Crossing Moon

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All thanks goes to Izabella and Angie for helping to edit this story :D

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From Aveline Erickana Ruben's diary:

7th November 2008, 10.30 PM, HOME!!!

I'm home!! I am REALLY at home! It was kind of hard for me to swallow that fact or even really digest the reality that I really am at home! My dearly beloved Ruben Estate!

It was so GOOD to see Mum and Dad again! Really! I don't even care if I accidentally see them smooching in the kitchen!!

Dad was all like, "how are you, kiddo?"

But I didn't say anything. I just jumped and hugged him tightly. I missed my Dad a lot! I didn't realize that until I saw his face today!

My heart might be broken but nothing beats seeing my family back after so long!

Avvie

From Carinelle Hynes Thorn's diary:

7th November 2008, 10.45 PM, my REAL bed.

Once again, I have neglected you, oh dear journal, forgive me but I simply do not have anything to say. I'm back at home, here, at Thorn Estate. Finally! I've made a little speech in my head on our way back here -- you know, things that I ought to say to convince my father that my place is not in Aliaxia, and I think, he will buy it.

It was certainly a relief to be back here. No Alven. No stupid-perfect-human-girlfriend. Nothing!

But I do admit that I should have said good-bye to Alven before we parted ways to our respective homes. I just couldn't make myself say it.

Alven seemed to notice my hostility but chose to ignore it. Sigh. I guess he's too busy telling his GIRLFRIEND that he got to go home for the holiday.

CAN YOU BELIEVE THE NERVE OF THAT SKANK? SHE ACTUALLY ASKED HIM IF SHE COULD FOLLOW HIM HOME FOR THE HOLIDAY!! UGH!! REALLY!!! THEY HAVE JUST MET FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!! WHY IS SHE BEING SOOOOO CLINGY????

HOW COULD SHE EVEN FIT WITH WOLVES?? SHE'S A FREAKING HUMAN FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!

Alven on the other hand, seemed to find the whole situation amusing! Really! So he likes girls to fall head over heels to him?

AVELINE DIDN'T EVEN BOTHER WITH IT, SAYING THAT I SHOULD DO THE SAME.

"It's their problem, let them handle it," she had told me.

I really wanted to ask Alven if he is serious with Yvainne Wilkinson aka Vannie aka the PERFECT HUMAN GIRLFRIEND but how could I ask when I've given him the cold shoulder?

Sigh.

Carrie.

***

Vex smiled slyly and Raga folded his muscular arms to his chest.

Ray, on the other hand, pulled a chair and sat down, looking anxiously to his rogue brothers. "Adrian have gone back to Thorn Estate," he informed the tall, broad-shoulder, silver haired twenty-eight years old reigning Alpha of Nyca Pack.

Samuel Charleston Nyca grinned. "Wonderful," he said, "Good job!"

"May I ask something, Alpha?" Ray whispered uncertainly.

"Certainly," Samuel smiled but Ray knew better than to trust that smile. He had to be cautious.

Ray pondered for a while, "What are you going to do next, Alpha?" he paused, "What if Jackson finds out about this... he -- he wouldn't like this."

"Relax, Ray," Samuel smiled again, "My father will not find out about this, at least, not until it's too late."

"The other Alpha's children have returned back home also," Vex offered, "Are you still going to mate with one of them?"

"I know that there are two of them. They're eighteen, am I right?"

"Yes, Samuel," Vex nodded, "I must say, I think Aveline Ruben is a very suitable candidate."

"I think I've met Aveline Ruben a few months back and I must say, although she's a beauty, she's not my type."

"Is she too young for you, Samuel?" Vex asked.

"It's not a question of her being too young for me," Samuel smiled, "Mating is not something that I'm going to take lightly."

"But the prophecy?" Raga asked.

"The prophecy is just words of a crackpot on drugs," Samuel told them, "But do not worry for we will find that Key."

"I want the world to change, my Alpha," Raga said insisting, "I want the humans to beg!"

"We have limited time before the next eclipse of the full moon," Samuel paused, "I suggest the three of you to go and find that Key."

"Rumours has it that the Key is with the Ruben Pack," Ray said, "They do not know about it but I think I've heard their Councilman spoke about it a few years back to the Andashman Councilman."

"Then, go and interrogate the fool but do not make it obvious. Make Marcus think that you guys are just plain curious and nothing else." Samuel said.

"Oh, my dear Alpha, I can almost imagine it," Vex said, almost dreamily, "With that Key, we can open up a new dimension where humans are nothing but slaves and we, the wolves, rule the Earth."

"Yes, indeed." Samuel smiled.

"So, who will you choose to mate?" Vex asked, genuinely curious. "The one who will help strengthen our power in the Four Pack!"

Samuel looked out the window and said, "Carinelle Hynes Thorn have always intrigued me, she might be the one."

"Shall I inform the others about this progress?" Ray asked them.

"The Black Wolves?" Samuel asked again, "How are they now?"

"Ever since James and the other pack did that counter-attack, our number have reduced significantly but thankfully, although we had defeat, there were still a few of us remaining, surviving all this years, hidden from the other packs, breeding and waiting for the time -- THIS time has come." Ray said passionately, "I will not let my father's death go to waste, I will make his wish come true and with your help, oh, wise Nyca Alpha, both of our dreams will come true."

"I want to be in power! I will not be the bottom of the Four Council Hierarchy anymore." Samuel said, clenching his fist, "My father might not like what I am doing but he will understand -- he will know that I am doing this for the sake of Nyca Pack!"

Vex Gray Nyca and Raga Lee Nyca nodded. "Perhaps you should go to your pack and inform them," Vex said to Ray, "Tell them that we are going to find the Key."

"What is the Key?" Ray asked again, "We've been talking all about it but we don't know how it looks like. How would we know what to find?"

"The ancient scroll has said that the Key is in the form of a crystal, we will know once we see it face to face." Samuel told him patiently.

"And for now, what will you do while we find the Key?" Ray asked.

"It's by moon's blessing perhaps, a sign of our winning," Samuel smiled, "Jerry happened to invite the other Alphas for dinner for welcoming his daughter home from the human world."

"Woo her, my Alpha," Vex said eagerly, "Make her writhe for you."

And Samuel just smiled wolfishly.

***

A week had gone and past by since Aveline's return to Ruben Estate. She had filled those days by spending quality time with her parents. Alven, on the other hand, although had joined them on various occasion, had taken today off and roamed the forest instead.

"My wolf wants to run," he had said to her when she protested at him. Aveline just shook her head but let her brother go anyway.

Gracielle looked at her daughter, her head laid comfortable on James's lap. He brushed her hair with his hand softly, sending her sweet thoughts of how much he loved her. She smiled, snuggling close to her mate but her attention was instantly diverted to their daughter.

Aveline was lying on her stomach, reading a book but somehow, Gracielle knew that something was bothering her. Call it Mother's intuition or something -- she just couldn't bear to see her daughter unhappy.

"Avvie baby, are you still upset with Alven?" Gracielle asked. James stopped stroking her hair and then trailed his hand on her arm. "He's the future Alpha, it's natural for him to want to roam."

Aveline closed her book and sighed, "No Mum, I'm not upset."

"But you looked troubled..." She sat up straight. James looked at their daughter and waited for her answer.

"Really, I'm not," Aveline insisted, and then looked at her father, "Dad, what time are we leaving to Carrie's?"

"We can go there early," James said, "I need to talk with Jerry also."

"Great!" Aveline said brightly, "I missed Carrie so much!"

Gracielle laughed, "No wonder you're so sullen!"

And Aveline just smiled for her mother had thought so wrongly. She wasn't upset because of Carrie. She was entirely troubled with a whole different thing.

She had lost her heart.

***

If Aveline had the power to make time go faster, she would make it a whole lot FASTER like lightning. The day seemed to past so slow as if time itself was taunting and teasing her, testing her very patience and sanity. She could always call Carrie but there was still a risk that someone might overhear their conversation.

She had tried to deny for the past week, ever since she left Lexton. Her heart yearned to see that face again -- that human -- sigh, Max. It was true. She was in love with him, the human, oh the scandal. Whatever will her father say or worse do?

Her father might be the most reasonable wolf she'd ever seen but when it comes to things such as potential scandal-love-affair, the chances of her father erupting was more likely to happen.

Alven on the other hand, was just taking things as slow as ever. He had said, "Avvie, sis, c'mon, they are just humans, they don't mean anything."

And ah, from there, she knew that Yvainne Wilkinson was just a toy.

But she wanted to pester him anyway, saying, "How about your precious Vannie?"

Alven had the decency to blush but he recovered anyway and stated confidently, "We are just two people who like to spend time together."

"She says she's in love with you, Alven," Aveline snapped, out of irritation. She wasn't mad for Vannie's sake though, she was angry because Alven wasn't serious with the whole mate and love thing.

"She's not," Alven replied, again with the Alpha-y confidence, "Even if she says that she does, in truth, she does not."

"You're high, Alven," Aveline said.

"Honestly, do you really think that I would let the Four Council and our father down?" Alven asked, "Even if, I do have some feelings for her, it would be wise of me to learn to block those feelings out. You should do the same, Aveline, you never know, what if Dad receives a mating proposal for you?"

Aveline's eyes went wide and she did the first thing that came into her mind. Her body and soul worked on a different level.

She had slapped him. Hard.

And now, Aveline looked out the car window, trees blurred in green motion past her. Her brother didn't say anything to her though, which was worse because she'd rather have him kick her ass than giving her the silent treatment.

She looked at her brother and at the same instant, their gaze met but no words were spoken. Gracielle and James were oblivious as they were perfectly content in each other's arms. It was normal for wolves to be lost in their own world when they were with their mates.

Jerry welcomed them when they got out from the limousine. He gave a big friendly hug to James and then a little kiss on Gracielle's cheek. Fiorelle was there too and then, within minutes of their arrival, she took Gracielle off.

James smiled, "Where are they going now?"

"To the 'Mall', perhaps," Jerry offered, smiling. The 'Mall' was just a nickname which Jerry had christened to Fiorelle's vast room collection of clothes, shoes and other stuff in the Manor. "Welcome back, Aveline, Alven! What do you guys think of Lexton?"

Aveline smiled wanly, "Can't wait to go back there!"

Alven just nodded.

Jerry grinned, "Stupendous! If only Carinelle shared the same view."

"Carrie doesn't like Lexton?" James asked as they all walked through the hallway.

"Well, she hasn't talk to me yet but I assume, she will," Jerry said, "Malcolm had told me that she didn't enjoy her stay there."

"Oh well," James said, "Let's talk more in your office, shall we?"

Jerry nodded, "Yes, we should."

And both Aveline and Alven failed to notice the anxious tension that seemed to build in their tone.

***

It was almost dinner time.

Aveline and Carinelle had been sprinting in their wolf forms all over the Thorn Estate. Carinelle needed the release to channel her frustration over Alven.

And Aveline?

Well, she just needed to run. Her head and heart seemed to be working in a different repelling atmosphere.

Her head was all telling her to move on and forget the human crap named Max and that she was a wolf and Max would never accept that part of her.

And yet, her heart battled, countering that Max didn't know that part of her -- not yet anyway. Her heart was in league with her soul and both seemed to agree that she needed to book a plane ticket and go find MAX.

Regardless of the consequences -- she would ignore and choose not to think whether the Four Council and HER father and mother would accept her choice of mate.

Wait. Did she say 'mate'?

She had sighed regrettably when common sense finally sunk in and overthrow her silly mission. Max was a human. There was just no chance of her being with him, especially when she was the Alpha Princess of Ruben Pack.

With her bad luck in love, Alven's words might just come true and she'd be mated to a total freak stranger.

"Avvie?" Carrie called, breaking Aveline's train of thoughts of the events earlier. "You OK?" she asked as she applied a final touch up on her lips. She put her lip gloss back into her crystal bowl and then admired her reflection for a while.

Aveline was lying on her stomach with her arms folded in front of her like pillows. "My heart's broken." she whispered.

"Oh, don't be daft, Avvie," Carrie said, "Cheer up, it's my party -,"

Aveline sighed, cutting her off, "It's just a dinner with the Four Alphas..." she drawled.

"So what?" Carrie asked her, turning from her reflection and looking directly to the sullen Aveline Ruben. "That does not mean that you are permitted to look so sulky and destroy the cheery mood I am in right now." she went to her and then pulled her up to her feet, "Come on now, Avvie, lighten up!"

Aveline sighed again, "All right, I will. Can you please stop trying to break my arm off?"

Carinelle grinned as she let Aveline's hand go, "Now, that's the spirit, let's go, it's almost time for dinner."

Aveline looked at her reflection and groaned. "Oh my god, I looked like a nightmare."

Carinelle giggled, handing Aveline a brush. She took it and quickly brushed her hair.

"Carrie, why don't you go down first? I look silly." Aveline suggested.

"You sure?"

"Positive!" Aveline nodded, as she went into the bathroom to wash her face and Carinelle just smiled.

***

Oh gosh, I'm so late! Dad's goanna eat me alive! Carinelle thought to herself as she ran down the long corridor and then made a blind turn to the left, almost colliding with a few of the low ranks.

"Sorry!" she called out to them, still running down the corridor.

She sprinted down the grand staircase and then blindly run to the left, not really looking her left side or even right side.

Suddenly, she bumped with someone, "Oof," she groaned, staggering by the impact.

"Hey, are you all right?" a male's voice asked softly, almost with care and concern.

She looked up. Boy, he was really tall; he was even taller than Alven by about 2 inches. "Yeah, sorry, I -- I didn't see you," she smiled.

"Carinelle Thorn?" he asked her again, and this time, offering his hand to her.

She looked at him curiously, and at the same time, she was touched with his warm kindness, "Yes, and how do you know my name?"

He smiled. "I suppose you are running late to dinner with the others," ignoring her question.

"Oh my! I am late!" she started to walk past him but he stopped her.

"Hey, don't run now, you little cuddly lamb," he said, grinning.

"Cuddly?" her eyes went big, "LAMB?" she felt so ironic to be compared to a wolf's natural prey.

"Don't worry, you're not late," he assured her.

"How can you be so sure?" she snapped, almost to the point of irritation but she couldn't help but feel awe with his confidence.

"Because I'm not there yet," he grinned.

"Ah, so you're the VIP of the night?" she said sarcastically.

"Well, yes," he agreed, playing along with her as they both walked towards the dinner area.

"And you happened to be?" she asked

He stopped, and then took her right hand and then said, "Ah, how rude of me," he smiled, and then, bent down and kissed her hand. She looked at him with surprise and then he, looked up, grinned and said, "I'm Sam".

***

"Come now, it's pretty easy," Doc Danny said as he folded his clothes and handed it to one of the low ranks. Max hesitated for a while, and then he took his clothes off too. He felt weird standing in the wide open stark naked with another man and three other low ranks.

But nakedness seemed to be an inevitable part of wolf nature. He was just not used to it yet. The others thought of being naked was just as normal as breathing. There was nothing lustful in it. It was just how the wolf pack worked.

"I've never hunted before." Max said as he gave his clothes to the other low rank.

"I told you Max," Doc Danny said, "It's all instinctual, you'll get the hang of it soon!" and then he phased into his wolf form.

Max hesitated, the other low ranks smiled at him as if they too were encouraging the new half blood. It was certainly a relief to do something useful other than moping around in his room; Danny's invitation to roam the new territory was perhaps the highlight of his day.

It seemed like he was the only one who truly welcomed him home, well, excluding Elizabeth, Alexander, Jerry and Fiorelle.

Max closed his eyes and then, within seconds, he could feel himself transforming into the wolf which he had refused to acknowledge for so long.

The two wolves sprinted into the forest. The Thorn Alpha had actually invited him and his father to attend the dinner held tonight but Adrian wasn't too keen on attending, he'd rather spend the day with Elizabeth, catching up old news and stuff. Alexander, had of course, attended the dinner.

And Max, well, he wasn't going to attend a function without his father around, especially one that involved meeting a bunch of stuck-up alpha prince and princesses.

It seemed odd that he had never seen them in Aliaxia before. He smiled in his thoughts, and how could he not? He was busy trying to find ways to annoy the vivacious Avvie!

OK, he might be unjustified and biased on calling them stuck-ups but still, he'd rather be out here and run with the Doc than spending a few hours with strangers.

There! Doc Danny said in his thoughts as the two of them went into stealth mode. Do you see? That's one delicious deer!

And sure enough, there were about three deer by the stream. Max hesitated but he watched Doc Danny. He was stealth and crouched low, waiting for the right moment to leap up and bury those sharp teeth into the deer's neck.

Max swallowed in his throat. He crouched low too, imitating what Doc Danny was doing but just as he did that. A wave of pure wolf instincts washed over him. Suddenly, he was alert of his entire surrounding, even the soft land of a fallen dead leaf.

The deer tensed up. As if sensing danger but they were oblivious on where the two hunting wolves were and then, suddenly, the two of them leaped! Running full speed to the unsuspected deer and then they clamped their strong jaws on a deer each. Max groaned heavenly in his thoughts as he could feel the warm blood trickling from the deer's neck wound. The deer tried to kick, oh, his prey was a fighter even near death but that only made the wolf in him clamped even tighter on the neck, growling victoriously and within seconds, the deer was dead.

Doc Danny let go of his prey and looked at Max, as if he was saying, 'I'm so proud of you!'

***

Oh Moon! Carinelle groused in her thoughts as she sat down on her seat. The other alphas, including her father and Uncle James were engrossed with each other's conversation. The same went with the Alpha Queens of the four packs.