By the Light of the Moon (closed)

[raiguy]

Sam looked quizzically at the other wolf. He could smell her, yet she seemed to be heading back the way they had come. He looked at the moon and realized it was later than he thought. He guessed it was time to head back.

He knew that his father would be suspicious if he came back with another female's scent, so nipped at the wolf to get her to follow. He lead the way back to the stream, before jumping in. He had found that the water didn't cleanse him of the smell, but dampened it so that it wasn't discernible who he had been with.

He yipped at the wolf to get her to join him, letting her know it was okay. He tried to tell her through a series of yips and barks what he was doing, but knew that it might be a bit hard to fully understand. Instead he just waited, happy that his fur was keeping him warm.

 

[heartofcourage]

Serena Jane cocked her head to the side and whimpered as she watched the other wolf jump into the frigid water, cleaning his fur of her scent. That thought made her sad. She’d lived more with this wolf then she’d ever lived with Dante. Now they had to part.

The wolf turned to yip at her, communicating what he was doing. She didn’t want to slip back into that water and she didn’t want to go back home. Without a sound to the other wolf, she turned and darted into his territory. She wasn’t going to face Dante that night…she never wanted to see him again.

 

[raiguy]

Sam looked at the other wolf, then suddenly saw her take off. He howled after her curiously, but knew she wasn't going to stop. He quickly got out of the water and shook off, sending droplets of water everywhere. He took off after her, following her scent, hoping that he wouldn't run into her in a fight.

He was worried about his father. Another wolf, especially an alpha like she was, could cause problems. Especially if she was tied to another clan, or someone else. He dropped his head and tore after her with another burst of speed, before coming up to her.

He nuzzled her as they were running side by side, and then suddenly sat down. They were well into his pack's territory, and nothing she could do would get away from his father now. Instead, he yipped at her, wanting her to wait, before she was surprised and goaded into a fight. He just hoped it worked.

 

[heartofcourage]

Serena Jane yipped as the wolf ran alongside her, his snout rubbing against her to stop her. She growled softly, showing him that she had no intent of stopping. She wouldn’t go back to Dante. There was no way that she could bare the thought of that.

She stopped as she heard his urgent yip. Turning around, her tail swished back and forth in the air as she cocked her head to the side yet again. What did this wolf want, she wondered to herself as she settled down on the ground, stretching her body out along the leaf covered ground.

 

[raiguy]

Sam moved over to the wolf and nipped her neck softly to let her know that he was taking the lead and she needed to follow. He knew it wasn't custom, but he didn't want any fights to break out. Instead, he lead her directly to the house he had been given away from the main house.

He nudged the door open, keeping it that way so that he wouldn't have trouble opening it when he was a wolf. He waited for her to get in before nudging the door closed. He suddenly shifted, groaning as he fell to a knee, and then stood, before saying, "We need to talk, so please shift. It needs to be succinct, otherwise something could go wrong."

 

[heartofcourage]

Serena Jane whimpered as the wolf bit the nape of her neck, letting her know that he was taking the lead. She yipped at him and followed behind at his pace. It was surprising when they came upon a small home in the middle of the woods. She had no idea that someone had lived this far out from the other clan’s main house.

She followed him into the house, watching as he turned to shut the door behind them. Whimpering at him again as he shifted and knelt on the ground groaning, asking her to shift so they could talk. She cocked her head again, debating that request. If she shifted, he would know who she was in the middle of his well lit home.

Sucking in a deep breath, she shifted, her bones aching as she soon stood nude before him. Nudity was never anything that she was self conscious about. She had been raised in a pack where it was anything but taboo.

 

[raiguy]

Sam knew immediately who the wolf was. It suddenly all made sense. He had heard rumors about Dante bedding an omega earlier that evening, and that he had flown into a rage when his wife had gone missing. Sam's father, ever the peacekeeper, took a stand for once and told Dante that if he chose to break the sanctity of pack unions, he had no right to be angry.

Sam thought that was a good thing, as it looked like Serena would be needing somewhere to stay. He had heard Dante had quite a temper, even killing a servant for a slight infraction. Normally that would just be some type of punishment for the houses that still had servants, but to kill one was unheard of in this day and age.

He composed himself quickly and bowed. "It's an honor to meet you. I know that, to have come onto our pack's territory willingly, something must have driven you here. Whatever it is, know that my father and our pack support you. I heard about what happened earlier, and my father reprimanded Dante, as far as he could at least," Sam said, letting Serena know that he was on her side. He waited patiently, letting her speak so he could know what she wanted.

 

[heartofcourage]

Serena Jane flushed red as the man mentioned that he knew what had happened with Dante. Her husband must have flown into a rage when he found her missing if another pack had to get involved to calm him down. She knew that if she went back to him now, her punishment would be completely epic.

“Thank you. Although, I am ashamed that your father had to step in on my behalf. It was not my intention when I left home this evening to draw attention to my husband and his…bad deeds.” She said softly, letting out a soft sigh as she thought about what she’d left behind.

"Anyway, thank you for pulling me from the water tonight. I know what i was about to do was shameful, but I couldn't think of any other way out of my situation."

 

[raiguy]

Sam shrugged her thanks off, not really feeling like he did anything special. He was just helping his fellow wolf. That was all, no more and no less. He thought for a minute about what his father had done and realized something.

"He didn't step in for you really. He stepped in because Dante was out of line with his anger. He also broke ancient pack laws, and my father needed to remind him of that. Dante might have gained a seat on the council, but my father still holds sway," Sam said.

He thought about her predicament and realized something. "I don't know if it's what you want to hear, Serena, but there is one way you can get out of your situation. Knowing what I know about how the council views Dante's actions, this might be a viable option. You could kill your mate. If he dies, the marriage pact is broken and you are free," he said quietly, not sure if he should have let the truth be known.

 

[heartofcourage]

Serena Jane was taken back by the forward way that this man spoke to her about her husband. Never would anyone dare suggest that Dante be killed to sever the mating bond that connected her to her husband for life.

“You know nothing about me and my husband. How dare you suggest that I kill him!” Serena Jane narrowed her eyes at him, her hands resting on her naked hips. “A marriage pact is a sacred bond that should not be taken lightly. I mated with him because our bond demanded it and I won’t put him aside so easily.”

 

[raiguy]

"Yet he put you aside so easily to bed that omega. I'm sorry I offended you, but if you were ready to kill yourself to get out, then you already know that the pact has been broken by him. Now then, since you are here, you have a few choices. You can stay here until you are ready to leave and face the extreme punishment from your husband, talk to my father, or face your husband and see how you make out," Sam said, putting emphasis on the husband.

He knew he had pushed his rights, but he also knew that Dante would most likely kill her for trying to take her own life, and then for coming to his pack's territory. The suicide attempt alone could be severely punished by a council if Dante so chose.

Pack and council laws were strict in how they were set up, and Sam knew that there were only a few ways that things could go. His father had taught him all of this when he was young, and it served him well. Now though, it seemed like he had met the one man who would throw it all away just to spite a sacred pact, and take action against his wife.

Something suddenly clicked inside Sam's head. What if Dante wanted this to happen, so that he could have the marriage contract nullified by having her sentenced to death? It would make him a free man with a sympathy setting to gain more of a foothold in the council due to the councilmen sentencing his wife to death. Sam shook his head, and wisely decided to keep his thoughts to himself, as Serena was already not happy.

Instead, he went to start making food, not really bothering to see what she wanted. He was hungry, and the shift always made him feel a little shaky. He quickly fixed a light meal of pasta, salad, bread, and water. There was enough for Serena, and he smiled at her as he sat down to eat. "If you're hungry, there's food enough for you," he said before biting off a piece of bread.

 

[heartofcourage]

“What happens between me and my husband is not your problem!” Serena Jane had no idea why she was so angry as the truth was spoken.

Dante had taken an omega into their bed, shattering her completely. She still knew that it was a mistake to wed Dante in the first place, but she wasn’t one to simply put aside the mating bond when it appeared. She’d never known another wolf to do that either. Pack and council laws were extremely strict and she couldn’t just leave her husband because of a lapse in judgment.

“No thank you.” She said in a huff as he offered her a meal, stomping over to an overstuffed armchair and sinking down into the cushions, doing her best to ignore him.

She pulled her legs up to her chest, hugging them tightly against her body. Resting her cheek against her knees, she sulked in silence. She couldn’t believe that her life had taken such a strange turn.

 

[raiguy]

Sam just shook his head. He had guessed that she would not take the news well. Her family came from ancient traditions and even more ancient bloodlines. To go against those things would be a huge thing for her, and he knew that if it ever happened, it would take a supreme effort for her to do that.

He shrugged off her ignoring him, knowing that she needed the time to digest what had happened. She had to reach a decision by herself, but he also knew she couldn't go back to Dante. She would be cast down from Dante, due to his arrogance and the fact that he was a male, and a powerful alpha. He was no match for Sam's father, but he was the husband.

Same wondered what could be done, but knew any help he would give Serena would have to be circumspect at best, or at least not obviously his. He finished eating and then put his dishes and the rest of the food up. He made his way to his office, before closing the door slightly.

He sent an email to his father through their secure server, and then waited. He knew that his father had to be informed about another wolf in their territory, and smiled tightly as he heard the knock he had expected.

He made his way to the door and let his father Leo in. "She's here and doesn't want to do anything, does she," he said to Sam, making sure Serena couldn't hear him. Sam nodded. Leo just shook his head sadly. "Unfortunately, since this is a marriage pact, we can't really do much. We can punish him for the act of breaking it, but to have it removed from existence would take effort on her part that doesn't seem to be there. We'll just have to wait and see what is to be done. As it stands, Dante is going to be severely punished for what he has done. He might lose the council seat, then again, he might not. Either way, Serena is safe here for as long as she wants," Leo said.

He and Sam made their way to where Serena was and sat and waited, knowing that she would speak when she was ready. They also knew she could smell that the house was surrounded, and that they were doing that to protect the pack, and her as well. Both Leo and Sam wanted Serena to feel safe, so waited and talked quietly, wondering what Serena was thinking.

 

[heartofcourage]

Serena Jane knew the moment that the other wolves arrived. She knew that the house was surrounded and the sound of the ringing doorbell agitated her. She let out a sigh as she heard the door open and the two men were talking about something that she couldn’t hear. No doubt about her and the situation that she was in, she thought to herself as she saw them start to move her way.

They both sat quietly, waiting for her to start talking. She didn’t want to talk and the misery that she felt in her chest was only made worse by the pity that she felt in their gaze. They wanted to comfort her, to tell her that everything would be alright. She didn’t want to hear that and she didn’t want things to be alright.

“I know what you both want to hear, but I can’t put Dante aside. Once the mating bond is there, it can’t be severed.” She murmured softly, her eyes still averted from the two men that watched her closely.

 

[raiguy]

Sam just shook his head. Leo cleared his throat and looked directly at Serena. "You are being stubborn. You and I both know that the mating bond has already been severed. He broke that bond by taking another to the marital bed. If you say otherwise, you are just lying to yourself for pride," he said softly, yet forcefully. His years and experience were coming out in his words as Sam watched him seemingly pick Serena apart.

"What you do from here on out is on you. Know this though, Dante will most likely kill you for coming to our territory. My son already saved you from one foolish decision. Are you sure you want to make another, or does your life mean so little to you?" he said, before standing. He pulled his son up, and then looked at Serena. "Our help is yours, freely given. If you take it or scorn it, it is your decision. We will leave you alone, but you must come tell us if you want to leave. This is for your protection as much as ours," he said calmly, and then pulled his son into another room.

"I am proud of you for doing what you did. You saved someone from a terrible mistake. However, we must now leave her to her thoughts. She will do what she will do. We cannot change that, nor must we try. I know you feel that it is your duty to make sure she sees reason, but it is not your place, nor would you be able to. Just abide by my word, and talk to me so that we may figure out how best to handle Dante if he comes calling," Leo said softly.

Sam nodded, and then thought. "He can't come through the woods. The ancient pacts that seal these lands as ours prevent unwanted trespassers from coming through any way but the main roads to our land. That being said, he is well known for being a supreme fighter. His family has bred for that over the centuries. I think that the best we can do is wait, and hope that Serena makes her choice, whatever it may be, before he decides to show up," he said just as softly. Leo nodded, surprised that Sam was able to control himself. He could see that Sam was smitten with Serena, yet he knew that Sam had no place in her life unless she chose to be rid of Dante. He nodded and then stepped out to order his pack guard. He came back in and sat with Sam, waiting patiently and calmly.

 

[heartofcourage]

Serena Jane hadn’t wanted to hear what Leo had to say. She knew that he was a powerful Alpha and that he knew the laws of their packs like the back of his hand. She knew she would be killed if she went back to Dante and her father had the right to do the same, even though none of this was her fault. How had everything gone so wrong so suddenly, she asked herself.

She waited until the two left her, the words sinking in slowly as she listened to the front door open. On the breeze that was chilling the air outside was the thick smell of wolves. They were protecting them that evening, waiting for Dante to show if he chose to. She knew he wouldn’t. He hadn’t wanted her, that much was apparent. She hadn’t been enough for him…how was the even possible?

She slowly felt herself changing back into her wolf form and soon a sandy colored animal sat in the chair she’d been occupying. Her wolf had always been the being that protected her from the bad things in life, making the pain just that much bearable. This moment was no exception. Curling up on the cushion, she tucked her nose into her tail, whimpering out the pain that she felt in her heart.

 

[raiguy]

Sam and Leo sensed when she shifted. The smell inside the house changed. They both knew what being a wolf would allow. Emotional pain was dulled, as Leo and Sam had found out, as well as Sam's brother, when their mother died. All three had spent much of the time after that as wolves, each staying away from the other to recover.

"She needs to overcome her own grief. If you want to help, shift and sit with her. Do not try anything unless she comes to you. Instead, sit with her and be there for her. Keep her company," Leo said softly, nodding as his son stripped. He knew that Sam would do anything to help those in pain. He hated seeing others go through what they went through.

Sam groaned as the shift took place faster than normal. He padded silently into the room with the other wolf, sniffing the air. He could sense her mood, but remembered what his father and leader had told him. He climbed up onto the other couch in the room and settled down, leaving plenty of room if she decided to join him, but not forcing her, by any means.

 

[heartofcourage]

Serena Jane was wrapped up in her own misery when she noticed another wolf coming into the room. It was Sam and he seemed intent on giving her the space that he thought she wanted. He was wrong. She wanted someone to love her and cherish her, all the things that Dante never had. She wanted the ache in her heart to go away and for life to finally start making sense.

She lay there in her chair for a while longer before she cautiously stood and padded towards his space. She stopped for a moment, cautious that he might not want her near. When the growling didn’t start, she felt safe enough that she pulled herself onto the cushions beside him, curling up next to the warm body of his wolf. She sighed, her eyes closing as she finally let herself relax.

 

[raiguy]

Sam watched as Serena moved towards him. He stayed still, not wanting to startle her or drive her away. When she settled down next to him, he looked at her curiously. He felt, and smelled, the change in her as she seemed to relax, and almost seemed content next to him. He looked at her, his head cocked to the side, before laying down and scooting up against her.

Leo walked in and saw the exchange. He smiled, wondering if this was as it should be. Rarely had two wolves been able to be that close without a mating bond between them. Yet he felt the peace between the two, and the calm that seemed to radiate from Sam to Serena. He knew that there would be trouble ahead with Dante, but knew that he, and in extension his pack, would be able to handle Dante. He just worried about Serena. She would be packless now, until she was free of Dante. He knew that his pack would most likely adopt her, but she would not officially be a part of the pack until she was free of the canker attached to her.

 

[heartofcourage]

Serena Jane woke the next morning, her stomach growling and her heart still heavy. Opening her eyes, she saw that the other wolf was still beside her, watching her intently. She let out a little sigh and whimpered at him, her belly rumbling again. She didn’t know if she had the strength to shift back into her human form, but she knew that she needed to.

Ever so slowly, she scooted away from the other wolf and started the change, her bones aching from being in her wolf form for so long. Stretching, she looked down at the other wolf and sighed softly. “Time for breakfast?” She asked hesitantly.

 

[raiguy]

Sam had stayed awake all night, making sure that Serena was okay. She had seemed to snuggle against him as she slept, almost crawling on top of him at times, before settling down next to him. When she woke up, he was still watching her intently, waiting to see what she would do.

As she started to shift, Sam did as well, knowing he would need to either feed himself, or get some food somehow. When she asked him, he just smiled and held out his hand, pulling her slowly into the kitchen. He started pulling out stuff for breakfast, and then turned to her.

"How does waffles with bacon, a glass of orange juice, and a glass of milk sound? I can also make freshly ground coffee, if you'd like that as well," he asked, wanting to make sure he fixed what she wanted for breakfast.

 

[heartofcourage]

Slowly Serena Jane nodded, still in a daze as she listened to what Sam wanted to fix for breakfast. She was quiet as the took a seat at the table, sighing as she stared out his windows and saw his pack protecting the property. Whatever Dante wanted to do to her was well within his rights as her mate and Alpha. It might have been better if she had just gone home last night and faced her fate.

“All of my things are gone now.” She murmured softly, talking in a hushed tone. “My marriage is over. If Dante doesn’t kill me, my father certainly will.”

 

[raiguy]

Sam wasn't sure what to say to her thoughts, so instead just fixed breakfast. He knew that the last time he said something, he had offended her, and just made her angry. He didn't want to do that to her again, or any time.

He thought about it, and knew his father would gladly do it. "If you would like, you can join my pack. It will offer you protection from your father, and Dante would have to deal with my father if anything happened to you," he said, thinking out loud.

He smiled as he suddenly pulled off waffles. He was already done frying the bacon, so added that to her plate and set it in front of her. "It's not good to think on an empty stomach though. Don't worry. Things will work out, and you will have the life you deserve, not the one someone else wants for you. All you have to do is work for it," he said with a smile, letting her know he was genuine about it.

 

[heartofcourage]

“It’s within Dante’s rights to do with me as he wishes.” She said softly as the plate of bacon and waffles was placed down in front of her. As good as everything smelled, Serena Jane suddenly didn’t feel as hungry as she had been.

“I know you’re trying to make me feel better and I thank you for that, but this situation isn’t as easily solved as you think it will be.” She knew the way that packs worked and she knew that she was in a lot of danger the moment she set foot outside that house, whether or not she was still Dante’s or not.

 

[raiguy]

Sam just shrugged, knowing there was no way to please Serena. Instead, he pushed her plate towards her, putting a little steel into his look. "Well, no matter what your future holds, you can't do it on an empty stomach. It doesn't matter if it comes up in an hour, eat anyways, because you'll still gain the nutrients you are able to digest," he said firmly, knowing his words to be true.

He wasn't going to try to solve her problems. His father had been right, and she had to deal with it herself. All he could do was be there to help her if she asked. He just hoped he wouldn't be left alone, and never know what happened if she left the house. He was starting to develop feelings, even though he was trying not to.