Wolf Moon Ritual

Alexander’s POV

36 hours earlier.

“Saved my life? How? My mate is gone.” I ranted but had an air of bewilderment about me. Heather smirked amused at my ranting but didn’t continue. Instead she strolled away from me and towards my father, greeting him politely and shaking his hand, and then embracing my mother. What the fuck? Aurora has been kidnapped with a knife slowly cutting into her throat, but we have time for pleasantries.

My irritation built back up quickly and I started struggling again, but the hold Cole and Robert had on me wasn’t as tight as before and I managed to shake them off, stomping forward. “Answer me.” I demanded of her, completely forgetting my place. She was an alpha and deserved respect. Sighing in a silent reprimand to myself, I tried to fix my composure and tightly continued through gritted teeth. “Please.”

Heather finally turned round and once again looked at me as if my demand had no effect on her but my please did. “The blade he were carrying had poison on its edge. One nick of your skin and you would had died, it wouldn’t have been pleasant I can assure you. The poison is called abrin, it would cause all your organs to systematically fail and cause death within four days.” My mother’s sob broke through my reeling and asked the question I couldn’t form.

“What about Aurora?” Desperation in her tone. “She will naturally burn off the poison before it can take true affect, but her body will be significantly weakened until it has left her system.” Heather replied matter-of-factly. The colour drained from my face. Poison? I wouldn’t put it past Rex to be underhanded and cheat just like his brother, but even so that seemed… weak. An alpha wolf would tend to use their superior strength and authority to win battles, but I suppose we weren’t dealing with an ordinary pack family.

Noting my inner turmoil and confusion on my face she pressed on. “It seems you don’t know the true history of the Crescent pack.” Heather inhaled deeply as if readying herself for the long story she was about to tell. “I think we should talk about this more in a… more private location.” She gestured around us and the crowd that we had amassed with the events over the last hour. “Come to my home tomorrow and we shall talk more, I know my brother will want to be involved.” Respectfully nodding at my parents she swiftly walked to the door and exited, flanked by a new set of guards that I hadn’t seen enter the room, while in my emotional state.

My father’s heavy hand landed on my shoulder squeezing gently in reassurance and apology, but I shrugged it off still angry at him and barely being able to keep hold of my composure by the skin of my teeth. “We need to go after Aurora, not talk about things tomorrow.” I stated bluntly. “We don’t know where they have gone.” Cole dejectedly said holding a crying Shay to his chest. I turned away from them, there closeness making my heart ache, but I knew they weren’t doing it on purpose.

“I will use my senses to track her. it won’t be hard and you know it.” I said as the numbness started to fill my heart and mind. My mother hugged me, placing my head on her shoulder as the first tear fell. “I need her.” My voice broke on the last word. She didn’t say anything just rubbed my back and held me.

“Let’s go home. We could all do with some rest.” My father stated to the room, a flurry of motion happened simultaneously and we were soon on our way.

In my numb state I subsequently don’t remember the ride back to the pack house, the darkness of the night, the events that happened from start to finish and the shocked but resigned face of my beautiful aurora were on repeat in my mind. Tormenting me as different scenarios and actions I could have taken stop me at every pit fall. Why didn’t I just go with my gut and ditch Crystal as soon as hellos were exchanged and spent the night how I wanted to, dancing with the love of my life, having fun with my friends and then spending the night exactly how we planned under the summer solstice moon.

I know my mother, Cole and even Finn tried to talk to me as we drove back home but I didn’t take in anything of what any of them were saying to me. I were to busy drowning in loss and sadness at the distance there were between myself and Aurora, and not forgetting all the wrongs that I participated in tonight.

I exited the car before it had properly stopped and trudged up the stairs and into the house, not stopping for anyone when I continued through the overly bright rooms that didn’t reflect my mood and up towards our bedroom. I locked the door behind me, it was something I always did, but this time in particular I didn’t want any intrusions or overbearing people talking to me and just being optimistic. Yes, I shouldn’t wallow in self pity and be proactive in my efforts to go after her and rescue her from Rex, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it and I wouldn’t be much good on my own against such a formidable pack.

I could feel the distance growing with every mile she travelled east towards her father’s territory and into his clutches. I tried without success to reach her mind every couple of minutes, I struggled to understand why I couldn’t reach her or even communicate with her but I did know for certain that she wasn’t hurt or in any real pain. Knowing that eased the acute pain stabbing at my heart. I plopped down on the bed and immediately rolled over and hugged her pillow tightly, just because her scent still lingered there and tried to fool myself it were actually her in my arms.

The Present

The next morning just before noon we arrived at the Calisto pack house. It were a full four hour drive north but it needed to be done. The pack house were a huge mason stone mansion with black framed windows and a high three peaked slate roof. The chimney had small wisps of smoky soot coming from there terracotta pot spouts, a fire must be burning within what I could only imagine was the main living room of the mansion.

The grand double front doors opened as I climbed out of my black mustang, that I insisted on driving to try and at least distract me from my thoughts turning me inside out with insanity. I hadn’t slept a wink last night, constantly reaching out with my mind for the connection between me and Aurora and still continuously thinking of the worst possible scenarios of what could be happening to her. I tried not to dwell on those thoughts but it was hard not to.

Around an hour ago I thought I felt her, but she were surrounded by a dark aura that I had never felt before. The indignation and the sharp need for retribution roiled around the edges of my mind blocked anything else. I didn’t know what it were, or more specifically who that were, but pulled my mind back and away from that malevolent person. Thinking it must be whatever powerful magic is surrounding her father that is preventing me from linking with Aurora properly, I stopped trying as much. But it wouldn’t prevent me from trying again later. First I had to gather as much information as I could from this meeting and make a plan to get her back by any means possible. I knew that the last thing she would want was me anywhere near her family but I wouldn’t not help her when she needed it. And now was a prime example of her needing me to help her.

Our small group of seven – my parents, beta Robert and Cole, Finn and Shay – were warmly greeted by the alpha herself, only this time she were in a more casual outfit of a black pencil skirt and white ruffled blouse. “Welcome. Please come in, I have refreshments and sandwiches waiting for you in the den. You all could surely use it after your long journey.”

She led us through the main foyer, I took in the solid wooden parquet floors, high beamed ceilings inlayed with spot lighting and white walls edged with dark wooden trim. Each piece of furniture was darkly stained oak that matched the rest of the decor perfectly. If the grandeur of the foyer were anything to go by I could imagine the rest of the house would equally match it or better it in some cases. Looking around the room continuing my inspection of the house, my eyes landed on one item in particular and I were strangely drawn to it. It were an intricately gilded golden framed mirror.

It seemed to whisper to me, but I couldn’t grasp what it were saying or the message it wanted to tell me, I just knew it were talking to me and only me. “It’s beautiful isn’t it?” A familiar husky voice pulled me from my thoughts, jerking me back to reality. “What?” I answered in surprise. “The mirror is beautiful.” He clarified and I nodded still stunned, I hadn’t noticed that I had separated from my group and was now standing in front of the mirror as it reflected my tired portrait back to me.

“What did it say to you?” The former alpha asked eyeing me expectantly in my periphery. “It… erm… I think… I don’t know.” I fumbled my reply trying to make sense of the remnants of the whispers. He just nodded. “It was crafted by a woman named Circe. She was an ancient and powerful witch that was said to turn her foes into animals thus creating the first wolves, which she could bend to her will and do her bidding. Over many, many decades the wolves were able to think more for their selves as the bond between them and Circe were watered down and weakened by new generations coming into the world. They then began the process of separating themselves from her and colonising different parts of the world.”

I continued to watch alpha Emery from my periphery as he told me this story of the first wolves. I’d never heard that the first generation of wolves were created by a witch before and it fascinated me, we were taught that the moon gods gifted man the power of the wolf to worship them in their true image and their almighty supremacy over mankind and nature. Therefore allowing us to change at will and blend in with humans and continue to spread our seed and the word, that the power of the moon gods were eternal and couldn’t be rivalled.

“I can see that you are sceptical, but never the less my tale is true and in a way so is the one you will have been taught. It’s just been… modified to make wolves and the moon gods have more power and not witches.” Emery continued even without my participation in the conversation. This though made me curious. “So why did Circe allow the wolves to distance themselves from her like she did if she were as powerful as you say?” Emery smirked. “As with all things, time heals.” His cryptic reply gave me pause. The pursuit of power rarely took a break or let powerful beings slip from their tight fingered grasp, there must be another explanation.

“Shall we have tea?” Heather’s voice chimed, cutting into my thoughts once again, pulling my attention to the awaiting group behind me, even though everyone of them wanted to know more about our origins. “Of course.” My mother answered with light easiness while silently eyeing me to not protest and followed the Calisto’s leader of the pack deeper into her immaculate mansion.

Once we were all seated in the comfortable white living area, which looked more like a large library with an open grey stone fireplace than its true purpose. Every wall but the bay window was covered in floor to ceiling bookshelves. Each row filled to the brim with books or varying ages and bindings. The older tomes were higher up, probably to prevent them from getting further damage to their spines.

A plethora of different beverages, flavoured sandwiches and savoury pastries were served family style from silver platters round the room. I hadn’t realised how hungry and thirsty I were until the smell hit me and I couldn’t resist taking my first big bite of the hearty chicken salad sandwich and mouthfuls of delicious coffee – tea really wasn’t my thing, but it was yet another heart wrenching reminder of Aurora.

Shortly after everyone had filled their plates and began eating and small talk and pleasantries had ran their course my father spoke up. “So you were saying last night that we didn’t truly know the history of the Crescent pack. Would you care to explain?” He asked, looking between both Heather and Emery simultaneously.

Heather nodded towards him in agreeance to get down to the whole point of our visit and then gestured with her free hand towards her brother. Emery once again became the storyteller and launched fully into the histories that once again, no one seemed to know.

“As we all know the Crescent’s go back hundreds of years like many of our packs do, however no one knew that about 50 years ago the Crescent pack were struggling. Young wolves in their prime started to die unexpectantly and no one could figure out why. This was of course never made public to the rest of the eastern territories. They wanted to contain their problems and figure it out before the death rate became noticeable.” He paused to give us a moment to digest this information before continuing. It seemed he did this a lot and it was starting to annoy me. The quicker he got to the point, the quicker I could be on the road and plan my rescue of Aurora within the next few days.

“When the pack was at the brink of complete extinction, with as little as twenty members left, they reached out and started kidnaping women from neighbouring packs to breed with to see if that made a difference but it did not. When the alpha lost three of his own son’s in one day. Is when he found out what was actually going on with the deaths of his family and pack. A witch had cursed them. When the truth came out it revealed that his son Leo had been romantically involved with the witch and broke her heart, but not before learning about forbidden magic and how it could benefit him in his quest for power. You see Leo was the fourth born son and wouldn’t ever have a chance to be alpha like he wanted, he wasn’t as strong as his older siblings and wouldn’t be able to challenge them for the title in the traditional sense.” Emery stopped to take a sip from his cup.

This was unbelievable, and yet not. Fighting amongst families for power and title were normal in some parts of the world, but to kill them was strictly forbidden they were still family after all. Then again I could see that it would inevitably happen because the pull of anger and dominance was hard to restrain and if the loser were disgruntled their rage would fester and then be unleashed, followed quickly by death.

“The alpha called a truce with the witch and a deal were made. The content of the deal I have been unable to procure but Rex was born to the alpha and luna not long after a deal was struck between them, he were a sickly child and not seen as a threat by Leo, hence why he still lives today, and participated in the effort to replicate Aurora’s birth.” Realisation from my previous thoughts were answered with that one sentence and mainly forgotten in the next breath.

“The witch was however killed not many years later. It seemed Leo had learned of a powerful spell she wanted to cast that would provide him with everything he ever wanted. Being the selfish and power hungry creature that he is, he wanted this for himself. The only problem being he couldn’t cast magic to be able to succeed and he knew he wouldn’t be able to get the witch to do the spell for him. So he set about finding a way of being able to do the spell himself and poured through ancient texts and found his answer. The transference of magic that Circe herself created.”

“The mirror.” I huffed out, before any real thought. All eyes were on me in varying stages of surprise, shock, and marvel. I sheepishly looked down in embarrassment for my interruption. “Indeed, but we shall get to that.” Emery answered and continued from where he left off.

“Leo after getting rid of the witches presence, stole her grimoires, which outlined the prophecy of the next to be born white witch wolf and the ritual he is now trying to perform with Aurora to gain immortality and ultimate power of the gods.” He ended with another sip of tea from his cup.

Stunned into silence I could see that everyone were trying to think of what to say next or at least frame a question about what they just heard. “That is quite the tale, but how did he so easily kill the witch if she were that powerful.” George asked. It were a reasonable question and a logical one at that. “The mirror.” I answered again, my god I sounded like a broken record.

“Yes.” Was the short and sweet answer that came from Heather and not her brother. “The mirror belonged to the witches mother, Circe. It seemed that when Circe came to the end of her life, instead of imbuing all her power to her daughter she split it amongst two items, one being the mirror, another a knife that Leo has and her daughter, Latina.”

“With Circe’s magic being divided as it was, I’m guessing that Latina wasn’t as powerful as she wanted and created the ritual to, what. Bring all the pieces back together and gain it for herself by using my friend’s life as a ways to a means?” Shay spoke up with sarcasm and distain in her voice.

Emery sighed and sadness filled his features. I knew it was because of the loss he had gone through for this all to come to fruition, but Aurora was not lost and we needed to be quick if we wanted to keep it that way. “In effect yes. Leo intercepted the prophecy from following its natural course and the backlash was that Aurora was born with a twin, therefore putting another unforeseen obstacle between Leo and completion of the ritual. Unfortunately, Leo knew there were a possibility that each one of his children would have a gift after knowledge of how magic typically worked and then confirmed it from Latina’s grimoire. He has already stripped Oryan of his gift, which we now know is the gift of the moon, he now has all he needs to perform the ritual as written to gain what he wants.”

“Aurora will not die.” I roared, shooting up from my seat. The plate of forgotten food on my lap falling to the floor and making a mess of the white carpet, but I didn’t care. My mates life meant more to me than some stupid carpet and proper etiquette.

“We won’t let that happen.” My father was the first to swiftly reply to my outburst. “Then why did you let her go?” I shot back with all the rage from last nights fury. “Because I saw what was in Crystal’s thoughts and memories.” That pulled me up short and caused me to flounder as if I were a fish on land.

“What do you mean George?” My mother once again filling the void and asking the question I was struggling to form. “I saw that it will take time for the ritual to be able to be performed, time we could use to form a plan and get her back, hopefully without many casualties.”

“How much time?” Robert asked already in a serious beta mode, readying the men in his mind with a plan of attack. “5 days.” My father stated. “They are not waiting for her birthday, they plan on using the thunder moon eclipse, and draw enough strength from the storm to enhance the magic of the ritual.”

The tension in the entire room were now starting to reach its limits. No one knew what to say or even what to do. But everyone knew we needed a plan and we needed it fast.

“What about the mirror?” Cole questioned thinking through everything that had been already said. “Surely if they needed that then they couldn’t proceed in 5 days’ time.” My mother added. “We need to keep it safe.” Shay continued before Emery cut in. “We will use it when we attack.”

Battle plans and strategies went on long into the night and as the grandfather clock chimed midnight I could barely keep my eyes open anymore. As my eyelids drooped and my head nodded I tried to fight it. I probably looked like a toddler fighting against naptime, but it was inevitable that 48 hours of no sleep and running solely on my emotions was going to catch up with me.

As I drifted off into sleep, I could hear the whispers coming from the mirror, beckoning me to it.