12 comments/ 7018 views/ 22 favorites Sun and Moon Ch. 01 By: SilentShadows Before you, the reader, starts this adventure, I, the writer, would like to clarify the nature of this series. This is a fantastical series, and therefore all characters are at least partially fantastical. A writer must write what he knows, and none of my characters are particularly unique. Every character trait, every flaw, every emotion, every physical attribute is taken a person from real life. However, in an attempt to keep their anonymity, all names have been changed and all character traits are blended so that no character is truly recognizable. This series will feature two major themes: nonhumans and romance, and hopefully will be a long running story with numerous chapters. That means that the story will proceed slowly, and will not dive right into hot sex. I will be making an attempt to avoid the incredible number of clichés often found in series that include these themes, but I will make no promises. I will be using third person limited point of view and changing characters within chapters. Of course, all characters are 18 and over. Please feel free to let me know what you think and how I can improve. I am also currently self-editing, but am looking for a second pair of eyes. If anyone is interested in helping out, please let me know. This is the first chapter, and there will be a lot of background, so bear with me. I promise things will get more exciting as the story continues. And with all the preliminaries out of the way, let us begin! -SilentShadows ***** Olivia Olivia watched as Emily, her sister, tried the 12th wedding dress on in the small boutique. She sighed as Emily decided against this dress and asked to try on another. This is exhausting Olivia thought. Can't she just pick one already? "Olivia, what do you think of this one?" Emily asked. "I love it," Olivia replied, her voice a monotone that clearly showed she was bored. "C'mon Olivia this is important. It's my wedding day after all." "You and David aren't even mated. I don't know why you have to buy a dress already," Olivia replied. "Anyway, you won't be getting married for another year or two, not until you are in heat." "You know why we're here, Olivia, we need to be prepared. Once my scent changes and we know the timeline for my heat we will have to act fast. Jacob's parents are human, and we don't want them asking questions about our relationship, now or later. This way, they won't." "Whatever," Olivia said and watched as her sister tried on another dress. Olivia's eyes lit up as Emily glowed in the dress. It featured no veil, and a sheer white bodice that started at her breasts and dipped just past her knees. While the dress was strapless, Emily was covered in the most beautiful, form-fitting lace from top of her neck across her dress, along her arms to her wrists and down to her ankles. "Wow. That's the one Emily." After staring in the mirror for a few minutes, Emily turned to the saleswoman and said "We'll take it." αβγΩ ∞ Ωγβα Emily On their way back to the compound Emily thought about how this had all began. Born into a loving family, Emily had one younger brother and a pair of gentle and caring parents. Of course, that's what she hoped. Her only memory of her family was of holding her newborn baby brother at around three years of age and being happy to have a playmate. She remembered being slightly jealous of her parent's attention to him as well, like all siblings do. The next thing she could remember was being a little over four years of age and in an orphanage. She had no idea what happened to her parents or her brother. The nuns at the orphanage only knew that she had been dropped off at the edge of their door in the middle of a cold winter night, and that Sister Charlotte had discovered Emily sleeping in a blanket on her nightly walk. All Emily could remember was her name and that she was four years old. Sister Charlotte became her loving guardian for the next 3 years until she celebrated her 7th birthday on December 3rd, the night she was discovered. Emily had brown hair in her memory, but upon arriving at the orphanage she had bright red hair, along with silver eyes and high cheekbones. At seven years of age a couple came to the orphanage and adopted Emily, and brought her to their home. The couple, named Sarah and Liam, had adopted 3 other children besides Emily: Olivia, Joshua, and Eli. They were the respective heads of their communities, and quickly Emily learned their "true names" of Alpha and Madam Alpha, as well as their secret: they were the leaders of a pack of werewolves. Emily's adopted parents told her the secrets of their kind. Weres, often referred to as shifters, are humans that can shift into different animals. Werewolves are considered more "mainstream" by the human population, but there are also werepanthers, weretigers, and werebears. The myth of vampires, as well as succubae, actually came from werebats, though they do not shift and live for much longer than any other species of weres. However, humans cannot shift into animals that are much larger than them, explained by the idea that mass is never created or destroyed, or something like that - ergo no "werewhales" and "weremammoths" exist. Weres typically have around double the lifespan of humans, somewhere around 200 years. The final secret that Emily learned from her adopted parents was that she was a shifter as well. Children were precious to shifters, and sadly, Sarah and Liam were unable to conceive. They decided to search orphanages and state adoption records for orphaned weres so they could have children of their own. The Alpha pair could smell that the children were shifters even before the children themselves knew. Emily was special, however. Most weres "awaken," a colloquial term meaning "to discover one's inner animal and shift for the first time" at one of three times: when they turn 25 years old, when they meet their mate, or when they experience a traumatic event. Once shifting, the young weres' bodies undergo numerous transformations that would prepare them for their mates as well as to better align their human bodies with their animal ones to make shifting easier. Sarah and Liam assumed that Emily had experienced a traumatic event, probably the death of her family. None of her new siblings could shift, and her new parents assumed that they had not witnessed their parent's deaths, while she had. While weres never abandoned their children, but it was not unheard of for weres to be killed by hunters or even other weres. Emily was a wereleopard, a snow leopard in fact, which was incredibly rare - only around 6,000 snow leopards exist in the wild. It explained her pale skin and silver eyes, but certainly not her red hair. Her entire family assumed that the red hair was a personal preference for her mate-to-be, and her siblings teased her about it to no end. As time went by, Emily and her siblings grew up. She was happy with her adopted family, and her adopted parents soon simply became "Mom and Dad." Her siblings were all flooding with personality: Olivia was a tomboy who loved to fight and wrestle more than her brothers did, Joshua was shy and quiet with a six sense for other's emotions, and Eli was 6'7'' and practically a teddy bear. Eli was the oldest, with Emily, Olivia, and Joshua in order behind him. When Emily turned 18 she was in her senior year of high school, and had a difficult decision of where to go to college. She could either go to Washington State University (her pack lived in Washington and nearly all pack members had gone to school there) or she could go to UC Berkeley. She decided that she would go for a campus tour so that she could get a first-hand look at the campus. Within minutes she knew that Berkeley was the school for her. "Emily!" Olivia said, snapping her fingers in front of Emily's face. "Hello, anybody home? We've arrived." "Oh, sorry, I guess I just zoned out," Emily replied. "Well c'mon, let's go show Mom the dress. She'll love it." Olivia ran off with the dress, safely protected in a black sheath. Emily sighed, looking up at the manor her family and the pack betas lived in. She'd missed this place, even though she'd only been gone for a weekend. Emily heard the wind chimes sound as Olivia opened the front door, running into the house with excitement. Oh well, time to face the music. αβγΩ ∞ Ωγβα Emily "So what you're telling me is that you saw your mate, but you didn't approach him or even introduce yourself?" Emily's father, Liam Ađalsteinn asked his daughter in a stern voice before slowly falling backing into a chair across from her. "He still hasn't shifted Dad, and there were at least three dozen people on that tour. If he caught my scent and shifted in front of all those people in the tour we would have a massive problem," Emily responded. After a moment of thought, Alpha Ađalsteinn agreed with his daughter. "The circumstances of finding your mate were unfortunate, Emily, and I'm glad that you were able to think logically and rationally about the situation before proceeding. If I were you I would have rushed at my mate, slung her over my shoulder, and taken her away to somewhere private," Alpha Ađalsteinn said, giving both of his daughters, as well as his mate, a wink. Sarah, his mate, blushed, remembering their first time together. Their daughters replied immediately and in unison with a loud "EWWWW," and making vomiting noises and disgusted faces. "Don't knock it, you two," their mother replied. "Pretty soon you'll have mates of your own, especially now that you've found your mate, Emily." "Yeah yeah Mom we know, 'we'll be in love soon' blah blah blah," Olivia replied in her all-too-typical uncouth manner, mimicking her mother's higher pitched voice. Alpha Ađalsteinn coughed loudly, focusing his mate and daughters back on the topic at hand. "So, do we at least know your mate's name, Emily? We will need to get in contact with his parents at once." "No, Dad, that's the thing," Emily replied. "His parents are human. His name is David McGinnis and he's from Ohio - I stole a glance at the tour guide's clipboard on the way out." "Ok, well you have school in the morning Emily, you can't just hop on a flight to Ohio," her father said. "C'mon Dad, he's my mate! This is way more important than stupid high school. It's my last year anyways, who cares?" "I care, Emily, and your mother cares too," her father replied in a stern tone. "Well what am I supposed to do? Just wait for 6 months until we go to college together? I can't wait that long for him Dad," Emily replied, her frustration at the unfortunate situation coming through in her voice. "I have an idea. Remember what your brother did to bring his son's mate to their pack?" Sarah Ađalsteinn said to her mate. "Seriously? A gala? You think that will work?" He replied. "I know it will. Throw in the promise of some massive scholarship and Emily's mate will have to come. It's perfect: the pack will get to meet our new member of the family and David will be able to shift in the peace and comfort of our land." "It's perfect Mom," Emily said, hugging her mother. All at once, the three women of the Ađalsteinn family turned to their patriarch, all giving him their best "puppy-dog eyes." "Alright, alright, I'll set it up," He said after a moment, chuckling as the women all raised a fist in victory. "It will have to be the weekend after next, Emily. That's spring break, and your mate will need the week to come to terms with who he is. Agreed?" "Of course Dad, it sounds perfect," Emily agreed. "C'mon, you'll need something gorgeous to wear," Sarah Ađalsteinn said to her daughter, picking up her car keys. "To the mall!" The duo said in unison, as a weary Olivia trailed behind them. As the ladies left the room, Alpha Ađalsteinn turned back towards his desk. "Women," he muttered under his breath. "They'll be the death of me, I swear it." Sun and Moon Ch. 02 Preliminaries: Thank you for all the support for chapter 1, it means a lot! For future reference, if you do post a comment I will do my best to reply in a similar format to the response(s) on chapter 1 (I can't seem to reply to each comment individually). I will attempt to make each chapter around 2 pages, but that means these chapters take longer to write and edit, so no complaining! I've decided to remove the character POV and just write from 3rd person POV, though that was basically what I was already doing. However, the individual parts of each chapter will still be focused on a particular character. I feel that this will allow me to not have to worry about perspectives and give the best and broadest view of what the characters are experiencing. I would also like to apologize for the long hiatus. Two computer crashes, one windows reinstall, real life, and procrastinating were the main reasons for why I have not published this chapter yet. It is extra-long, so hopefully you all will forgive me xD. This chapter is also barely edited at all, so forgive any small typos or mistakes. As always, I am open to all constructive criticisms and opinions! With all of that nonsense out of the way, enjoy! -Silent ***** The Sun and Moon Chapter 2 David sighed as he boarded his flight to Seattle. He had been invited to a gala for gifted students entering college, and supposedly there was a hefty scholarship to be awarded. He was initially opposed to going, but he couldn't argue with a free plane ticket and a promise for the trip to be "all-expense-paid." Arriving a few hours later, an older woman greeted him at the gate. She held a small sign saying Mr. McGinnis. "Do you have all of your luggage?" The woman asked. "How was your flight?" "The flight was fine, thank you," David replied. "I only have carry-ons, so there's no need to worry about luggage." "Wonderful, let's be on our way then. My name is Amara. It's nice to meet you David," Amara said sweetly. As they exited the airport, David studied the woman that picked him up from the airport. The woman looked to be around 70 years old, and had the kind of face and voice that comforted everyone around her. David was instantly sure that she was a mother, and probably a grandmother. He was correct in his assumption - ironically, she would be his own grandmother in under a week. David followed Amara out through the airport doors marked above as Arrivals. Once his luggage was secured in the trunk of the black sedan that was to be their mode of transportation, they left the airport. David was surprised when the older woman took the seat next to him in the back of the car - she had her own personal driver. The interrogation started with Amara saying "so tell me about yourself." For the next 3 hours Amara battered David down with endless questions: about his family, now deceased; about his life; and most importantly, about his character. David smiled sweetly and answered Amara's questions to the best of his abilities. He assumed that he was being interviewed for the $50,000 scholarship, while Amara's motives were quite different - she was vetting the soon-to-be newest member of her family. By the end of their lengthy talk, Amara was sure of two things: that David was deeply troubled, and that he was the perfect mate for Emily. He was not necessarily a good looking young man - he was 5'7'', brown haired and scrawny. David did not look like a man of the Ađalsteinn clan, though the awakening would change all that. Amara and David arrived in the sedan at the compound, a loyal omega helping David with his luggage. David knew that this family was rolling in it if they could afford a personal driver, a $50,000 scholarship, and this monster of a mansion. Rob, the driver, showed David through the gothic archway, up the spiral staircase, and to his room. The room itself was luxurious (if you like dark mahogany) and David was instructed to show up to the gala at 8 p.m. David collapsed on the plush bed, and rolled over to glance at the alarm clock. It read 3:12. Perfect, David thought, enough time for a nap, and promptly passed out from exhaustion. αβγΩ ∞ Ωγβαc David bolted upright out of the bed. What the fuck was that dream? All he could remember was watching a massive tiger walk into a forest, and chasing it. No matter how far or how fast he ran, the tiger was always out of reach. He cut his feet on rocks, his arms were ripped apart by numerous stray branches, yet he still gave chase. Somehow, it felt more like reality than a dream. Glancing at the clock, David read 7:23. "Shit!" He exclaimed, and ran into the bathroom, quickly starting the shower. When he got out of the shower he was surprised to find a tuxedo waiting for him. He was relieved - all he had was a black tie and blazer. David dressed quickly, and managed to make it to the main ballroom 3 minutes before 8 o'clock, though he did get lost at one point. Entering the ballroom, David surveyed around 12 large, circular tables all covered with white linen. All the chairs and tables were made of a dark mahogany, and in the front of the room there was a large dais with a dozen or so seats. Behind the dais was a massive glass window, mostly covered by a large brown drapes. At least 60 people stood around the ballroom talking, the majority with some alcoholic beverage in their hands, likely to be champagne. They were all dressed in either tuxedos or expensive dresses, and, interestingly enough, were all in pairs. As David entered the ballroom, the hairs on the back of all of the attendee's necks prickled and raised. Unbeknownst to him, all of the people were weres, the majority of which were members of the pack. Only a few turned around to get a look at him, mainly omegas or friends of the Ađalsteinn pack who were not used to large crowds. The rest controlled their impulse to turn their necks, and continued their conversations. Regardless of their different reactions, every were in attendance knew that this kid was special, and not just because he was the alpha's daughter's mate. David found his seat on the third table and slung his blazer over the back of the chair. One by one, each pair walked over to introduce themselves. They all said things like "congratulations" and "we're so happy for you and Emily." Of course, he had no idea what was going on, and he assumed that Emily was the other recipient of the scholarship. Even though he was mildly confused, he thanked everyone who greeted him. Once the dinner began, David conversed with the 5 other people at his table: two mated pairs, and a single beta. David picked a wonderful lamb shank and ravioli in a butter and white wine sauce that was to die for. Unfortunately, David was not able to fully enjoy his mean, as his attention was focused on the angelic girl on the dais. When David first saw her he was shaking the hand of his future uncle. She walked gracefully into the ballroom and greeted the throb of attendees who flocked around her, specifically the females who were in attendance. The first thing David noticed about her was her hair. It was a bright auburn red, straight and shimmering in the low lighting. It hung around a foot past the top of her shoulder. She had an exquisite face, with high cheekbones, full but not too thick lips, silver eyes, and pale skin. David traced this beauty's hair down from her shoulders to a velvet emerald dress that accentuated her curves and flowed to her knees. She had ample breasts and her behind was small yet tight. David felt all of his surroundings diminish, and even as he was eating, he could focus on nothing else save her. David ate quickly, as he was accustomed to from his years in foster care. He realized that he felt out of control: this woman's pull was too strong. He had felt attraction to other girls before, but nothing of this magnitude. Like a guilty criminal, David fled to the balcony in an attempt to recover the control that he prized above all else. Breathing heavily, almost to the point of hyperventilating, David forced himself to calm down, taking long, deep breaths. Tonight was going to be a long night. αβγΩ ∞ Ωγβα Emily watched as her mate hurriedly walked to the upstairs balcony. Her leopard paced within Emily's soul, frustrated that she couldn't go to her mate and be with him. Sitting there on the dais next to her father was possibly the most frustrating thing she had ever had to do. Emily wanted nothing else but to run to her mate and comfort her, but she knew the timing wasn't right. Alpha Ađalsteinn watched his daughter rap her fingers on the table, an annoying habit that she did when upset or angry. He could see the frustration on her face as plain as day, and leaned toward her ear. "Go to him," he whispered. Emily took that as being excused, and rushed out of her seat. It took all of her willpower not to run up the stairs, but to walk slowly like a lady. As she came up the stairs she saw David leaning over the railing, doing some casual people-watching. He seemed lost in thought, and didn't hear Emily walk towards him. "Hi," Emily said in an irregularly high pitch. David jumped in surprise, and then turned toward her, clutching his heart. "You nearly gave me a heart attack!" "Sorry," Emily replied, "you seemed lost in thought." David ran a hand through his hair and turned toward her. "Yeah, I guess I was just thinking about the past." "What about it?" Emily asked. "How I got here, how much my life has changed, how different this mansion is from my beginnings." Emily put her hands on her hips. "First of all, it's a compound; second, what were your 'beginnings?'" David waved his hand toward the party. "My life wasn't this glamourous or pretty. There wasn't expensive dresses, fancy food, or compounds" he said with a slight sneer. "We struggled to eat, to find a place to stay, to survive. It was hard. Living was hard." As David spoke, tears began to pool in the edges of his eyes. Emily knew that there was something wrong; David's reaction had to have come out of some kind of personal experience, and if this rift continued to grow Emily might walk away from this week without a mate. She walked forward with purpose, closing the few feet that separated them. Emily ignored her roaring leopard, which was upset that her mate was crying. Stop being a cub and focus she told the cat we have to use our power. Her leopard agreed. Emily had only used her ability twice, and all of those times were when she was much younger. She remembered entering the dream of a young boy at her orphanage that was plagued with nightmares. 5 years later she had invaded Olivia's privacy accidentally after a long day of playing on the beach. Emily had realized that she could enter the dreams of others, and not only see into their psyche, but make changes. She had sworn to herself that she would never use her power again, but Emily knew that if there was a time to use it, that time was now. "Kiss me," Emily told David, parting her lips delectably. David did not have to be asked twice, his inner animal pushing his inhibitions away. With his right hand David clasped the back of Emily's neck and pulled her to him. Emily had very little experience with men, mainly due to being the daughter of a major alpha. No mutt was stupid enough to go near her. David, on the other hand, was no saint. This kiss was hot and heavy, and David's left hand wrapped around Emily's small waist to pull her closer to him. His lips screamed of passion and need as he gripped her tightly. Slowly, David's senses began to fade, and when he opened his eyes all he saw was a grey blur. The pair toppled to the ground, with Emily's head on David's chest. However, neither of them felt the fall; they were both in David's subconscious. ΑβγΩ ∞ Ωγβα Emily blinked rapidly, trying to focusing on the memory coming into view. She knew she had pushed hard into David's psyche, and was hoping that his most painful memory came out. It was the fastest way to understand him and the fastest way to help him heal. As her eyes focused she found herself looking at a bus stop, the kind that is made of glass walls and can be seen through. Emily saw two figures, a boy sitting on the bench upright, and a small figure lying down horizontally next to him, covered in a blanket. It was raining, and extremely cold. As a car passed the bus stop, Emily barely made out the sticker on the bumper that read "The Windy City." So we're in Chicago, Emily thought. No wonder it's so cold. Emily walked toward the pair taking shelter from the rain in the bus stop. As she turned around the corner of the graffiti-covered glass panes, she looked closely at the pair. The boy was young, perhaps just having hit puberty, and there was no doubt that he was a young David. The other was a child, perhaps 6 or 7 years old and was clearly sick. The sickly girl had raven-black hair and so small she must have been malnourished. "David," the little girl croaked, "are you there?" "I'm here, Freya." The young David looked down at the girl and said, "We're going to take the bus to the women's shelter. They have medicine that will make you all better Freya. You'll see." Freya coughed and looked up at David and smiled. "And after we'll go to the park and play?" "We'll go to the park and play every day. Now put your head down and rest." A few minutes passed and nothing happened. David absentmindedly stroked Freya's hair as they waited for the bus. Freya's breathing was labored and scratchy - even in her sleep she sounded sick. Emily stared the vision of her mate, studying him. David's brows were furrowed in worry; his eyes bloodshot and baggy, his skin pale and dirty. Suddenly, all Emily could hear was the steady pounding of the heavy rain. Suddenly, the scene felt peaceful, not labored. Turning away from the rainy street and back to the pair, Emily watched as David shook the small girl. "Freya, Freya, wake up." He pulled her closer to him, shaking the girl with increasing fervor. "Nonononono, this can't be happening. Freya stay with me, please." David's voice was filled with dread and terror. David put Freya's head that he was clutching back onto the seat of the bus stop and ran out into the street, waving his arms wildly. A brown station wagon ground to a halt, mere inches away from hitting David. David ran around to the driver's window and pounded on the glass in desperation. The driver rolled down the window, saying "are you insane, kid? I nearly ran you over, and right in front of my kids, too!" "Do you have a cell phone?" David asked the man, nearly shouting over the pounding of the rain. "Yes, but why-" "Call 9-1-1. There is a sick girl at this bus stop and she needs help!" When the man hesitated, David shouted at him "Now!" "Ok ok." The man turned to his wife, who already had her phone out of her purse. "We'll make the call." The car drove off, and David ran back to the shelter of the bus stop, soaked to the bone. Picking little Freya up and back onto his lap, David began to stroke her hair. "Please don't leave me Freya, I need you. I love you." Emily looked at her sobbing mate and wanted to comfort him, but knew that this was a memory. She couldn't do anything to save the child from her fate, it was all in the past. Suddenly, the memory froze - it was as if someone had stopped time. A powerful force slammed into her, blocking the rest of the memory. It was as if she had ran face first into a brick wall. Emily's senses began to fade. No, no I need to see more. I need more time! As if thrown from a cannon, Emily was thrown into another memory. Taking a look around her, Emily realized that she was literally standing on water. This isn't a memory, Emily thought to herself. Where am I? The water was perfectly calm and clear, though she could not see the bottom, even if there was one. All around her spikes jutted out from the water, the smallest ones coming up to her shoulder. Emily spun around, trying to find a landmark that would clue her in to where she was. She saw a small figure on the horizon and walked toward it. It only took her a few moments to cross what must have been miles of water. Regardless of this irregularity, Emily was not surprised. Dream-worlds did not abide by the laws that the real world did. As she got closer to the figure, she realized that it was not a person, but a tree. An impossibly massive tree that dwarfed even the oldest tree known to man. Underneath that tree a small child was reading a book. "The itsy bitsy spider climbed up the water spout. Down came the rain to wash the spider out," the child sang. Then the child, whom Emily discerned to be a girl, looked at her. "And what kind of spider do we have here?" "Who are you and where am I?" Emily asked the girl. "Tsk tsk tsk," the girl said, wagging her finger at Emily. "Didn't your mother ever teach you manners?" "Please tell me who you are and where I am," Emily repeated, exasperation plain in her voice. "Well, this is the world tree, Yggdrasil, and I am the spirit who protects it." "You're Freya," Emily whispered, the answer so obvious that Emily wanted to kick herself. "Ding ding ding! Right you are." Emily realized then where she was. The Yggdrasil was the physical embodiment of David's soul, and Freya was the one he chose to protect it. The spikes were the roots of the world tree - she had read somewhere that the roots of certain trees who were repeatedly submerged in water grew upward. It was incredible - for a soul's embodiment to be this large the person must be extremely powerful. "Well, looks like it's time for you to go bye-bye," Freya said in a sing-song voice, waving goodbye to Emily. The same wall of energy that Emily experienced before hit her again, forcing her out of David's mind. A familiar feeling of slowly losing her senses overcame her, and she was shoved into consciousness. ΑβγΩ ∞ Ωγβα David woke up with a start, and tried to get a bearing of his surroundings. He was in a bed, but it was clearly not his. The bed stood on a mahogany bedpost, the kind with four spokes climbing to the ceiling from the corners of the bed. There was a flowery wallpaper full of warm colors that covered the walls. A small desk with an open laptop stood of the corner of the room, with a large chest of drawers next to it. Emily stretched, waking up from her "dream." David looked down to find her in his arms, snuggling closer to his chest as she woke up. "Well, Miss Emily," David said in a scolding tone. "You have some explaining to do." Emily was startled, practically jumping out of his arms. She looked up at him and asked, "What do you want to know?" "There are a few things," David replied. "What did you do to me last night? Who are you to me? And why the hell did I wake up in your bed half naked?" Emily began to take in the situation. She was wearing a long, white button-up shirt with her favorite black lace lingerie that she had worn to the party underneath. David had on navy sweatpants, his underwear, and nothing else, leaving his slim chest exposed. Creating a bit more distance between them, much to the dismay of her leopard, Emily said "last night I used my abilities to enter your subconscious to try and find out what was troubling you. "I am a were, a shifter, to be precise. I can turn into a snow leopard at will. Every were has someone special to them, their soul mate. You are my mate, and I am yours. And as far as waking up in my bed, I have to assume that one of our pack omegas dressed us and carried us here after we passed out at the party." Sun and Moon Ch. 02 David paused for a moment, taking all this new information in. "You said you entered my subconscious. How? What did you see?" He spoke calmly and rationally, something not common when most people found out that shifters exist, and that they were one. He also did not question whether or not he was her mate, which made Emily very happy. "I don't know how I can enter people's subconscious, I just can," Emily told David. Emily swallowed hard, the strong feelings that David showed in his memory coming back to her. "I saw the bus stop, David. That's what I saw in your subconscious." David's face contorted, showing a plethora of emotions. Surprise, hurt, confusion, anger, and pain, but mostly agony. Sheer agony. The pain of his repressed memory overcame him, and he began to cry and sob uncontrollably, his entire body shaking. After a few minutes of crying into Emily's shoulder, he stopped, blowing his nose with tissues on the nightstand. "Who was she, David? Who is Freya to you?" "She was my sister," He said, choking back a sob. "She was my only family left. And I let her die." All consuming pain enveloped David, as he curled up into a ball and cried. He was inconsolable. Lacey, the sweet omega who had dressed Emily and David, opened the door. "What's going on? Is someone hurt?" "GET OUT," David shouted in a voice that was not entirely his - it was a conjunction of dozens of voices, all crying out at the same time. His normally brown eyes turned black, whites and all. Lacey immediately shifted in pure terror, and raced as fast as she could away from him. She called out to Liam Ađalsteinn in her panic through their alpha bond. "David, calm down," Emily pleaded. "It's alright, no one is going to hurt you. You're safe." She pulled him towards his chest, petting his hair in an attempt to soothe and calm him. David's screaming quieted down, but not before he had alerted every member of the pack to his pain. Alpha Ađalsteinn rushed through the still-open doorway. "What is going on?" David's neck spun around to face the alpha so quickly it almost broke. Alpha Ađalsteinn stared into his completely black eyes gasped. He had only seen those eyes once before on his brother - the eyes of a true alpha. No longer in control of his own body, David threw the bed covers off of him and shifted, becoming a massive snow leopard in the blink of an eye. Emily and Liam Ađalsteinn stood unmoving, both in shock at the situation and not wanting to aggravate the leopard. Slowly, the leopard's eyes turned from black to the same silver that colored Emily's eyes. However, still confused, the leopard turned and smashed through the window, taking the lilac colored draped with him. As he fell two stories he landed on his feed, and raced off into the forest. Immediately Emily began to undress with the intent of shifting and chasing after him, but the alpha put up a hand to stop her. "I'll chase after him. Stay here," he said, and ran out this window, shifting in midair into a large brown wolf covered in scars. The alpha chased David deep into the woods. He couldn't catch up to the boy, only follow his scent. After 15 minutes of continuous running, David slowed. There was less fear in his scent, more calm. He smelled of spices and lemon grass. As the alpha caught up to David, he found the snow leopard standing waist deep in a stream. The alpha knew this landmark - they had traveled a little over 10 miles away from the compound. Liam Ađalsteinn shifted back into human form, walking towards the leopard slowly. The animal turned to face him, baring its sharp teeth. The alpha bared his neck to the leopard, allowing him to have dominance in the situation. "David, you need to shift back. I know that you're scared and confused but we need to talk." The leopard remained silent. "Focus on your human form, and allow yourself to open up, to be free." Still nothing. "Focus on Emily," The alpha said in desperation. "Focus on being with her." After a moment, a shiver ran down the spine of the leopard, and slowly David shifted back into his human form. "What am I? What is happening to me?" David asked in a terrified whisper, still standing waist-deep in the water. "You're a wereleopard, just like Emily, which is rare. You're even more special that that - you are what we refer to as a 'True Alpha,' a legend incarnate. Only one in the entire world can be alive at a time." "How do you know that I am this, what did you say, 'True Alpha?'" "My brother was the last True Alpha," Liam Ađalsteinn said. There was a sadness deep in his voice. Sensing this melancholy, David asked "What happened?" The alpha reached behind a large rock to pick up two pairs of shorts in a vacuum-sealed bag. "First of all, get out of the water. Secondly, get dressed. We will have a lot of walking to do to get to the nearest pack rendezvous. We'll talk on the way." David did as he was told, and they walked through the forest, eventually finding a small path and following it. "You said we would talk about your brother, Mr. Ađalsteinn." "Yes, my brother. He was the alpha of the Ađalsteinn pack many years ago, and I was his second in command. He was mated to Rebecca, and he ruled the pack for only 3 decades after our father stepped down. He was 63 years old when he died." "63 years old?" David asked incredulously. "Weres live around twice as long as humans," the alpha answered. "He was very young, especially by alpha standards. Now no more interruptions. Do you want to hear the story or not?" "Sorry," David apologized. "Please continue." After a short pause, Liam Ađalsteinn began again. "Over the years Sam, my brother, made many enemies. Most couldn't stand against him alone, and were dealt with swiftly. One, however, by the name of Joseph, brought all of Sam's enemies together. They decided that they could not hurt a True Alpha without magic, but they could hurt his mate. They kidnapped Rebecca when she left the compound, killing her two beta bodyguards. "They tortured her for any information they had, and then killed her mercilessly. When Sam discovered her corpse, he went insane. He hunted the men one by one, the drive to avenge his mate keeping him focused and alive. Once he tortured and killed Joseph, he no longer had the will to live, and asked for me to end his life." Tears welled in the alpha's eyes as he retold the story. "I couldn't kill him, and he couldn't Command me to do so. Behind my back he bought a gun, loaded it, and committed suicide." "And then you became alpha," David said. "Yes, I did. Listen, David, shifters were born of magic, and the True Alpha is born with more magic and strength than all other weres. Would you like to hear the were origin story, the one told to all of our cubs and babes?" David paused for a moment. "If I am the new True Alpha, what am I supposed to do with that power? Why do I have that power? I assume that will be explained in the origin story?" "Yes," the alpha replied. "Then please, continue," David said. "Eons ago, witches, vampires, and fae wandered the earth. Humanity was in its infancy, still in hunter-gatherer societies. Witches were pure magic; vampires were undead humans infused with the magic of speed, strength, and immortality; fae were basically sentient beasts, the strongest and most powerful of animals. "A balance of power existed for millennia. The witches were more powerful than the other two, but could be killed easily by the physical abilities of the other two. The fae enjoyed a policy of neutrality, and most conflicts were between the witches and vampires. Regardless of tradition, one vampire altered that balance of power. "Her name was Lilith, yes that Lilith. Humans remember her as the first demon, and that was a fairly accurate description. She was a 1400 year old vampire at the time, and was gifted with the power of telepathy. How she attained that power is unknown, though it is believed that she was a distant relative of a powerful witch when she was turned into a vampire. "With her charisma and ability she was able to gather a large number of vampires and form the first coven. Before Lilith, vampires usually traveled in small groups, usually consisting of sires and their 'children.' "Lilith and her ever-growing coven attacked the witch queen, nearly ending her life. This sparked a massive war that lasted over four generations. The fae stayed neutral while the witches and vampires nearly obliterated each other. Interestingly enough, this is what caused humanity to stay in one place and form villages - traveling alone or in small groups was suicide. "Eventually, the witches sought peace, and no diplomacy could appease Lilith - she would have to be defeated. The witch queen met with the fae Alpha Superior, our ancestor's version of a king, and negotiated a deal. The witch queen would weave powerful magic and create a bond between each witch/warlock and a corresponding member of the fae, joining the two factions. Today, we refer to this as the 'mate bond.' "It was a perfect compromise. The fae would give up their autonomy, and the witches would give up their ability to weave magic; together, they could defeat the vampire faction. The Alpha Superior agreed. "Once the fae and witches were joined, they defeated Lilith and her coven easily. By the terms of the truce, Vampires were allowed to form covens, but they could not grow to be as large or as violent as the one that Lilith led. Laws were made to protect the diminishing human population, and peace returned. "The children of the new matings would be hybrids of a sort, witches with human form that could shift into their animal counterparts at will. Powerful abilities based on genetic bloodlines would be passed down, such as foresight, telepathy, empathy, dream walking, etc. The children appeared human, but could shift into the animal forms that their fae ancestors inhabited. They found mates among their own new 'hybrid' generation, and the were race began." "What about the witch queen and Alpha Superior?" David asked. "Those two were bonded to each other to set an example for their two races," Liam answered. "So how did the 'True Alpha' come to exist?" "With the witch queen's power of foresight, the couple new that a leader would have to continue to exist to unite the newly formed race in times of need. Using both of their life forces, the witch queen was able to overpower her previous spell and do magic again for a short period of time. She created a reincarnation spell for her and her mate, wanting their souls to be together for eternity. Both would have access to each previous past life, creating an alpha couple with the wisdom, experience, and knowledge of countless lifetimes. In essence, the witch queen and Alpha Superior became immortal." "So what you're telling me is that I am an ancient Alpha, and Emily is the Queen of an extinct race of witches?" David asked, doubt obvious in the tone of his voice. "Yes and no. In this life, you are David and Emily, wereleopards. However, you can access your past lives for assistance, even let them take control in times of need. It is likely that one of your past lives took control of your body when you woke up, protecting you from your grief." David shook his head. "This is so confusing, so much at once. How did you know I was the reincarnation of this 'Alpha Superior' character?" "'True Alpha,' alpha Ađalsteinn corrected. David rolled his eyes, and Liam smirked. "I knew because your eyes turned night black, a side effect of a true alpha using his powers." The two men reached a small gravel road, with a black SUV waiting for them. Two men got out. "Alpha Ađalsteinn, Madam Ađalsteinn told us to meet you at this rest stop. Are you ok?" The one on the lift said. They were identical twins: blond, ripped, and impressive. They were the perfect vision of a villain's German bodyguards in a 007 movie. "We're both fine," Liam said. "Good, cuz Emily is freaking the fuck out and she almost tore out your wife's throat when she wouldn't let her come with us." "Well let's not keep them waiting then," the alpha replied. The four men got into the car and drove down the gravel path back toward the compound. David spent most of the time looking out the window, thinking about how much his life had changed, and how much it was going to change. If he had been told just one week before that he was a wereloeopard, an ancient alpha reincarnated, and destined to marry a beautiful witch queen he would have thought they were insane. To be honest, he had no idea how he felt about Emily. Sure, she was gorgeous, and smart, and elegant, and kind, but he really didn't know how her. David felt unexplainably drawn to her, which he knew now was the 'mating pull' drawing them together. While David was lost in thought, Liam fully released the barriers on his soul and allowed Sarah, his mate, to temporarily merge with him. They met in a grassy wilderness the main backdrop for his soul. David and I are fine, we're on our way back with the twins. Tell Em to calm down, we'll be there soon. Alright love, come back safe, Sarah replied. Their connection closed off - it was a strain on both of them to keep the connection open for long periods of time. ΑβγΩ ∞ Ωγβα Emily didn't know what she was feeling. Worry, she was definitely feeling. Worry, she was definitely worried. Mad at the twins, frustrated at not being able to do anything, and guilty that she had resurfaced David's pain. Sarah Ađalsteinn watched as her daughter paced the room. Emily's nervous energy was making her nervous, especially due to the fact that Emily was usually the picture of calm. Both women heard the black SUV with the men inside pull up to the back of the compound. Emily was outside in seconds, running towards the vehicle. The men got out, and Emily ran face first into David, hugging him in a bear hug that would have crushed the bones of a human. Emily pressed her cheek into his chest, which seemed much higher than she remembered. "Uh, Emily, I'm kind of, not dressed," David said, shifting uncomfortably. It wasn't that it was uncomfortable to be wrapped in Emily's arms - if anything she felt like home. However, with the twins and her parents staring that the young couple, and with David being half naked and already reacting to her touch, the situation was more than a little awkward. Emily stepped back, and realizing the situation, blushed. Pushing her hair behind her ear, she looked down, and mumbled "Sorry." Liam Ađalsteinn chuckled and slapped David on the shoulder. "Women, am I right? C'mon, we can talk inside." The group entered the house, with alpha Ađalsteinn leading the way. The group met up with Olivia and Sarah Ađalsteinn, who were in the living room sprawled on one of the couches. Olivia only looked up for a second, returning to the fan fiction on her phone. She was engrossed in a particularly well-written story and was not interested in family drama. "Alright, family meeting," Liam Ađalsteinn said. "Someone find Lacey and have her show David around the compound after he showers and gets dressed. Call Ian and get him on speakerphone, everyone needs to be here." After a few minutes of getting the family gathered, Lacey walked into the room. David stood up and said, "mind showing me to my room? I really don't know where I'm going." "Of course, I'll show you the way," she said in an attempt to keep her tone lighthearted, while looking directly at her alpha. Fear shone in her eyes, and he nodded his head at her as if to say go on, he doesn't bite. As Lacey and David left, the family meeting began. Gathered were the alpha pain, Emily, Olivia, Josh, and Ian on conference call, and the pack betas. Liam began by explaining the situation - that Emily and David were mates and that they were the ancient alpha couple. Emily admitted that she was a dream walker, and explained the events leading up to David's shift. After a short discussion about collecting adoption papers for David and pack border protection, the meeting adjourned. As the family was brought up to speed with the situation, David showered and shaved. Looking at himself in the mirror, he was shocked by his appearance. His face hadn't changed much, his eyes had become a bright silver, like Emily's, and his skin cleared the leftover acne from his puberty. His shoulders were broader, and much stronger. What once was skin and bones had become rippling, lean muscles. A light 4-pack defined his midsection, and he was at least a couple inches taller. David was happy with how he looked, a feeling he hadn't experienced since childhood. He felt whole, as if this had been the real version of himself, under the surface, waiting to spread its wings. He dressed in jeans and a button up shirt that Lacey had given him, and stepped outside. Lacey was pacing, and when David stepped out of the bathroom she was still lost in thought. David taped her shoulder and she jumped, startled. "Oh, you're finished. I'm supposed to show you around the compound, so let's go." "Where are we going?" David asked. "First we'll cover the grounds and watch some of the thetas sparring," Lacey said. "Then I have to work in the kitchens so you'll come cook with me, and then you can babysit the cubs." "Sounds good to me," David said. A silence developed between them as they walked around the compound to the training grounds. They watched in silence as young pack members, from the ages of around 12-18 sparred and practiced various forms of martial arts, some of them even fighting in their wolf forms. "I'm sorry." "For what? Lacey asked. "For getting angry, for using my Command on you, or whatever it's called." "It's alright, I know you didn't mean it, David. Until yesterday you had no idea weres existed. You get a free pass - this time." David smiled and they looked back at the scene of the thetas fighting. "So thetas are young members of the pack, I assume?" "Yes," Lacey replied. "You will have to be trained as well - the alpha command won't save you from everything." "Yes, ma'am," David said jokingly, saluting her at attention. Lacey giggled. "Emily's a lucky girl." David shrugged. "I guess, if you say so," David said, awkwardly scratching the back of his head. After a few more minutes Lacey led him to the kitchen, where the pack bitches, some very pregnant, were cooking dinner. Sarah Ađalsteinn turned to David and Lacey as she kneaded dough, her black apron covered in flour. "Oh, hello David. We're making pizza for dinner, would you like to help?" "Of course, Mrs. Ađalsteinn," David replied. "Oh please, call me Sarah. I'm much less of a stickler for the rules than my husband. To be honest, he can be a bit of a hardass sometimes," she said, winking at him. Lacey got to work as Sarah showed David the ropes. As he worked on making and kneading dough he listened as the pack bitches talked. They gossiped, told jokes, shared worries, solved problems, and even made pack decisions. He was amazed not only at the intelligence of the women, but at their participation in the leadership of their pack. Sensing his bafflement, Sarah told him "Women are the decision makers in our pack. When it comes to anything that isn't about pack defense and fighting, I have final say. This is where things happen - the hub of our pack. I listen to opinions to their discussions, and come to a final say for the pack." "And Mr. Ađalsteinn has no say?" David asked. Sarah laughed. "You are so formal, David. Relax. This is a safe place - we are all friends and family here. To answer your question, yes, Liam has a say. We are each other mates, our counsel, our loves. However, our pack chose to compartmentalize our decision making in order to create stronger bonds and devolve power. The women of our pack think - our men fight." Sun and Moon Ch. 02 "And that way your pack's alphas are rarely challenged, if ever, since members feel more involved and important." "Sarah smiled as she studied his face, a twinkle in her eye. "You're a smart one, David McGinnis. I'm sure you'll make a great alpha." Lacey interrupted their conversation. "Sarah, it's 5:30 and time for David and I to babysit the cubs." "Of course, we're nearly done here anyhow." Sarah replied. "Dinner is at 7, don't be late. We'll be having pizza and barbecue in the back around the fire pit." "It was nice to meet you, Sarah," David said. "Likewise David. Welcome to the family." As David and Lacey walked towards the playground, David though about what Sarah had said. Would he really be a part of this loving family, through Emily? Would he really have a home, and not move from foster home to foster home? Before he could think deeply on the topic, a squealing horde of small children left the cluster of small buildings to the left of the compound and began to run towards David and Lacey. The youngest was probably around 4, while the older ones looked to be around 10 years old. David watched in surprise as the mass of children came to a sudden halt and gathered around Lacey, all excited to see her. She knelt down and, picking two of the little ones up on her hip, greeted the kids. "Miss Lacey," a little girl asked "will you play with us today?" Not even Satan himself could have denied her. "No, cubs, today Uncle David will play with you." They all turned to face him at the same time, almost as if they were a hive mind. Almost immediately they clustered around him, pulling at his arms and jeans. "C'mon Uncle David, let's go play." They took him to the jungle gym and ran him ragged for the next hour and a half. By the end of it he was wearing a flower crown and bracelets, and was surrounded by giggling girls playing with his hair. Emily watched David play with the cubs. Most people would have been shellshocked by the loud and demanding kids - he played them like a violin. They had their fun, but he kept complete control of the playground, and had even punished some of the rowdier boys for horsing around too much by forcing them to sit still as the girls braided their hair. Lacey walked over to Emily. "He's going to be a great dad," she told Emily. "I know," Emily agreed. "I'm just worried about how he'll take the adjustment. The awakening, discovering that he's the true alpha, our potential mating - it's a lot of take in at once." "Have you talked at all?" "No, not since he freaked out this morning. I'm not sure he'll even want to talk to me." "I've been with him all day, and if there's one thing I've figured out is that he's a great guy Emily. He's new to the whole wereleopard thing, but he's integrating well." "Lacey, I entered his subconscious without permission. I violated his privacy." Emily choked up but refused to cry. Her fear or rejection; her guilt at causing him pain welled up inside her. Lacey hugged her friend and comforted her. "It'll be fine, there there. The mating pull is strong, you're perfect, and David doesn't seem the type to hold grudges. I'm sure he'll forgive you. Now pull yourself together girl!" Emily stopped feeling sorry for herself, comforted by Lacey's kind words and long hug. Many of the pack bitches and males came either from out of the compound or from their cars to pick up the little ones. Not all of the pack lived on pack lands - many worked in the city and lived a few miles from the compound. The Ađalsteinn pack was one of the largest in the western U.S. at around 100 members, only 40 or so actually living in the compound. As the children were picked up by their respective parents David's swarm or children slowly diminished until he was left on his own on the playground. Standing up slowly, David brushed the wood chips that covered the playground off of his clothing and looked around to see if any stragglers were left behind. After confirming that all of the cubs had been picked up, David looked for Lacey. She had given him no clear directions on what to do after watching the kids, and was unsure of what to do next. Emily was sitting on the swing of the patio, lost in thought. David decided to go join her. "Mind if I sit here?" David asked Emily, gesturing to the other side of the swing. Emily shook her head, and David sat down. They sat in silence for a few minutes, swinging absentmindedly in the cool air before Emily broke the ice. "I want to apologize, David, for what happened this morning." David did not respond, and Emily wondered whether or not David had heard her. Before she could repeat herself, however, David asked "do you believe in true love?" Startled by the question, Emily stuttered. "Y-yes, I do. Why?" David sighed before speaking. "I'm not sure how I know this, but we are soul mates, Emily. I feel it in every cell of my body, down to my very core. My animal - my leopard, your father called it - wants to take you right here and now." Emily blushed, but David continued. "Ever since I saw you at dinner I knew you were special, that I wanted you." "This time there was no hesitation in her voice. "I feel the same way David. We are connected, you and I. Before, I thought we were merely intended to be each other's mate: now I know that we are much more. The powers that I have - that you have - have bonded us for millennia." David swallowed hard, holding back emotions. "Then you must understand that I am not perfect. If anything, I am broken. I do not know whether or not I am capable of loving, let along loving you, Emily." He paused for a moment. "I want happiness, or at least a shot at finding it. If that means staying here," He said, gesturing at the compound "then I am willing to try. That is, if you're willing to take me." Tears welled in Emily's eyes, but she brushed them away with the back of her hand. This was not the time to be a girl - she had to become the woman, and be strong for him. "Of course I'll take you, dumbass." "Well, where do we start?" "Just hold me David. Hold me and don't let go." Doing just that, David wrapped his arms around her, holding her as they sat in silence watching the shadows of the trees lengthen as the sun began to set. ΑβγΩ ∞ Ωγβα Hiding in the brush at the edge of the tree line, a jet black tiger watched the young couple embrace. He licked his lips, grinning widely and baring his teeth. His plans were being set in motion - centuries of waiting and plotting had come to fruition. Soon he thought soon she will be mine.