Lunar Dance Ch. 09

Hello Readers!

I'm not going to say much here. I will be finished with the story by the Chinese New Years, at the latest. Big shot out to my rockin' editor! Your so great!

Thanks for reading everyone!

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Sensanin

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When all the blood is shed
And all the weapons are cast aside
The victor steps forth
Feeling anything but pride

"Everything is back to normal in the human world. Everyone thinks you just went to the bathroom. Hopefully this won't take long," Tabiti said, casting her voice into the arena. She had chosen the perfect stage. This is how she would meet Nyyrikki and his army, she knew this with certainty. Gods had a flare for the dramatic; a wide battle field in the middle of a forest, with plush grass, green with life. It was the perfect venue; no other god could have chosen better, the pure beauty of it.

On one side was a large blue-grey wolf, ready to strike. Ears flat against his skull, tail twitching agitatedly. On the other side was a human prince, standing relaxed but alert. Much to Tabiti's amusement, the human was not staring at the dangerous wolf he was faced with, but at her. The look he wore was almost silent amusement, with a dash of condemnation.

Silly little human, Tabiti thought waving her hand for the battle to begin. She watched the black wolf attack, swiping at the human prince.

Demir easily dodged it. Shifting back and to the side with lethal grace. Demir shifted his full attention to the fight. It took Demir longer than she thought it would have to shift. He sustained at least 3 scars, and one bite before he finally shifted. It was very impressive, because as many scars as Demir got, her grey wolf got twice as many, and while Demir was still in his human form.

Tabiti watched with rapt attention as Demir easily shifted, and parried with her wolf. Tabiti wondered when her grey wolf would use his wild card, yet even as she mused this, he used it.

Tabiti smiled as she watched the blue-grey wolf jump back a few dozen feet and shift to his human form. He lay on the ground, looking far worse than he actually was, waiting for Demir to charge him.

Demir raced towards the human laying pathetically on the field, but stopped dead in his tracks, his body contorting in an unnatural way as he tried to shift back into his human form. "Matt!" Demir growled through a mouth too large for his human face. But his momentary lapse in control allowed Matt the small entrance he needed to attack.

Matt shifted launching himself into the air, and swiping at Demir's side, cutting him deep. Demir howled long and tortured, but caught Matt around the neck and forcing him to the ground.

It had never really been a competition. Demir was the bigger, stronger wolf, who had trained longer and developed

a stronger connection with his other side. He had simply wanted to play with Tabiti's wolf and see what her "best" was. It hadn't really impressed him, but the fact that she had tricked him with his mate's best friend's boyfriend had been a shock. More so because that meant Tabiti had always been close to Jozlyn, able to get to her whenever and however she chose. That in and of itself angered Demri to no end. Tabiti's mocking words about Jozlyn already being involved coming back to haunt him.

"Woman!" Demir boomed up at her from the arena she had placed him in. Matt who had already shifted back to his human form once he realized his air supply was cut off, was scratching Demir's arm and trying to throw him off to no avail. "Come down here, or I kill your wolf," Demir said it low, his temper barely restrained and his human reasoning nowhere in sight.

Tabiti realized that Demir would probably kill Matt. But Matt was a key piece on her chess board and she couldn't have him out of the game. She was down in a second, standing a few feet from Demir and Matt.

Tabiti smiled warmly at the site before her. Though the actual fight hadn't lasted more than ten minutes, it had showed her all she needed to know. Demir far surpassed all of the wolves she had trained so far. If she was to be truly honest, he was almost as strong as the wolf Nyyrikki had killed. It had been wonderful watching Demir parry with Matt, the sheer effortless strength he wielded, and the way he sized up his opponent for weakness, while taking punishment to evaluate the skill and the force they used, was pure brilliance.

"Let him go," Tabiti said casually, as if they were discussing the stock market and not a man's life. Demir smiled at her, but she realized that it wasn't really him. It was the wolf. Ah, Tabiti though, taking a mental step back, I've crossed a line. Demir wasn't in his body at the moment, he had given it over to the wolf. Tabiti knew at that moment he didn't care about Matt, he just wanted to taste her blood on his teeth, and she couldn't have been more proud.

Here he was, covered in sweat and blood, phasing between human and wolf, but not really staying on either one. His chest had three deep furrows in it with blood pouring out and onto the ground beneath him, creating a pool of blood and mud, while Matt scratched furtively at his arm, until he scratched it bloody and raw trying to break free. Despite his massive injuries, Demir-if that is what you could call him, because at that point he was too far gone- was smiling at her, panting like a bitch in heat after a furious fuck.

He wanted her blood. He wanted her dead. He stared at her with the calm, clear eyes of a predator. "Henry Demir Jacobs Manchester," Tabiti said loudly, enunciating each word. She said with the deadly calm of a sociopath, "Let him go." There was no emotion behind it, no vehemence or hate. Just a clear order, that if not obeyed would mean swift retribution.

Demir returned to himself in stages. Matt had stopped scratching and was on his last few breaths of oxygen as Demir slowly meticulously uncurled each finger from around Matt's neck. With robotic motions he moved from his crouch over Matt, taking to his full height, and shifting into his human form. Demir stood about a hundred paces from Tabiti, trying to get himself under control.

From high above the battlefield, on the platform Tabiti had occupied only moments before, dozens of werewolves cramped to see the spectacle. All in different forms, some were human others wolf, and some brave souls were trying to hold their hybrid form. But one thing each wolf had in common was the feelings of fear and reverence coursing through them at seeing their new alpha. And Demir was that. His wolf was massively huge, he could shift any part of his body easily, and could effortlessly hold his hybrid form. Demir was corded muscle and sinew, bruised, bloodied, and standing tall without a care for his nudity. This is the man they would call Alpha, and they were all in awe of that fact.

Tabiti had Raven come and take Matt away to be taken care of, his injuries healed. She would need him very soon, but until then she had to deal with the new Alpha. She approached him slowly, ever watchful like Demir, Tabiti didn't quite trust the person standing opposite her.

When she was fifteen feet away from Demir, Tabiti smiled gently trying her best to put on human airs. "Would you like some clothes?" she asked quietly, barely registering the deep gashes which had a steady stream of blood flowing from them.

Demir blinked his predatory eyes very slowly, before raising a blood stained hand and pushing back his hair. His body gave almost no sign of the extreme pain he must have been feeling, except for the briefest flicker of his eyes.

"That would be nice. Yes," Demri said politely through gritted teeth, trying to regain his humanity. Tabiti easily deposited clothes at his feet, with a simple wave of her hand. He hadn't had time to strip down before Matt had charged him, and his clothes had ripped off his body as he had changed.

Demir reached for the clothes and dressed quietly, not really caring about his nudity. But never once did he take his eyes from Tabiti.

"So," Demir began casually buttoning the last few buttons on his shirt, "have I passed your test? Am I the Alpha now?" Demir smiled at her as he finished, looking up and over at the wolves gathered around.

Tabiti relaxed a little, realizing his human self was once more in control. Tabiti had thought Demir's mother was the more volatile of the pair, perhaps she was wrong. She glided a little closer to him, still a bit wary. "Yes," she began, "you are now the pack's Alpha. You are the leader."

She was only ten feet from Demir when he dropped his polite mask of civility and attacked her. She might be a goddess, but the blood running through his veins was celestial too. His claws dug into her throat, as he brought her face just inches from his. "Listen very very carefully woman," Demir began despite the burning in his hand, from having touched a goddess's body, or the extreme pain he experienced from looking her dead in the eye. Demir's eyes glowed an eerie yellow, not quite like their natural golden color, his claws digging into her throat through the muscle, "if you ever pull some shit like that again, I will kill you in the most excruciatingly inventive way I can think of," Demir said, dragging out the words and speaking low so only she could hear.

Slowly, with painstaking easy he removed his fingers, ignoring the third degree burns marking his skin. Demir looked at Tabiti through dispassionate eyes; she would always be a threat to him, and someone he could never trust. For her trickery, he would never forgive her.

Tabiti ignored the burning in her throat, or the fear that laced her tongue. She had never tasted fear, and she didn't like it one bit. Tabiti took a careful step back from Demir, she had to be careful around this one, very careful.

"I will send you back now," Tabiti began slowly, methodically, as if she was calming a wild animal, "In a very short time your wolves will come knocking on your door. You will need to find them jobs and train them. I will send Raven with you to help." Tabiti watched Demir's facial expressions, the subtle nuances that would tell her if he would obey or disobey. Seconds rolled into minutes as she watched. Blood, sweat, and dirt trickled down his brow, and still Tabiti watched his face, looking deep into his eyes. A deeper gold she'd never seen, a more controlled face she'd never watched. Only the slight curve of his upper lip broke that mask.

"Will you send me back, or stare at me forever?" Demir asked sardonically. As much as Tabiti watched him, he watched her, and she didn't realize that she had a tell. So small as to be insignificant, so weak as to be ignored, the pulse at her wrist throbbed like a heart trying to escape its prison of muscle and sinew.

Tabiti smiled, it was she same smile that she had given him when they had first met, it chilled him to the bone. One minute he was staring at that chilling smile and the next he was in his bedroom bathroom, staring at himself in the mirror. Bloody and bruised he stared back at himself in the mirror, only one thought taking precedence in his mind: that woman could never be trusted.

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Matt winced from the pain in his chest, the burning in his lungs. Death had stared him in the eyes, his alpha had stared at him in the eyes. Matt hoped he never had to face Demir again, at least not as his enemy.

Raven went about the chamber Matt was in, lighting incense and fragrant candles. Matt took a deep breath in, the pressure on his lungs easing with each breath. He felt a breeze enter the chamber, and a cool hand press on his forehead, "You fought well Mathew. I could not have asked for a better wolf." Tabiti smiled down at Matt, lightly stroking over his hair.

Matt moved to speak but she silenced him, "Shh," she whispered lightly placing her index finger over his lips. Do not try to talk, she whispered in his mind. Matt nodded, and closed his eyes, letting Raven's soothing herbs and light chanting wash over him.

Matt still hadn't gotten used to Tabiti talking in his mind. It felt foreign and intrusive, but in his wolf form he needed that power. He still hadn't gotten used to differentiating the different howls, no matter how much practice Tabiti gave him. Telepathy was the best form of communication when they were wolves, or they did not want others to hear their conversations.

As Matt relaxed fully in the chamber, he let his mind float away and dream of Kayla. Sweet, innocent, wild Kayla. Love of his life, light of his heart. His mate.

Matt had accepted this fact. Two weeks had changed him, made him grow up and become something more than a man. He accepted Kayla was his mate. He accepted that he would have to change her, and have her accepted into the pack. He accepted all these things which was why he had been the one to fight Demir.

Tabiti hadn't just chosen any one from the pack, she had chosen the strongest, fastest wolf. That wolf would be made to fight Demir, but he would also either become Alpha or a first Beta. Such a rank in the pack meant he would be respected, looked up to, his mate would be respected. He secured his position for Kayla, to ensure that when she came into the pack, she wasn't mated to an Omega. Any injuries he sustained would be well worth it to ensure Kayla's happiness.

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Jozlyn was confused. No no, more than that, she was freaked the fuck out! One minute they had been sitting wondering where the castle attendants were and the next she was walking with Kayla in the gardens. Her parents, the queen, and Demir had been nowhere in sight. Kayla was rambling about something, but Jozlyn was finding it hard to keep up with her mind in a whirl. Her thoughts felt fake, like she had been drugged and someone had told her something that wasn't true.

She thought that the queen had gone to check things out, and Demir went too. But they had come back and told everyone that everything was alright. Then her parents had gone to freshen up for dinner, because the queen had asked them to stay for dinner and maybe stay the night. Demir had suggested that Jozlyn and Kayla check out the gardens, while he attended some business. But the memories were fuzzy, like she had watched a movie and she thought she had lived it, but never actually had.

Jozlyn stopped Kayla, she wasn't even looking around at the sights, she was too focused on her memories to care about roses or tulips. "I-I think I need to sit," Jozlyn said, slowly moving to sit on the ground."Oh, OK," Kayla said as she moved to sit too, "Just be careful of your dress Joz, you don't want to ruin it."

Jozlyn glanced down at her dress, the dress Demir had had in his closet. She made a mental note to ask him why he had women's clothes in his closet. But more pressing things were in her mind. She felt an impression, almost a memory, but she couldn't grasp it. It was an imprint of power, very old, tightly leashed. She had glimpsed that power when she had been in the sitting room with Demir and their families. Power all consuming and infinite, and distinctly... male.

Before Jozlyn could grasp the thoughts, they slipped from her mind like a whisper, while a crippling pain seized her. Jozlyn cried out, clutching at her shoulder. The pain, Jozlyn thought. She tried ripping off her sleeve, trying to scratch out the pain.

"Joz, what's going on? Are you ok?" she heard Kayla's worried voice as if from afar. Jozlyn's body seized,before contorting violently. Long seconds went by before her body began to loosen up, and tremors began to rack her form.

Kayla was on her knees watching Jozlyn with a mixture of fear and fascination. Jozlyn looked like she was having an attack of some kind, and Kayla had no clue what to do. Kayla began to look around the garden for any guards or maids that might have been following them or were working. There was no one, and they had been walking for so long, that she had forgotten the way back. On all sides were beautiful blooming roses intertwined with Hyacinth's. The combination was striking, but flowers would help neither Jozlyn nor Kayla.

Jozlyn's teeth chattered as she tried to get back Kayla's attention. "K-k-kayla," Jozlyn forced out, trying to clench her teeth. Her eyes looked to the sky above her, framed by the roses and Hyacinths. When had it become dark? Where was the moon in the sky?

"I-I-I need y-you to g-get D-d-demir" Jozlyn forced out before her body was once again overtaken by tremors.

Kayla quickly got to her feet. She couldn't leave Jozlyn here. Kayla would swear she was having a stroke. She might bite her tongue off and swallow it and choke to death. So then how? "Help!" Kayla said just above her normal volume, but not quite a yell. She tried again, her voice gaining strength and coming out with more urgency. "Help! Someone help!" She screamed, turning around and screaming it over and over again.

"C-call D-d-demir," Jozlyn pleaded. At a loss, with no help in site, Kayla screamed at the top of her lungs. "DEMIR!!!!" Her voice cracked, and broke, leaving her coughing and holding back tears.

Jozlyn's body was contorting strangely. Her back was arching, her hand and calves' were bending at a strange angle. Very carefully Kayla moved away from Jozlyn, until she hit a prickly thorn from a rose stem. She squeaked and turned to see a tiny pin of blood spring up on her arm. Just as quickly she turned back to Jozlyn, but Jozlyn wasn't alone. Bending over her was Demir, he was feeling Jozlyn's head and then her arms.

Kayla watched as Demir, growled low in his chest, his back vibrating with the sound. Wordlessly he gathered Jozlyn's shaking body into his arms. Very slowly the prince turned to Kayla, and Kayla would swear his eyes were golden. But just as he blinked they were back to being hazel. A beautiful hazel, but no one would mistake hazel for gold.

Demir inclined his head slightly to her, before carrying Jozlyn away. She didn't know where they went, they just went... away.

Fuck me. Kayla thought falling to the ground. A poor choice given she was right next to roses. She was cut several times on her way to the ground but she scarcely felt a one. Life was too exciting for Kayla. A kidnapping and a seizure all in one day. Kayla's mind slowly shut down. Flip by flip, her brain shut off, and she slowly fell sideways on the soft grass. Her last thought, I can't wait to see what happens tomorrow.

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Veronica looked at her son and his mate. They were in his bedroom locked in a tight embrace on the bed. Jozlyn was shifting. Veronica had never seen a human shift before, and she was terrified and excited by the prospect.

Long long ago, when the first werewolves were discovering they were werewolves, they bit people left and right, trying to change people. The thought was to make an army of werewolves. They were of course faster, with keener senses, and stronger strength. They were almost unbeatable, there was only one problem, and that was a very large problem. Around half the people they turned never survived the transformation. Of those who survived, they either could not accept what they had become, or their mind could not grasp the impossibility; they often went crazy. Than others still overdosed on the power coursing through their veins and went on a killing rampage, and then had to be put down. Of the people the first werewolves tried to change, less than 10% actually survived and prospered, going on to lead productive lives and procreating. It was terrifying and wonderful all at once.

So because of this, their ancestors had created a list of rules for their descendants to follow. One of those being not to change humans, or if you had to change a human either to save their life or because they were your mate, you had to be prepared for the consequences. There were several other key rules, which Veronica and Demir followed but Veronica followed this rule explicitly. That was why she had never bitten Ivory, even if he was her mate and she loved him beyond words, she would not even for a second put him in danger that could be avoided.