“Vance, breakfast.” She yelled from downstairs. She could just mindlink him but it was a habit of hers to yell it.
“I’m not hungry mum.” He said through mindlink.
“Vance Octavio Cruse.” He heard her footsteps as she trudged up the stairs to scold him. He was a grown male for crying out loud.
“You haven’t had a decent meal in days.” She barged into his room.
“And you’re mistaken if you think I’ll just sit around and let my only child starve to death.” She put the cup of tea down and pulled his curtains open and he yelled.
“Mummm!” He covered his face with the sheets and she pulled on it.
“Let me be. I didn’t sleep well last night, I’m trying to sleep now.”
“Don’t give me that. You went to bed early.” She tugged on the sheets again and he let it go. She pulled it down and then picked up the cup of the tea she had set down beside his bed earlier..
“Yeah, but…” He trailed off, trying to decide if he should tell her. It was probably nothing, but she would worry nonetheless.
“But what?” Her eyebrows quirked.
“Did you sneak out to see someone?” She asked with suspicion written all over her face.
“Why will I sneak out of my own house? And I wish that was the case. I’ve been having these strange dreams about finding an Oracle and something about darkness and the council of Alphas meeting before the fullest moon.” The cup in her hand fell and broke.
“Oh my!” She said and bent to pick up the pieces.
“Leave it mum, you’ll hurt yourself.” He pulled her up and made her sit beside him. She looked pale all of a sudden.
“Mum, what’s wrong?”
“N. nothing.”
“That’s a lie and you know it. You look like you just saw a ghost and your hands are shaking, that’s why you dropped the cup. You know something.” He said as he rubbed her suddenly cold hands between his.
“What else did the voice say?” She asked.
“That’s all I hear every time. The darkness awakens, find the Oracle, the council of Alphas must be held before the fullest moon.”
“You need to contact the other Alphas immediately.”
“Tell me what it means mum.” As she opened her mouth to speak, there was a knock on the door.
“Alpha, you have an urgent message, a letter.”
“Pass it under the door.” She said as she stood and moved to the door to pick it up. She returned to the bed looking even paler and he took the letter from her.
“The ten moon sigil. This can’t be good.” He said.
Raymond was in his office trying to organize a few files. It was bright now, and he needed to sleep. This was his new routine for the past week, work all night, sleep in the morning. After he almost died in a dream which many might call paranoia, he didn’t sleep at night anymore. It started out as just a dream and a voice spoke to him. This voice wasn’t the problem, it was trying to warn him. No, it was the one that came after that was the problem. He could feel the dark power that held him down, tried to drain his soul. He trashed and fought with all his might, but it was futile, especially without his wolf. He never wanted to ever feel that helpless again and after that same thing happened for three consecutive nights, he decided not to sleep at night anymore. Who knows, he may never wake up from that nightmare one night. There was a knock on the door and he knew who it was by scent, his Beta.
“Come in.” He said and she walked in.
“Alpha.”
“What is it Olivia?” He didn’t look up from his work, he didn’t want her to see the bags that had surely formed around his sleep deprived eyes.
“We need to talk.”
“We’re talking, aren’t we?”
“Not like this, I need your full attention.” She said and he sighed, then he looked at her.
“What do you want?” He asked. From the look on her face, he knew what the conversation would be about and he had been avoiding it.
“I’m here on the behalf of a lot of people Alpha. You’ve been off it lately and the pack can feel it. Are you okay? Is anything wrong?”
“No Olivia, nothing is wrong. Thanks for your concern, but I’m fine.” She sighed and moved closer to him.
“Ray, I’ve known you for a long time. You can fool others, but not me. Whatever it is, you can tell me.” She put a hand on his shoulder. They had been friends since they were cubs, before the responsibility of running the pack became theirs.
He leaned back in his seat with his eyes closed and rubbed his face.
“I’ve been having nightmares Liv. It shouldn’t matter, but this feels different.”
“What…” They were interrupted by a knock on the door.
“Alpha, one of the sentries at the border just dropped off an urgent message for you.” Olivia stood and opened the door to retrieve the letter.
“I have a bad feeling about this.” She said as she saw the sigil.
“What was your nightmare about?” She asked as she handed the letter over to him.
“Something is always trying to suck the life out of me and I always hear a voice trying to warn me.”
“Do you think it’s connected to this?” She asked, referring to the letter in his hand.
“It’s too much of a coincidence to not be related.” He opened the letter and his premonition was correct. He had to leave now.
“Olivia, I have to leave.”
“Now? Why? What happened?”
“I’ll explain everything when I have more information. I’ve been summoned to a meeting.”
“I’ll take care of things here till you return.”