Pure Moonlight Ch. 12

Hi all,

I present Chapter 12 of Pure Moonlight!

I am sorry for the delay in getting this chapter up- I know I left it on a hanger, there will be a few of those, this is another (just thought I'd warn you).

It also disappointingly short, but it is the most natural spot to pause before we get into really lengthy stuff, so bear with me. I know it is short by Literotica standards, but you have to realise this is 10 microsoft word pages, which is huge and merely compressed down for the internets, so appreciate my effort people!! Not my personal best, but still a accomplishment , so I make no apologies for the length.

Anyone complaining about the length will find a rotten banana in their mailbox! (mystical voodoo curse music)

My writing time has also been sadly limited with distractions and very unfortunate circumstances in my personal life. Hopefully in a couple of weeks things will be back to normal (as normal as they can be for me, anyway).

Anyways, I hope you enjoy!

As always Rate, Comment, Private feedback, Share, Tweet, Like, Whatever G+ does!

<3 Shadowsung

P.S. My word broke so I have no spell checker... I did my best to find the mistakes, but there are bound to be.

~ 12 ~

Ally sat in silence, curled up in her seat and hugging her knees. The ache had gone; leaving her feeling completely empty. It was far from an improved state. The thought of Zac did nothing for her. Having gotten used to the warm feeling thoughts of him inspired, feeling nothing was almost painful. It was like thinking of a brick wall; there was no emotions or sentiment attached.

The silence in the car added to the tension as Kate nervously adjusted her hands on the steering wheel. Her friend had been silent since they left the compound; staring silently into the distance.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Asked Kate nervously.

"Not really," croaked Ally, wiping her dry face.

"What just happened is a pretty big thing, Ally. You discovered the existence of a hidden species hiding in plain sight, you were betrayed by your boyfriend and forced to do something that no one in my pack has ever seen done." She paused, struggling to phrase the question that had been niggling at her, "how does it feel?"

Ally hugged her stomach tighter, "Empty," she whispered quietly, "I don't know how to describe it. I just feel...hollow. It's as though my heart has been ripped out; it doesn't hurt... it's just not there."

"Ally," Kate whispered, feeling for her friend.

"Is... Is it reversible?" she asked hesitantly, not sure what she wanted the answer to be.

"I don't think so," Kate said, "You have to understand that those words are sacred and taught out of necessity. No one likes that lesson and it not much is actually known about it. It was given to us by Luna as a way out. It is not used lightly and has only been used three times that I know of. Hell, even the lessons are handwritten. Those words are too powerful to be spoken aloud unless they are meant."

"Wait? What? What do you mean the lessons are hand written?"

"It means when we are taught the lesson, it is written down for us to memorise, and we have to write it out until we have learnt it by heart. The words are never spoken."

"But," Ally said hesitantly.

"But what?" Kate asked.

"Keith," she replied, "He spoke them to me... He told me the words verbally and had me repeat them until I got them right..."

"No," Kate said dismissively, "No wolf would ever utter those words. One of those three times was a teenager who spoke them aloud on a dare. He never found his mate and spent a long life alone. We know what is at stake with those words."

"But Keith spoke them," Ally insisted.

Kate shrugged, her eyes on the road, "I do not know what possessed him."

Kate seemed rather focused on the road and didn't want to discuss it, so Ally let it go. She curled up tighter turning her attention to the flashing glimpses of trees as they tore through the night.

~~~

"You are too late, pathetic mortals!"

Keith felt the cloth under his hands vanish and scanned the room desperately. Caitlin sunk to the ground, exhausted and hurting.

Zac held his head in his hands feeling completely out of control. "Ally!" He screamed to the heavens.

Keith rounded on Caitlin's quivering form, "Where has he taken her?" he demanded holding her up by her scruff, Caitlin sobbed and shook her head. He shook her like a rag doll before throwing her across the room with a roar of frustration.

"Keith! That is not how we treat pack!" Zac growled.

"She is no longer pack, my alpha, not once you know of her treachery. I saw everything. That creature put me under some kind of coma. I watched it all like a horrible dream; unable to move or speak or do anything," he paced the room, looking almost deranged as he went after her again.

Zac stood in between them, "She will speak of her crimes and admit to them by her choice, not your force," he said calmly.

Keith blinked at his best friend and nodded slowly, "You are wise, my Alpha." he turned and went to the window, muttering quietly to himself.

Zac turned to the woman he barely knew on the floor. "What is going on, Caitlin?" "My alpha I am so sorry!" she sobbed, "He tricked me, bewitched me and threatened me! That... creature... He promised me things that I thought I wanted. In return, I... I had to do something for him."

"What? What did you do?" Zac asked patiently, his wolf pacing with frustration inside him.

"I had to feed you this... stuff." She pulled out the evil vial from her pocket, "When I didn't it burned me and he threatened to do worse than kill me. My alpha I am so sorry! I wish I could take it back! I have been trying to right my wrong. I tried to tell you about the impostor, I tried to help!"

"Where has he taken her?"

"I honestly don't know! I was kidnapped and put to sleep, then he woke me up, made the deal and knocked me out again, I never saw anything but the dungeon he was in! I swear it by Luna!"

Zac looked down at the broken woman inside her. It took all his will power not to unleash his beast. It wanted out to tear her limb from limb for her betrayal. He pulled her Iydam from around her neck and inspected it carefully as he fought to maintain composure.

"You have betrayed this pack, Caitlin. The crime for such a betrayal is death. In light of the fact; however, you did try to amend your treachery, I shall spare your life.

"Your punishment is thus; you are exiled from this pack. You are not to step foot on our lands or speak to our people. The punishment for breaking your exile is death and I will show no mercy. Be gone, Caitlin, you are my pack no more."

With a partially morphed claw, he scratched an 'X' through her pack insignia, marking her as exiled. He tossed it back and turned from her sobbing form. He joined Keith at the window, putting his hand on his friend's shoulder and squeezed it tightly.

Zac opened his mind to the pack, proclaiming his judgement of the woman, Caitlin. Two betas opened the door and moved over to the grieving woman.

Caitlin lay sobbing on the floor, her heart broken. The pack was all she had ever known. She had never left the town area and she had no idea what she would do. No pack would take a betrayer and she had very little experience with humans.

The betas picked her up and dragged her from the room, bowing to their Alpha respectfully.

"I have to find her, Keith." He said quietly, his eyes burning and his chest aching.

"I know," he responded, "I think it is time you visited the elders."

"I shall," Zac promised, "You rest. I will send for you when we are ready to head out." He clasped hands, and hugged his friend.

He walked through the mansion quickly, barely noticing his route. He stopped at the door and knocked. The door swung open to reveal the ladies sitting in a row facing him. Zac fell to his knees before them, exhausted, "Please," he whispered, "You have to help her."

"My Alpha," they cried in unison, "What has been done?"

~~~

Kate and Ally had been silent for quite some time. Each were lost in their own thoughts. Each of them trying to think of something to say to break the deathly quiet of the car.

"Ally," Kate began, glancing at her silent friend.

"Look out!" Ally screamed, pointing to the deer that had wondered into the middle of the road.

Both women screamed as the car swerved wildly across the road. Ally screamed and held on tight as the car ran off the road and smashed into the large trunk of a gnarled tree. Silence filled the air, broken only by a loud hissing coming from the crumpled engine.

Ally groaned and shifted her head. Blood poured down her face from the cut just above her hairline. Through the smashed glass of the windscreen she could see the tree and faint lighting from the still illuminated headlights.

Her ears ringing, Ally quickly took inventory of her injuries, realising that she had gotten off lightly. The car had hit the tree mostly on the driver's side; the front end crumpled into the base of the tree. Even though the tree had been on her side of the road, it was Kate's side of the car that had bore most of the impact. She was confused for a second and turned to ask Kate what happened.

"Kate!" Ally screamed as her eyes finally adjusted to the gloom inside the car. Her best friend had been partially crushed from the waist down, the steering wheel in her lap and her legs pinned by the weight of the faintly glowing dashboard. She coughed weakly and opened an eye.

"Are you ok?" she croaked, a small trickle of blood seeped from the corner of her mouth.

"I will be fine.," Ally stuttered, "I will call an ambulance. We're fine. You're going to be fine. Everything is going to be-"A sob broke her words, as she took in her friend. Tears fell down her cheek, "Kate," She whispered, "I'm so sorry."

"I'm going to be fine. I heal faster than you. That's why I took the hit." Kate said matter of factly, coughing to clear her throat. "Just give me a sec and I will work my way out. You grab your things and hop out. I need you to call Rick for me. I'm sure he would have felt something and is worried sick."

Ally stared at her friend in disbelief, not moving. Kate sighed, "Honestly, I promise- it is worse than it looks, I am going to be perfectly fine, now get out before I get mad," she said, grimacing as she pushed gently on the steering wheel.

Ally nodded and silently slid from the car. The only thing she had to grab from the car was a jacket she had borrowed from Keith before they had left. Stepping from the car, Ally caught a smell she knew. She moved to the front of the car, surveying the damage and listening to the hissing still coming from under the crumpled bonnet. The smell was stronger and unmistakable.

"Kate," Ally called out, "Get out! I can smell petrol! It could go up!"

Kate looked up and through the shattered windscreen at her friend. Her eyes widened "Ally!" She screamed, "Look out behind you!"

Ally froze on the spot, but before she could turn hands grabbed her and pulled her tight against a body. A hand wrapped itself around her mouth, clogging her scream. In front of her Kate struggled in the car, morphing slightly and trying to get free. Her captor dragged her further away from the wreck and into the trees. Ally heard a word whispered in an alien tongue and a small fire lit at their feet.

It travelled towards the car that was still hissing in a straight line like a fuse. Ally could see her friend struggling to free herself from the car, but both knew she wouldn't be fast enough.

Her captor dragged her struggling form further backwards into the trees, but her focus never leaving her friend in the car.

Kate stopped struggling and watched as her friend was dragged away by the hooded black figure. "I'm sorry," she whispered, closing her eyes. A small tear escaped and ran silently down her cheek.

The fire caught the fluids leaking on the ground and a wall of flame sprung up between them.

"Kate!" Ally screamed, pulling the hand from her mouth and heaving uselessly against the restraining arms constantly pulling her. "Kate! Kate! Get out of there," She sobbed.

Black tendrils waved across her vision; blocking out the horrible red and orange flickering. Her struggles weakened and her legs gave out. Her vision went completely black and she felt herself falling.

~~~

Caitlin was dumped unceremoniously in the centre of town with nothing but the clothes on her back, her meagre life savings and her scratched Iydam. The latter was to be a constant reminder of her betrayal and exile. She sat on the curb, head in her hands.

Her wolf had retreated into the deepest confines of their shared consciousness. They were not the strongest and all wolves relied on the pack to keep them safe and happy. It knew the price of exile for most werewolves; madness and eventually death. No decent pack would accept her after her original pack had cast her out. She could fall prey to rogues if she wasn't tough enough to fend them off or she could be taken out as a threat from another species.

"You ok, Missy?" a gruff voice over head interrupted her thoughts. He had been watching her from his diner across the street. She had not moved for over 2 hours since a black SUV had literally dumped her on the pavement. He had been worried for her and eventually worked up the courage to come check on her.

The woman looked up, surprised. Her eyes were bloodshot and there were dark puffy circles under her eyes. She was toying nervously with a necklace around her neck. "I... Don't know." She said quietly," Can someone survive loosing everything they ever took for granted?"

The man tutted and sat down next to her, rearranging his worn apron and dusting off his hands. "I would have to say it depends on the person."

Caitlin looked at him curiously, seeing him watching her intently, "There are many different types of people in this world, Missy. Basically they fall in two categories, fighters and losers. The fighters never give up, and mostly succeed. The losers," he chuckled grimly, "They are just like their namesake. To be honest... You don't look like a looser to me."

Caitlin smiled, "I have to say, I feel like quite the loser right now. I have done some really loserish things these last few days." She couldn't help the sniffle that escaped.

"Ah, but the only difference between being a loser and being a fighter, is choice. You choose to be what you are. At the moment, yes you are choosing to be a loser. Your choice and your will are powerful things. They shape who you are. You're human, you make mistakes and you screw up. But you learn from them and you buck up, and make your wrongs right. No matter what, you fix your mistakes or do what ever you can to make things better."

She smiled at him, "Are you an angel?" she asked.

"No Missy," He chuckled, "But you looked like you could use some help. I needed the same myself at some point, and I'm always happy to pay it forward... I own that diner," he said pointing across the street," If you need money, I am happy to throw some shifts your way," He offered, "You look like a reliable and hard working lass. I always need people like that. Just come in and let me know. I had better get back in there."

"Thanks," said Caitlin quietly standing up. The man offered his hand out to her. Caitlin stared at it for a second, trying to figure out the alien human gesture. She recalled something about shaking hands, so she gripped his gently. He shook her hand up and down before waving and crossing the street again.

Caitlin stared at the half moon that watched over her, "Thank you, Luna, for sending him," she whispered. She closed her eyes and opened her senses, trying to figure out where to go and what to do. The answer was simple. She had to find her alpha's stolen mate. That would be her restitution and the key to reclaiming her old life and righting her wrongs.

Caitlin pondered for a second how to find her. Due to her jealousies and insecurities, she had never met, seen, heard or smelt the stupid woman. She could not track the human herself. The creature that had enslaved her was soulless and impossible to track. She closed her eyes and tried to remember as much detail as she could of the day she made the deal that ended her life as she knew it.

It had been a dungeon. Cement walls, floor and ceiling. She had been dumped on a bed of rags. She had only really concentrated on him at the time, but her brain had registered a whole host of different things. There had been shelves across one wall with dusty boxes. She could smell a slightly salty breeze and the faint cry of seagulls. The ocean was at least an hour away at its closest point.

The servants, minions, like demons. They had been short, like dwarves, but ugly and twisted, with red eyes, pointy teeth and talons. They had smelt terrible, like rotten eggs and old blood. She sneered; them she could track.

With a new determination, she stepped into the shadows, stripped and phased. Her wolf came roaring to the surface, changing their form quickly. With an eager yip, she tore off through the shadows.

~~~

It did not take long for Zac to tell his elders what had transpired. He knelt before them, lost for words and out of tears.

"This is grave indeed, My Alpha," said one seriously.

"I am not sure that we can help," intoned another, frowning.

"Bring us something that has known her and we shall try to find her," said the third gently.

"We do not need to tell you to hurry, my alpha. You know as well as us that she could well be in danger." Zac nodded his head and raced down to the holding cells where he had imprisoned his mate. His empty chest throbbed as he took in the cage. He went to the pallet she had been lying on, thinking to get a hair from her pillow.

As he picked up the cushion, something silver dropped to the floor with a tiny clatter. It was the locket he had given her. It's wings open, revealing his message. A sob wracked itself from his chest as he looked down on his last gift to her.

He picked it up and gently cradled it to his chest as he sent a desperate prayer to Luna for her protection, "Please," he whispered, "She did not deserve this."

He raced back to his elders and presented it to them. The four old ladies positioned themselves in a tight circle the locket held in all four of their outstretched hands in the centre.

They bowed their heads and began to chant in a foreign language. The locket began to glow, illuminating their old and weathered faces with pale blue light.

"Zac," came a whisper from the doorway. He spun around and saw Keith beckoning him over.

"What is it Keith?" He asked wearily, still not entirely sure if he could trust him.

"The car that they took, it had a GPS," he said quietly, "I managed to track it down. It stopped for some time, then stopped transmitting, but I have the last location it had; maybe there are some clues, or a trail."

Zac brightened, "I have the elders tracking her dow-"

He was interrupted by four terrible shrieks. The men turned to the elders, who were clutching their eyes and wailing. The locket was glowing blood red and shaking violently in mid air.

Without thinking, Zac raced in and batted the locket with a spare cushion that had been lying on the floor. The necklace clattered to the ground and was still and normal. Not trusting the innocent façade, Zac poked it cautiously then picked it up. It looked as it always had, so he put it in his pocket before turning his attention to the elders, who had quietened, but were shifting restlessly.

"My elders?" he asked timidly.

"My alpha," one whispered.

"Things are much worse than we ever feared," said another.

All four women looked up at their alpha, who blanched at the sight. Their eyes were pitch black and had blood seeping from both edges.