twenty three
My mind won't stop; replaying today over and over. The stairwell behind the bookcase, the gigantic painting, the original werewolves. There's too much to learn, I've been trying to learn years of werewolf history and laws in weeks. As much as I want to know more about the world I come from, too stay within the security of Xavier and his werewolf committee I can't do it. I have to leave before I become too attached, too intrigued.
"Isabelle, I have something for you." I hear Xavier's voice outside my door.
"Come in." I say thanking the heavens I didn't stutter.
The white door swings open revealing a hollow man. I've been so worried about myself this whole time that I forgot to notice. The emptiness in Xavier's eyes, his hunched shoulders and messy hair. "A-are you okay?" I whisper taking a step towards him. The closer I get the more apparent it is that he really isn't okay. Xavier's skin is almost transparent he looks; weak.
Brushing off my question Xavier continues into the room his shaking hands wrapped tightly around a small box. Adorned with carvings and writing I can't understand he places it on my bed.
"Open it."
Quizzically, I look up at Xavier and back at the box. What's the harm? Brushing my fingers over each design I reach for the lid, inside lays a doll. Blonde hair, blue eyes, two pigtails, one is plaited the other isn't, scar on the right cheek and dressed from head to toe in blue. I blink, this is the doll, the one Dexter gave me to hold.
"H-how-w? W-whe-ere? W-what-t?" I scramble to form a proper sentence. I stare down at the doll, she's small enough to hang on someone's keychain or hide inside someone's purse for good luck. "W-who?" I try once again failing to form a sentence, instead a single word.
"That's you Isabelle." Xavier whispers softly taking a seat on my bed. "Do you remember that day?"
Tearing my eyes away from the doll I look up gazing at the white wall in front of me. Do I remember that day? "N-no."
"That was your 10th Birthday." I freeze the day I was told I would be Luna, the day Natalie left me, the day my own father started hitting me.
"H-how d-do you k-know that?" I say my voice barely a whisper as a single tear slides down my cheek. The hell that I've been through is all somehow intertwined with that day, and now I can barely remember it.
"It's the day my sister went missing." Xavier says staring at the wall, his body may be here but I can see his mind is in a faraway place. "She was one of the last she-wolfs left who was born of a leading bloodline. Her mother did the best she could to hide that fact from other wolves but my father paraded her about like a prostitute. So proud of his little Luna." Xavier spat the last words his fists balling up.
I shut my eyes, her mother, do they have different mothers? "She was beautiful, hypnotizing blue eyes, waves of dark hair and her smile, that smile." I look back at Xavier surprised at his openness.
"And then she was gone, shortly after that my father decided to go into hiding as well. That damned man I know he took her!"
I bow my head instinctively his tone is so forceful. "W-what d-does this have t-t-o d-d-d-o with m-m-me?" I say in a whisper.
"Remember when I told you that there was a massacre and most true Alphas and Luna's from leading bloodlines were killed?"
I nod my head, of course I remember.
"Since then there has only ever been a handful of true Alpha's and Luna's to exist, it is even more rare that they are born that way. Any of the surviving wolves from leading bloodlines went into hiding and most of them have remained there. As an Alpha I can sense if someone is a true Luna or Alpha, it's something we are born with to ensure that we find the right Luna."
Xavier looks over at me his hollow eyes held only sadness. "It's much easier for male wolves who aren't true Alpha's to run a pack, they are often aided by witches or simply train until their power surpasses those around them. However, when it comes to Luna's if your Luna is no good then your pack is sure to fall apart."
Did he just say witches? There are witches in this world? How is it possible I don't know any of this?
"Alpha's require power and strength in order to assert dominance. Luna's on the other hand are often more nurturing. True Luna's possess unquestionable amounts of power however, they are also born with gifts. Formally referred to as offerings from the moon goddess these are generally specified to their own fate and the pack they were born to lead."
My mind starts to race, as a million questions start to form in my head, gifts? What kind of gifts? Do Alpha's get them as well?
"The obvious example would be Luna's who were destined to lead packs located on all flat grounds. Back then there were many pack wars and without the shelter offered by mountains or higher ground packs didn't stand a chance. Knowing this the moon goddess would give the Luna the gift of being able to manipulate the earth, creating cracks, mounds anything like that."
I stare dumbfounded at Xavier's words, to manipulate the earth. That is a massive gift to bestow upon someone.
"Of course there are rules, the first is you are only able to use your powers if you have good intentions. The feeling must be intrinsic and is almost impossible to fake. The second is that in using your powers you drain your own energy, making manifestation almost impossible." Xavier stops to look over at me, as if to make sure I'm still listening.
"With power comes abuse and as more wolves found out about these gifts they found ways to cheat them. That's how it happened the war that massacred so many leading bloodlines came from jealousy and a hunger for power."
"As a true Luna it's expected that you will also have a gift."
I catch my breath, I'm going to have a gift? But I'm still an Omega and a rogue.
"The third rule is that you will only gain your powers after fulfilling the mating process, or under extreme circumstances being marked."
The mating process. I don't know if I'll ever get to a point where I trust someone that much, not after everything that's already happened.
I turn my attention back to the doll, laying discarded on the bed. Holding the innocence of a
10-year-old, before I understood what it meant to be abused.
"The day my sister went missing this doll turned up on my door, this doll who looked so much like a girl I used to know. I didn't understand it for a long time, until I caught your scent while I was visiting Dexter at the Dark Knight Pack. Your scent was the same scent the doll had when I first found it, that's why I asked him to show it to you."
Xavier pauses for a moment his voice wavering ever so slightly.
"I wasn't close enough for my wolf to realise that you're my mate, after Dexter said what happened I wanted to see you for myself and it only took seconds for your scent to intoxicate me. That's when I realised why that doll seemed so familiar to me."
Xavier stops hesitating slightly. I want to encourage him but my mind draws a complete blank as I struggle for the words.
"You were Katrina's best friend," he says in a whisper, "you two would always play outside together."
I stare at Xavier in confusion, Katrina? "W-who's K-Katrina?"
"That's my sister." Xavier replies not meeting my eyes.
"N-no that can't be true! My father he h-." I let out a cry as my head starts to burn, tumbling off the bed.
Within seconds Xavier is by my side, mumbling something incoherently. I can't think as in inexplicable pain shoots through my head, what the hell is going on?
"Goddammit!" I hear Xavier curse as I clutch my head. It feels like someone has started kicking my brain around and poking it with needles. I look at Xavier the heartbreak in his eyes as if his high school girlfriend just broke his heart, I don't know what to make of it I can barely think as it is.
Xavier holds me against him his touch sending fire through my veins, burying his head in my hair.
I can't think, I can barely move I think my brain is on fire that's the only explanation. I open my eyes in an attempt to re-orientate myself, instead my vision starts to become spotted and within seconds everything turns to black.
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I got  my laptop fixed and I couldn't wait until Wednesday hehe...
The first of many more chapters to come!! Everything is finally starting to come together and all intertwine!!
Thank you all so much for your continued support and putting up with me being so bad at updating, I can't wait for you to read the ending, don't worry though there's still lots of action to come!
DecorsWords xo