Pure Moonlight

It has been one hell of a month since I last submitted, and I am sorry so much time lapses between chapters. My university career is drawing to a close (2 more assignments to go!), so hopefully there will be more time for writing.

CHAPTER 7- WOW. I can't believe I reached this far. Your comments and feedback have helped me a lot in continuing- thanks everyone! Don't forget to do it all over again here- I still love feedback and comments, like every other author :)

This is a shorter chapter than the last, but a lot happens... I chose to cut it where I did because the scene that follows is a ridiculous 3K+ words (which I haven't finished writing). Hopefully it will be up before the end of the month.

Hope you enjoy!

<3 Shadowsung

~~~

Upon the suggestion of my proof-reader (aka boyfriend), I have given a name to a tradition given to the Were's in my world, since I have yet to come across a similar thing.

Iydam (pron: Eye-Dum) -- A piece of jewellery, generally a necklace or bracelet, with a pendant.

One side of the pendant holds the engraved shield or symbol of the pack they belong to and the other holds their engraved name.

Traditionally it is given to a child upon their birth by parents and used as a form of identification by other Weres.

~~~~~~~~~

Silence pierced the dungeon with tension as the shadow creature watched the mist rising from the ever bubbling cauldron. The vision in the mist held a dark car as it drove into the distance. The shadow paced by the swirling haze; lost in thought.

The misshapen figure of one of his minions watched the vision with beady, emotionless eyes. "Master," its voice high pitched and whiney, "this is good, isn't it? It means you can go get her now that the wolves are no longer protecting her."

"Fool," replied the shadow, "She still has the beginnings of the mating bond. Even if the Coleman Alpha hasn't sealed it, it's still there. It makes her useless for my needs. The bond must be broken, but it cannot be done by magical means. It must be done by them."

"How, Master?"

The shadow pointed to a pile of rags in the corner. He muttered a single word and the pile started to move. The woman, covered in rags opened her eyes and sat up, eyes wide at the macabre surroundings. "Where- where am I?"She asked sleepily.

The shadow moved over and crouched in front of her. Her eyes widened further and she gasped in fright. She looked down, refusing to make eye contact with the hideous form in front of her. A talon reached under her chin and forced her to face him.

"It is interesting, my dear. Ambition has a certain... smell about it. It becomes you quite nicely," The voice whispered, silky smooth and deadly.

The girl blushed and stared at him. "What do you want?"

The creature smiled under its hood, "Why, my dear, I want to make you happy, providing you make me happy first."

She regarded the figure sceptically, "What do I have to do?"

"All you have to do, my dear," he said gently, "is feed your dear alpha this." He held up a tiny vial filled with a crimson, viscous liquid. "Don't worry. It is completely harmless for him. Two drops in his breakfast will suffice. And I would make sure his new... mate... is not very welcome within the pack. A human in the den should not be tolerated."

She took the vial and inspected it closely before returning it and watching the creature closely. "What do I get in return?" she asked doing her best to appear disinterested.

"Why, what you've always wanted, my dear; Zac Coleman and his pack."

She looked at him in surprise, how did he know? He chuckled menacingly, "Oh, my dear. Your face is so expressive! Never mind how I knew. Just make sure I am happy, and then you will be too. My only suggestion is that you make doubly sure that you do not do anything to arouse suspicion or anger your alpha."

She crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow, "That's a tall order. The penalty for conspiring against the pack is death. I'm not sure I am ready to stick my neck on the line... unless," she paused thinking quickly, "Unless you can guarantee that I will not die as a result of this transaction...."

The creature regarded her for a moment, "Fine. I give you a blood promise that you will not die as a result of this transaction." He clicked his fingers and a parchment appeared with his promise on it. A dagger magically appeared in place of the vial. He sliced through his thumb and pushed his bloodied print into the paper. He grabbed her hand and sliced her thumb in a swift motion. She bit back a yell as he drew her thumb across his still wet print. She felt her blood smear across the paper and mingle with his, and some of his blood seep into her cut. She shuddered as she felt a chill sweep through her body. He dropped her hand and wiped his hand on his robe, as if he had touched rubbish.

A mischievous smile broke out across her face, "I shall make sure we both have our happy endings, my Lord."

His returning smile made hers falter, for she had never seen such an evil expression in her life. He reached out a talon and touched her forehead, watching the flash of terror as her eyes rolled into the back of her head as she slumped back onto the floor.

He stood up and turned away from the girl, "Deal with that. Make sure it makes it back to where ever you found it, Minion."

He returned to his cauldron, speculating as he stared into its bubbling depths. His plans were slowly falling in to place.

~~~

Ally stopped on her doorstep and turned to face Keith. She smiled at him, knowing full well how awkward he felt. "Thanks for the ride, Keith," she said.

"You're welcome. You have my number if you ever want a ride back."

Ally smiled hesitantly at him, "I'm sure I will take you up on it..."

"Zac is a great guy, Ally. I know he comes on a bit strong, but he would literally do anything to see you happy. Happy wouldn't begin to describe how he would feel if you came back to him soon. Surely you feel something for him?"

Ally bit her nail, not wanting to look at him, "I'm not sure why! The depth of wanting I feel when I am near him is just... too much. I just need to get away from it and get a chance to breathe."

Keith looked unhappy, but nodded. He gave her a quick hug and went back to his car. He opened the door, paused and looked back at her. "Don't be a stranger now, you hear?" With a roguish wink, he jumped into the car and took off into the night.

Ally chuckled as she found her keys and opened the door. A horrible smell hit her nose, telling her she had definitely missed almost two days. Her cat, Lilly, sat on the edge of the rug in the lounge room, obviously torn between giving her usual friendly greeting or being pissed at being left alone for so long. Ally opened up all the windows and dealt with the two used litter boxes. Plugging her nose at the smell, Ally saw her cat sitting there, staring at her with an expression that said "that is what you get for leaving me." With a swish of her tail she went into the other room and curled up on the couch.

Liberally spraying the air freshener through the house, Ally checked her calls. To her horror she realised that she had completely forgotten about poor Kate and had accidently stood her up for their lunch date.

She called up her friend, begging forgiveness and organising a new date, promising to make it up to her. That taken care of, Ally went and fixed herself some leftover dinner, feeding some to Lilly and regaining the mildest of friendly gestures. She spent the night simply watching the television and petting her cat. Her mind wandered ceaselessly over the past couple of days and all of the events that had taken place. Her disaster of a date with Zac had ended with a brutal attack, but her mind was so fuzzy and her head hurt so much when she tried to think about it. The egg shaped lump had gone down, but she could still feel the aches and bumps that she had received. She felt like she was missing something, but her head hurt so much, she found it easier to not think about it.

Turning off the TV, Ally was struck by a feeling she had not felt for quite a while. With a start she realised she felt a little lonely. Sure she had talked to her cat more than anyone else, somehow her imperious looks were not enough of a reply in conversation as she would have liked. She made her way upstairs and began to get ready for bed. Dressed in a cotton slip, she threw aside the scatter cushions and slipped under the covers. Once again she was struck by lack of heat in the bed and a deep sense of loneliness.

She lay there in the dark, her cat snoring softly at her feet and stared into the abyss. She wondered how Zac was going, if he was in bed and feeling the same way. The snide part of her mind suggested he had already moved on to his next conquest and had forgotten about her. With a start she felt her eyes water and her stomach roll as though she had been punched. Stubbornly she ignored that mean little part of her mind and tried to meditate her way to relaxation and sleep.

~~~

Keith groaned, feeling blood trickle across his head. Everywhere hurt. His seatbelt dug into his shoulder, keep him suspended firmly in his seat. His head was spinning, and his arms dangled against the roof. He could feel the wheels of his upturned car still spinning. Trying to shift around in his seat, he almost screamed as he felt his shoulder relocate. Panting through the pain, he tried to move around, feeling his body already beginning to heal.

The night was dark on the country roads; a thin sliver of moon could be seen, illuminating little in its light. The trees that shrouded the highway were knobby and twisted; their gnarled face-like features were warped into the grotesque likeness of demons. It was as though they had contorted themselves to glare at him and the metal contraption that had disturbed their peace. Chest heaving, Keith ripped his seatbelt and fell to the roof in a heap. His screams pierced the silent night, scaring nesting birds from their roosts in a rush of noise and feathers.

Looking through the windscreen, Keith saw a shadow separate from the trees and approach the car in a wandering gait. Eyes wide, he watched as it approached the car and stopped, speculating methodically.

"Help me!" Keith managed to shout at the motionless shadow.

It swayed from side to side then moved forward in a rushed blur. Metal screamed as the car door was ripped off and thrown away. The shadow melted lower and stretched out; a grotesque, taloned hand appeared from the darkness. It grasped his bloodstained collar and pulled his prone form, screaming from the upturned wreck.

Dragged across the road a short distance, the hand released him; leaving him slumped on the ground. Keith groaned and rolled to his back and looked up at the shadow, dimly realising it was a human shaped figure wrapped in a liquid black cloak. The hand reached down and he couldn't help but flinch. He felt a tug on the back of his neck and a tiny metal snap. Eyes wide, he watched as the creature carefully observed his Iydam, twisting it in the dim light.

A deep, menacing chuckle resounded through the cold night air, "You'll do quite nicely," it rumbled. It tossed away his necklace in the opposite direction to the car, Keith hearing a tiny thud as it hit the grass. A twin hand appeared alongside the original as the creature crouched over his prone form. The hands cupped his cheeks, Keith shuddering at their cold and slimy touch. Two sharp talons rested against his temple, piercing the skin.

A blood curdling scream ripped itself from Keith's chest as it seemed like a thousand red hot needles were suddenly being fired through his head. The talons on his temples were ice cold, and he felt the hands shift as the icy feeling went deeper into his head, slicing through the excruciating heat with an unbearable frost.

Relief poured through him when the hands pulled away, leaving him feeling sick and sluggish. He watched as the creature stood up and looked around before vanishing into the darkness. Silence and cold surrounded Keith as he felt the darkness mercifully take him.

~~~

"Rick!" called one of his betas, his hand covering the mouth piece of the phone, "It's Lance, and it's not good."

Rick heaved a sigh and ran his fingers through his hair impatiently, "What is it? Why did you call me?" he said, picking up the phone.

"Rick, I had to call you; Curt and Scott are tied up, and we can't get in contact Nate, which makes you next in line."

He felt his head throb and his stomach sink; this was not going to be good. There was a silence. Lance realised there would be no answer, so he continued, "Ambulance crews brought in a guy who had been in a car accident. He's a Were and in very bad shape. He doesn't have any identification on him, nor does he have an Iydam anywhere. We need a clean-up crew at the scene and I need authorisation to clear him from the hospital records. He will heal much too quickly and the humans will notice. We need to get him out of there before they do. We need permission to bring him to the den to heal."

"Ok, I give permission for all that, I guess. I will organise and head the cleanup crew. Leave the address with me and I will deal with it."

There was very little time, so he didn't waste it on pleasantries. Within 20 minutes Rick lead his team of 4 other Weres to the site of the accident.

The site was not hard to find- the black car had not been moved from where it had stopped on its roof. It had been severely burnt and slightly exploded. The plates had been ripped off, making identification even more impossible. Together, Rick and his men upturned the car and searched it for evidence. The fire had cleared out anything recognisable. At his request his two Betas flipped the car on its side and using their Were strength, picked it up and carried it off the road and into the thick forest. Rick was amusedly reminded of watching two humans moving a couch in the same fashion. The two men worked together, weaving the car through the trees until they reached a clearing a good distance from the road. They put down the car and sat down, panting from their efforts. The other two wolves and Rick scoured the area where the car had been, picking up loose parts and anything that would indicate an accident. Satisfied, Rick and his crew got back into their car and drove back to the compound.

The John Doe was brought in by an ambulance driven by Weres, who dropped off him and all his charts to Lance, who had been setting up one of their turning chambers into a care bay for the unconscious Were. There was no telling who he was or how he would react when woken, so for the sake of the entire pack he would be under constant guard and in a re-enforced steel room that could withstand a nuclear attack. Normally it was used for forced turnings or mentally unstable Weres and thankfully very rarely used.

In no time, the man was hooked up to the required machines and thoroughly checked. Every so often he moaned in his sleep, but he never woke. Lance was very confused; his injuries were substantial -- it was quite the list, but it should not have rendered him so deeply unconscious. A Theta nurse appeared, carrying a basin full of steaming water and a sponge. The Weres had moved so quickly that, except for his numerous cuts, was still mostly covered in sweat, blood and dirt. The Nurse stripped back the bedding and cut away his ruined clothes in an impersonal and business-like matter.

Lance watched carefully as the nurse cleaned up the unknown man, watching him for any signs of waking. After sponging him down, the nurse altered his bed angle and retrieved a curved basin and began to wash his hair. Lance then noticed the two pin pricks on the sides of his temples. He leaned in closer to get a better look. They were very small holes, but tinged with black lines lacing around them. Carefully, he put his hands up and pressed his fingers to the spots, trying to judge the depth. As soon as his fingertips made contact he should have noticed the horrible chill that they held, but he was too distracted. The second his skin made contact to those spots the man sat up dead straight in the bed, blood-curdling screams echoing off of the walls of the enclosed chamber. Water and bedding flew everywhere as the nurse shrieked and backed away. Lance quickly withdrew his hands and the man fell back, as unconscious as he was before. It felt like it had been hours that he screamed but it had only been moments.

Lance stared in shock at his nurse, who was staring back, equally stunned, "What the bloody hell was THAT?"

~~~

Zac spent the night tossing fitfully in his cold bed that haunted him with puffs of her faint scent. Thoughts whirled through his head; what if she never came back? What if she did, only to run again when she found out what he was? Would she accept him? What would he do if she didn't?

When the sun finally reared its head over the horizon he got up, feeling tired and cranky. After a hot shower he caught his haggard reflection in the mirror. His bloodshot eyes had bags under them, his skin was sunken and hollow, but worst of all there was no light in his eyes.

One night.

One night without her had reduced him to this. How could he cope without her for eternity? He couldn't. Tears fell from his eyes as he imagined a long, cold life without her. He clutched his chest, feeling his heart scream as it shattered into a million pieces. He now understood how mates went crazy when the other half of their being died.

Swiping away at the tears, he felt his wolf join the monologue. It snarled in distain at his self-defeatist thoughts. She WILL accept them, she WILL love them and she WILL be with them for the rest of their lifetimes. They were not immortal like other species that walked the Earth, but they lived longer than humans.

He needed her to accept him; both parts of him and allow him to open her second nature. He had no idea how to approach her and reveal his true nature. He decided it was time to visit the Elders once again, they had never steered him wrong before, and they may be able to help him again.

~~~

"Dear Alpha, you look terrible," smiled the old lady, her eyes never leaving the large globe that hung suspended in the middle of their circle.

"Not been sleeping?" asked another, chuckling.

He couldn't help the growl that escaped his throat- he had no time for joking.

"Ignore my sisters," said the elder closest to him, glaring at the other three, "What answers do you seek, dearest leader of our pack, how may we help you brighten this fine day?"

"It's is my mate-"

"The human."

"Yes. I need to tell her about us before we mate, and I am not sure how long we will have before my wolf loses control."

"Tisk tisk, Alpha. You should have more control of that wild guide of yours."

"He let her go home, Sister, he has control," countered his defender.

"Is there a way I could soften the blow to her, a way to ease her into the idea. I think there is more of a chance of success that way than barraging her with the information."

"You are wise to assume so, Alpha. Give us a minute to confer and we will decide if we can be of assistance."

Zac dropped his head and stood outside the door, which closed in his wake without being touched.

He paced impatiently, waiting for the ladies to make up their minds. They were so old that time no longer mattered to them. He knew they could be anywhere between a few minutes and a few days.

"Come inside, dear one, before you wear holes through the floor and fall through," came a voice. Zac jumped, the door had opened so silently he had not picked up on it.

He moved inside as the door closed behind him once again. The four ladies motioned as one to the cushion in the middle of the floor underneath the orb. He moved into their circle and settled himself.