CHAPTER 11
I inhaled deeply and knocked on Xander’s office door. We were close, but I still felt a bit nervous every time I saw him.
“Come in, Aurora,” his deep voice boomed.
He was bent over the desk, his forehead creased, looking at some paper. The sight of him so focused made my heart jump, but I just tried to ignore the feeling.
“You wanted to see me,” I asked.
Xander looked up, his intense gaze softening as it met mine. “Yes, please sit down. We need to discuss this message from the High Alpha Council.”
I settled into the chair across from him, curiosity piqued. “The High Alpha Council?”
He nodded, “There is so much you don’t know, Aurora. The Council is the highest governing body in werewolf society. They oversee all packs, mediate disputes between alphas, and make decisions that affect our entire species.”
As Xander explained the intricate political structure of our world, I found myself fascinated. It was so much more complex than I’d ever imagined during my time in the Clearwater Pack.
“They’ve requested a meeting,” Xander continued, his tone grave. “About what happened recently…”
I swallowed hard, remembering the vision I had. “Xander, I have something important to tell you.”
I shared with him the vision I had of the wolves with red eyes and the unusual wolves I saw.
“This is troubling news, Aurora,” he said when I finished. “Combined with the Council’s sudden interest… I think it’s best we postpone the meeting. You need more time to understand your role and powers before facing them.”
Relief washed over me. “Thank you, Xander. I don’t think I’m ready.”
Holding my hand in his. The touch sent a spark through me. “We’ll face it together when the time comes. For now, let’s focus on your training and integration into the pack.”
The next morning, I decided to follow Xander as he went about his daily duties.
Our first stop was a dispute between two families over territory boundaries. I stood quietly to the side, observing as Xander listened to both sides with patience and authority.
To my surprise, he turned to me. “What do you think, Aurora? How would you handle this?”
“Well,” I began, my voice growing stronger as I spoke, “both families have valid points. The river is a natural boundary, but the hunting grounds on the north side are richer. What if we divided the territory not by the river, but by hunting quotas? The family on the south side gets a larger area, but the north side family gets first pick of the prime hunting spots each season. That way, both sides benefit.”
There was a moment of silence, and then nods of approval from both families. Even Xander looked impressed.
“An excellent suggestion,” he said, pride evident in his voice. “Let’s implement Aurora’s plan.”
As we left the meeting, I felt a surge of confidence. Maybe I could do this Luna thing after all.
The rest of the day was really busy. I ended up doing more tasks, including assisting with the planning of the big full moon celebration. It felt good to be useful, to be respected.
During the festival preparations, I overheard two young wolves arguing over who would lead the ceremonial hunt. Their voices were rising, and I could sense the tension building.
Without thinking, I stepped in. “Why don’t you both lead?” I suggested. “You could work together, showcasing different skills. It would be a great example of pack unity.”
The wolves looked at me in surprise, and agreed to what I said.
As I walked away, I heard whispers behind me. “That’s her, the new Luna. She’s not what I expected.”
“I heard her former pace treated her badly, but look at her now.”
Their words made me smile.
However, not everyone was pleased with my growing influence. I was hanging up some decorations for the festival when I spotted Lyra, one of the she-wolves, who appeared to be dying for Xander’s attention. She was with her group, speaking in hushed tones and darting glances my way…
I strained my enhanced hearing, catching snippets of their conversation. “…came from a weak pack… not fit to be Luna…”
I was angry and embarrassed. I wanted to run and hide, to go back into the shell I’ve built around myself in the Clearwater Pack. But then I remembered who I was now. I was Aurora, Luna of the Blackstone Pack. I wouldn’t let anyone undermine me.
Taking a deep breath, I marched over to Lyra’s group. They fell silent as I approached, fake smiles plastered on their faces.
“Lyra,” I said, my voice calm but firm, “if you have concerns about my ability to serve as Luna, I’d appreciate it if you brought them to me directly. Spreading rumors doesn’t benefit anyone, least of all the pack.”
Lyra’s face flushed red, a mix of anger and embarrassment. “I… I was just…”
“You were just leaving, I believe,” I said, maintaining eye contact. “Unless you’d like to discuss this further with Alpha Xander?”
She shook her head quickly, muttering apologies as she and her group scattered. As they left, I caught approving looks from other pack members who had witnessed the exchange.
But my victory didn’t last long. A messenger ran into the clearing, gasping for air and with wide eyes.
“Alpha Xander!” he called out. “Urgent news from the Silver Creek Pack. They’re under attack by rogues and requesting immediate assistance!”
Xander appeared as if summoned. He turned to me, and said, “Aurora, come with me.”
We entered his office, the festive atmosphere forgotten. “This is a delicate situation,” Xander explained. “The Silver Creek Pack is our ally, but they’re also rivals. Helping them could be considered a sign of strength… or it could be perceived as weakness by other packs.”
I considered his words carefully. “But if we don’t help, and they fall to the rogues, wouldn’t that put us at risk too?”
Xander nodded, a small smile on his face. “Exactly my thought. I’ll lead the-”
“We’ll lead the group,” I interrupted, surprising myself with my boldness. “This is a chance for us to show our power when we stand together.”
Xander stared at me for a while before nodding.
As we got ready to leave, we gathered our strongest warriors and talked about our plan. Suddenly, Everything around me started to blur, and It was replaced by a picture that got me worried.
I saw the red-eyed wolf again, but this time he wasn’t alone. A pack of wolves followed him, though their shapes were distorted and strange. They had bright eyes and dripping jaws., a terrifying force heading straight for…
The vision faded, leaving me gasping and trembling. Xander was at my side instantly, his strong arms supporting me.
“Aurora? What did you see?”
I looked at him, feeling both scared and determined. Xander, we have a bigger problem. “What’s wrong?”
I told him what I saw in my vision, I noticed the worry in Xander’s eyes. But there was also a strong sense of commitment. Whatever was approaching, we would confront it as a team.
“First, we’ll handle the issues at Silver Creek,” he stated, speaking calmly and confidently. “After that, we’ll get ready for what’s ahead. You won’t face this alone, Aurora. Keep that in mind.”
I agreed, encouraged by his words and his support. As we started our journey, I couldn’t help but feel that this was only the start.