Pure Moonlight

Hi everyone,

I have attempted a longer chapter with this one, despite being sorely tempted to cut it at about halfway. What can I say, I'm a short story writer. Thank you for your continued patience- I will get there eventually J

I am about to get very busy and I'm not sure how much time I will have spare for writing. Be assured that I am finding time as much as possible until then.

I hope you enjoy

Shadowsung <3

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ally launched herself out of the door and straight into a brick wall... at least, that's what it felt like to her. It was the guy who had rushed in to the room. She had charged into him, and been knocked backwards. He had hardly budged, but stared at her in surprise.

Adrenaline pumping, Ally jumped up and managed two steps before she was tackled to the ground.

"I am really sorry," Zac said conversationally, as he held her down, "I had envisioned this going a lot better than it has."

Her struggles didn't seem to phase or move him at all, despite the effort she put into it. Ally fought like a wildcat, ignoring the pain searing through her ribs. Tears streamed down her face. She

hated

feeling overpowered and weak. A pair of knees appeared next to them. Zac turned his head to see his pack healer, Doc, preparing a needle. He growled a warning deeply, the sound vibrating in his chest.

"Easy my Alpha, it is a sedative, she needs to calm down or she'll hurt herself more."

Ally felt a stab of pain as the needle went into her thigh. Her struggles slowly died as the sedative took hold. Zac eased off of her, kneeling next to her unconscious form. He looked down at her dejectedly. He felt his eyes sting at his very poor first encounter with the woman who could very well be his future mate.

Keith looked down at his alpha sadly; he could see his best friend's hurt at the situation. He had no idea what to do. This was completely unchartered territory; no one had ever denied or suppressed the Attraction before.

Zac slowly collected himself. He picked up his human and carried her back into his room. He put her back into his bed and allowed his pack healer to look at her again.

He paced impatiently while he watched Doc work. He kept going over the entire event in his mind, trying to figure out how he could have done things better.

"You'll wear a hole in the floor, my friend," Keith said jokingly from his chair. Despite his relaxed exterior, he was ready to jump on his Alpha, should he get carried away again.

Zac looked at his friend, his face exhibiting the slow torture within. "What did I do, Keith? How could I blow it so badly?" Zac looked half crazy, his eyes bloodshot and his hair mussed from running his impatient fingers through it. Keith got up and pulled his alpha out of the room. It was incredibly hard work, as Zac didn't want any unmated males anywhere near her.

Keith had finally put two happily mated betas to guard the door with strict orders that no one, except the good Doctor, enter the Alphas' chambers.

Outside, Zac inhaled the cool autumn air as he felt nature seep into his being, claming him down. Wordlessly the two friends stripped, put their clothes in the linen bins by the back door and phased.

His wolf in control, Zac ran. He hardly noticed that he had left his friend in the dust. He loved running as a wolf; the ground being eaten quickly under his nimble paws. The wind blew past him, and he flew like an arrow. His worries stayed with him, which was unusual; normally they simply melted away.

Keith listened to his best friend's thoughts, hearing the turmoil within.

The scouts saw a deer herd out this morning,

Keith said suggestively, his grin coming through his mental voice. Zac felt a smile break his face,

Perfect.

~

Together, the pair hunted in perfect synchronisation, having been together as wolves since their first shift. They chased rabbits through the forest for a while, revelling in the thrill of the hunt.

Finally, they found the herd of deer, hidden deep in the woods. Together, they brought down the biggest doe in the herd. They howled to the rising moon, thanking Luna for her bounty. As they devoured their kill, Zac felt much happier than he had been since the little human (Ally, his mind reminded him) had dropped into his life. Reminded of her, he lost his appetite.

Come on, friend,

said Zac to the slightly smaller (but still giant) brown wolf,

let's get back.

At the back door, they shifted back to humans and collected their clothes. The unmistakable smell of dinner wafted through the open halls, reminding Keith he was still hungry. With a clap on his friends shoulder, Keith ambled off to find more food.

~

Zac popped his head into his room, and stopped to talk to Doc who had glared at him when he walked in. "She fractured another rib and moved her other broken ones," he said angrily, "what in Luna's name happened?"

Zac felt his face flush with guilt. "I believe she is my mate. I may have... gotten carried away with the Attraction..."

Doc's anger evaporated instantly, "Congratulations, my Alpha, on finding your mate! May Luna bless your hearts and fill your souls," he said joyfully.

"Congratulations may not be in order yet, Doc," said Zac grimly, "She... Ally her name is.... seemed to feel the Attraction as well, but then she suddenly snapped and hit me... twice."

Doc looked at his Alpha in shock, "...but, no one has ever refuted the Attraction before, that I can think of. Of course humans haven't been mated with for a very long time in this pack." He began to pace, his mind whirling on all the possibilities.

Zac fell into the chair beside his sleeping beauty and picked up her hand, just to touch her. He closed his eyes and listened to her breathing and pulse which sounded almost like a song to his ears; one he could listen to for the rest of his long life.

He looked up at Doc, pain etched across his features, "She hates and fears me... I blew it! I came on so strong when she was responding, that she thinks I have done something to her."

His mind's eye showing him the look of complete pain and mistrust on her face and her echoing cries of "what did you do to me?" He also remembered her energy channelling, which had him confused. Normal humans didn't have that kind of power.

"What is she?" he asked Doc curiously.

Doc stopped dead and faced his Alpha. "She is human, to the best of my knowledge, Alpha. I have sensed, nor traced anything unusual or supernatural about her... why?"

Zac waved his hand in a non committal gesture, "I'm not sure, I just thought I'd ask. Watch over her? I need advice from the elders."

Doc nodded and bowed his head as his Alpha left the room. He looked over at the figure in the bed, amazed that such a small creature that had changed their Alpha so much, in such a short space of time.

~

Zac found the elders in the topmost room of the mansion. The four old women were sitting in a circle, their pale, weathered faces upturned to the bright moon above; shining through the opened roof.

He wasn't required to kneel as an alpha, but he did incline his head in respect.

Without moving from their positions one said, "Come in, Alpha, what are your troubles this fine evening? Luna shines bright and pure; you should have no worries this night."

Zac knelt in the middle of the circle and turned his face up to the moon. "Honourable and wise Elders, I seek counsel on a matter that brings my heart great sorrow." He said. He told them about Ally and everything that had transpired since he first met her in the dark alley behind a bar.

"Naughty, Naughty," tusked one of the elders gently, her voice playfully scolding, "You forgot she was not of our kind and not used to such bold advances. She is human; of this fact you must never forget. No matter your feelings and passions, she will not accept you as easily as our own kind would."

"Now, she hates me. What can I do?" he asked dejectedly, hating his pain and feeling weak.

"All is not lost, dear Alpha, for you have the Attraction on your side."

"You must court her as a human would. Woo her; win her back," added another.

"You must suppress your passion until she is ready. Use the Attraction, she cannot stay away from you now that she has known your scent," said the third.

"Luna has brought you together, but she will not give you all you desire so easily, my Alpha. That would make you spoilt" the fourth put in, smiling.

"Thank you, Honourable and wise elders; this has given me much peace." Zac said.

"Remember Alpha, Luna smiles on all her children of twin spirits, she loves us and bathes us in her pure moonlight. Rest and be well."

Zac got up slowly and moved towards exit. Stopping in the doorway, he turned and bowed to the four elders, who had not moved. "May Luna bless you," Zac said gently.

"May she bless us always," replied the four in unison as he shut the door quietly.

~

Zac returned to his seat in his room and began planning his second attempt at his woman's heart. He stared at her face intently, memorising every aspect of her perfect features. He stroked her hand gently, enjoying the feel of her smooth skin. She shifted slightly and he saw a small smile in the corners of her mouth. He idly wondered what she was dreaming about.

Keith walked into the room quietly, "you sent for me Alpha?"

"Yes, I need a car brought round. I'm taking her home."

~~~

Ally lived on the other side of the city to where his pack grounds were. She was just inside his territory on the borderlands between his and a rival pack. The pack in particular was the Dunntel Pack, who had been causing him some grief for the past year.

He ignored this fact, caring only for his Ally being home safe. One of his betas had retrieved her purse from the nightclub, and they had used her driver's licence to find her address.

She lived in a small and relatively neat townhouse on a side street. Taking care of his armful of Ally, Zac watched as Keith tried to find the key to the front door from the mess of keys in her purse. Finally finding it, he opened the front door and briskly searched the house for threats. Signalling the all clear to his Alpha, Keith stepped outside and stood watch at the door.

Zac carried Ally upstairs and found her bedroom. Whilst small, it was tastefully decorated, though there were clothes littering the room. It must be all the outfits she had tried on before going out the night they had met, he realised.

He laid her gently in her bed and pulled the covers over her. She shivered a little and reached out to the empty side of the bed with a little whimper. Zac smiled and got into the cold bed with her. She rolled over and snuggled up to him, curled on her side, her head lay on his chest. Her little smile returned as she snuggled deeper into him. Zac wrapped his arm around her and gently kissed her crown.

He lay like that for a little while, until Keith grew bored and came to get him. He set his present on the dresser, along with the letter he had written.

With a final kiss on her cheek, and touch of her hand, Zac left her room silently, wondering if he would ever see her again.

~

Sunshine was streaming through her windows, and birds were chirping outside. Ally woke slowly to the persistent sound of her alarm beeping. Groggily she rolled over and slapped her hand around her bedside table, eventually hitting the "snooze button". She rolled back over and continued cuddling the pillow that smelled so nice.

Suddenly her eyes snapped open as she recalled the crazy dream she'd had. She sat up in bed, her head spinning dizzily. She looked around her bedroom.

That was one hell of a dream,

she thought to herself. She wriggled to the side. Pain shot through her ribs. Looking down, Ally realised she was wearing the stone coloured shirt from her dream, and underneath was the heavy taping around her ribs... which had been broken. Her mind whirled,

no dream... real!

Ally suddenly noticed a giant bouquet of crimson roses sitting on her dresser, amongst her makeup, jewellery and perfumes. Propped against the vase was a parchment envelope, with her name in fancy scrawl across the front. Slowly, she got up and picked up the letter. The smell of the roses was intoxicating to her, and she took a second to bury her face in the blooms to calm herself down. Sitting back on the bed, she opened the letter with shaking hands.

Ally,

I know I scared you yesterday, and for that I am deeply sorry. If you don't remember, my name is Zac. My dogs found you in the alley behind Carlton's Bar the night before last. You had been attacked by someone you told me was your ex-boyfriend. I brought you back to my lodgings and had a doctor look at you. A few of your ribs are broken; they have been taped up to heal, but Doc says you have to try and be gentle on them.

I was very pleased to meet your acquaintance and I am afraid I came on too strongly. I did not mean to make unwelcome advances on you in any form. You are a very beautiful and attractive woman, so much so I lost all sense of decency.

There are many things I wish to tell you about me and the nature of our meeting. It is up to you if you forgive me and if you ever want to see me again. I can be contacted any time; day or night on 1645-4852-78895, if you want or need to talk.

I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive my tactless behaviour.

Yours Faithfully,

Zachariah Coleman.

Ally read the letter, her mouth open. Their meeting came rushing back to her mind. Her cheeks flushed as she remembered the passion that she had felt. Thinking about his gorgeous lips on hers made butterflies in her stomach and a dull ache further south. She wanted to be mad at him, but she just couldn't. Her body had responded in a way that she had never felt before, and clearly it was trying to tell her something that her mind just hadn't picked up.

She remembered her attacks on him, and felt ashamed of herself for such violent behaviour. Her knuckles were bruised from punching him in the face, which she had done so with all the force she could muster.

She put the letter back in its original place, and hopped in the shower. The hot water was wonderful on her healing body. In her nakedness, she could see she was covered in bruises from the beating she received behind the bar. Stepping out of the shower, Ally sat on the bed and stared at the flowers and the letter. She eventually made up her mind that she was just going to forget the whole thing and pretend it didn't happen.

She had the day to herself and her house was pretty much clean. She wandered around the house, looking for constructive things to do. She spent the morning doing odd jobs, then settled for a book after lunch. Reclined on her couch, snuggled against the cushions, she opened one of her old favourites. Ally loved reading, she always had, but she just couldn't focus. She managed two chapters before she threw it aside with a disgusted sigh. She couldn't put her finger on what was wrong.

She changed into her yoga clothes and rearranged her lounge room. Tai-chi had been her favourite exercise ever since Kate had dragged her to a class. It was through Tai-chi that Ally felt most in tune with the energy that filled her core. Just like her book, ally couldn't concentrate, and the normal soothing feeling she felt had been replaced by impatience and irritation.

She felt like she was waiting for something, but she couldn't figure out what it was. It was most infuriating.

Eventually the sky darkened as the long day drew to a close. Ally spent a good hour in her bathtub, soaking away her unease and pampering herself with various lotions and scrubs.

Feeling very pretty, Ally put on her silk nightgown. It was black and lacy. The cool material rubbed at her nipples, which were hardened from the cold. She hopped into bed... it was cold, and it took a long time to warm up. Shivering beneath the covers, Ally smelled a wonderful scent coming from the vacant side. Hesitantly, she wriggled over and laid her head on the pillow. It smelled of him. He had been in her bed! The nerve of the man! She was angry, but she snuggled deeper into the pillow. After a long day, she slept soundly, cuddling the pillow.

Ally woke up the next morning, sill cuddling the pillow. Groggily, she slumped down stairs and fixed herself some cereal as the smell of brewing coffee slowly dragged her into semi-consciousness. Sitting at the breakfast bar, she saw her phone sitting on the bench.

She had thought about Zac all day yesterday and dreamed of him all night. She picked up her phone and put in his number. She then simply stared at the little green button that would connect them. She lost track of how long she sat there, staring. She put her phone away, reminding herself that she wasn't thinking of him and she was supposed to be forgetting about it all.

Her home phone rang, making her jolt in surprise.

Was it him? Had he called her?

She raced to the cradle and wrenched up the phone.

"Hello?" she said breathlessly.

"Ally! Thank GOD! Where the hell have you been?" came the voice down the end of the line.

"Oh, hi Kate!" said Ally, feeling her heart sink; it wasn't him.

"I tried calling you, like, a million times, girl! You really had me worried!" Kate said down the line.

"Sorry, Kate. Things just kinda happened- I haven't even gone through it with myself yet," replied Ally, still thinking about Zac.

"Are you ok now? Obviously you're finally at home and stuff, but when I couldn't get a hold of you..." she trailed off.

"My phone died, and I went out for a drive yesterday. I had to think," Ally invented quickly.

"Man, you need to stop moping about bloody Paul already! He was a douche and no good for you!" said Kate impatiently.

It took Ally a second to remember who Paul was, as he lay completely forgotten in the back of her mind. Zac Coleman... her mind rolled the name around, loving the sound. She heard his voice in her head; the gorgeous sounds he made when she kissed him back.

No, I'm forgetting about all of it. He doesn't exist.

"Hello? Earth to Ally? Are you even listening to me?" Kate's voice snapped her back to the present.

Shaking her head to rid her of the daydreams ally said, "Listen, you wanna meet up for coffee next week?"

"Sure, oh I can show you pictures of my dress- we bought it yesterday from Claire's Boutique! And we picked out the bridesmaid dresses- you're gonna look so pretty, and we tried some cake- I need your opinion on which one to get; there is this

divine

blueberry sponge or a delicious mud-"

"KATE!" Ally interrupted, "I get it, Silly. You can tell me all about it, when I see you next week ok? I gotta get going- I have a class in an hour that I can't skip again!"

"Oh, crap. Sorry Ally. I'm just so excited about the wedding! Can you believe it's only a month and a half? 46 days! Oh my god! I have less than 50 days! I am so not prepared! We haven't even looked at-"

"Bye Kate! I'll see you next week." Ally said

"Bye-" Kate said distractedly

Ally hung up the phone and took a deep breath. Kate had been her best friend for years; they had known each other since primary school- she had been there, holding Ally's hand at her mum's funeral a couple of years ago. Ally knew she could never repay her friend for her strength that horrible day.

Reminded, she went over to a picture hanging on the wall in the lounge room. In it was her mum and her at the park when she was 6. She was on a swing, a joyful smile across her face, as her mother pushed her with laughter and joy etched across her beautiful face.

A tear rolling down her cheek, Ally polished the glass and wiped away the dust with a rag. "Miss you so much, Mum." She whispered quietly to the picture as she re-hung it.