An Alpha and a Luna

ESTELLA

The moment my feet hit the ground on the quaint Greek island, I couldn’t help but smile. It was a strange realization that I hadn’t smiled in the past two days.

Parting ways with Max again had left me feeling… well, I’m not sure. And honestly, I don’t want to dwell on it.

I promised to fill you in on my new elderly friends, and I will. Just as soon as I confirm my suspicions.

Stelios was the one who picked me up from the airport. Normally, I’d be terrified to have someone his age behind the wheel, but Stelios was different. His reflexes were sharp, his eyesight keen. He got us to his estate safely and quickly.

Seeing Elli waiting for me at the door, apron still tied around her waist, filled my heart with joy. It was like coming home to a grandmother’s warm embrace and the promise of a home-cooked meal.

I felt so fortunate to have so many people who loved me and whom I loved in return. It was a strange feeling, though. Being surrounded by so much love made me miss my parents and older siblings even more.

How I wished I could see them again, talk to them. I wanted them to see how much I’d grown.

Sometimes, talking to their graves feels pointless because I know they can’t hear me. Not really.

But it helps me remember them, to hold onto the few memories I have left.

But let’s not dwell on the sad things we can’t change.

Elli gave me a surprisingly strong hug and ushered me inside while Stelios took my luggage upstairs.

I tried to protest, but he brushed me off, insisting he wasn’t too old to handle a suitcase.

Elli had prepared a feast, and I was taken aback by the amount of food on the table.

“How many people were you expecting?” I asked, surprised.

“Well, dear, I thought you might not come alone,” Elli replied.

“But I told you I would.” I frowned, taking my seat at the table.

“I thought you might change your mind and bring that handsome doctor with you.”

“Max?” I asked. “You remember we weren’t exactly on good terms last time we were here, right?”

“That’s a long time to hold a grudge.”

“Says the woman who avoided me for two years,” Stelios chimed in as he entered the kitchen.

“You needed that,” Elli said, her face serious. I couldn’t help but giggle at her stern expression.

“I did, my love,” he replied, looking at her fondly. “Maybe the good doctor needs it too.”

“Can we not talk about him?” I asked, rolling my eyes. “I have a boyfriend now.”

“A French boy?” Elli asked, her eyes sparkling.

“Yup.” I smiled, taking a sip of water and looking at the Greek salad in front of me with affection.

Yes, you can look at food with affection. It’s one of life’s simple pleasures.

“French!” Stelios snorted. “They’re sneaky. I still remember the one who tried to charm Elli away from me.”

“That was ages ago!” Ellie protested. “Besides, Jacques wasn’t really flirting with me, you fool. It was a plan to make you jealous enough to confess your feelings to me.”

As they bickered playfully, I started eating, sampling a bit of everything. I’d had a long trip, and I was tired and hungry. Can you blame me?

But I have to say, they were so adorable it was a joy to watch them. I knew I was in for a fantastic summer. Or at least, what was left of it.

PATRICK

They had started again.

The attacks.

Just like years ago.

We thought they had stopped for good, but the pattern was repeating. More carefully and with longer intervals.

The first time, it ended without us finding the culprits. I thought the case was strange, and Rohan agreed.

Random poisonings and attacks on our borders? Back then, I was sure things would escalate after the double attacks on my and Eva’s former pack, but nothing more happened.

Now, it was starting all over again.

Whoever was behind this was more cautious this time. More cunning, more calculated, and more complex.

What’s more, the attacks didn’t start in any of the nearby packs like before.

The first pack was miles away from all our territories, and no one was truly alarmed when the alpha of that pack was poisoned.

Each pack, especially the large and powerful ones, is bound to have enemies, and every pack faces problems with rogues.

Smaller packs often fall prey to bigger ones wanting to expand their land. Not to mention rivalries for succession.

Brothers against brothers, uncles trying to usurp their nephews, and vice versa.

And sometimes, ambitious individuals with leadership tendencies try to overthrow the old alpha.

The first pack, whose alpha was poisoned a year ago, wasn’t particularly large or strong. We realized too late that it was used as a test.

It had no rivalry issues, and the succession was secure long before the alpha met his end.

The second attack was similar to the first, but this time it was the beta who was poisoned.

Still, it was too far for us to worry. The only commonality was that a few days before the poisonings, both packs were plagued by rogues.

By the third time, the pattern was becoming clear, and whoever was behind it was steadily gaining ground.

They were trying to keep the process as slow as possible, and so far, they were still farther than our farthest-allying pack.

But rumors spread, and Rohan was the first to notice them and alert me.

By his estimation, it might take them a year or more to target us, but we made sure we were prepared anyway.

Rohan was known for having the strongest warriors and the most fortified borders. They were practically impenetrable.

So, he figured anyone who dared to challenge him would have to be crafty. This meant spies, and he was always on the lookout for them.

The adjustments I made had to be subtle.

If word got out too soon that I was taking immediate action, they might think we were not only aware of them but also scared.

That could either provoke them to attack sooner, hoping to catch us off guard, or they might play a game of cat and mouse to keep us on edge.

Either scenario could spell disaster for us, and I couldn’t let that happen.

So, I started with small things, like having Max stock up on all our poison antidotes and distribute them to Eva, the kids, and me.

It’s not that I was afraid of dying, but I wasn’t so selfish as to ignore the impact my death would have on my mate and children.

I also added an extra ten minutes to our training time. It might not seem like much, but that was the point.

As I said, whoever was behind this shouldn’t suspect us yet. I planned to gradually increase the training time.

Finally, I began to educate the boys more thoroughly on both werewolf history and my responsibilities as an alpha.

Brian was set to become the alpha after me, but that didn’t mean Damien wouldn’t benefit from the education as well.

He would be the beta, ready to step in if anything happened to his older brother.

Eva insisted I include Luz too, but our youngest declined, reminding us that she wasn’t destined for the position.

Of course, I wanted all my children to outlive me, but with this looming threat, I had to take precautions.

In addition to teaching Brian and Damien about werewolf history, I revisited it myself, regretting that I hadn’t paid more attention when my father was trying to pass this knowledge on to me.

Now I was focusing on the extinct packs around the world, realizing that there were far more than I had ever imagined.

I studied the causes, trying to find cases similar to ours. During the process, I admit I got lost in some of the stories.

It’s sad that in some areas, werewolves hadn’t managed to hold their ground. We were driven away by humans, their religions, and their fear of us. We became a myth, creatures of tales.

This explains the hatred some packs harbor toward humans. Yet, even after reading what I read, I could understand their perspective. I mean humans.

We do scare them a lot. At least most of them.

“Reading again?” Eva asked from beside me, startling me.

I should have sensed her, I know, but I was distracted.

“Yes,” I smiled. “I’m still searching for something that might help us.”

“Or are you captivated by the stories you’ve found in there?”

“You got me,” I chuckled. “But it’s a bit of both.”

“I understand. But you won’t find anything there.”

“A vision?” I half-teased, half-hoped it was that.

“No. I was just more diligent than you when I was studying this.”

“Lunas aren’t required to study history.”

“Women weren’t required to study history,” she corrected me, displeased. “Thankfully, that’s changed.”

“Thanks to you.”

“Thanks to me. However, I did study. Before Cal was born, I was preparing for the position, even though to me, it was just an excuse.”

“I don’t find that hard to believe.”

She smiled and, taking the heavy book from my hands, placed it on my desk, then she perched herself on my lap, wrapping her beautiful arms around my neck.

She kissed me, and I didn’t miss a beat in kissing her back. Goddess knew how much I needed this.

Her.

I always needed her.

“Everything will be okay,” she whispered.

“Can you guarantee that?”

“You know I can’t see anything that involves me, but my instinct tells me that everything will work out in the end.

“I can’t promise there won’t be an attack or that we won’t lose pack members, but whoever is doing this, they won’t win.”

I buried my head in the crook of her neck and inhaled her scent.

“Thank you,” I breathed gratefully.

“Anything to put your mind at ease.” She smiled.

We sat in silence for a while.

“Did you know that Estella is visiting an extinct pack territory right now?” she asked me suddenly.

I gaped at her.

What?

MAX

This was just what I needed. Dealing with poisons and their antidotes. I’m not being sarcastic. Being busy was good for me, although I would have preferred a more pleasant reason.

Like my cousin, I hoped we wouldn’t have to use any of them, but from what I gathered, we wouldn’t be able to avoid it in the long run.

Unless he and Rohan discovered the culprit before things escalated, which might take some time.

I attended all the meetings. Patrick insisted I do so, although I admit I would have asked to do it anyway.

I was never interested in such things because Patrick’s beta used to handle it all, but now my alpha needed all the help and support he could get.

Plus, I still remembered that attack almost a decade ago, as much as anyone else.

I remembered the rogue who was about to tear my Estella apart. It didn’t matter that she was safe and away. I could never forget.

Now, I don’t have a mind for military strategies. That’s Rohan’s area. But, I’m still the second-best warrior this pack has, and I started training again.

I had never really stopped, but I had slowed down with everything that happened with Estella and my workload at the two hospitals I worked at.

However, I started going to practice daily, much to the dismay of many guys, because I still had it and beat their asses.

When I wasn’t at practice, I was in the pack’s hospital. I had already prepared the antidotes for all known poisons, but I felt like this wasn’t enough, so I researched more obscure ones.

The thing with those was that, in most cases, there wasn’t an antidote to begin with.

So, I threw myself into the challenge of creating the antidotes myself.

I’d break down the composition, trying to find something useful. If that didn’t work, I’d plan some surprise counterattacks.

I hadn’t told Patrick yet, because I didn’t have anything solid to show him. Once I had something concrete, he’d be the first to know.

I was in the middle of analyzing a poison when the door to my office creaked open. I looked up to see the most intelligent little face.

Lucia.

There was something about that girl.

She looked her age, perfectly adorable and innocent, but sometimes when she spoke, it felt like she knew things others didn’t. It was like she was an old soul.

I was sure she had inherited Eva’s gift. It was passed from mother to daughter, after all. It was a bit unsettling, but I loved this child as much as her brothers, maybe even a little more.

She walked into the room and came straight to my workbench.

“Hi, Uncle Max,” she said sweetly.

“Hello to you,” I replied.

“Have you found anything yet?”

I looked at her, confused.

“About the poisons,” she clarified. “Have you found more antidotes?”

Oh, yes. She had definitely inherited Eva’s gift.

“No, not yet, pup,” I sighed. “It’s a long process.”

“I see,” she nodded thoughtfully. “But there is still time.”

“How much of it?”

“I’d say about a year or so,” she scrunched her brows in concentration. “But don’t say I told you. We aren’t supposed to reveal things, Mom says.”

“Does your mom know too?”

“No, I don’t think so. I am more powerful than Mom, you see.”

It wasn’t a boast, just a statement of fact.

It wasn’t hard to believe, but it made me wonder; if she was more powerful than Eva at just nine years old, what would happen when she grew up?

“I will be even more powerful,” she said, as if reading my thoughts. “I am not sure that this will be a good thing, though.”

“What matters with power is how we use it, Luz,” I replied, taking off my gloves.

I washed my hands and picked her up, making her giggle. I sat down with her on my lap.

“So, why are you here, pup?” I asked.

“I came to see you. You haven’t been in the pack house for days.”

“I’m sorry. I’ve been too caught up with my work here.”

“And the training.”

“And the training,” I laughed.

“Dad says you’re his best warrior and that he regrets not pushing you to become his beta.”

“He would say that, yes, but I prefer healing to fighting.”

“I can see that,” she nodded.

We fell silent, but I could tell something was bothering her.

“If you have any problems, you can tell me,” I offered gently. “I can keep secrets.”

“Yes, you can,” she nodded. “You are keeping something big from Estella already.”

I almost dropped her from my lap when she said that. Even with her gift, she couldn’t know for sure, could she?

“I told you that I am more powerful than Mom,” she said, sounding a bit annoyed.

“You can’t tell her,” I said.

“This is for you to do, Uncle Max. Nobody can intervene. What I came here to say is that when Estella is back again, you mustn’t let her go.

“If you do, I see bad things happening to both of you.”

ESTELLA

Sun, sea, food, and relaxation.

Just what I needed, I swear.

This small island is a slice of heaven. Quiet but not lifeless, vibrant but relaxing. Odd combinations, but they work perfectly.

It’s a shame I couldn’t fully enjoy these contrasts the last time I was here, but I guess when your mind is in a dark place, you can’t enjoy anything.

This time, though, I was living it up, even though I was alone.

Well, just because you come to a place alone doesn’t mean you have to stay alone, so I made some summer friends.

The great thing about summer friends is that you see them when you want to. That took off a lot of pressure, and it let me be as carefree as I wanted.

When I wasn’t with my summer friends, I spent my time with Stelios and Elli.

I learned how to cook Greek food, which was fun, and I made progress on the anime series Gabrielle and I were working on.

I sent her pictures of my drafts, and she did the same, insisting on seeing photos of where I was.

“I hate you so much!” she exclaimed over the phone.

“I know. How are things there?”

“Boring.”

She always gave me the same answer, and I felt bad for her. It was a shame she couldn’t do what she wanted.

She was an adult. Her family shouldn’t have so much control over her, werewolves or not.

Speaking of werewolves.

I was looking for the right moment to give my painting to Stelios and Elli, but I wasn’t sure when that would be.

Of course, Stelios had carried the covered canvas to my room the day I arrived, but neither of them had asked about it. They were such kind, discreet people.

Finally, as my days on the island were winding down, I made up my mind. One evening, right after an early dinner (because people eat dinner pretty early around here), I brought the painting down.

“I was wondering when we would see this.” Stelios smiled.

“Tonight.” I smiled back. “I was inspired, and I really want to know if I got the likeness right.”

“What likeness?” Elli asked curiously.

“This likeness,” I replied as I pulled the cover off the canvas.

The only sound for a while was the chirping of crickets. It seemed like they were trying to process what they were seeing.

Elli was the first to break the silence.

“How did you know?” she asked, her eyes welling up with tears as she looked at me.

“I didn’t. I just started painting the pack you mentioned used to be here, and when I got to the alpha and luna, I kept seeing your faces. I couldn’t ignore it.”

Elli stood and walked over, her hand shaking as she reached out to touch the figures in the painting, a distant look in her eyes.

Stelios just sat there, looking older and paler than before, his face etched with pain and haunted memories.

“Our children,” Elli whispered. “Look at them, my love.”

Stelios didn’t respond.

“What happened to your pack, Elli?” I asked, my voice soft.

She turned her sad, nostalgic eyes to me.

“We had to let go,” was all she said.

“I know but why? How?”

“Help me sit, please.”

I hurried over to her and helped her sit down, then took a seat next to her. Stelios was still staring at the painting, silent. I was starting to worry about him.

Maybe it was wrong of me to do this to them, especially at their age, but I hadn’t meant to.

“It was years ago,” Elli began, surprising me. “You remember what we told you last time you were here?”

“Yes, you said that the pack fell apart because of the religious beliefs of most of the people.”

“That’s right. Werewolves are an ancient species. In the times of paganism, our existence was accepted. It was natural, and we thrived despite the fear humans always had for us.

“That fear never outweighed their awe, and there was a long period when we were considered a superior species. But times changed. People and their beliefs changed.

“This country is small, and we were never the majority. We retreated. We hid, and we tried to blend in. We played by their rules.

“We did our best to suppress the resentment as we became more and more obscure.”

“But…,” I started, but she cut me off.

“I’ll get there. You need to understand the circumstances to understand our decisions.

“By the time Stelios became the alpha, our numbers had already dropped dramatically, and many Greek packs had disappeared.

“We had five children together, which is rare for alphas, and quite a few babies were born during our—what you might call—reign.

“The babies grew up into young men and women who longed to find their mates.”

Elli paused and swallowed, trying to hold back her tears. I had an idea of where this was going, but I waited for her to continue. I knew she needed to get this off her chest.

“Mating with humans was out of the question, unfortunately, so things got difficult. It wasn’t just our pack. Every other pack relocated and migrated to other countries, bit by bit.

“Some managed to stay together, and some were absorbed into larger, foreign packs. We wanted to stay here.”

“I wanted to stay here.” Stelios spoke for the first time, his voice rough.

“It wasn’t just your decision, my love. I didn’t want to leave either.”

“That’s what you say but…”

“I’m telling the truth,” Elli insisted. “My home is here.”

“But you let the unmated ones go,” I pointed out.

“Yes,” Stelios said, his eyes fixed on the painting.

“I couldn’t stand to see all those young people, my sons and daughters among them, wasting away, knowing they were doomed to be mateless.

“Even if I let them choose mates within the pack, what would happen in a few years? What would the next generation do? What legacy would I leave for my eldest? What pack to rule?”

He stopped, bitterness etched on his face. Then he spoke again.

“They couldn’t bear to leave us elders behind, so I had to be the one to do it. I had to send them away, so they could have a chance.

“I wrote to some friends I had met on my travels who were alphas in other countries. I explained everything, and they were more than willing to take care of my children. All of them.

“I ordered them to leave. Some couldn’t leave without their parents. Some parents couldn’t bear to part with their children.

“So, I sent them all away. In the end, only a few of us stayed behind.”

“But you’re humans now?” I asked, unsure.

I mean, I could see it, but they could be some extremely old werewolves, couldn’t they? What am I saying? If that were the case, the others would have known already.

“Yes,” Elli said. “We asked Mother to take away our wolves, and she did.”

“Why?”

“An alpha without a pack is no better than a rogue,” Stelios said flatly. “Besides, I owed it to my Elli to grow old with her.”

I saw a look pass between them, but I couldn’t quite understand what it meant. I frowned a little but decided to ask something else.

“Your children?”

“They are happy.” Elli smiled. “They have found their mates.”

“That’s all?”

“Yes. They have different lives now. We… kept our distance.”

When I saw them looking at the painting with longing, I understood that was all they were going to tell me.

“I’m sorry if my gift upset you,” I said.

“We’re not upset, child,” Elli assured me, patting my hand gently. “You just caught us off guard, that’s all. And stirred up some memories of our old life too.”

“But Stelios?” I asked, worried because the old man had gone silent again.

“He’ll be fine. We’ll be fine.”

Then something occurred to me.

“You said you asked the Moon Goddess to take away your wolves,” I started, and after Elli nodded, I continued. “What happened to them?”

“They get a second chance at life,” Stelios said. “Every wolf does when their time comes.”