Warriors of Blue moon

We headed through the trees and every step felt as if it was a step closer to my death or something, like I was allowing myself to walk straight into my own demise. Sweat ran down my spine as I could see the clearing in the trees and the now freshly washed grounds of the Blue moon pack. I pulled up my hood and put on my mask, not wanting any passer-by to recognize me. We approached the Pack house and Dakota held my hand in support ”it’s going to be ok” she reassured me… but no matter what, there was nothing she could say that would stop my anxious sweats and my legs from feeling like jelly as my knees felt they could buckle at any moment and flee in the other direction taking me with them.

The smells of the pack house were a mix of all the people it housed here and the fresh food that the cooks were preparing for lunch. Mmmm bread I could smell, and something sweet mixed with cinnamon. But thanks to my nervousness as much as my nose enjoyed the smells, my stomach churned up in knots suddenly feeling queasy and tight!

We got to the second floor, turned down to a long hallway and within in seconds a mix of powerful and strong scents hit me, of course, his office was filled with alphas, betas and guards. Ohh… wow… fuck... that scent! I knew who it belonged to as soon as it sent a tingle down my body and made me shiver with pleasure. I gulped hard and squeezed my eyes shut before opening them again...get it together… get a fucking grip of yourself... block it out... block it out… block it out… block it out! I said it over and over in my head with every step that took us closer to the office door, when all too soon we were stood right in front of it and Heath was knocking.

“Come in" Layton’s voice boomed through the wooden doors. Heath gave me one last reassuring look. Adeena stood behind me and rubbed my arm as Dakota squeezed my hand one last time before letting it go. Heath opened the doors followed by Adeena and Dakota. I took in one last deep breath, shut off my mind and told myself to stay calm and focused.

I walked in, my head held high, my eye contact strong as I looked before me to everyone that was in the room. I glanced past Layton who was sat at the head of the table, it would be considered rude not to look straight to him, but at this point now I’m actually here… I didn’t give a shit.

Galeb was stood tall and strong behind him and it was him I looked straight to, then to Sam who was sat to the right of Layton. my body flinched as I saw his hard stare on me and noticing how much he’d grown. Another Alpha was to Layton’s left, with his Beta sat next to him, both of them looking at me as if trying to figure out who I could be.

“So” Layton’s deep voice caused my stomach to flip a little “you are the mysterious ally of Heath’s.... I’m glad you agreed to meet us" his gaze stayed hard and powerful on me ”He told me your name is May... but you see, I have been through our personnel folders of everyone living in this pack… past and present and I did not find anyone by that name… and what confuses me more is the fact that your wearing our warrior uniform” He looked to my sheath ”I see you also have one of our swords… So, I’m going to make this easy on you… for now… you tell us who you are and how you managed to get our uniform and I won’t arrest you right here right now”

I smirked under my mask at his sheer audacity when I decided to speak up with a strong unfaltering voice ”well... it wouldn’t be the first time you had me arrested” I said soaked with sarcasm.

His brows frowned but his back arched slightly as it obviously caught his attention ”come again... you’ve already been arrested on our territory" I could see the anger in his eyes as he must have pinned me as an enemy, So I smirked again now feeling cocky and self-confident as I tutted. its time I thought… I moved my hands to my hood and pulled it back, letting my long dark brown hair fall out over my shoulders and down my back, then moving my hand behind my head, I untied my mask and slowly pulled it down from my face.

My eyes darted straight to Sam as I did so. I caught his body blanch and his breath hitched as his eyes widened in shock, tears already on the surface as he took in what was revealed before him. I didn’t look to Layton… I didn’t dare, I had to stay strong when it came to him… I had to assert my strength.

“Lil’s?” Sam whispered as he shook his head in disbelief. He slowly got up from his seat and he made his way carefully over to me, his eyes looking me all over as if trying to make sure I wasn’t some imposter in Lelanna’s body. he gulped back tears as his hands reached out to touch my arms. He did so ever so lightly as they trembled. He moved them up to my shoulders and his eyes went to mine as he moved his hands to my face. “Lil’s?.... please tell me this is real.... I’m… I’m not dreaming”

“I’m real" I smiled through tears that I begged not to fall.

His tears fell as he suddenly pulled me into him and wrapped his arms tightly around me, tighter than he ever had before, I felt as if his big arms were going to crush the wind out of me as he let out hushed sobs onto my shoulder.

My arms wrapped tightly around his torso, and I breathed in his scent… it was so familiar and so calming, it made it so hard to keep my emotions at bay, my throat was practically fighting to let out the sobs that I had to keep from spilling, but really all I wanted to do was grab Sam, go outside and cry with him. I had allowed myself to forget just how much of a great brother and best friend Sam was to me.

I pulled back, then so did Sam as he must have remembered we weren’t in fact alone and tried to regain himself, he quickly stood tall again but still beamed at me.

“Lelanna Vanderwood?” I looked to Gabel as he called my name, the glistening of tears in his eyes as he walked over to me ”I knew there was real strength in you, you really are the warrior of warriors just like your father. Alpha Heath told us all about his Ally May figured everything out… but it was you! it was you all along. You that tracked and spied on the rogues, found out everything they were up to, even at the cost of your own life and by doing so… you saved this entire pack! had we had no warning of their attack.... well… needless to say we would have been outnumbered and overrun. you saved the lives of so many… Wow… your dad will be so proud even more so than I am now”. He gave a slight bow “It’s a real honor and pleasure to see you again and see just how strong you’ve become”.

I smiled and blushed at his sudden declaration “Gabel… you taught me very well and it was those skills that I took with me”

“No… there’s always been more to you than what I taught”.

The Alpha sat next to Layton cleared his throat “well not that I really know what’s going on here” he said with a charming smile ”but I’m assuming we don’t have to consider this warrior as a possible threat as it seems clear you all know her exceedingly well”.

“That’s right” Heath nodded at the Alpha ”Miss Lelanna Vanderwood here was a member of the Blue Moon pack”.

“Was?” he asked quizzingly.

“Technically she is again” Layton finally spoke again but this time his voice didn’t feel so deep and powerful… it was low and croaky

"Actually Alpha...” I looked to the Alpha who’s name I didn’t know.

“I’m Alpha Dallas" he smiled and motioned for me to continue

“I’m technically no member of any pack”

“Sooo, you’re a rogue?”

"Well.... I suppose if we put a label on it… then yes… but I’m not your typical rogue... I don’t live, kill, or have a lust for killing innocents like they do”

“Uh huh, I see… well if these people here feel your trustworthy then who am I to interfere”.

Sam, clasped my shoulder as my attention left the Alpha ”I can’t wait for mum and dad and our sisters to see you Lelanna… this is going to mean everything to them”

I briefly put my hand on his when I felt I had done what they asked… they asked to know who I was and now they do. Now it was time to see my parents, seeing Sam made me realize how much I wanted to breathe them in too.

I stepped back from Sam and went to head out of the doors when I dared myself to look at Layton but only to allow it for a mere second. I turned on my heel to face him as I bowed slightly ”good day Alpha” I spoke with an emotionless face, I couldn’t help but smile inside knowing my addressing him as just Alpha would piss him off rather than as Alpha Layton. It would show him that I don’t regard him as MY Alpha, just as a regular unknown to me Alpha and most of all… no longer a friend. He might not have felt any pain when he banished me… but I did...

I fucking DID!!

I left the office and kept walking as fast as I could, I had to get far away from his scent, his aura, and his damn everything! He has way too much of an effect on me! I didn’t even hear Sam’s footsteps behind me as he ran to catch up with me. He grabbed me by my arm and pulled me in for another hug, one which I quickly reciprocated.

“I can’t even...Lil’s… I can’t put into words how crazy this is… I lost all hope" his voice was crackling as if he tried to hold back more tears.

“I know” I muffled into his chest ”believe me, I didn’t ever think I’d be here again” We stayed that way as I could hear him sniffling as he rested his chin on the top of my head.

“Sam..”

“Yea?”

"Take me to mum and dad, I need them to see me before word gets out… I can’t let them hear I’m back from someone else”

I could feel his head nodding in agreement as he finally let me out of his hold, ”come"

I put my mask back on and pulled my hood up, we had to walk through the main village to get to the house and I knew there would be many people walking about… people that I had grown up with, they would surely recognise me in an instant if I didn’t cover my face.

As we reached our white wooden picket fence one that always used to be dressed with pink roses, mum always had a green thumb and would keep the front of our garden tidy and pretty, with flowers of all different colours dotted around the edges of the freshly cut green grass, everything was always trimmed perfectly, she doted on her little garden, but all of that was missing now, even the grass looked as though it hadn’t been cut for some time, it was wild, dull and uneven. Sam opened the gate and I followed as we made our way to the baby blue front door, he opened it and took hold of my hand as he led me in behind him.

The moment I stepped in and shut the door the smell of mum’s cooking swept over me making a lump clog my throat as the sudden memories of coming here every day after school, work, training… nothing made it more homely than the smell of her incredible cooking that she always made with love.

I didn’t know we had already made our way to the door of the living area when I could hear faint talking, Sam peeped his head round the door frame, still holding my hand with me still stood in the hallway out of view.

“Mum, Dad, girls”… he spoke softly ”I have someone here that... is someone we’ve all wished for”

“Sam… what are you talking about?” I heard my mum’s sweet voice and that alone made

Me overcome with sadness, I quickly took down my hood and untied my mask Sam looked to me then moved into the room and slowly pulled me in with him. I stepped in and gulped all my nerves down. Gasps flew around the room as I.... I finally had them right here, right in front of me… tears dropped from my eyes and there was no way I could even try to hold them back.

My mum’s breathing etched as she put her hands over her mouth then screamed a deathly scream as she jolted up and rushed over to me ”BABYYYY?... my baby… its.... it’s really you?” She broke out into loud sobs as threw her arms around me and squeezed me tightly. Her uncontrollable sobs and tears wetted my hair and soaked my shoulder as I held onto her, I looked at my dad through tear glazed eyes and even though my vision was blurry I could see that he was crying too, which he confirmed when he took both me and my mum in his arms and wept.

Little cries approached me from my sisters as they wrapped their arms around my hips and Sam Joined us as we all hugged tightly, with cries echoing around the room. I wanted to let it all out… I did, but only a few tears would fall… I don’t know, maybe it still feels all too surreal. I mean one minute Its just me… alone with nothing but my own voice and that of my wolf’s and our own thoughts and now I’m surrounded by all the people that I tried so hard to forget… to try and kid myself that I felt nothing and that they never existed. That they didn’t hold such a special place in my heart… That’s what I had to make myself feel though, so that I could adapt to the life I had out there, but here they are all sobbing their hearts out while all I can give them is a few tears, I just hoped they wouldn’t notice.

When the cries started to calm and my mum and dad had kept claiming how they couldn’t believe I was here and I was real, they finally took me over to the sofa and sat me in between them both.

With my sisters sitting on the floor in front of me and Sam on an armchair to my right. My mum held my left hand, and my dad held my right, I could see in their eyes they had a million questions, but I already knew I couldn’t give them all the answers they wanted, at least not with my sisters here… I looked at their innocent faces in front of me, big brown eyes and golden blonde hair that was now so long and thick it reached the low of their backs, if their hair was a little more blonde, they could both pass for miniature Rapunzel’s... “wow” I looked at them with so much love “how you two have grown”

“Well, we’ll be 10 soon” Daisy said with a bright smile, her face now blotchy from all he tears.

“10!” I exclaimed ”wow you both look as if you could pass for at least 12"

They both giggled as they shifted closer to me “we missed you tucking us into be bed Lil. We thought you’d never come back” Lily spoke sadly as she looked up at me with her big brown eyes.

A lone tear dropped from my eye. “I’m sorry girls” It was all I could say, I felt speechless at where I was and how this had all happened so fast.

My dad stroked my hand with his thumb, I looked at him and noticed how even though he looked older, gained more wrinkled and his hair was now fully grey, he still looked strong, capable and handsome like a George Clooney handsome, men that seem to better with age! “We counted every day that passed for two years” he spoke sadly “and when the second year came to an end, and you didn’t return… well… we feared the worst… we tried not to but… we felt so hopeless... we tried to accept you were gone for good but… it broke our hearts”.

"We had hoped you’d found a nice pack to take you in and that when the two years was up, you’d return” My mum spoke quietly still trying to hold back her sobs. ”Is that what happened honey?... did you find a pack… was it too nice that you didn’t want to leave?”

I shook my head as I tried to hold back another tear from falling ”No mum, I lived out in the forest… I came across Heath’s pack a couple of weeks ago when I noticed rogues lingering around his boarders… long story short they attacked Heath and some of his men, we fought them, I then saw Heath and he saw me and he kinda took me in after and we combined our efforts to figure out who was behind the attack that’s how we figured out there was a rebellion against the Blue Moon”

"Wait you found all that out?” my dad asked, his brows raised.

I nodded “mmhmm… then we came here to help fight annnnd... that’s how I am here now”

My mum shook her head ”wait I’m confused… Sooo, you’ve just been out roaming the forest all this time?”

“Yes”

“By yourself?”

"yes” I didn’t know how many times I could put up with telling people my story… It was already starting to feel repetitive.

“My baby” her lips curled, and she began to cry again

"Mum, its ok… it is what it is. I’m here, I’m alive and I’m well”.

“But the rogues” she muffled through her tears “Please tell me they didn’t try to hurt you?”

Her sobs got harder, and I couldn’t bring myself to tell her just how it really was… Sam and My dad could probably handle the truth but my mum, it would tear her apart! I squeezed her hand and tried to give her a reassuring smile although It was faltering so I doubt it reassured her much “Mum, look at me" and she did “Do I look hurt?... Can you see any scars or bites on me?” She shook her head to reply no, ”well then... I’m not hurt am I…. I’m fine, I kept myself safe”

She moved in for another hug as she tried to calm her cries. I lost track of time, of how long we had been sitting and talking when It had started to get dark outside, Mum had already made us dinner earlier and they all noticed when I hoovered it down as if I had been starved for a year but nothing beats Mum’s home cooked food and I had missed it terribly, more than I had missed a bed, a bath or even the bliss of sitting on a sandy hot beach like I always used to.

Everyone grew tired as I noticed their yawns, I stood up and said goodbye as I was intending to sleep amongst the trees tonight, but they looked at me as if I just grew another head. “What do you mean goodbye?" my sisters asked

“Yes, are you leaving us again?” my mum’s eyes threatened to spill yet more tears

“no.no. I was just going to head out so you could all sleep, I can come back tomorrow... or” I shrugged ”another day when you’re all free”

“What? honey, don’t you want to stay here?” I just looked at her feeling a little out of sorts, even though I grew up here and it was my home, it didn’t actually feel like home right now. She took my hand and led me upstairs before I could answer, when we got to what was my old room, she opened the door and I just stood there dumbfounded.

“We left it just as it was… although I had tidied up a bit, I mean we got it a bit messy didn’t we when we had to rush and pack your stuff that day.... that… dreadful day" she sniffled again, wiping the tears on her cheeks with her tissue.

I couldn’t believe they kept it this way, it really was exactly the same.

“I come in here sometimes to give it a dust and just to take a moment when… when I missed you so much, I wanted to be left alone so I’d come in here and just dust everything for you in hopes that my wish would be answered, and you’d come back”. She looked at me with a watery smile “ohh, look at you, my baby girl... what a beautiful and strong woman you are” she kissed me on my forehead, I let go of her hand and slowly stepped into my room, looking around I didn’t know if It still felt like mine or as if it belonged to a stranger… a person I once knew.

My family all came to say goodnight one by one, with my sisters begging me to tuck them in and of course I happily obliged, their little giggles warmed me and made my heart melt as I kissed them goodnight.

I was finally alone, sat on my bed, looking around. It was quiet… so quiet! so strange, my cream walls, with one wall that held a large wooden frame with a collage of memories… happy, easy, carefree memories. My pastel pink bedspread felt softer than I remembered and somehow the room felt smaller… cosy but small. I guess that’s what happens when your used to having a forest at your feet to then be behind walls and quiet rooms. I finally made myself get dressed into a pair of shorts and t-shirt pyjama’s and I laid my armour and weapons right next to the bed, It would feel odd not having to sleep with my sword in my hand...that’s if I could even sleep tonight!