll find out who did this, Gonzalo. I promise."The last light of day was fading. It was time for him to return to the packhouse, to face whatever awaited him there. He nodded grimly at Sofia. There was something about how much he believed those words for he wouldn't stop until he found who did it, truly."I should get back," he said, sniffing back
River~~Annemarie was only confusing her further. The idea of needing werewolf blood and hunting rogues didn't quite sit well with her. She has had a couple of violent moments in her life but all she sought now was peace. As her mind reeled. "Rogues? Hunting rogues? But... but those bastards are dangerous! They're outlandish creatures!" She queried.Annemarie snorted at her words. "Dangerous, yes. But darling, are you underestimating us? We're witches, and powerful ones at that. We can handle a couple of rogue wolves."“But why?" River interjected. "There has to be another way. Please, let's not go seek trouble in its abode.”Tara stepped forward and placed a hand on River’s shoulder. "River, trust us. We know what we're doing. This isn't just about the hunt. Think of it as your initiation, a way to learn to control your own magic. It would be a lesson for you. We want to help you, River. But you must first help yourself. Or perhaps, want to help yourself.” River's eyes darted betw
River's heart rate was probably loud enough for anyone who cared to listen as she finally choked out, "Alright, what next?" A hand clamped over her mouth, stifling her question. "Shh!" Annemarie’s voice hissed from behind, startling River. Relief would have washed over her as she recognized the familiar voice but that relief was quickly curdled into confusion. Where had they come from? Where were they? She could hear the voice but not see the owner. "Annemarie? Tara?" she stammered, eyes darting around. And then, two figures emerged from the shadows of the towering trees. It was Annemarie and Tara. River yelped in surprise, but Annemarie quickly shushed her again. "Silence, child," Annemarie whispered with a low and urgent voice. "I sense at least six rogues ahead. Any noise and they'll be upon us faster than you can blink." River's apprehension spiked. "Wait," she whispered back, "if you were scared of drawing attention, why are we here at all then?” Finn stepped forward an
Terror squeezed River's lungs as the rogue lounged for her. But before she could even scream, Tara was there. With a flick of her wrist, a shimmering blue net materialized around the wolf and trapped it before it could pounce on River. "Use your emotions, River!" Tara shouted, her voice hardly audible over the thrashing of the trapped beast as it struggled to get freed. Another rogue somehow managed to be freed from the spell and it lunged at River. By the moons, why her? River’s breaths seized. It seemed they were aiming for the easier target. Panic froze her limbs when this one successfully threw her on the floor in a very sickening thud. The beast's claws raked across her arm in slash and a stinging pain seared through her. She stumbled up and back again, crashing onto the damp earth. A throaty roar echoed through the trees as the enraged wolf tore free of Tara's net. Holy hell, those beasts were powerful, it seemed. No wonder they were able to take over Gonzalo’s pack; River
Through the haze of dizziness, River saw Tara kneeling beside her. Her face was contorted with concern. "River, are you alright?" Tara asked gently.River could only nod weakly as she was unable to find the strength to speak.Suddenly, a soft glow emanated from Tara's fingertips. As Tara touched River's wound, a soothing warmth spread through her arm, pushing back the pain. The gash slowly closed, leaving behind only a faint pink scar.Wow. Tara could heal too?"That should do it," Tara said, her touch lingering for a moment. "You scared the living daylights out of us, you know that?"A weak smile tugged at River's lips. "I… I didn't mean to," she mumbled."No, I don't think you did," Tara chuckled softly. "But you did good, River. Real good."Annemarie also chirped in. “You have more power within you than you know. I told you that you are not just any witch. Do you believe me now?”River looked down at her hands, still trembling slightly. "I— I don't understand," she whispered.
The air was filled with noises of music and laughter later that night. Every civilian member of the new Moon claw pack got dressed in their best wears as they swarmed the old Iron claw pack house in their numbers. The pack house itself was filled to the brim with people chattering and laughing among themselves. The large hall which was the venue of the celebration was decorated with d colorful disco light up ahead as a slow jazz music played in the DJ played a soft jazz music. Meanwhile, River was a little nervous as she got dressed with the help of Calantha, Claire and some maids. "Luna, relax, you look great." Claire assured her with a warm smile as she put the finishing touches on her wavy auburn hair. She was seated, facing a mirror, tapping her foot nervously as she looked up at the clock. "He hasn't picked up his phone in an hour. What if something came up?" She paused, her eyes lingering on the shimmering red dress she wore. "Besides, I don't think red is really my color...
The days moved fast again until the day finally came. The day of the celebration for the creation of the new Moon claw pack. River woke up that morning, stretching lazily on her bed. Today was special for three reasons actually. There'd be a full moon tonight and then the celebration for the creation of the pack.Wolves from both sides of the territory would be coming together in the old Iron Claw's pack house to celebrate. The place where it'd all begun…But also, today was the day of the official opening of 'Luna's Delight '. The restaurant had been set for days now, but River wanted a big opening. One that would coincide with a day of celebration.Gonzalo was currently at his side of the pack, preparing some things. They were constructing a new pack house, one that would represent the essence of their new pack while also giving the both of them a chance to stay together again. She already missed her charming Spanish prince, even though they'd last seen the previous morning.She g
ONE WEEK LATER . Things were looking good ever since their declaration for a joint pack. The new pack of 'Moon Claw' observed days of celebrations after the announcement. As for River, well, she finally did something she'd been meaning to do in a while. "Ta da!" She exclaimed excitedly, after taking off the blind folds from Gonzalo and Rain's faces. What stood before them was a large building with only a group floor and a neon sign board that read "Luna's Delight". It was still under construction—some site workers still going around and adding finishing touches, but it was basically done. It was a restaurant. Her very own restaurant situated at the border between old IronClaw and old Moonstone. They both gasped in surprise, looking between her and the building repeatedly. After a while, Gonzalo rushed up to her, lifting her in a hug. "Ugh. Pequena, I'm so happy for you! Your dreams are finally a reality." He blurted excitedly before dropping her to the ground. "I m
Hand in hand, River and Gonzalo walked out of the pack house, trailing behind Claire. As they did, they were greeted by civilians, all showing their respect and gratitude for their Alpha. "Thank you for saving us, Alpha Gonzalo!" "He's a hero. I got to see my son again because of him." A woman muttered to her friend with a grateful tone. "And look, isn't that River of the IronClaw pack?" "Apparently, it's 'Alpha River' now. She rules over her pack now." A man who'd been staying in River's pack provided casually. "What? Since when?" "Who cares? We wouldn't have gotten our pack back without her help too. They're both heroes." A blush crept up her face when she heard those words. She tried ignoring them like Gonzalo, but she just couldn't. Knowing that these people saw her as their hero brought pride to her heart. She was beyond touched. They finally got to the town square, which was packed to the brim with pack members. Men, women, and children from all works of life were gat
An old quote River once read says: "The aftermath of war is not just about rebuilding, but also reconnecting with what we love and stand for". Well, there was a lot of reconnecting and rebuilding to do, and the war wasn't over yet. They still had one more thing to do. They had to reclaim Gonzalo's territory from the rogues. "It's a simple plan. No diversions. No baits. And most of all, we're killing every rogue in sight." River spoke calmly as she drew a circle around a part of a large map where Gonzalo's territory lay. The moonstone pack's citizens have been seeking refuge in the IronClaw pack for a while, courtesy of the fake Echo, but there were still some imprisoned back in the pack by the rogues. Gathered in the dimly lit meeting hall were River and her advisors, which included Old Man Thomas, Gonzalo, Calantha, Claire from the rebellion, and also two other men from the rebellion. They stood around a table, their faces stern with one thing in mind. Victory. "I've sent spies
River woke up the next morning, her body aching like an old woman's. Last night was wild! She and Gonzalo literally had hours of 'naked cuddle sessions ' from dusk till dawn. She turned to look at the clock. Eleven AM! Shit, time goes by fast when you're overrun with pleasure! She tried getting up but only then realized that she was lying on top of Gonzalo's chest, his arms wrapped around her naked body. The man was drained, and she couldn't help feeling bad. Her face flushed with embarrassment when she remembered how she'd repeatedly used magic to increase his vigor and stamina whenever he reached orgasm. It was like having infinite strength, but there was only so much magic could do when it was used to offset the natural balance of a wolf's anatomy. The constant use of magic on both of them had them drained. Would they even be able to do anything today? Just then, Gonzalo turned, but his grasp on her body didn't lessen in the slightest. He blinked awkwardly as his eyes trie
Warning: Mature content The days after the battle at BloodHill were rather peaceful. River and Gonzalo enjoyed that moment of peace, using it to reconnect with themselves and also to spend more time with Rain. Emphasis on the ‘’reconnecting’ though. Their nights had been more steamier than ever, and they had some of the best sex since they took over IronClaw. Good moon goddess, have mercy, if she could just stay all night and all day having sex with her man, she would. But sadly, she had her duties as Alpha to attend to. And it was an unrealistic wish anyway. Unless…...“You want us to do what?” Gonzalo blurted out again when they'd entered their room one night and were about to get freaky. He arched his eyebrows in surprise, looking at her like she'd said the vilest thing known to werewolf, witch, heck even vampire kind. River purred playfully, as her hands went up his chest. “Come on, think about it. If I'm able to use my magic to increase your stamina, we'll be able to go
Warning: Some graphic scenesCalantha was relentless, as she bared her fangs at the rogue wolves, managing to intimidate a lot of them. She jumped down from the elevated area, causing the rogues on the ground to make way. The other four of her brethren also jumped down, snarling viciously at the rogues, but most especially the rogue witches who'd just lost two sisters.River smirked. That was her cue. She'd managed to gather enough magic up to that point and wiggled her fingers, concentrating all of it on her chains. It took some effort, but eventually, the chains fell off like threads, startling the rogue wolves watching over her and Gonzalo.“What the–?” The female rogue who she'd mind-controlled for that brief moment looked at her with bulged eyes and was about to draw out her weapon. However, River was faster as she brought out the two daggers strapped to her thighs, slashing the rogue on the chest first and then on her neck. It was so swift and the rogue was speechless, as she
The cave indeed had a large interior. The ceiling was lined with jagged stalactites, hanging over them like giant icicles and casting eerie shadows on them. The cave was lit up by several fire torches, and also by a large hole carved into the ceiling, which allowed moonlight to glimmer down like a wave, falling directly on a stone altar.The cave was filled with even more rogue wolves and was blossoming with activities. However, it all died down when the others from outside brought in River and Gonzalo. "Brethren!" The old hag raised her staff into the air triumphantly. "Behold, the hybrid Alpha of the IronClaw pack and her mate, the fallen Alpha of the Moonstone pack! The ones responsible for taking our hold on the IronClaw territory."The rogue wolves snarled, throwing a torrent of curses at River and Gonzalo. They dropped them to the ground, forcing her to kneel while Gonzalo lay there, groaning as his face hit the ground. Ignoring their plight, the 'maiden' of the trio of witche