In the Shadow of the Moon

So I would like to thank those who sent such kind words in feedback. Sometimes someone telling you they like your work is all you need to get back to the keys. I am four scenes away from the end of chapter 7 and then its off to my editor. I am on summer vacation, so writing should be much easier to do with out all the homework in the way. I hope you enjoy the chapter I took into account some of the comments and tried to move Victoria away from selfish nature she was straying in to. Appologies it took so long, but hey it's like that some times

Thanks for reading and I love comments.

-SilentlySilly

*********

"Enough. Mon petit loup, vous avez sont très égoïste."

Victoria looked up confused; her grandmother was shaking her head. "Selfish?" Victoria had been swamped in a mire of thoughts and emotions from the last few days. She had been recounting everything that had gone on since she had sent her last letter.

She looked up at the calm look on her grandmere's face.

"Victoria, I know that you have been through so much and honey we know, but at some point you have to stop. For so long you have talked about yourself, your fears, your nightmares, but it is time to stop. I know you have been through so much turmoil and now at every turn in your life you are left with horrible memories, but the ultimate revenge is success. You need to stop running and realize that there are people defending you from all sides now. None of us will allow that to happen to you again, so it is time to heal, to stop running and live."

Her grandmother moved to sit by her.

"Step out of the walls of your mind and notice those around you, mon petit loup. With every day you suffer, so does your mother. She looks malnourished for a wolf and incredibly gaunt. We know that you have suffered, but now it's time to return to the world. You cannot let your fear stop you from living and stop the others around you from living. Your friends are worried, you have found a man that wants to love you and you won't let him. Stop hiding in yourself; just stop it because you are not a selfish girl."

Her grandmere pecked her on the forehead and stood up and went back to unpacking. Victoria sat, tears brimming her eyes. Her grandfather moved to sit down next to her and pulled her into his arms. She felt so lost. A lot of what had been said was true, but it still hurt to hear. She didn't know how to do anything else. She had spent so long running and fighting everyone. She didn't let people in and for a very long time she kept her mother out, she had blamed her mother. The tears coursed a hot river down her face as she thought about her mother. Her stomach wretched as she thought about how cruel she had been to her mother. Her grandfather squeezed her tight as she cried. She felt like a terrible person the way she had been treating people.

It was so easy to cry in her grandfather's arms. So she cried about it all as the memories flooded through her mind, she needed to get over this so she could live. The feelings she had for Antony had no place in the cruel mental world she had created for herself. She would stop running, she would stop. She had escaped her father and now she would live her life, but how? She looked up into the face of the man who had always held her and helped her and asked the one question she needed to know the questions to.

*******

Antony sat in his office, but he wasn't really listening as Riley talked and he didn't notice the intensity with which Jesse was staring at him. He was listening to what was going through Victoria's head. At first he had been angry with his future relatives, but as it began to get through to her, his excitement grew. With each comforting word of her grandfather and the down to earth words of her grandmother, they worked through the emotional wall within her. He had been so relieved when she accepted his mental comfort as her agitation and tension grew. She didn't attempt to block him from anything that was going on; in fact she reached for him.

Their connection began to rapidly grow as she opened up. He blessed her grandparents tenfold. There was so much to this woman that he had never seen. Though he knew she was highly observant, he hadn't known she had a photographic memory. As she flowed and assessed the last two weeks spent at the compound, she remembered the minutest details. Although he stepped in when she began berating herself for her actions, Antony would never have gone so far as to call her selfish, but he understood where her grandparents where coming from.

When it seemed like this would be the way things were going for a while, he turned his attentions back to his two betas in front of him; Victoria's thoughts became background noise in his mind.

"We are getting reports from several packs, attacks from packs that recently had isolated themselves from the communities. The Lourde pack was the only one to fall. We are recalling all of our pack members on exchange and sending those here back home." Riley's words were mechanical, all joking gone from his voice.

"The problem is," Jesse picked up, "There are quite a few who are refusing go. Some have found mates and that is understandable. It is those who haven't found mates that are the most aggravating. They feel safe here. There have been no attacks within this region. All 27 packs surround yours haven't been touched. People have been doing research on our history. One of the youngest exchange members came to me as a spokes member for those who wish to stay. Apparently It has been proven that you were able to reach all of those pack members in decent time in order to protect them and vice versa. They see this as a stronghold. It also doesn't help that this is the birthplace of the first wolf pack."

Riley picked up again, "They all feel that should any attack come here, they will be safe. They hold fast to the idea that both you and the sacredness of this place will protect them."

Antony leaned back in his chair and thought about the information. They had been tracking the isolations for years, including the one of Victoria's old pack. Several wolf communities has ceased all outside communications, including business, exchanges, and simple passing of information. Alphas' didn't show up to council meetings and their lands were sealed against any wolf entering. Roughly the same time Victoria and her mother showed up, these attacks began.

Though as Riley had said few of them had been successful.

The oddity was nearly, every pack had RSVP'd to his mating, as was tradition. Packs that hadn't spoken to anyone in months were amongst the first to... Antony snatched his phone up and punched in Natasia's code. Though he didn't want to interrupt the homecoming of the recently mated couple it was necessary that he talk to both of them immediately. His words were brief. He asked them both to come to his office, Natasia with all the information she had on the mating ceremony and its guest and Carter with his LL, Liaison's Log. This log would contain all the information he had been gathering from the packs he had visited.

Riley and Jess had waited patiently through all this. He appreciated their history. They knew he would address all the issues swiftly and never pressed him for an answer. They had been this ways since they were cubs. They were always going on outrageous adventures and dangerous missions, now more than ever he was going to need that knowledge. They knew how to work well together and that may be the thing to save them, because a fight was coming.

"Tell those who do not wish to leave that they don't have to, but let them know that we will not be spared from this fight. Tell them that it seems that this fight will converge on us and we will ask all to help, we will ask all to fight." Antony turned to look at Riley, while Jess scribbled down his message.

"Begin pack wide training, I want everyone war ready. This attack could come at any moment and we need to be prepared. Let our human contacts know that something huge is on the horizon; they need to be prepared as well. We don't know if this will stop at our world or spread to theirs. As soon as Natasia gets here with the information, I will give you a list of packs to send a message to. I want you to offer those packs and those packs only the chance to come here early. Let them know to send those who aren't attending to safe lands. They need to be prepared for an attack on their compounds. When this meeting is over go and talk to Nicholas, you and a few others do whatever you can to help him get his pack ready from here! I don't want anyone leaving this compound, who doesn't have to go, excluding those wishing to return to their packs, thought they might as well, since some of them will be returning for the mating anyway."

He returned his attention to Jesse, "Jess, you and Natasia need to work together to get the Omegas organized and the buildings that will house the other packs organized, I need that done in two days." He smirked a little at the look of exasperation on her face, but she quickly reined it in. This situation was serious. The pack had never been on this level of alert and never had they enacted... "So essentially we are enacting the Sanctuary Directive?" Jess looked up eyes hard and focused. Antony gave one quick nod and pulled out a map of the packs land.

The Gaylen Pack land was expansive and covered a 1/3 of the state. Still there were several towns in it, but all of it was still pack controlled. Gaylen had always been the largest pack and thusly it was decided that they would be the holders of the Sanctuary Directive. Every pack in the United States could fit comfortably in the pack lands and from there a stronghold could be created to defend their race. Though when Antony had become Alpha, he had pointed out the two vital flaws in this plan. One, the plan did not account for growth in the were species, which was also affected by the recent evolutionary shift towards immortality that the wolves had recently discovered. Two, should the stronghold be taken down, then that very well could be the end of werewolves in the US. Antony had convinced the Alphas to create Safe lands, 15 or so created across the land, the secret of their locations known only to the Mistresses of the Sisterhood. When the time was needed wolves would be told of the nearest magically safe guarded lands. He reached for his phone again...

"There is no need, I am already here. I have always been able to smell the tension of battle on the air." Mistress Sleepwell stood in the doorway looking calm as ever. "Natasia and that hunk of hers were not too far behind me so they will be here shortly and we can go about being prepared for the oncoming storm." With a flick of her finger a rather plush looking chair appeared next to Antony's desk. There was a shimmer and his desk began to stretch and extend, looking more like a table than a desk, three more chairs appeared around it. Antony looked questioningly.

"I think you might find it helpful to invite Victoria's grandfather."

"Why? I mean I know he must be knowledgeable, but I would not take him away from Victoria..."

"Are you really questioning me right now? I thought you might have learned your lesson, but I will never hesitate to teach it again." The Mistress's eyes grew hard as flint. He remembered the last time he had questioned her, when he had been a hardheaded teen. Mistress Sleepwell was one of the six high in the sisterhood, a group of women created by the Gods and Goddesses of Ancient times to help guide their earthly creations. Each held reign over a realm of life, Mistress Sleepwell's was Mistress of Magic. She held sway over enchanted creatures such as were species. She had close ties with the Gaylen family and therefore had been a prominent figure in his life. When he had been young she was teaching him to use his power over minds and he had questioned one of her techniques. She had warned him not to question her, but when he had persisted, she forced his hind quarters to shift.

He had been forced to walk around with the butt of a wolf for a week and half. The memory brought a smile to his face, it also shut him up.

"Besides I have already invited him and he is on his way. I will allow him to explain himself when he arrives."

Antony felt Victoria drifting off to sleep, her mind still a tumultuous battlefield of thoughts. As he delved deeper into the mire of her thoughts, she reached out to him. The onslaught of her apology caused him to jump. A lot of what she was trying to say was blurred together by her exhaustion, but he got the gist of it all. She kept repeating over and over that she would try and be better. He again comforted her, but he couldn't hide his excitement at her thoughts and words. He couldn't help, but feel as if they could move forward from this moment. The sigh of contentment that passed through her mind and the thoughts that continued to flow blocked out his own thoughts of the oncoming battle.

*******

Celeste Sleepwell, Mistress of magic walked calmly in to see the sleeping young woman. Since she had arrived there had been little time to spend with her, but she had been able to feel the power within the child. Without disturbing her slumber, Celeste knelt on the bed and a small flame of magic to the tip of her finger; it glowed there, golden and bright. She laid the lit finger to Victoria's forehead and relaxed calling on the story written into her blood. The magic zinged like a ping pong ball between the two of them, delivering the requested information.

Victoria was an interesting combination of magical creatures, though wolf was the strongest, she could feel the magic of the fae running strong through her veins. There was something else, but she couldn't place just what it was. She began to call up other things, memories of her childhood, memories of her more recently life, the dementia of her father. There in thick oily overlay was the dark magic, Astrum. At the time of Luna so was Astrum. Made to be protector he turned, rejecting his purpose, and became destructor.

Astrum's presence could always be found on earth, but he went by many names Entropy, Ataxia, Destroyer, Chaos, End. Astrum meddling could always be found in the magical world, for the human world too easily fell to his tactics. Celeste was frazzled to find his handy work here. Though it was weak, it was layered on in heavy layers, as if trying to build up enough to take control. But that made no sense, with this much power, not even Luna's light could protect this child. There was more to her. Celeste sighed, the examination had grown to taxing on her strength.

With a finally flick, Celeste sent the magic for healing and sleep coursing through the child's mind, wiping away the lingering effects of Astrum's magic. With her prolonged period away from its source, the magic was weak and easily destroyed. Beneath her hand Victoria sighed and sunk deeper into sleep. Rather proud of herself, Celeste stood from the bed and went to commune with her sisters; there was a bigger war to come than that amongst the wolves. For now though, Victoria would be given a chance at happiness, free from the dark magic.

*******

Victoria woke up groggily; she hadn't slept that deep in so long. The conversation with her grandparents and the one with her mother had left her emotionally exhausted. As her mind cleared of sleep, she became more aware of her body. She felt different; all the weight of the past years was lifted. The memories of her past didn't feel like an oppressive force on her mind, just a light buzzing in the background. She looked at her hand in the beams of light coming from the window; she hadn't felt this way since she was little. She by no means had her blind optimism back, but she felt light, something inside her was flying again. She glanced at the clock, 3:00pm she had woken up just in time. She had promised her grandparents and Antony that she would cook dinner tonight. She had settled on cooking a boil. Delicious Cajun food dumped out along a table and everyone could take what they wanted. It was the easiest to cook for the massive amounts of people, just as she was getting up there was a tentative knock on the door.

The omega she had pinned to the ground on the night of the trials, stuck her head around the door. Her short wavy hair fell from behind her ear, catching some of the light from the window. Heather, her name was Heather.

"Miss Victoria?"

"Just Victoria, no need to be so formal, come on in."

Her smile was cute and wicked, as if she was always up to some mischief. She skipped in and stood at the end of the bed.

"I don't know if you remember me, but I'm Heather. I work down in the kitchens, well this week at least, and they sent me up here to ask when you were coming down to cook? Or if you had changed your mind, was there something else you wanted them to cook? Also they were wondering what you wanted them to do with the Styrofoam boxes of live sea critters in the kitchen?"

She had rattled it all off in one breath her cocked to the side, eyes swirling with annoyance at being sent on such an errand.

Victoria couldn't help, but smile.

"You remind me of my friend Miranda. She used to work in the kitchen too and you guys look a lot alike. We had some pretty crazy adventures, before she got mated off."

Victoria shook her head and hoped out of the bed. She looked down contemplating whether or not to change, but the shorts and tank top were actually perfect to cook in. She slipped on her sneakers and the grabbed a hair band.

"Come on. Let's go rescue the kitchen from the live sea critters."

Victoria quickly flew down the stairs and through the compound toward the kitchens on the far side. Heather had no problem keeping up with her and she didn't really say much, but guide Victoria when she took a couple of wrong turns. When she finally reached the kitchen she was fully awake and ready to go. She pushed open the wooden doors and was met with a spectacular sight. Her father's pack kitchens had not been this epic. Every utensil, every pot, pan, or bowl, every appliance she could have ever wanted was there in multiples. She couldn't help, but smile. Which in turn made the group of wolves waiting on her smile as well; she took her hair band and deftly twisted her long hair into a bun at the back of her head. She looked to see Heather slipping on a headband and handing her an apron. She took it and tied that around her waist and then set to work. She had a group cutting a battalion of celery, other shucked and cut the corn on the cob, and another group washed and cut up red potatoes. She introduced herself as she went, she stayed long enough to make sure everyone was clear on what they needed to do, but was always moving. Finally everyone was working the pots were being prepared with the Cajun seasoning and she and the group of seven women who weren't squeamish about the live crawfish moved to the back of the compound where a little over a dozen white Styrofoam boxes were waiting for her. She quickly explained what to do and they paired up, one pouring the crawfish into a bucket and another holding the bucket and a watering hose.

As the women set to work cleaning the crawfish, they fell into their normal routine of pack gossip and Victoria couldn't help, but be reminded of the times she had cooked in the kitchen with her grandmere and her amis. They talked and worked flawlessly, who was in love, who should be in love, and who wasn't in love. They latest pack scandals and so on. There was always love and fun in the kitchen. She let herself get wrapped up in the memory and the women's voices. Then she remembered Heather the girl was firmly holding the bucket while Victoria filled it with shell fish and water.

"So you only work in the kitchen sometimes, what do you do the other times?"