Chapter 2
Luna Winter stalked through the dark night forest. Her soft, padded feet made no noise as she moved through the undergrowth. Her pitch black fur made her invisible in the darkness. Nothing with eyes to see or ears to hear would know she was moving through the mountainous woods tonight. She was well within Steel Fang territory now. She couldn’t afford to be stopped until she had made it to the pack’s alpha, Rodney McKenzie. Upwind a Steel Fang pack member stood sentry up high on a cliff. She must be getting close to McKenzie’s cabin now.
The light breeze which had been blowing from the west shifted slightly, blowing now from the north-west. Luna swore silently. Soon, her lion scent would be carried to the sentry on the cliff, as well as any of his pack mates, who might be stationed throughout the woodland. Luna picked up speed, loping through the woods. A lone howl echoed through the forest, quickly joined by others. The pack had caught her scent. This close to the alpha’s home, they would be on her in no time. A distant light peeked at her through the trees. There, that must be the cabin. The howling grew louder, and Luna could hear the pounding of canine feet close behind her.
Sparing no reserves Luna ran for the cabin, as if it were hellhounds chasing her, rather than a pack of werewolves. Her heart pounded as the pack began to catch up. Lions were meant for powerful, swift sprints which ended quickly. She was not built for a marathon run. Still she could not allow herself to be caught, Lelani was counting on her. The light from the cabin became brighter. Luna could see the clearing of the yard just ahead of her. A pair of snapping jaws lunged at her from behind. Luna could feel the wolf’s warm breath on her heels as she barely sidestepped the attack. There in front of her, a small semicircle of wolves stood in the cabin’s yard. In the middle and slightly behind them, a massive white wolf stood calmly staring at her. There he was. Luna knew without a doubt that had to be McKenzie.
The air was full of growling and snarling as Luna raced into the clearing. It was clear the Steel Fangs did not appreciate her presence. Too bad for them, she thought to herself. Luna had no time for any of them but the alpha. The semicircle of wolves began to move forward when they realized Luna was not about to slow down. If she couldn’t get to McKenzie in time, she was good as dead. Using her forward momentum, Luna leapt towards the huge white wolf, clearing his pack members with ease. She landed on the ground in front of him with a thump and released her transformation. Now she lay before him, naked and completely vulnerable. Out of the corner of her eye she could see a massive grey wolf, only slightly smaller than McKenzie himself, on a collision course with her. Luna screamed out “Sanctuary, Alpha” just as the enormous beast hit her.
The wolf pinned her with his bulk. Although she had been expecting to be attacked, Luna felt no teeth sink in to her exposed flesh. She could feel the wolf’s body shake with a deep, throaty growl. “That’s enough Sampson.” A powerful, authoritative voice washed over the clearing. “You know full well I honor a request for asylum. Let the lady up, I believe she is already fully aware of your displeasure.” With a final growl Sampson moved off of her, exposing her naked body to the chilly night air. Luna shivered as she stared at the alpha’s bare feet. She could feel his eyes on her body. Luna didn’t dare look up at his face. She didn’t want any of the pack to think she was making a show of dominance.
She watched as McKenzie slid a pair of jeans on over his bare feet. “Come inside, she-cat. You can explain to me why you came all this way, into the heart of my territory, without my permission.” Luna took the hand the alpha extended, and allowed him to pull her to her feet. For the first time, Luna looked into the face of the man she had pinned all her hopes upon. The rumors she’d heard of his good looks had not been exaggerations. Rodney McKenzie was the epitome of everything a powerful were male ought to be: well muscled, with chiseled features and deep expressive eyes. Authority rolled off of him in waves. Refusing to be intimidated by him, Luna rolled back her shoulders and tilted her head up. McKenzie quirked a half smile at her show of spirit and turning, walked into the cabin. She followed the alpha into the house, walking as regally as an ancient queen.
Once they were inside, the alpha threw Luna an old t-shirt, which she snatched out of the air. Not surprisingly, the shirt smelled of him. How like an alpha, Luna thought to herself, to make a claim on a newcomer with his scent. She smoothly pulled on the t-shirt, which fell to her mid thigh. She ran a hand through her ebony hair, trying to bring it back to some semblance of order. Nudity never bothered her, but messiness certainly did. McKenzie watched her ministrations with a look of bland amusement as he sat down on a leather arm chair. “Would you like a brush, she-cat?” He asked chuckling. “No, I’m fine, Alpha.” She said and dropping her hand from her hair, sniffed daintily.
A few members of the pack had filed in to the cabin after them. They were probably the most senior ranking, Luna thought, judging by their postures. While there were two women in the small group, Luna noted with relief that neither of them took a position next to McKenzie. That meant the pack still had no alpha female. Her information had been correct. Luna waited patiently, until all the pack members had settled around the room, arranging themselves informally around their leader. “My name is Luna Winter; I am a daughter of the line of Nubia.” The alpha’s eyebrow rose in surprise, and from somewhere in the room, one of his subordinates gave an appreciative whistle. Luna had known that would get their attention. The line of Nubia was one of the eldest, rarest, and most coveted were blood lines in existence. They had been named after an Egyptian goddess of knowledge, whom they were all descended from through a matriarchal line. To the best of her knowledge, Luna and her sister Lelani were the last two remaining Nubia females in North America capable of bearing young. Ultimately, that was the cause of their problem.
“I have come to you ask for your help, Alpha. My sister has been taken against her will. I need your aid, and that of your pack, to rescue her. In exchange for your assistance…” Luna took a breath to steady her nerves, and started again. “In exchange for your assistance, I will submit myself to you, and bear your young.” For a moment the room was utterly silent from shock, and then every pack member was speaking at once. Luna let the noise wash over her. She was only interested in Rodney McKenzie’s reaction. He remained silent, watching her speculatively in his turn.
Finally the other werewolves simmered down. “This is crazy, Rodney.” The man who sat nearest McKenzie snorted indignantly. “How do we know this feline is telling us the truth? Can she prove any of what she says?”
“Sampson has a point, she-cat.” The alpha said to her coolly. “Can you prove to us you are who you claim to be?”
Luna nodded brusquely. She had expected her claims to be met with some disbelief. She walked over to Sampson, and grasped his meaty wrist in one elegant hand. Closing her eyes, Luna allowed her ancestral power to take over. Her mind was filled with knowledge of the man whose wrist she held. She filtered through all of the information for some memory she could use, something a stranger would never know. “When you were eight, you were on a little league baseball team, you played in the outfield. Late in the ninth inning, you made a running catch for a fly ball. You tripped over a gopher hole and broke your right ankle. However, you still managed to catch the ball, and won the game for your team. You refused to let your father take you to the hospital until you had gotten celebratory ice cream with your team. You had chocolate with strawberry sauce.”
Sampson swore quietly. “I regret my hasty words lady. Rodney, I withdraw my objections.”
Luna let go of Sampson’s wrist and opened her eyes. The room was spinning around her, using her power in this manner was always draining. Having to use it on a were was even worse. She took a hesitant step towards McKenzie, but her shaky legs couldn’t carry her. In an instant, Luna found herself wrapped in the Alpha’s powerful arms. “The rest of you may leave. Luna and I have much to discuss.” The statement was clearly not a suggestion. The rest of the werewolves quickly filed out of the cabin, and soon the two were alone. McKenzie carefully placed Luna on his couch, and then drew a warm blanket over her. Then he knelt in front of her, so that their heads were even.
“Why are you here, Luna?” The werewolf asked her quietly. “I realize you need help, but why come to me, specifically? You don’t even know me.” Closing her eyes, so she wouldn’t have to watch his head spin around her, Luna answered. “You are the alpha of a powerful pack. You have the resources I need to help my sister. My contacts tell me you are an honorable man, once you give your word, you don’t go back on a promise.” She paused for a moment and then continued. “Plus you are unmated- you have no young, though pack dynamics will soon require you to have them. I need a sire for my children. I will not allow my lineage to die off.” She opened her eyes and stared into his eyes. “I cannot allow my line to die off. Please, Alpha McKenzie, help me.”