Count Down To Moonlight Ch. 08

The peaceful silent of the forest was shattered as the angry snarls and howls of Duncan's family filled the night. The pack were on the hunt and by the sounds of it they were out for blood. Duncan tensed. He didn't have the strength to shift and wouldn't be able to defend himself or his mate if it came to a fight. He only hoped that his father or grandfather were leading them. It was too much to hope that they wouldn't find them as the scent of blood from Keelay's wound and the combined scent of there mating was too strong to over look.

Unwillingly he moved away from Keelay, reaching for his clothes. He cursed to find his jeans torn and useless, his eyes automatically hunting the dark clearing floor for the gym clothes Keelay had been wearing. Thankfully they had survived his aggressive attempts to undress her and he quickly moved to put them on, taking the jumper for Keelay to wear.

He crouched down in front of her and gently shook her awake. She didn't so much as mutter, to deep in sleep to be roused. Instead if forcing her awake he merely manoeuvred her into a better position to dress her. It was probably better of she slept through the confrontation to come.

Lifting Keelay into his arms, Duncan started back through the forest to the cabin. He hadn't been walking long when he heard the first tell tale signs of being stalked. To the left he spied one of his many family members moving silently through the trees, his white-blue eyes never once leaving his prey. He couldn't be sure who it was, there were too many of them and they all tended to look alike in wolf form but if he had to guess he'd say it was his cousin Dean. Jakes older brother. He no doubt wanted Duncan's head for what he had done.

Jake had four siblings, two older brothers, one older sister and one younger sister. All of them were fiercely protective of Jake as due to some strange birth defect, Jake couldn't shift. He never let it show but it bothered him greatly and made him feel like a freak compared to his family. Although his lack of a wolf form was never bothered his pack, they loved him just the same. It was because of this defect that Duncan had left Keelay with him in the first place, so she wouldn't have to see what he was before he was ready to explain. So he wouldn't frighten her.

That worked out brilliantly didn't it! He snorted to himself. He'd still terrified her. Hurt her. He'd be lucky if she ever let him near her when this was all over.

Duncan was quickly brought out of his thought as a large, six foot werewolf stepped into his path. He stopped and stared unsure what to do. Normally he would have shifted and the two would have fought, working out their energy in a good old fashioned wrestling match. But he couldn't do that with Keelay in his arms, even if he could summon the energy to shift. So instead he stood his ground and stared the wolf down. His dominant nature refusing to allow him to look away first.

The staring contest was only broken as his elderly grandfather stepped through the trees on his right.

"Wot the he'll ya dun now lad?" he asked in exasperation.

"I'm sorry Grandpa, I never meant for this too happen. I just...." Duncan started to apologise but was cut off with a raise of a hand. There was no excuse. Duncan had broken pack law by attacking Jake, by taking Keelay from the safety of the cabin without her even knowing what he was, by claiming Keelay without her consent. The law was clear. Punishment must be handed down.

Without a word Drake turned around and lead the procession to the cabin. The glass of the large window, broken when Duncan had attacked Jake, had been cleared. The table, smashed when Duncan had thrown Jake across the room, had been removed. But the bloodstains on the carpet were bright and clear. A visible reminder that Jake had been seriously hurt.

After tucking Keelay into the bed in the only room of the cabin, uncaring that the sheets smelt of another male, Duncan returned to the living room to receive his punishment.

In his absents more of the pack had arrived and shifted into their human forms. His father and brothers, several cousins, aunts and uncles now crowded the small room. His grandfather stood by the kitchen door, his grandmother beside him, her small hand in his. Drake hated punishing his family. He'd had enough punishments as a child to fill a lifetime and the though of what he had to do turned his stomach. For the laws he had broken, only two punishments could be given. Death or banishment. He stared around the room at the pack, all eyes on him as they waited for his decree.

"Duncan, for the unwarranted attack of another pack member, the kidnapping of a human under my protection and the claiming of a human without her consent...the punishment is...."

Keelay woke up to the sound of raises voices in the next room. Stretching, she looked around her at the pleasantly decorated room. It's soft blue wallpaper, cream carpets and white curtains chased away the nightmare of the dark woods and terrifying beast. She could help but wonder how she got there. The last thing she remembers was the cold, damp feel of the earth against her side and the warm, rough feel of fur against her back. She'd swear last night was a dream except the sting of his bite on her shoulder made convinced her otherwise. Her body ached also, unused to being used in such away.

As she sat up she noticed a fresh change of clothes had been left on an old wooden chair by the door. Womens clothes. She rose and quickly dressed, wishing desperately for a shower but resolved instead to have one when she got home.

The clothes were simple although a little loose. A plain cream tank top and a pair of jeans. She noticed the noise that had woken her had stopped and as she opened the bedroom door she heard another door closing forcefully. She crept down the hall unsure what to do but as she neared the main room a small woman in her sixties stepped in her path.

Both women seemed surprised to see the other and after a few moments of awkward silence the elderly lady introduced herself.

"I'm sorry about that dear, I didn't hear you come out. My names Aimee. I'm Duncan's grandmother." She held out her hand which Keelay took automatically.

"I'm Keelay. Umm...where is Duncan?" she asked hesitantly, unsure if she really wanted to know.

Aimee's face became clouded in pain and sadness and an uneasy feeling came over Keelay.

"Why don't we go into the kitchen and I'll make you some tea and some lunch. I'm sure you have questions." without waiting for a reply Aimee linked her arm through Keelay's and lead her through to the brightly lit kitchen. She urged her to sit at the table before turning away to prepare lunch. Keelay did have questions bit didn't know were to start. She watched the small woman potter around the kitchen, the smell of food slowly filling the air, and tried to arranged her jumbled thoughts.

"Does it hurt."

Keelay jumped as the soft spoken words shattered her thoughts. Confusion clouded her eyes as she tried to understand what the woman meant, before she noticed that she had been rubbing the bite mark in her shoulder without thought.

"Um..no..sorry, I didn't even realise what I was doing." she laughed nervously. She wanted Duncan. The uneasy feeling in her stomach was increasing and she desperately wanted to see him, feel his arms around her, chasing away the anxiety. "Where did you say Duncan was?" she asked.

Aimee sat down opposite her and took a feel breath. Keelay glimpsed the pain and sadness in her eyes again before her gaze lowered to look at her hands twisting on the table top.

"I'm sure you must have a thousand and one questions about last night. I'm here to do my best to answer them and help you in understand what happens next." she countered, completely ignoring Keelay's question. "Duncan, Jake, the rest of the family and myself...well..we're werewolves." She paused to gauge Keelay's reaction but when Keelay made no sound she continued.

"Last night our pack was celebrating the harvest moon. The whole pack usually gets together every couple of months and we run. Usually we can control our wolf but there are few nights in the year when the moon's power is to hard to fight. Last night was one of those nights. It becomes harder for us to control our animal instincts, the need we have to hunt. To mate." again she paused to see Keelay's reaction. She wanted to explain the reasons behind Duncan's behaviour, hoping she wouldn't hold his wild side against him. Keelay said nothing. Unsure what to say. It was obvious to her last night that Duncan was more than human, but seemed surreal to be sitting in the kitchen, talking about it over tea like it was the mist natural thing in the world.

"Each werewolf is give only one true mate. One person that can make both of their natures happy. One person who can unite the two halves and bring peace to both human and wolf. It's very rare for a werewolf to find his true mate, usually they only find an ordinary mate. Someone who makes the human half happy and whom the wolf can tolerate. Yesterday Duncan found his true mate. You. That is why he attacked Jake. Why he took you from the cabin. The need to claim our mates is an urgency we can not ignore for long."

"How is Jake?" Keelay blurted, interrupting Aimee mid-explanation.

She merely smiled gently and reassured her that Hake was fine and would be back on gods feet in a few days.

"Keelay, it's very important that you listen to what I'm telling you. Duncan claimed you. He marked you as his and in biting you he's infected you with the necessary genes to make you physically compatible."

"what does that mean?" asked Keelay worriedly. She didn't like the sound of that.

"It means that your DNA is changing, just slightly...don't worry you won't have to shift until the first full moon. You have a few weeks to prepare."

Keelay freaked then. She pushed back from the table, over turning the chair in the process. Her mouth opened but no sound emerged. Her eyes were wide in fright and denial. Turn into one of those things? No way! Shaking her head she started to deny it but never gotten the chance as the back door was suddenly opened and two men entered. The took one look at Aimees worried face and Keelays frightened one and turned to leave. Muttering something about about being hungry but coming back later.

Aimee quickly rose and hurried to Keelays side. Her gently arms enveloped her, comforting her ad nothing else could. Keelay gave in to her emotions and cried.

A few hours, and a long explanation later, Keelay sat in the living room with Aimee, Drake and Duncans father, Zack. Together they had explained that because Duncan had bitten her she was now a part of there pack, under their protection and part if their family. They had also explained the laws, mainly that Keelay could never tell the humans about them.

Keelay also learnt that the first few months would be the hardest as she learnt to control her wolf. Her mood wold awing from reasonable to animal in a heart beat and the change could take her at anytime. Drake had offered her the use of a flat as she learnt to control get emotions and Aimee had offered to help her control her wolf as she had some experience in that area. It was harder for a human who was bitter to gain control over their wf as they were forced into it. One day completely human, the next day they have a full grown wolf control. Not the easiest pet to live with.

The conversation lasted late into the night and as she struggled to hide another yawn she couldn't help but wonder for the hundredth time where Duncan was. The more his family ignored the question of his absents, the uneasier she had become. Why wouldn't they tell her where he was? Where was he? Had something happened? What where they hiding?