Alpha Xander: His Contracted Luna

The coast was clear for their escapade into the new parched land. Xander had been driving for hours. The sun was setting and he had to make it back to the Alpha pack pretty soon. Catherine was beside him glancing out the car window.

“I just want to take a walk on a street,” she breathed into the glass. “Grab a sandwich and watch the birds on the roof of glamour stores.”

“I wish I could tell you this was temporary,” Xander held the wheel tightly slowly breathing out. “I just hope as real as it gets to be the rest of your life, it will not be a fatal flaw.”

“I have been at the front end and you have been at the end… what is more to get real,” she squinted. “I tried to fit into your world. And I was at the back end, and still felt like I was at the frontier of all the warfare.”

Catherine looked away from the window and watched the big ball of fire receding as they approached the mountains.

Xander looked at her for a brief moment. She had been silent all through the drive until now, and not just that, it was really strange since she woke up from her prolonged slumber. Her eyes were dull and green like a werewolf. He took his eyes off her and looked straight ahead on the road.

The mountains drew nearer. The escape was beautiful. The skyline met the peak of the mountain. He drove into the middle of two hills and made a stop when a man appeared on top of a cliff.

“Alpha Xander,” the man hollered jumping down. It wasn’t that much of a great height but he landed firm on his feet.

Xander rolled down his side window and brought out his hand to toss a locket to the man.

“Welcome back beta,” Xander held a fist with a smile of recognition.

“Jackson. Didn’t he die?” Catherine gasped. “Xander tell me how-”

“We don’t have much time,” Xander held her face in his palms and kissed her forehead. “Keep her in good care,” Xander started the engine.

“With my life Alpha,” Jackson made a slight bow.

“Catherine… this where I leave you,” Xander unlocked the doors and held her hand. “I know I must not leave your side but-”

She placed her other hand on his face and pulled away from him.

“I understand Xander. The Alpha pack and everything that comes with it,” she opened the door and got out of the car. “When we meet again, don’t let me go.” Her eyes glistened in the little light of the even day.

Jackson came to her side. Together they walked up the hill. Xander reversed out of the spot he parked. He made way for the road again. Catherine looked back a few times hearing faint sounds voicing her name.

“Are you good?”

“Yeah, yeah I was just-I was just hearing things.”

She turned back to look across the hill. Jackson leaned in close and placed his woven scarf over her shoulder.

“If it makes you feel any better, I set traps for any supernatural creature in a mile radius,”

“Really, you did that?”

“Uh yeah, if I had all I needed.”

“Now you’re just being sarcastic.”

She pulled the scarf off her shoulders and tied it around her girdle. She tightened it with a smug and walked on. Jackson jogged to catch up.

“Come on, tell me you didn’t believe it one bit.”

“No, it was so not believable. I mean no way you had vampire-repellant or whatever scared away vampires.”

Jackson laughed so loud it echoed and scared away birds on trees.

“I wish we had those if it existed. Could have Manny’s girl whip up that repellant when they come around.”

“Shirley’s dead.”

Jackson’s eyelids drooped. He lowered for a second and palmed his face. He jolted upright and kept walking.

Catherine tugged at his shirt.

“Sorry to drop that on you like that.”

“It’s fine. I never really knew her but… he sure was happy being with her.”

“Yeah.”

“How’s he handling it?”

“Xander has him under control… for now. And what do you mean, when they come around?”

“Okay, one minute I was in total darkness when a rogue attacked me.”

Catherine felt the urge to hold his palm. She zoned out into an abrupt vision. She saw the severed head of a bloodied, mortified Jackson placed on a table to his body. He appeared withered. Xander was at the end of the room. A raven was hovering over the ceiling. Catherine made eye contact and it flew at her. Immediately, she pulled out of the morbid vision.

“What was that?”

Jackson held her close from falling on the rocks.

“I saw-I saw you.”

Catherine’s eyes widened placing her hand on the mark around the beta’s neck. It was the incision made when he died. It left a scar in his revival by whatever the blackbird appeared to be and Xander appearing in her vision. She closed her eyes again and held on to Jackson’s two palms now. She wanted answers.

“Can you bring him back?” Xander said to the dark figure across the room next to Jackson’s corpse.

“It will be at a cost Marion,’ the hollow voice crescendos.

An old witch with back eyes came out of the shadows.

“Tell me what you want witch.”

“A witch’s heart.”

“What? I know of no witch.”

“A werewolf in your pack has come in contact with a rare bloodline of witches.”

“You want me to kill a girl for you?”

“It doesn’t have to be you who takes her life. Just bring me her heart.”

“This is beyond me.”

Xander stomped.

“If you can permit me to invade the mind of one your own, it will be of no cost.”

“Who?”

“Faye Meade.”

“You would have Faye do it?”

“For someone who has a strong hate for witches. I can amplify her hatred.”

“Do what you have to do.”

“Catherine, what do you reckon?”

The old witch transcended next to Catherine.

“No!”

Catherine clung to Jackson in fear.

“Catherine, we are at the haven. Let’s go in and tell me what you saw.”

He held an arm around her guiding her steps into the brown-roofed little cabin.

***

Xander drove back with the time on the road. It was a straight route back to his destination. He took caution because of Catherine and now he drove like a madman. Chains and locks rattling in the backseat. It was soon to be nigh fall and brooding luminance.

The moon was out. His arms began to strain on the wheel. He started to get drawn to transform by the curse. He opened the door of the fast-moving car. He jumped out and rolled over on the road. The car drove right into a tree.

He could hear the wolves howling in the distance in the woods. The Alpha Pack was turning. He twisted on the ground in pain. His clothes ripping apart. His hair was all over his face and limbs. His feet jerked out claws tearing his boots. It was bad to not be restrained at this time. His wolf would roam free and kill anything in its path in a bloodthirsty rampage.

***FEW HOURS AGO AT THE LAKE***

“Alright, Sandra. I wouldn’t ask any girl this,” Ruben Smirked trailing behind her. “It’s gonna sound weird… but would you wanna turn with me-like right next to me.”

“What?” she burst into laughter. “Where did this sentimental Delta come from,’ she clasped her palm over her mouth.

“Successfully freaked you out right?” he palmed his neck.

“Yeah no shit,” she tittered.

“What’s going on?” Ruben pointed at the lake.

Sandra looked behind her.

Eric dragged a chest filled with locks and chains to the shore.

“We still have a couple of hours before we turn,” she sneered.

“You betas sure like getting ahead of yourselves,” Ruben snickered.

They left the stand and joined the others gathering at the center of the lakeshore.

***MOMENTS BEFORE ON THE HIGHER BANKS***

“So Eve… is it,” Faye gave Jamal a dismissal wave.

The beta stepped back a few feet. He turned to the lake, watching scornfully at the group of betas in the dark waters. Most especially, Sandra.

“What’s got her smiling?” he muttered to himself.

Eve opened up her folded sleeves.

“Luna… can I call you Luna?”

“Shoot.”

“I don’t want to be Delta anymore,” Eve sighed.

“Choices like this can’t just be made,” Faye pouted. “And why are you telling me?”

“You turned me-or you made me a werewolf in that sense,” Eve folded her arms slouching her shoulders.

“Don’t up to me at ease,” Faye flicked Eve on the forehead. “And so what if I turned you? I don’t care.”Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

Eve squinted rubbing her forehead.

“Please, I-‘

Eve glanced to her side noticing Jamal’s eye on her.

“-I will do anything.”

Faye gave him a side-eye. Jamal cleared his throat and turned away.

“So you want to be a beta under my command?” Okay you start now,” Faye raised her chin. “Tell Shawn you want out,” Faye nudged.

“Shawn?” Eve furrowed.

“Eve, what do you get going on here?” Shawn placed an arm on her shoulder.

“We need to talk,” Eve gently pulled his arm away.

“Sure, anything.”

Shawn gestured an honorable farewell to Faye. Eve stepped away and they both walked down the higher bank, leaving Jamal to approach his sire.

“Do you want him to start now?” Jamal clasped his arms behind him.

“Yes, in fact,” she nodded.

Faye inched forward and gazed at the shore. She fixed her fingers to her mouth and blew a whistle to Eric. The Beta hailed her calling and dragged the load next to him. There were betas around to do his bidding by lifting the chest but he attempted it alone.