Bittermoon CH 04
When Luna woke, Lukas felt a spark as if everything was in place. He felt more alive; everything was ten times better than it was when she was awake. How could the other Alpha part with her? He could feel the severed bonds. They didn't know what they had lost?!
"Hello?! My name is Luna." She looked at him with golden eyes. He looked at her in surprise. In most packs, it was considered taboo to name a child Luna. What, what were they thinking? If she didn't become Luna with that name, she would be an outcast.
"You're really named Luna?" He asked at her nod. He stroked his chin in thought. "What would you like to be called? You can choose any name. Is Luna your preferred name?" He asked her. "Think about it." He patted her head. Was he comforting her? Did he discover something?
"No rush," Lucas said with a smile. "Rest." He grinned. She looked at him in puzzlement. Could a King Alpha be this friendly? "A yes." She replied, scooting back onto the bed.
Triston woke up with a pain in his right arm. His arm had black veins as if he were poisoned. It spidered out, the strange black veins like a wicked tree. Was it just in his arm, or was it spreading inside him? The wound burned; he could feel his body rejecting it. What was this?... His eyes clenched, as sweat gathered on his brow. It hurt. Had he forsaken his protection when he renounced his bond with Luna?
He remembered the oath she made when they were younger. "I will be your shield, nothing shall touch you!" She solemnly pledged.
Now that their bond was broken, she left. He had broken his oath. He chose her sister. Was this the backlash that he had been warned about for denying the bond? Could she be a Luna? Was this why she was weaker than her sister? She had pledged to him before getting her wolf. This mark…
This was a cursed mark. Her parents from beyond the grave? They had his blood or something of his, a hair. What could it be? He was infected with something. He had to see the healer. Triston could feel his body trying to heal, but the taint remained. His body was fighting a losing battle with this infection. He tried to get up, but he could feel himself getting weaker. Not good, he frowned, could this even lead to him losing his Alpha position? He gritted his teeth, grabbed his phone, and called the pack healer. This was serious. The pain was coming in waves now; whatever it was, it was trying to spread.
The healer answered on the second ring, his voice sleepy. "Hello?! Alpha, how can I help?" He heard the Alpha's grim voice saying that he was suffering from some type of attack.
He had warned the Alpha that this might happen, but he didn't listen. Now he could hear the hidden fear underneath; it was bad! Tori wiped the crumbs out of his eyes. Hurriedly, he got ready; if he was tainted, it could affect the whole pack, even spreading just like the Alpha. They would all suffer! He stood with a shuddery breath. He grabbed his pants, and with one shoe on, he hopped into the other. Tori threw on his white coat over his shoulder in one smooth movement. He grabbed his glasses, his green eyes somber. He quickly brushed his teeth and combed his hair. His face washed, he ran out the door, grabbing his medical satchel on the way.
He was on call mostly, but this was the first serious incident. He swallowed and prayed it wasn't as bad as his predecessor warned. When his senior heard that Luna wasn't being chosen, he had packed his bags and left with a huff, saying they mistook a piece of glass for a pearl, and they would suffer for such a choice.
That Luna's parents had named her Luna despite the taboos on that name. She was the firstborn, the stronger twin. She even pledged an oath to be his protector. The alpha had violated the oaths between him and Luna, but her parents as well. Tori sighed. This was a headache, a nightmare! His hand tightened on the steering wheel. He arrived at the Alpha's house, and he rang the doorbell. The housekeeper answered than she had hurriedly brought him upstairs. He sensed her concern for the Alpha. How bad was it?!
As he entered the room, he could smell something off; a foul, rotting smell assaulted his nose. He felt a feeling of foreboding, his predecessor's words of doom ringing in his ears. He felt like he should leave, but he didn't have that option. "Alpha… Triston?!" The room was dark, and he entered, trying not to cover his nose. He found Triston lying on the floor in the corner.
He looked at him with teary eyes, "Will I have to lose my arm?" He whispered brokenly. His arm had spider black veins starting from his forearm.
Tori could smell the rotting smell from the Alpha's arm! This was not good; it was the taint! He heard there was a punishment no one liked to speak of for oath breaking. It was seldom done due to the repercussions of oath breaking. The Gods did not like oath breakers, especially if they were Alphas. "This… You have the taint." Tori replied in a quiet voice.
"What do I do?" Triston asked.
Tori looked sick. "You have to get forgiveness from the Luna. Not Serene, her elder sister Luna. And this might not even cure you. You have to appease the Gods."
"You're telling me, I need to apologize to that weakling… That fake Luna! How is she a Luna?! She was supposed to be my Luna, but instead, she made no progress, even getting weaker!" Triston's eyes glittered with fury.
"Maybe you were being tested to see if you were worthy, but you failed." Tori looked away from Triston's eyes.
"You're telling me, it's me- the loser!!! Not her, ME!!!! I'M NOT WORTHY, SO I WAS PUNISHED AS AN OATH BREAKER, BY THE GODS." Triston roared.
"Your word is your bond. Didn't your father explain what oaths and promises meant to an Alpha? The Old Gods still preside over us. Don't be an oath breaker. There's a price to pay when breaking oaths, and none are pleasant. They're the stuff of nightmares." Tori replied, adjusting his glasses.
"FIND HER! FIND LUNA!!!!" Triston snarled. "I don't care who is hiding her! Find her!"