Wolf Moon Ritual

COUNTDOWN DAY 1

Oryan’s POV

Peter – one of my father’s lackies - unceremoniously dropped me to the dusty floor of the barely used dungeon. The dust motes and dirt drifting up into the air in a quick burst as my limbs made connect with their long-standing resting place. The pain that shot through my abdomen was excruciating and what little healing that had occurred, ripped back open and blood once again started to seep out and mix with the dirt under my slack body.

I remained curled up on my side, hand pressing into my wound to stem the bleeding and held every ounce of agony within me. These barbaric assholes already thought of me as weak and pathetic, and I wasn’t about to give them any more ammunition.

Ever since my father absorbed my gift back into the sacrificial knife, my social standing within the pack had changed dramatically. Falling down the ranks and hitting every member on the way down, and by that, I mean they gave me a beating. I never wanted this, I didn’t ask for it but after my gift were nurtured to its full potential by my father and taken away, I practically became his nurse maid. I craved to have that power back, or at the very least to have control over my own life again.

Aurora was forced here in a noisier fashion. She yelled, kicked and screamed all the way here. I knew the silver bound around her wrists would have some effect on her but not entirely, although she could probably already feel that for herself.

I heard rather than saw her shackles being secured to the wall, the derogatory comments and the back handed slap she received because of her retaliation and got what it seemed were a good hit on one of my father’s men. I could both feel and sense her panic as they left, closing the door behind them and plunging us into the darkness, but selfishly, I did nothing to help her.

She was free, for the most part of her life. Out of the two of us. I would have preferred her life on the run than being trapped here with him. I know it hasn’t always seemed like I were but these past few months have been hell and ones I definitely didn’t want a repeat of.

I remained silent thinking about what were to come. The war that would rage between us and her new pack – no doubt led by her mate – would get into. I know for a fact my father’s men were ready for it, practically chomping at the bit, to be able to sink their teeth into the enemy. Not one of them caring about the lives they would take or how brutally they would devour them. Blood, gore and mayhem were the only things these people understood, they would make a challenge amongst themselves about it. It was sickening, but I wanted to be apart of it. Knowing from experience it would be better than being on the receiving end.

Days ago, I would have been a part of it, been standing shoulder to shoulder with the men facing off with Hunter and his weaker pack. But now I wasn’t so sure. Now I think my father has other plans for me. After all he’s using me, the twin bond between Aurora and myself to hurt her. Punish her because the power she holds won’t allow her to be punished, even while bound in silver.

No. I reprimanded myself. I needed to stop thinking about her and how this is affecting her. I need to think about myself and how I’m going to get out of this. I need to make a plan of either escape or take my father down myself.

“Oryan are you okay?” Her soft voice asked, pulling at my heart strings. It’s been a long time since anyone has shown any warmth towards me. No. I snapped at myself again, gritting my teeth, putting up high steel walls between us and once again returning to think only of myself.

Aurora’s POV

I couldn’t help but fight tooth and nail from being thrown into the place where it all began. This place brought back every single feeling of petrifying terror to the forefront of my thoughts. To the point I think I’m going to suffocate if I have to stay down there alone and in the dark again.

The voice in the back of my head chanting to not show fear. But how could I not. It wasn’t the voice that had to suffer with the continuous hunger or thirst, continual daily beatings from my father’s bare fists or with various tools he fancied on that day. The humiliation and shame of having to soil myself because there wasn’t an alternative or the entrapment of being stuck in a small container. Stunting my growth and denying me my birth right of being who I am. A wolf. A beautiful pure white wolf, that is blessed with the power of the sun.

The disgusting man that forced me here by my shackled wrists, dragged me every step of the way. As if I were a dog he was leading to it’s destination. I screamed and tried to fight all the way here, which left my dress torn in more places and practically hung off me rather than me wearing it.

He connected my shackles to a bolted ring on the wall, and looked down at me. Leering at me as more flesh than I wanted were on display to his greedy eyes. Lust shone brightly in them and he took a step closer to me as if he couldn’t resist taking a piece for himself. While he was distracted, I took the open opportunity and quickly sunk my sharpened teeth into his forearm. Biting as deeply as I could. My teeth pierced his skin easily, sliding in like they were cutting into butter.

He tore his arm from my mouth in an agonising cry. Looking surprised between the ragged and gaping wound and me. His blood dripped down my chin and I spat out the chunk of his arm from my mouth, with a possessed grin on my face. He was shocked at my actions but quickly recovered and slapped me clear across the face. It felt as if my cheek had exploded, the pain was agonising but I didn’t cry out, and he soon left me in darkness.

Only then did my practiced defiance snap and my previous panicked state return, crawling all over my skin, causing the hairs to prickle before nestling deep in my heart.

I scrunched my eyes shut and took several deep breaths steadying my nerves and rampant mind. After my tenth breath I slowly opened my eyes and a small movement caught my eye. The black outline of a figure made my breath catch in my throat, that when I were reminded that this time, I wasn’t alone. That this time my brother was here with me. Despite it all I had no real ill feelings towards him. He was a child the last time I saw him, therefore unable to stop anything that happened to me. My only regret was that he hadn’t escaped with me.

“Oryan, are you okay?” I hadn’t forgotten about the painful wound he was currently enduring and it hadn’t escaped my notice that the room had a metallic tinge in the air, mixed with the musky dampness. His wound must have reopened.

His body tensed as I asked my question but he made no effort to reply. I could sense the hatred he felt towards me. He didn’t exactly try to hide it, when our eyes met while I was still in the trunk of Rex’s car.

“Oryan. Please. Speak to me.” I pleaded, but again were only met with silence. Maybe I was alone, just like I had feared.

George’s POV

I had been sat in my office since we arrived home, nine hours ago. I hadn’t moved. Just continued to fiddle with a pen on my desk, flipping it round on its length over and over again as I contemplated the future. With Aurora taken, her death nearing and the looming time scale shortening with every hour the clock ticked by, I could only think about one thing. More specifically about one person, my Ruby. She has been my life, my reason for breathing for so long now that I knew in my bones, I would soon leave her, all alone.

The thought was unbearable. How could I do that to her? On the other hand, I also had a duty to my pack, to protect them. To lead them into this with unwavering focus and determination that what I was doing, was the right thing.

But which do I choose? The choice was too hard to make. To heart-breaking. To devastating. For the first time in my life I was at a cross roads and didn’t know what to do.

Doubt crept in with every offensive and defensive plan I thought of. There was no way we could win this without suffering heavy casualties and most definitely many fatalities. How could I come home and face those who had lost their loved ones, their other halves, and condemn them to a life of loneliness and madness. Even the strongest among us, lost themselves to the madness of irreversible separation. Losing a mate was right up there with one of the most excruciating experiences a wolf could go through, the worst fate being losing your own wolf.

This is a fate I would never wish upon my Ruby, she is too loving and kind and gentle. But I’d never tell her that. She would admonish me if she heard me talking about her like that. Despite everything she is, she did have a mean streak. My little feral wife.

I resolved myself to do whatever it took to protect her from this pending fate. I needed to plan, I needed to get my beta and his captains here, we needed something fool proof, and I think I had just the plan to make this work.

Ruby’s POV

I’d had enough of feeling him brooding in his office and I didn’t care that he didn’t want to be disturbed. I marched into the office, but knew I needed to be gentle and not provoke him. “Please talk to me George. I can feel you tormenting yourself.” I said as I rounded his office chair and held the pen steady in his hand, pleading with my eyes to get him to talk to me. “It’s nothing for you to worry about.” He raised his chin and replied. “Fine. You want to lie to me.” I calmly said back, barely concealing my annoyance, many conflicting emotions bubbling under the surface.

“I’m protecting you –” He tried to counter. “Don’t you dare patronise me.” Anger now taking lead and raised my voice an octave silencing him. “You forget who I am. Yes, I’m your mate and your equal as luna, but firstly I was born a warrior.” He sighed. I could see in his eyes he wanted me to have no part in this, but he would have to betray our bond if he expected me to sit back and be the little woman in the upcoming feud.

“Call Robert and the captains to the dining room for a meeting. I have a plan.” A smile graced my lips. Instead of arguing a point he knew he couldn’t win, he had accepted I will be apart of this, no matter what.

Leaning in I captured his lips with mine and shared with him my love and admiration for him. He pulled me onto his lap and deepened the kiss. Everyone and everything else forgotten, while our desire got the better of us.

“My eyes.” A young voice whined as he found us engaged in the beginnings of passion. I pulled back from George to look upon a younger - and much tainted version of my husband by me – and openly laughed at Finn.

Finn’s POV

My mother teased me with her laughter, but to me, no child should have to see his parents in that way. I needed bleach to wipe my brain clean, but that would have to wait.

I stood tall and cleared my throat. “Father, I have come here in hopes that you would allow me to be a part of this war. I know I have barely finished my training but this is something I want to do.” After finishing my speech, I stood resolved, projecting my strength forward, and waited for his answer.

This was personal. I wanted to get Aurora back just as much as they did, and needed to prove to them I could be an asset and not a distraction.

“What makes you think you’re ready?” He asked as he set my mother to her feet and stood, before stalking up to me. “I have been taught well and know the theory of war.” I said staring straight ahead and nowhere else as if I were a sentinel at the gates.

“You’re just a pup, you know nothing. Why would I take you?” He spat. I knew he were testing me, my dominance leapt forward and I struggled to push it back down. “I finished top of my class, I’m ready.” I calmly stated back.

My father had come full circle and stooped down, eye level with me, taking a threatening step closer and sneered into my face. “Finishing top of your class mean shit.”

Once again dominance rose within me, only stronger this time. I was trembling with need to let it out but this wasn’t the time. “I. Am. Ready.” I gritted out in reply. “I don’t think you are. You’re barely hanging on to your control.” He replied in the same tone as me. “She’s part of my pack and future luna. I will protect her.” I roared back, losing some control of myself. I rained it in as best I could before the situation could escalate further but to my surprise my father stepped back out of my space and smiled wide. “We meet in an hour.”

Shay’s POV

Myself and Cole hadn’t been able to be parted since Aurora was taken. I didn’t know how to be alone, not like that. My heart bled for Hunter, I mean Alex. He looks lost. I saw him wonder into the trees about half hour ago and he hasn’t yet returned. I knew the plans he had made for the night with Aurora under the solstice moon. Even helped him prepare for it. And now everything was different, the whole place felt like it was missing a big part of itself. Aurora might not have been with us long but she meant a lot to this pack. She was theirs and my future luna. How could she not mean a lot to them?

“Do you think we will get her back?” I asked into Cole’s chest. The sound of his heart beating was the only thing keeping me sane at this point. “Yes, we will.” His unwavering confidence in the pack’s ability never faltering for one second. “It will come at a cost though. He needs to get his head in the game.”

I knew he were right, but I didn’t want to think about consequences just yet or even deal with what Alex was currently dealing with. I just wanted my best friend back, to have her safe here with us.

“Cole, we have a meeting in 20 minutes. Will you fetch Hunter?” Robert spoke from behind us, his serious beta voice ringing clear in my head, but his eyes not leaving the place Alex had disappeared. Nodding Cole stood to his feet unwrapping his arms from around me, preparing to leave me for more than a few minutes for the first time in days.

He stepped forward to enact his father’s order, but I stopped him by gripping his wrist. Cole snapped his head around looking at me in silent reprimand. He looked so much like his father when he did that, but it didn’t affect me.

“I think it best if I go get him.” I gently stated. Before Cole could speak, I continued. “He won’t respond to you well, if your last comment is anything to go by.” He rolled his eyes at me. “I stand by my comment we need him if we are to succeed.” I nodded in agreement. “I know but fighting each other won’t help us. This needs a woman’s touch.” I smiled, walking past him and disappearing quickly into the woods.

Alexander’s POV

I couldn’t sit still, my unfocused mind going a mile a minute. I needed to be moving. Needed to know where she was? It’s been a full 24 hours and I haven’t been able to connect with her mind at all. The not knowing is the worst part, and worse still is that my thoughts are tormenting me. I was losing myself to despair.

As I absentmindedly wondered around, I found myself going toward the clearing, the tree line thinned and the vast expanse of space came into view. I could see the evidence of the romantic night I had planned for her, still there. The black fleece blanket is still laid out with the rose petals scattered about it. The champagne is still in the ice bucket, although the ice is just water now and the picnic basket is still filled with the meal and treats I prepared for her.

Loss swept threw me and I wanted to feel anything but that. Turning to me left I pounded my fist into the rough bark of the old oak tree that I stood next to. My knuckles split open against the harsh texture and blood seeped through. Breathing hard at the stinging that I now felt, I punch the tree again and again. Not relenting one bit as my wounds deepened and more blood were spilled.

The tree shook with every merciless thump of my fist hitting against its frame. I don’t know when I decided it but both fists were now pounding into the bark of the tree, both dripping blood on the ground and both quickly becoming numb, another feeling I were trying so desperately not to feel.

My anger had ebbed just a little with my exhaustion. Resting my fore head against the tree and I let out a pained sigh and let the first tear fall. “Hey.” A saddened voice pulled me from my pity party, and I snapped straight quickly swiping the tear away and coughing to erase the sniffle from my voice. “Hey.” I said in return with as much of an emotionless tone as I could muster.

“Would have been romantic what you planned for her, but she is not lost. We are going to get her back.” Shay said, her confidence in her statement growing towards the end. “I know.” Dead or alive I wasn’t sure, but I hoped for the latter.

“You don’t sound so confident. You sure you want to get her back?” My eyebrows furrowed in anger, how could she think that I didn’t want Aurora back? I needed her. She made me better in every way.

“You dare to question me?” Her smirk only served to raise my anger more. Grabbing her throat, I pinned her to the same tree I abused moments before. “How dare you think I don’t want my mate back.” Her smirk only widened. “Glad to see your out of your pity party. Now let’s get to the meeting and get her back.”

Instead of entering my father’s office Shay had led me into the dining room. Many people were already in the large room. Some seated others choosing to stand. I took my normal seat to my father’s right, sliding in next to Finn. I was surprised to see him here as the room were filled with the three pack warrior captains, their second in commands, as well as Robert, Cole and Shay. My father at the head of the table with my mother shoulder to shoulder with him and Emery just off to his left and twelve others I didn’t know.

“Now we are all here, let’s begin.” Father called the meeting to order. “Firstly, I’d like to welcome alpha Emery to our home and his personal team. They will be assisting us in our mission to retrieve Aurora. Commander Rays has insider information that will be useful against our opposition and knows their lands well.” I couldn’t help but study Rays. He were a man of strength and control. He had scars over his left cheek that extended down his neck. His eyes were in a constant scowl, but nodded at my father’s introduction.

“Secondly, I’d like to announce the leader of this mission. My son, Alex.” At the sound of my name my head snapped up to my father. The rest of his words not making any sense, leader. I’m no leader. With a proud smile he continued. “The new alpha of the Hunter pack.” One by one the high-ranking members of the pack placed their closed fists over their hearts in acceptance and respect to me.

The new alpha.