Chapter 28
Luna woke, feeling the haze of the morning call to her as she lay beside Mayhem. He was sleeping beside her, his face crunch in worry as if he knew she would be gone in a few minutes. She studied his face but knew she had little time. The pack would be leaving, and to spare the young ones she needed to go with them.
Luna got up, finding a white dress laying out on a nearby chair. Fritz must have noticed she was in his room and found her something to wear. She put on the dress, feeling the soft fabric hug her nicely. The top was sleeveless, with two straps going around her shoulders while the bottom was light and flowed out beneath her. It hit her right above the knees as she stared down at her legs.
She looked in the mirror at herself and thought for the first time she looked pretty. But then a sharp pain shot into her heart, knowing Mayhem would not see her like this ever again. Quietly Luna turned and walked out the door, trying to be brave, trying not to look back at him once more. She moved fast and quick through the mansion, the place quiet as all the wolfen had departed early.
Luna slipped outside and found them waiting for her. All eyes looked to hers, sending messages of guilt and sadness that she was no longer their leader. Basset was in the center of the crowd as he nodded to her to come. He turned and started walking for the exit from the compound. Mayhem followed behind everyone, her body feeling like lead as she pulled it farther and farther away from the mansion.
They walked through the morning and day, passing the forest as if they were pilgrims going back to their desolate home. Luna kept her head down, trying not to think about Mayhem, about the mansion, about the young ones who would wake and find the pack gone. Basset had promised to check on them, but to never ask they come with the pack.
The sun began to set as they moved up the mountainside. The sky became hazy, the sun slowly dripping down leaving the air and sky a misty blue. A single star was bright in the sky as Luna looked up at it.
What the hell was she doing?
Instantly she turned from the pack, her eyes looking towards the mansion that was lit up now above the trees. Her feet moved towards it, her body pulling her forward as if a magnet were willing her to go back. Soon she began running, her mind screaming to go, run, move.
Get back to him.
Luna was out of breathe as she made herself stop at the top of a hill. Looking down she saw the mansion in full view now. Mayhem was in there, now realizing she had left.
Tears began streaming down her eyes. How could she leave him? How could she just let him go when all her heart wanted was to stay. Luna's legs began trembling, her body still severely weak. She wobbled and held on to a nearby tree, smelling the wood and pine as she closed her eyes.
No. She would not leave. She would find some way to fight Basset, she would find a way to stay with Mayhem. As Luna's eyes opened and leaned away from the tree she felt her heart lighten.
She would tell him now. She could say the words that her voice had refused to say. She would tell him she loved him.
But then, something massive hit the back of her head and Luna felt darkness swallow her up as she fell to the ground.
Mayhem had woken, the bed cold from the absence of Luna's body. He shot up from the bed and quickly went out in the hallway. All was quiet, nothing was coming from the rooms, no wolfen, not anything.
No. She couldn't have. Not without saying goodbye. Mayhem rushed down the stairway and looked into all the rooms. Everyone was at dinner, although no voices could be heard. Mayhem rushed in the dining room and looked to everyone's faces. The king and queen sat with their heads bent down, his father looking pissed while his mother turned to Mayhem in worry.
All the Brother's looked at the prince, their eyes knowing but not wanting to tell him. Even the little one's from Luna's pack rubbed tears from their eyes as their new mother's comforted them. It was true...
Luna and the pack had left.
Mayhem stumbled and hit the wall, his heart screaming out. He couldn't let her go. No... His body tumbled away, moving towards the garden entrance. He stopped right as the fresh air hit his senses as his body gave up and landed on the ground.
She hadn't even said goodbye...
Luna woke, her vision blurry as she saw the sky moving above her. She tried to move her arms but found her hands were tied above her head while something pulled at the rope. Something smelt awful, a putrid stench that wafted through the forest air. Luna struggled against the ties but found her feet were bound as well. As her vision became clearer her heart nearly stopped as she saw Two Foots above her, guarding her at the sides while no doubt one was dragging her by the rope that was tied around her wrists.
Luna was in shock, watching as they moved above her while the night sky was moving above them. Where were they taking her? Luna tried to struggle from her bounds but she was just too weak. Something was laced with the rope as she leaned her head back to get a closer look. Yes, it was silver, which was why it was not burning the Two Foots hands yet it was weakening her already frail state.
Suddenly they stopped, their eyes down to her. Suddenly a male came into view, but it wasn't just any male as Luna's heart raced.
"Fenris" she whispered looking at him. His dark hair was long and ratty as his face sported a small beard. But his eyes, they weren't the eyes she had known and seen through their youth. They were dark black holes, no color pouring out from the lifeless eyes. Just two found things filled with darkness.
As he approached a smell came to Luna. It was dark, horrible, and smelt of pure evil. It was coming from Fenris as his face got down to hers.
"Luna" he said, those dark holes staring into her "Tonight is very special."
"Fenris" Luna pleaded "What happened to you!? What's going on?"
"In time" Fenris said stroking her hair. He stood up and nodded at the Two Foots. Luna heard footsteps all around her and realized what had happened. Fenris had freed the Two Foots, he had let them go and now he controlled them.
"Where are you taking me!" she screamed at the others "What are you doing!"
"Calm yourself" Fenris said from somewhere in the dark "I have big plans for us. Big plans."
Luna struggled again but soon made her body be still. She needed to conserve what little strength she had although her mind was panicking. She recognized the trees and the smells of the woods. She had been here before...
Suddenly the Two Foot loosened the ties of her feet and she was made to stand up. She saw hundreds of bodies walked towards a open field that cut through the woods. There were not only Two Foots, but lessers as well, all walking together like an army of evil.
Oh Grandmother Moon...they were at the Graves of the Great Wolfs. The giant rocks stood towering over the crowd, their shadows gloomy and almost gone as the sun as finally under the horizon.
The Two Foots led Luna through the field as she spotted ceremonial posts all around the grave. The poles held flickering flames of fire and the ground danced with the shadows of the Two Foots gathering all around.
"Take her with us" Fenris said to the guards around Luna. The rope was pulled and she stumbled forward as they moved towards the monoliths of rocks. Luna was made to climb, rising to each rock even though she had no way of supporting herself since her hands were still tied.
Her body moved, but her mind was frozen in fear. What was going on? What happened to Fenris? What was the darkness that was inside his body?
The group made it to the top as the Two Foots nailed the rope into the ground. Luna tried tugging at it, but the nail was deep inside the rock. She made a silent prayer to the Great Wolf's grave for being disrespected.
Suddenly the Two Foots began to howl, the eery sound drifting through the air sending a chill down Luna's spine. She stared up as a red glow began lighting up through the forest. Luna felt her whole body quiver and her breathe grow shorter. She watched as the red orb moved slowly above the tree tops, it's blood covering it's snowy light. She knew what it was, suddenly realizing why Fenris had taken her to the Graves because of it, knew it's purpose.
The Red Moon. The night that a god's blood could be shed and another could arise.
Fenris stood behind her with a large dagger, it's blade made of silver as it gleamed in the red moonlight. "It's time" Fenris said as he held the dagger up along with his hand. The blade sliced through his palm, the dagger's silver blade taking in the blood and becoming the color of it.
His smile was twisted and evil as the black holes stared down at her. Luna was shaking with fear as he grabbed the back of her hair and yanked her head backwards to face his above her. He held the red bladed dagger above her shoulder. Luna felt the cool metal above her skin, the remaining blood dripping onto her skin.
"Now" he said "Scream."
