Pure Moonlight (closed)

[heartofcourage]

"Luna..." Selena said with a warning tone in her voice. "I don't want you to get caught up with someone like that. It'll only end in heartbreak for everyone involved. There's other men around here that would make much better mates."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I told you I wouldn't give him the time of day, Ma. Like I said... he's handsome, but he's nothing but trouble. I would hope I'm not that foolish." Luna had always been very level-headed, never keeping the company of trouble-makers unless they were the innocent sort like some of her cousins. She got along with her brother and her cousin Gabriel best, both of them having grown into very serious and focused individuals like she was with her work.

"You'd be surprised what attraction will make you do, little love," Kreston sighed. "Just look at Annie. But she was lucky enough to tame David down a bit into an honest man."

"I'm not looking for anyone, Da. And I don't have the time to tame a childish man into a husband."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I tamed a childish man into a husband." Selena said, looking at Kreston with a warm smile. "I don't regret it, but I know how focused you are on your studies. I don't want anything to distract you from what you want out of life. When you know it's right, you'll know. There will be absolutely no question and no one can pull the two of you away from one another."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Speaking of which... you might want to talk to Ruben about that," she smiled to herself.

"What's he been up to? And with who?" Kreston tilted his head.

"Oh, just sneaking off with a particular beauty in the middle of his work. He thinks I don't notice when I'm there to gather the medicinal bark off some of the cut trees."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I talked to him about Telma last week. He promised that there was nothing going on between the two of them." Selena said, frowning slightly as Luna alluded to the fact that Ruben was sneaking around with someone in the middle of the day. "And you, young lady, need to stop spying on your brother."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'm not spying, Ma. I just notice him always sneaking off into the forest. I'm not sure who with. I'm not that nosy. And even if I didn't notice, his lumberjacks certainly do and they tease him about it all the time. But he seems happy about it and he gets his work done just fine so no one really minds. Plenty of the other fishermen and lumberjacks do it too, sneaking off home to their mates." Luna spoke fairly freely about such things because it was a part of her profession. She guided people when they weren't sure about their own hearts, delivered babies, and tended to the sick whose lovers watched over them with broken hearts. Health and love were her forte, even if she thought little of love for herself.

 

[heartofcourage]

The family's conversation continued on over tea as a short distance away, a dark colored wolf ran through the trees. She was panting, the sun giving her sleek fur flashes of red. Dashing through a pile of dry leaves, her claws dug into the soft earth as she heard the one chasing her close behind. He won't win this time, she thought to herself, a smile appearing on her lips as she darted between two thick trucks, pausing to listen for his foot fall in the dry leaves.

A sharp gasp left her lips as his arms were suddenly around her waist, pulling her to the ground as he appeared next to her like a ghost. Her dark amber eyes stared up into his own, that sweet smile still on her lips as she chuckled softly.

"You'll never let me win a chase, will you, Ruben?" Telma asked him with a grin. "Not that I mind at all, but it would be nice every once in a while."

 

[KieranSoares]

The solid and broad ebony Wolf smiled adoringly down at her, having changed so much from the energetic young boy she'd known as a little girl, into a tall and collected and handsome powerhouse. He could still be energetic with her, but he was usually too serious for chasing around any other time. He'd inherited his father's ability to move absolutely silently when he wanted to, and he often used it to surprise her.

As they fell beside one another, Ruben nipped at her shoulder where, under her fur, his mark had been hidden, first made nearly two months ago despite their relationship having been going on for a couple years. "Maybe when you're older," he grinned at her, his voice deep and smooth. He'd always teased her about their age difference, from the moment she'd turned fifteen and gotten up the courage to pursue him until he gave in on her sixteenth birthday. It was just before her seventeenth that he'd made her his own even though her mother Katina and her step-father Ghell made it very clear that she was to follow tribal tradition and wait until she was twenty to find a mate. They had no idea about her and Ruben. No one knew who he was seeing, and no one knew that Telma was seeing anyone at all.

Ruben's hand found her hip, cradling her close against him as he laid her on her back and kissed her for all he was worth.

 

[heartofcourage]

Telma laughed freely as he nipped at her shoulder, so dangerously close to his mating mark that was hidden underneath her fur. That evening had been so special, even if they had yet to tell any of their family about what they had done. It hadn't been a spur of the moment decision. They had talked to great lengths about what they wanted in life and where they saw themselves in the future. In the end, the pull of finding your mate was strong enough to push out any doubts that they were meant to be together.

She grinned as he found her hip and pulled her close, rolling her to her back in the leaves and kissing her for all that she was worth. She loved when he was playful and it seemed that as the weather grew cooler, he found more energy.

"You'll be late to your family dinner if you start that." Telma murmured, giving him an adoring smile. "And my Da would kill you if he saw us right now."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I know, I know," he sighed with a smile as he drew back. "I'd better get going before too long... Luna's probably already there." He rose and brought her to her feet. She stood only barely above his broad shoulders and her own not even wide as his chest, but it meant that he could easily wrap her up in his arms and make her feel like nothing else could touch her. "I love you, Telma," he murmured with one more kiss. "The consequences be damned."

 

[heartofcourage]

Telma smiled sweetly as he kissed her gently, telling her that he loved her despite everything else. "I would hope you love me since you already marked me."

The fact that they hadn't told their families yet was most chalked up to the thrill of something secret. Ruben was so busy with his career and Telma worked hard in the village as a weaver, making beautiful rugs and other items. There were many women after him, but he had settled on her. That meant everything to the young wolf.

"We'll tell them soon, love. Then we can start our life together properly." Telma murmured, pressing her lips against his one last time before she forced herself to let go of him. "Now, go on. I have to get home too before Norr comes looking for me."

 

[KieranSoares]

"And we know your brother will kill me before your parents even get close," Ruben smiled at her last kiss and left her side finally. He couldn't help glancing back as they parted, unable to wipe the dazed smile off his face until he forcefully schooled his expression and entered his parents' home.

"I'm here," he called, heading for the kitchen as that was where they usually gathered. He greeted his mother and sister with a kiss on the cheek and his father with an embrace before sitting down with them. Then he noticed his mother's stern expression and rolled his eyes. "Alright... what'd I do now?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"I, for one, would like to know who it is that you've been sneaking off to see from the lumber camp." Selena said as her son sat down, that look on his face telling her that the situation was more serious than she could imagine. "Luna said she saw you and the others at the camp are starting to talk. Have you found a mate, love?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"Luna," Ruben growled at his sister, but she fixed him with a cool gaze that told him she was just as serious about the situation as Selena. He shook his head, sitting back in his seat. "Ma, you don't need to talk to me like I'm a little cub with his hands in a cookie jar. Yes, I leave the lumber camp from time to time, but it's for work. A lot of older werefolk are leaving the lumber camp for easier jobs and I'm gathering new workers and taking lumber orders."

"Liar," Kreston murmured, making Ruben's ears flatten back.

 

[heartofcourage]

Selena knew something was up by the way that Ruben folded his ears back. He had never been good at lying and she definitely knew that he was doing so with that simple motion. She let out a long sigh and looked towards Kreston and then at Luna.

"Alright, love. We'll talk about it later. Right now, let's have our meal." Selena said softly, putting an end to the situation for the time being.

 

[KieranSoares]

If there was anything to be said for their family, it was that they could leave out bad news or in Ruben's case, secret happenings in one another's lives and enjoy their time. They'd always been incredibly close, and often saw one another more than just at Saturday dinners. Luna spoke of her work with herbs from afar and Ruben spoke of all the work his camp was getting as Inverness thrived and more people could afford to build full houses. After dinner, Luna was getting into her satchel she'd brought, digging out a mint-based tea mix for Kreston who'd recently been suffering some pain in his leg from where the bear trap had caught him so long ago. It tended to become painful as cold weather or rain came about.

They were all enjoying cider and Luna had to leave first to go tend to a patient who was waiting on some medicine. Ruben was left alone with his parents and he knew he couldn't just run away from the questions that were coming.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Alright, Ruben." Selena said after Luna had left for the evening. "Tell us what's going on, love. You know that you can tell us anything."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Not if it'll get me skinned," he murmured and sighed. "Alright... Yes, I'm seeing someone..."

"Who?" Kreston asked simply.

"We... Promised we'd keep it a secret. Until we're both ready."

 

[heartofcourage]

Selena had never known her son to keep a secret from them. He seemed unprepared to tell them just who is was that he was seeing and she had to trust that her son was making good decisions.

"Is it someone that we know? Should we be worried about this since you seem so convinced that you'll be skinned if we knew?" Selena asked him.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Let's just leave it at... A few people would be angry at us right now," he told her with a sigh. Even though it was often thrilling to have a secret and forbidden love, it weighed heavily on his soul to be in public with Telma and unable to do much more than give her a friendly hug.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Just answer me this, love. Are you safe?" Selena asked him, reaching out to take his hand and squeeze it gently. "Being safe is the most important thing to me."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I don't think they'd actually skin me, Ma," Ruben gave her a smile. "Werefolk tend not to do that to each other."

"Do you have a mark?" Kreston asked quietly.

"Not yet. She's afraid to hurt me even though I told her it's fine."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Does she have a mark?" Selena asked the next question, watching as her son's ears folded back slightly. "So, it's serious enough between the both of you that you marked her, but you're too afraid to tell us?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"It's her choice, really, when we're going to tell her parents and you." At this, Kreston sighed and took Selena's hand.

"Let them hold onto their secret. It could be an issue with her family. He's not a fool, Selena. He can make choices for himself."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I know." Selena said softly, looking over at Kreston. "I know you'll tell us when you're ready to, Ruben. I just wish we could know now. It's something to celebrate."