Chapter 30: the sun's disciple

Weeks earlier...

A young rogue wolf returned home after years as a run away, he had met someone, someone who had changed everything for him. The first place he went was to the Alpha’s office. He sat across the desk from the wolf whose son had made his life a living hell but his demeanor was calm as he spoke.

“I realized that my place was with my pack, not wandering around from place to place like a stray dog. I understand now that I will never be a Beta like my father or Delta like my brother. I am not a good enough wolf for that but I have skills and I want to come home.”

The Alpha could sense no deception in him, just loneliness and regret. “I am glad you came back to us, Dale. I know things were difficult between you and Jack, but he regrets how he treated you as do many others. You are welcomed back, you will be on probation for a few months. Do you need a job or a place to live?”

“No Alpha, I have a job in town as a computer technician and rented a room from a friend.” Dale stands, head slightly down. “Thank you again, Alpha Matthers, for having me back.”

“Of course Dale, I’ll let your parents know. They...”

Dale interrupts, “If... If you don’t mind, I’m not quite ready to see them yet. I just need to get settled in.”

The Alpha smiles, it has a sad but kind quality, “Of course. There is the annual autumn equinox cook-out weekend after next, please come.”

“Father, the reports from... oh I’m sorry... I didn’t know you were having a meeting.” The young brunette back out hastily.

“No, wait, Jennifer, do you remember Dale Norman?” The alpha asks.

Dale looks embarrassed, but Jennifer flashes him a smile that would melt the sun. “Of course I remember Dale, we had homeroom together since first grade. Are you back?”

“Uh yeah y-you c-c-could say th- that, I... I’m t-trying anyway.” Dale stammers. “W-well, g-goo-goodbye, Alpha, J-jennifer.” He hurries out.

Alpha Matthers smiles at his daughter, “I think he had a little crush on you, just like all the other poor wolves.”

Jennifer rolls her eyes, “Oh ple-ease. Dale and I were never anything but friends and barely that, Jack was always beating him up every time he saw us talking.”

“Beating who up?” A dark-haired young alpha with a scar along his jaw demands as he saunters into the office.

“Dale Norman. The sweetest geek around,” Jennifer remarks snarkily.

Jack looks down quietly for a moment, as his fingers trace the scar through the stubble. “I really was an ass back then.” Then he looks up as if remembering where he is, “So he’s back? Good, I owe him an apology.”

Two weeks later, a family sits around a table celebrating the return of their youngest son. The whole pack seems happy to have him back, even the ones that bullied him in school are making nice. The Equinox celebration had turned into a welcome home celebration. Even the Alpha’s daughter had asked to go to lunch with him next week, so they could catch up, but Dale knew what she really meant, what she wanted, what all she-wolves wanted. That night as he helps his brother Dave and the future alpha Jack clean up, he looks up at the moon and scowls. He hates the Moon more than even his brother.

“What’s a matter little brother, you’re looking up at the Moon like you hate Her?” Dave jokes, his brother’s answer shocks him.

“I do. ”

Jack gapes at him, and then laughs nervously, “What has She ever done to you?”

“Nothing, the moon bitch has never done anything for me. Not like the Sun,” Dale says calmly.

The older two males look at each other, then Dave asked slowly, “What has the Sun done for you?”

Dale shrugs as he folds another table and carries it to the stack, “The Sun brought me my first true friend, helped me go to school, got me a job, sex whenever I wanted, gave me a place to live when no one else wanted me or even cared. That’s why I worship Him and will never worship that bitch again, she never answered a single prayer I prayed, and I only ever prayed for one thing.”

“What was that?” Jack’s voice was so low only wolf ears couldhave heard his question.

“For you and my brother to quit hazing me,” Dale answers bluntly, continuing to fold and stack tables.

“Look Dale, we’re really sorry. We were young and...” Dave starts.

But Dale holds up his hands, waving his brother off, “And I know... I know... Sometimes She closes Her eye and bad things happen to good wolves, blah blah blah. Don’t worry about it, big brother. I got over it when I found the Fire. Small goddess for small wolves, big gods for big wolves. Last table, you guys need anymore help?”

Both shook their heads, so Dale grabbed a beer and walked away. He had a shewolf waiting.

“Dude, you’re brother... that is some messed up shit. He doesn’t believe in the Goddess anymore,” Jack exhales his shock into words.

But Dave just looks like he wants to cry, “It’s our fault too. Remember how he used to cry for the Goddess to stop us and we kept on, even though we knew it was wrong. So many times...” He slouches in a chair that was waiting to be put away and places his head in his hands. “I was the worst big brother ever. I was so happy when he came home, and I thought he’d forgiven me, but he hasn’t. He’s so different. Mom and dad can’t see it but I am telling you, Jack, something is wrong with my brother. Even his eyes have changed color, they are so much lighter than they were. And this isn’t the first time he’s said he doesn’t believe. He hasn’t forgiven us, Jack. He has just accepted that we’re assholes who deserve to be hated with civility.”

“Hated with civility? What da’ fuc’ does that even mean?” Jack tosses Dave a beer then opens one for himself. “Is that why he is being so nice to us? ”

“I think it is like that human ‘love your enemies’ stuff.” Dave flings his empty bottle and it lands in trash bin across the lawn before opening the next one. “I screwed up then, and because of it all, my brother is screwed up now and I don’t even know where to begin to fix it.”

“Maybe an Oracle could help you? Their temple is only a day away. I’ll help you get an appointment. We... we gotta make this right,” Jack looks at the amber bottle, and swallows his regret.

It reminds him of all the times they had forced Dale to pretend he was sucking a male off while pouring beer down his throat. Every time, him begging them to stop, to not do it again. The last time, they had drunkenly almost drowned him. Dale had broken a bottle and slice Jack’s neck to escape, only to collapse a few hundred feet away because he wouldn’t breathe. The pack doctor had called their parents. Jack had never forgotten how blue Dale’s face had turned and the beer foaming out of his mouth and nose as he convulsed. The next day, Dale was gone, he had runaway. Jack's fingers find his way to the scar on his neck, he had always wondered if Dale meant to kill him.

“You’re thinking about that night too,” Dave says sadly.

“I always think about that night and all the other times too. I still don’t know why I did it. I never even thought of treating anyone else that terribly. When my dad found out, he looked at me like he was ashamed I was his son. After Dale ran away, my dad framed a copy of the note he left and hung it in my room, to remind me what I had done.” Jack shakes his head sadly, “It’s still there.”

Four weeks later, Dale is sitting on the edge of a bed, the she-wolf he has loved his entire life is laying, her dark hair spread out around her like a veil. He frowns, she wasn’t as good as he thought she’d be. It’s odd that he doesn’t remember all of it, probably the pills and booze. He lights an unfiltered cannabis blend cigarette and enjoys the burn as he inhales. The females at the Solareus pack are much more fun, they never complain if one hurts them a little or a lot, they like it. He can’t wait to go back.

After today, his revenge will be complete, the moon is dark and he is about to prove to his entire pack that yes sometimes their goddess does close her eye and bad things happen when the bitch does. His phone chimed. He pulled on his jeans and tee before doing the buttons on his collared shirt. He leaned over and kissed her graying lips, brushing the hair away from her vacant eyes. The drug in her drink had let him do whatever he wanted to her without her being able to reach out to anyone for help. Just like no one had helped him all those years ago.

“Sorry, princess, you’re just not my type. Don’t be sad. It’s you, not me.” He laughed and walked out. The A/C was on, rent paid. No one would find her for a month or two. Not that there would be anyone left to look. Dale smiled, thinking about to look on Jack’s face when he told him his sister was dead before he finished what he had started the night they had almost killed him. Only this time he would be using his Alpha’s own silver blade, and burning Jack’s heart in the sacred fire.

A tall golden wolf and a witch were waiting for Dale at the edge of the territory, the sun was just rising, barely peeking through the heavy fog. Dale thought the place of his childhood torment looked good in gray. He flagged down the bus carrying the pack children to school.

“There’s an accident on the bridge, it’s going to be a few hours,” Dale announced.

Martin the driver had been one of the wolves who had always looked the other way. “Looks like no school today, pups.” He announced jovially and the young ones cheered as the bus turned around. Dale watches it drive away, more hearts for the Fire of the Sun.

“Is there anything else, Alpha Helios?” Dale smiles as two figures emerge from the fog.

“You seem happy today, Dale. Did you have a good evening?” the tall Alpha asks smoothly.

Dale frowns slightly, “You were right, Alpha. It wasn’t as good as I’d hoped it would be. She didn’t really want me after all, she was just a tease but I showed the slut what happens when you flirt with the wrong person.”

“I see,” he shares a look with his mother then turns back to his disciple, “Since we are doing a favor for you, I need you to do a small thing for the good of our pack. I know you hate the moon goddess as much as I do, and her high oracle has been creating some problems for us.”

“Just tell me what to do, Alpha, and I’ll do it. I’m all yours,” Dale insists.

“Well, it just so happens that your soon-to-be departed brother has made a way for us to get rid of this bitch. The Delphi must die. Don’t worry, I’ll help and be with you the whole time, just like I was last night. I would not send one of my favorite pack members into danger alone,” Helios promises. He holds out a small packet of yellow tablets, an envelope, and a long pouch, which Dale takes without hesitation. “The Petitioners Coordinator is expecting your brother in 5 days, his petition is about you and how to make right what he and the Alpha’s son did to you. He wants to find a way to bring you back to the Goddess. All you need to do is pay to see the Delphi and pretend to be your concerned and repentant brother. If you tell them your brother has started worshiping some sun god, I am sure she will see you. She wants to destroy our belief because our faith is real and changes things in the real world, and hers is a myth that changes nothing.” He smiles because he can see the fire of hatred for the moon goddess in this young wolf’s eyes.

“Consider her already dead,” Dale snarls.

“I knew we could count on you, just be sure you keep the dagger in the pouch until you are ready to use it, that way no wolf will smell it. A single stab anywhere will poison her so she will die slowly, then you can escape,” Helios says smoothly, “And don’t worry, Dale. I’ll save Jack and David for you to sacrifice. I know how much they mean to you.”

Dale kneels before him, “Thank you Alpha Helios, thank you for everything. I won’t let you down.”

Three days Dale waited for the Delphi to show herself. He had presented his brother’s letter and paid the coordinator to make sure he got to see the Delphi. He was given a very nice room with three meals a day, and for two evenings he waited, only to be told the Delphi was unavailable, would he like someone else. He had played the concerned brother too well. The coordinator, a wolf named Louis, had shared that he too had recently lost a brother, and understood his desperation save the only brother he had. This evening as the oracles and acolytes arrived the petitioners coordinator had taken him to a consultation area.

He sent out a text message, ‘I will see her soon.’

Dale had taken the fire tablets that allowed his Alpha to be with him through the power of his witch mother. He was so lucky to have been allowed to join such a powerful and magical pack. He sat and waited for the feeling to begin.

His text messages chimed, ‘As soon as she comes to you, I will be with you.’

Dale watches the female from the photograph take an old woman to a consultation area, so he waits. He is about to give up when he sees her come back to the old she-wolf, who cries and gushes happily in thanks. He takes his last fire tablet as he watches in contempt. He sees her talking to Louis before she approaches. He is struck by how beautiful she is, almost glowing in the soft light, but in the pit of his stomach he feels the familiar burn of the magic and the power of his alpha touching him and has to sit because of the strange dizzy sensation of having someone else look through your eyes with you.

Dale stood when she approached, glancing around to make sure they were alone.

She asked calmly, “I am the Delphi. You wish a boon from our Goddess?”

“Are you really her?” He asked, “The real Delphi and not a fake?”

The Delphi blinked at him and stepped back slightly. “Yes, what question do you have for the Moon.”

Dale felt his Alpha’s word come out in his voice, “I have a message for you and your sister from my god. Tell your sister, the Sun is coming for her before you join your goddess.”

He stalked toward her, with a silver dagger. It was time for the Delphi to meet her useless Goddess.

“The Sun is coming.”