Pure Moonlight (closed)

[heartofcourage]

Selena held herself close to her mate as their thoughts turned to the one that they had lost. She had never spoken much about that child, not even to him. A simple letter was all she had sent to the man that had broken her heart. That darling little girl was buried under a patch of heather that grew next to her cabin.

"I named her Krestina." She said softly, finally letting him into the most painful part of her life. "She had your eyes. She was such a tiny thing and she fought so hard...but I couldn't give her what she needed. If she'd only had more time..."

 

[KieranSoares]

Kreston's eyes closed tight when she told him the girl's name. A little girl... he'd wanted a girl from the beginning, though he'd been happy as could be with his son. He'd always told her he'd wanted a girl... and his heart broke at the knowledge that all the stress he'd caused her destroyed the little girl he'd wanted so badly. In his mind, he thought it was hardly more than he'd deserved back then, and Selena would never know how deeply it hurt him. She'd only see flashes like she saw just then as his embrace tightened slightly around her and he didn't dare to open his eyes for fear of letting her see the agony. Her letter to him had destroyed him and he had nearly died of illness not long after.

"I'm so sorry, Selena..." he whispered. As much as it hurt to remember it all, he knew it was for the best for the two of them, to finally say what had been locked away for years.

 

[heartofcourage]

"There's nothing to be sorry for, Kres." She said softly as he held her tighter, tears flowing down her cheeks as she thought about the last moments of her daughter. "She died peacefully. I know I said some horrible things in that letter to you, but she died in her sleep. She simply took a breath and drifted away."

"Ruben helped me dress her and clean her. He was so gentle with her, even though he was so little. I wrapped her up in a piece of my tartan and in the spring, we planted heather over her little grave. It makes me smile to watch it bloom every year."

 

[KieranSoares]

Tears finally did escape Kreston's eyes, as hard as he tried to pull them back. He knew that patch of heather, but he'd never known what lay under it. He made a silent promise to himself to visit his daughter's grave when they went back to the cabin to pack up.

Slowly, Kreston sat up, and he buried his face against her shoulder. He felt terrible as ever, but also somehow better. He muttered again, "I'm so sorry..." And it wasn't just to her this time. When he finally got ahold of himself, he lifted his head to meet her eyes. "I should've been there."

 

[heartofcourage]

"But you're here now. That's all that I need." She murmured softly, kissing her mate as their sadness ended and the heaviness they had both carried disappeared.

 

[KieranSoares]

Kreston felt heartened by her kiss, and though the guilt would never truly fade, he let it slip away for the time being as he wrapped her more tightly in his embrace. His strength returned slowly, until she could almost feel the shield that Kreston had always held before her. "You're too good to me..." he muttered, kissing her once more as his eyes cleared and the deep golden amber she'd been entranced by in their first meeting shone bright and soft.

 

[heartofcourage]

"You're everything to me, Kreston. I hope that you know that." She murmured softly, kissing him passionately as their haze of sadness lifted. "And no matter what happens in the future, I will always remember that."

 

[KieranSoares]

He finally managed a smile, kissing her again and laying back with her. "And I hope you know I've always felt the same... not a day goes by that I don't think about how much I love you, and I spend every moment trying to think of a way to tell you just how much."

It was midday before they returned and dressed properly, sneaking back in. When they emerged, Ruben was chasing around with Gabriel and Elise and most everyone seemed to be relaxing. Julia and Brogan were still locked away for the time being.

 

[heartofcourage]

Selena settled down beside her brothers, watching their children play. Seamus was toddling about with Eli and Leon, the little boys rough housing with Ciaran as Annie tried to keep them all in line. Ruben and Gabriel chased one another with Elise trailing behind. It was nice to hear laughter again after so long.

 

[KieranSoares]

Kreston joined in to help little Annie, but he soon ended up on his back on the floor with several toddlers crawling all over him, entranced by his soft fur. Durban, worse for wear as he and Boar were, seemed rather content, watching the youngest members of the family enjoy themselves. He glanced to Selena and took her hand. "Hey, love..." He still remembered that their last words to each other before the battle for Inverness, and he feared she was still angry with him.

 

[heartofcourage]

Selena looked over at Durban and let out a long sigh. "I'm still mad at you, you oaf." She murmured, leaning over to kiss his cheek sweetly. "Don't you ever worry me like that again or else I'll have your hide."

 

[KieranSoares]

"You sound like Ma," Durban chuckled and pulled her into a tight embrace. "Sweet little lass." He'd called her that for as long as she could remember. "Besides, Marri'd get t'me first if anyone was gonna have my hide."

 

[heartofcourage]

"We can split it then." Selena said with a smile, hugging her brother so tightly as they made up for all the horrible things that they had said to one another when they had parted before the war.

 

[KieranSoares]

Kreston and Selena would remain at Inverness another couple weeks before they headed back south to Selena's cabin Kreston had it timed just right so that they'd arrive the night before the full moon. Ruben was already beginning to feel changes come over him but nothing was showing yet. So that next night, Kreston took his little family outside, knowing Ruben would need Selena. The full moon was clear in the sky as they waited for it to reach its peak, sitting around little fire. Kreston was calm, watching over his son. Ruben wasn't so scared as he was nervous, unable to sit still.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Ruben, settle down, love." Selena said softly, welcoming him to her side and hugging him tightly. "I know it's difficult, but you need to calm yourself. Things will be alright."

 

[KieranSoares]

"What if it hurts? What if I'm not the same?" Ruben asked quietly, looking up at her. The one who knew the answer to those questions, however, came to their side. Kreston kissed his son's forehead and gave him a reassuring smile.

"It's a little uncomfortable, from what I understand, but it's not painful. And it's all physical, not mental or emotional, even if you do end up thinking more like a wolf."

"Did you go through it?"

"No, son, I was born a werewolf. But many of my friends did, and they were all the same when it was over, and they all told me it simply felt strange, but not painful."

"... How do I know when it's coming?"

"You'll know. When the moon reaches its peak..." Kreston looked up at the bright moon above them. "Shouldn't be long."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Ruben, there's nothing to worry about." Selena said softly, her fingers combing through her son's thick hair as she looked down at his sweet face for what was probably the last time. "I love you no matter what happens, love. No matter how much you might change, I'll always be here for you."

 

[KieranSoares]

Ruben nodded slowly, though it seemed he was afraid that wouldn't be the case when he looked nothing like his former self. Finally, he sat down between his parents and fell still. Kreston wrapped his cloak around the boy and Ruben practically retreated into it.

When the moon hit its peak, Selena felt a strange shift in the air. The wind had changed to the opposite direction, soft as it was. Kreston laid his hand on Ruben's back as he'd begun trembling beneath the cloak. Whispering softly, he told his son, "Don't fight it... it's not going to hurt you." Selena could not see the changes coming over her son beneath the cloak, but Kreston seemed calm and knew everything was fine. Ruben whimpered quietly, not out of pain as there was none, but out of fear at the unknown. Kreston drew him between himself and Selena and Ruben tucked his head against his mother's shoulder and chest. She could feel the cracking of his bones as they shifted and grew and she could feel his muscles changing shape to follow them. And then she began to feel downy-soft fur against her skin where Ruben's hand gripped hers beneath the cloak. She could also feel the beginnings of very dull nails as they grew out just a bit and changed position to more mimic a wolf's. The entirety of the change was hardly fifteen minutes before Ruben fell still drawing the cloak more tightly around himself. Kreston hugged his son a little tighter.

"You show us when you're ready, Ruben..." he whispered, knowing the boy would have to get used to himself first before showing them.

 

[heartofcourage]

Selena held her son tightly as he went through his change, her eyes full of tears as she looked over at Kreston. As hard as this moment was for Ruben, it was even harder on her. She didn't want to see him hurting and she wished that she could keep her son the way that he was forever, but she knew that the world didn't work that way. He would still be her same Ruben, just with a different appearance.

Selena smiled down at her son as she saw the first peek of his amber eyes through the cloak. "You are certainly a handsome lad, Ruben." She said softly, hoping to draw him out completely.

 

[KieranSoares]

Those amber eyes were lost in a sea of black, his features discernible in the dark of the cloak and the night. He trusted his mother more than he trusted himself, so it was only a few minutes before he pulled the cloak down from his head and Selena was met with a young mirror of her mate with ebony fur that shimmered in the moon- and firelight. Seeing as he was still so young, his wolf ears were a bit too big for him but still suited him well and his fur, thanks to his hair having not been cut recently as a human, was as long as Kreston's and fanned out in a beautiful mane along his neck and where his jaw connected to his neck.

He looked down at his hands which had not changed shape, but now his nails were the same color as his fur. His hands didn't have pads like a wolf's paw, but his feet which had changed completely certainly would.

"How do you feel, son?" Kreston asked softly. Ruben took a long moment to consider his question.

"... I'm not sure," he murmured, his voice deeper now from his body having grown, but it was still definitely Ruben's voice.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Ruben." Selena said softly, reaching out to touch his jaw and turn his gaze towards hers. "There's no need to be scared anymore. I love you more than anything in this world. It's alright to be the wolf that you want to be."

She leaned in and gently kissed his brow, giving him a smile that was a mixture of sadness but also pride. "Go with your Da and run in the woods. I'll have a meal waiting for you when you get back and we can celebrate."

 

[KieranSoares]

"But Ma..." Ruben gazed up at her worriedly. Kreston reached out to take his hand.

"Come on, son. Give her a little time to think? It's going to be a big adjustment for her too."

Ruben nodded but when he tried to rise, he would've fallen if not for his father knowing that he'd have a hard time with his legs. Kreston stood and lifted Ruben from the cloak, setting him on his feet. Ruben was unsteady but Kreston held his hands, letting him gather himself. His legs shook, weak from the change. "Dad... how do you walk?"

"Think of it... like walking on the balls of your feet as a human, but you never put your heel down. And your tail is there to help you balance. Once you get ahold of how your senses work, you'll do it without thinking. Until then, let's keep the running to all fours, hm?" When Ruben let go of him, he stumbled but Kreston picked him back up. "One foot in front of the other, Ruben." Slowly but surely, he led Ruben into the forest.

 

[heartofcourage]

Selena watched the two walk into the woods and let out a long sigh. It was bittersweet, but she knew that Kreston's time with their son had come. He had missed so much of his childhood but now he would be there every step of the way. She pushed herself up from the grass and turned to go inside the cabin to start fixing a meal. If she remembered Kreston after a run, she knew that a feast would be in order for her son.

She paused before she went in, looking at the little patch of heather that was blooming a rich purple under the moonlight. "And I haven't forgotten about you either, baby girl." She murmured softly, picking a few of the rich blossoms and bringing them inside with her.

She placed them in a bowl of water on the table, staring at them for a long moment before she turned to start cooking.

 

[KieranSoares]

Kreston and Ruben were gone for nearly an hour, and every so often, Selena heard Kreston's beautiful and richly toned howl echoing through the forest, soon joined by a higher-pitched, but even more lovely howl from Ruben. And off in the distance, other howls echoed, just barely audible from their distance. Even if Selena could never understand what the wolves said with their howls, it was clear in that moment that the others were welcoming Ruben. It was likely a hunting party from the Golin, as the tribe itself was too far away to be heard.

When the two finally returned, Selena saw them chasing in circles for a few minutes in the yard, Ruben still a little unsure on his feet but enjoying himself and pouncing on Kreston every so often. He was an incredible jumper with such powerful new legs. They rolled around a moment before Kreston picked himself up and they both dusted the grass and leaves out of their fur. Ruben tripped a few times on his way to the door, but when he came inside with Kreston, Selena could see a bright smile on his face. He was already quite comfortable with his new body, even if his new footpaws and tail were a bit odd.

 

[heartofcourage]

Selena kissed her son as he moved past her into the house. "I made all of your favorites, Ruben. And enough extra if you wanted to take some to your Da's family over the hills."

She looked over at Kreston as he looked down at the heather on the table and she gave him a little smile. She wanted so much for them to remember Krestina in this special moment and that was her only way to do such.