Chapter 11: Wolf Tales

Chapter 11

I awoke from the morning sun shining through the large windows of Thane's bedroom. I looked at the floor fully expecting Thane to be asleep but to my surprise he was nowhere in sight.

I smiled remembering last night, the first night we actually got to know each other and shockingly didn't argue. Well there was a mild banter surrounding our superhero preference.

~ Last Night ~

"So why do you like spiderman so much?" Thane asked after he fought me over how much superman is the greatest hero to exist.

"Well he doesn't really have any weakness to stop him." I simply stated with a shrug. Thane looked at me expectantly but with authentic curiosity, "Spiderman's only weakness is his identity, he has no kryptonite to weaken him."

When I was finished Thane looked at me with awe and admiration as if he didn't care about what I was talking about but cared for me just rambling on with so much passion about something I liked.

He continued staring at me and I was self consciously squirming about. "Do I have something on my face?" I dead panned.

That snapped him out of his day dream as he cleared his throat, "Ugh, no. No it's nothing. Tell me why'd you choose to become a doctor?" He changed the topic.

His question made me silent as it brought back the bad memories of my sister's struggles and that being the reason I chose the medical field. "I don't want to talk about it." I mumbled.

Thane took my hand in his and rubbed soothing circles with his thumb as he said, "It's okay, you don't have to talk about it. But just know that I'm here and ready to listen to you whenever you're ready." He gently said and I was relieved he didn't pressure me.

"Thank you." I said squeezing his hand in mine as I gave him a thankful smile. "Okay enough sadness, what do you do anyways?" I asked curiously.

He laughed at my sudden shift in mood, "Well I take care of the pack, I handle a few businesses around town and in different states, which is in my family name, I do a lot of paper work and I train the pack." He concluded as if he doesn't do anything at all.

I was confused about one thing, "What do you mean 'train the pack'?"

He ambivalently answered me, "Well we train by learning how to fight in battle, and we build our muscles and test our speed as we learn how to use our strength and agility to our fullest potential." He looked at me wearily.

"Please don't tell me you're apart of some mafia group." I steadily shifted away as I carefully watched him answer my question.

He playfully smirked at me as he suddenly grabbed my waist and pulled me extremely close to him. So much for moving away.

"What if I said I was?" He whispered in my ear.

I felt intimidated by his closeness as I tried to answer him ninety-nine point nine percent honestly, the point one percent being what I actually said, "I would probably like you a whole lot more." I chuckled at his bemused expression as I continued, "But then I would just be lying to your face." I shrugged.

"You little..." He began as he started tickling me.

"Stop." I said in between laughter trying to get his hands off me.

"Say you're sorry." He continued tickling the life out of me.

"Ne-" Hiccup "-ver." I glared at him knowing fully well that this pessimistic thing that is hiccups, is going to take a while to go away.

Even though I was glaring daggers at him he continued on with his torture until I finally but reluctantly gave in, "Fine, I'-" hiccup "I'm sorry."

He grinned at me, "Sorry, what did you say? I didn't catch that."

I stuck my tongue out at him like a little kid but nearly choked as I hiccuped once again.

He suddenly got up from right next to me and went to the kitchen with an amused smile on his face. He returned with a glass of water but I shook my head no because I was immune to that trick. Water never seemed to keep my diaphragm from moving with the sudden hiccups.

"It doesn't work." I said. Hiccup.

"It will." He said bringing the glass to my lips as he pinched my nose together to cut off my breathing.

"Are you insane?" I said pulling away.

"Just trust me." He said. How could I? Should I? What if I die?

Those were the thoughts that were running through my brain as he gently grabbed my chin before moving back to pinch my nose with one hand and pushed the glass between my lips with his other hand.

Obeying this blunt and callous guy, I dreadfully gulped the h2o down. He removed the glass and allowed me to breath a few seconds after and I waited.

Nothing. There were no hiccups to my utter surprise, but what really shocked me was my action of leaning in to hug Thane.

Not just me but Thane was surprised by my action as well but instantly returned the gesture. I reveled in his warm embrace, taking advantage of the situation, no matter how strange it may seem.

I reluctantly pulled away as I tried not to convey that I was actually quite comfortable in that position.

Feeling the awkward after math of my sudden affection dawning on us as my cheeks flamed red, I grabbed the glass off the coffee table and quickly drank... which turned out to be a bad idea because Thane's cheeky grin made me laugh and water went flying all over his t-shirt.

Maybe it wasn't a bad idea after all.

"I think that's enough water for one night." Thane said chuckling as he added to my embarrassment.

For the remainder of the night we talked about anything and everything.

~ Present ~

Today held an electrically anxious feel to it, but somewhere inside me, I felt as if thing were about to change for the worse. I just couldn't shake the nagging ominous feeling I had.

Realizing that Thane brought me from the couch to the bed after I feel asleep, instantly put a small smile on my face. Of course I didn't like him but he was too much of a gentleman for me not to like, or at least he acts like one.

Too excited to waste a second I hurriedly got dressed and zoomed down the flights of stairs as I made my way directly to the kitchen which was empty.

I looked for Bailey everywhere as I wanted to apologize to her but she was nowhere in sight. Deciding to just find Thane I, looked around for his office until I finally stumbled upon it.

I knocked and being unmannerly, entered without waiting for an answer, which was a mistake because in Thane's office were about five other men sitting before Thane listening to his every word. He must pay his employees pretty good for them to be so attentive.

"Sorry." I timidly mumbled as I walked out and was about to close the door.

"Emery." Thane called me back. "Meeting dismissed boys." He announced to the group of men before turning his full attention to me.

I felt like a tiny little ant between the skyscraper men as they walked around me towards the door. Thane was already on his feet approaching me as the last guy, who I recognized as Bailey's boyfriend Lucas, had a knowing grin on his face as he looked at me before closing the door behind him.

"Time to tell me everything!" I said excitedly to Thane who had a grim expression.

"Do I have to?" He solemnly asked.

I gave him an oblivious look as to say 'duh' as he groaned in agony. "Come on you promised you will tell me everything today."

He looked at me for a few moments before he silently took my hand and lead me outside. Somehow things always end up badly when we leave the sanction of his house and I only prayed I will finally receive my answers.

Instead of leaving through the front, Thane led me down the corridor towards the back door where we ended up in his magnificent backyard.

"My mother planted these flowers." He began as he motioned his hand over to the various flowers. "She always wanted to become a botanist so my father purchased all her favorite flowers and more, just to put a smile on her face the day he told her his secret."

"So you Blackwood men run on secrets?" I jokingly asked.

He laughed it off as he continued and sat down on one of the benches. "He knew that with time my mother would love him but he also knew that what he had to tell her would crush her."

"Thane as lovely as your parents' story sound, I don't really see what it has to do with us." I clarified.

"Us?" He smiled cheekily.

I lightly slapped his arm, "You know what I mean."

"I do. But in order for you to truly understand and appreciate what my secret is, I feel the need to tell you everything. Everything about me and my past." He said earnestly.

"Okay, but I make no promises to not interrupt you." I grinned.

He smiled but it didn't reach his eyes, "Alright... Just promise me something."

I was thrown off but said, "That depends on what it is."

"Promise me you will listen to my whole story. Promise me that you wouldn't hate me and promise me that you wouldn't leave." He grabbed my hand in his and begged me with a look of fright in his eyes.

I was at a loss for words. I audibly gulped, "I will try." I said not wanting to break any promises.

He looked a bit disappointed at my answer but offered a gentle smile as he went on. "You see my father and I both have the same secret, and so did my grandfather and great grandfather and all the greats before him."

"So it's a family thing that was passed onto you?" I asked.

He nodded his head, "Yeah it is." He looked a bit wary and unprepared before he continued, "Where should I start from?"

"The beginning, and no not when we met but before that. To the start of this entire ritual." I said determined.

He stared deep within my eyes as he unfolded the history of the ritual. "It started centuries ago. My, how many ever great, grandfather and his small pack occupied this land and your town of Fairbairn-,"

"Wait your ancestors owned all this land and Fairbairn?" I asked astonished as I cut him off.

"Yes my family did, once upon a time. Now if I can get back to the story?"

I nodded my head ferociously to hear the story.

"Well about a decade after my grandfather occupied the land which was supposed to be for expanding his pack, the humans invaded Fairbairn."

I raised my hand timidly as a gesture to ask a question and Thane smiled but I could tell it didn't reach his eyes. "Why do you term everyone else but your pack as humans?" I quizzically asked.

"Well if you listen and stop interrupting maybe you'll know." He said pointedly but jokingly.

"Fine,"I mumbled dejectedly at him.

With one last chuckle his expression turned sober and he went on, "So when the humans demanded our land, my grandfather decided to scare them off. Little did he know however that among those humans were hunters who just so happen to dedicate their lives to finding and eradicating the last of my kind. Knox, my many great grandfather, obviously didn't like the idea of his enemies on his land so his pack agreed to a full out war against the humans."

My mind was reeling with questions but I dare not say a word because Thane was on a roll and I needed him to continue explaining.

"What Knox didn't realize would happen that day was finding himself falling in love. At his time it was uncommon for us to have human mates, but it was a truly rare thing for alphas to have human mates. Knox couldn't remember our pack, the Bloodmoon pack, ever having a human Luna but the Moon Goddess worked her abilities in magical ways so Knox knew he wasn't going crazy."

"Moon Goddess?" I blurted out.

Understanding my confusion Thane answered without hesitation, "Just as you have your form of a God, my kind worship our Goddess who is called the Moon Goddess."

Trying to comprehend the crap coming from this guy as I motioned for him to continue.

"So the night that Knox was going to the humans to declare a war, he saw the most gorgeous woman he had ever set his eyes upon, Ida, his mate. Knox knew right at that moment that Ida was his mate and he sought her out. Knox had a different way as compared to me in telling his mate what he was."

"Except you haven't told me yet." I pointed out.

"True, but he practically dragged her into the woods and... showed her who he was."

"The only difference is that you didn't drag me into the woods but you basically dragged me to your crazy town." I explained exasperated.

Guilty he chuckled, "Well I see your point but his approach was more direct."

I rolled my eyes at him and he just smirked and continued.

"Right where was I? So Ida, had an irrefutable hate towards Knox. She almost rejected the poor man. But with little convincing she felt the attraction and attachment she had for Knox," Thane gave me a sideways glance trying to suggest something, "so they secretly met each other in Fairbairn until Ida's father found them one day. Her father who just so happened to be the lead hunter.

"Sort of a Romeo and Juliet story they had I guess. Knox however ran off with Ida as they physically couldn't be taken apart. Knox brought her to this town where he decided he will allow the humans to retain Fairbairn since some of them were Ida's family. For the next year they both lived with the pack. Ida became pregnant in the short time and had her baby boy. Within a month of Knox and Ida's child birth, Ida's father and his team of hunters found our village.

"Knox led his pack far away from the house, where Ida and her child were to stay protected, as the rest went to fight Ida's father. Through the mate bond they had, Ida could've physically and mentally feel Knox's pain and couldn't bear it anymore. So she left her baby in the care of the beta's wife and speed off towards Knox. Even as a frail human, Ida knew she had to protect her pack as the Luna and as a mother. When she arrived at the battle ground it was like a red veil covered the dirt.

"There was blood everywhere and dead bodies, both human and my kind, that was scattered around the field. Ida raced towards where her father and Knox where at as she dogged the other fighters. Knox saw Ida coming from a mile away and as her father unknowingly fired a bullet, Knox's wolf jumped in front of her body."

I could feel my heart racing as I yearned to hear more. I could somehow feel the pain of Thane's ancestors as if the scene was happening right before my eyes.

"Everything went still as Ida slowly saw Knox's body fall to the ground. With a deadly pain she dropped to the floor next to his body as he shifted back to his human form. She could have felt his pain shoot through her again and again like a never ending song stuck on repeat. Then as if the Moon Goddess was looking upon Ida she suddenly did something neither herself nor anyone knew she could do... she manipulated the elements. Pack members of that day described it as the wind furiously whipping around Ida and Knox while the grass wrapped around Knox's torso where he got shot.

"Ida placed her hands on Knox's body and somehow absorbed his pain and healed him. It was described as an absolute miracle that no one saw coming. Ida was then the one lying on the floor as Knox's pain was too unbearable for her to cope with. Knox wasn't sure what just happened or how he was still alive but Ida's body next to his woke up all his senses immediately. Ida had one last request for Knox as she felt her body deteriorating. Ida didn't want to ever see what happened that day to happen again, she refused to see misjudgment and violence destroy two groups of people she loved dearly.

"So lying on the forest floor, Ida declared that to overcome their differences and finally live in peace, the next Luna of the Bloodmoon Pack was to be human. A human of the Fairbairn town, who her son was to find exactly twenty years after that day and become the Luna. On the first lunar eclipse of that year, her son was to be permitted into Fairbairn to find his Luna. However she wanted us to live separately, no humans in this territory and none of my kind in Fairbairn as she knew they couldn't live in peace just yet.

"Not knowing what to do, Knox agreed to what Ida had said and with her last breath she whispered, 'Take care of our son and remind him that I love him.' With that Ida died in Knox's arms and Ida's father was enraged. Not caring for what his daughter would've wanted, he shot Knox straight to his heart without warning as he thought Knox killed his daughter. So both lovers lay on the forest floor in each other's arms as the pack killed Ida's father and the remaining hunters."

My heart hurt for Ida and Knox because somehow I felt as if I had a close connectivity with Ida. My heart went out to hers as I learnt her story. Thane saw my grief expression and put his arm around me in a comforting gesture and it was until then that I realized how close I had gotten to him on the bench. With both feet tucked under me and Thane's arm around me, I somehow felt safe.

"What happened after?" I managed out.

He seemed a little distracted by what I said and he was finally brought back to his senses. "Oh, right. After they killed the hunters, the beta returned to Fairbairn to inform one the humans who was a leader, of what took place and Ida's last request. So with a mutual agreement they both decided that the humans will occupy Fairbairn and never wander into the forest that leads to our town. No humans were to know the way into the forest and no one from my town was to set foot into Fairbairn. The beta and his wife then raised Ida's and Knox's son while running and extending the pack. After twenty years had passed and their son, Isaac, took alpha position and the beta finally decided to inform him of his mother's last wishes. Without hesitation Isaac agreed to follow through with his deceased mother's request and ventured into Fairbairn on the first total lunar eclipse of that year."

"Your ancestors created the ritual and Isaac went into Fairbairn on the first ritual?" I gulped as I shrugged Thane's arm off my shoulder and moved away from him on the bench.

"Emery-" Thane reached out for me but I cut him off as I rose to my feet.

"No, continue your story."

He nodded and went on, "By some miracle Isaac found his mate who was human, that night in Fairbairn. The pack thought that maybe the Moon Goddess granted Ida's request for her son. But twenty years after, that same thing happened, the new alpha found his human mate in Fairbairn. So from then on the pack and some the humans came up with The Ritual to the Beast where every twenty years the alpha of the Bloodmoon Pack was to venture into Fairbairn and find his mate. The Elders of your town ensured that our kind were to be kept a secret and that they were to carry out the ritual how they wanted to on their side of things.

"That's how they came up with the chaining in the forest and the white dresses. They wanted my kind to be in and out of their town quickly and without disruptions. So the alpha has one location to go find his mate and she would be one of the few dressed in white. Honestly it's a little bizarre for my liking, but its tradition set by the humans." He concluded.

I looked into his eyes as I just processed what he told me. Alpha, packs, territory, ancient relatives? This was all the history of the ritual to the beast.

"Y-your family is the cause of this entire thing?" I asked before I started with my pressing interrogation.

He nodded and got up from his seat.

"But that doesn't make sense-"

"Follow me." Was all he had to say before he started walking towards the forest.

I didn't know if I should be running in the opposite direction or follow him to see the final piece of the puzzle.

But I needed to know.

Because it wasn't possible.

It was a beast that night.

But somehow Thane's family was apart of it?

I intertwined my shaking palms together as I said my prayers and followed my doom.

A/N

So Thane finally gave us the history for the ritual to the beast. But I wonder what he has to show Emery?

Guess you're going to have to return for the next chapter ;)

Song: Blackchords - Into The Unknown

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