Grace The Luna of the Hidden Pack

Chapter 3

“I need some privacy. You can be anywhere around me without my knowledge, and that is quite frustrating.”

She laughed out loud.

“Don’t worry, young Beta, I'm never there when you are bathing.”

Alastair looked at her and raised one of his eyebrows. Marge laughed again.

“Alastair, I’m only joking. You can feel it when I’m around. I’d never make you feel bad.” Her smile remained on her face when she continued.

“I’m afraid you have to get ready,” she said seriously.

Alastair's gaze darkened instantly, and he nodded. He continued walking, and Marge followed him.

He always awaited this challenge. He was so excited about going out and seeing the world. They planned to travel far, and they also wanted to see other cultures with the hope they could find their kind, and make them come back home.

But he did not know why there was a weird feeling in his chest. That was like something wanted to pull him back and make him stay.

Farlan, his wolf, had an idea about this feeling, of course. He told his human he was feeling something about their mate. He was sure that she was around, they just couldn't feel her completely. Alastair only laughed at his beloved wolf.

“That doesn't exist like that, Farlan. If our mate were nearby, we could feel her intensely.”

But when he said that, Farlan just growled quietly, showing his disagreement.

“I only hope this witch isn’t bewitching us,” said Noah. That made Alastair laugh out loud, which made Marge turn to look at him with a sudden movement.

“What happened, Alastair?”

“Nothing. Farlan just told me a joke.”

“Oh. Tell him he made me scared.”

“He heard you.” He smiled, then offered his arm to her. Marge smiled and lowered her gaze while she folded one arm around Alastair's.

“I’ll visit you sometimes, just to make sure you are fine.”

Alastair smiled.

“Thank you, Marge.” Marge smiled wider, and she just walked next to him quietly, till they reached Alastair’s room.

“I will have a rest.” Alastair said, looking into her yellow eyes. Marge smiled at him, nodded, and she took a step away from Alastair.

“I will see you at dinner.” She whispered. He nodded, then he broke eye contact and stepped into his room.

“I really don’t like how she is staring at you all the time, Alastair.” Farlan told his human with anger in his voice.

“Farlan, she has lived with the pack for ages. What is your problem?”

“Alastair, I think my senses are more sophisticated than yours.”

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t feel good about you two.”

Alastair frowned while listening to his wolf.

“What do you mean?”

Farlan sighed.

“Alastair, I know you aren’t really interested, but I believe this witch wants you to be her mate.”

Alastair chuckled when his wolf finished the sentence.

“Farlan, she is a witch. How could that be possible? We are just good friends. You know how much she helped us, and how many times she showed us the right direction.”

“And what do you think? Why has she done that?”

“Farlan, you are thinking too much. And you know I’m not hunting it. If the Moon Goddess blessed me with a mate, I'd accept that, but till then the most important thing is the pack, and our mission.”

Farlan only sighed. He knew he had finished this conversation. Farlan knew Alastair was telling the truth. They thought about this differently. Farlan was a wolf, he was eager to find and love his mate, therefore he did not understand why that she-wolf didn’t appear yet, but he also understood Alastair as well.

His father raised him to be a good beta. And a good beta’s priority was the pack, and to help its Alpha. And for him, that was Grace.

He knew that would be more difficult, as a she alpha was not usual at all. Grace was still a young pup. Despite her being a she-wolf, Alastair trusted she would be a good Alpha when she got older.

Grace will have to keep the bloodline, so she will have to find a strong wolf in the pack, a Gamma, at least. But till then, she will need protection and someone to rely on.

He knew that, after he returned from the mission, he would be ready to be Grace’s guard until it was needed.

His thoughts were on the future while he took a bath. He enjoyed the warm water, and he tried to calm his nerves. He could not stop thinking of tomorrow when he would leave this place.

When he was ready, it was time for dinner. The pack always had dinner together. They made a huge dining room to give enough space for everyone.

He slowly walked there. He felt heavy. When he arrived, they were already there. At the main table, Urquhart sat in the middle and Grace sat on his right side.

Their father sat on his left. There was an empty seat next to Grace. That was his place, and Lennox sat next to him. He took his seat and soon Urquhart signed they could start.

The Omegas served dinner. Regardless of their low status, Urquhart made sure the omegas received respect for their hard work, and the pack members thanked them every day. That was a rule.

Today’s dinner was a little different. After they finished the desserts, Urquhart stood up with his golden wine cup, and he required everyone’s attention.

“Dear members, you might know what a big day will be tomorrow. Since we lost the fight, we are living hidden, we are working hard to find a way out, and make this pack be glorious again.”

Everyone in the room applauded loudly. Urquhart lifted his hand up to make them quiet with a smile.

"Lennox and Alastair will leave tomorrow to find our kind in another culture. We hope to unite with our brothers and sisters if they succeed. I want you all to lift your cups for them, and wish them good luck."

He turned to the two brothers.

“Lennox, Alastair. Our brave young Betas. I wish you good luck on your way and have a safe journey. We are looking forward to your return.”

He lifted his cup higher.

“Good luck to our two brave Betas!” He shouted before all the pack members shouted this sentence again and again. Finally, they drank all the wine from their cups.

“Dear friends, let’s celebrate.” Urquhart shouted again, and at that moment they played music, and many pack members stood up and started dancing. The celebration surprised Alastair and Lennox, but they could not hide how happy they were.

Lennox stood up and went to a nice-looking she-wolf. He asked her to dance. Alastair did not like to dance too much, but he could not escape either. Marge stepped there.

“May I have a dance with the hero?” She asked with a smile. Alastair smiled back at her and stood up. He held her hand and led her to the middle of the dancefloor. They started dancing.

The room was full of happiness. All the pack members found something to occupy themselves. Some of them remained at their tables and played with cards or told funny stories, which made them laugh loudly. Many of them chose the dance floor, and they danced happily with their dance partners.

There was only one wolf who could not be happy. She tried to keep her smile on her face, but inside she felt only sadness. She had a bad feeling about her best friend, who went to visit the biggest pack led by a tyrant Alpha, and that did not mean any good.

The other wolf who made her feel good was also leaving, making her heartache worse. She watched the two figures dancing happily and that scene just made her chest more heavy.

She imagined herself dancing that close to him. She imagined how good she would feel in his arms, maybe leaning on his chest to feel his heartbeat.

“Grace, stop it.” Morag growled inside her mind.

“What is your problem?”

“You ruin everyone’s mood.”

“No one cares about me,” Grace told her bitterly. She felt Morag take the lead and watched around with Grace's beautiful green eyes to notice there was indeed no one around her. Even Urquhart danced with a she-wolf, and they indeed sat at the main table alone. Morag pulled herself back without saying a word.

“Ask someone to dance with you.” She said that finally. But she felt instantly Grace had no intention of doing that. She opened the line to her father and mind linked to him instead.

“Alpha, please, give me permission to leave. I’m tired.”

She thought her dad was going to ask her to stay, but he continued dancing happily instead, and answered his daughter without stopping or looking at her.

“You’ve got my permission, pup. Have a good night.” And that was it. He closed the line. Grace felt like crying, but she did not want to show her sadness, so she stood up hurriedly and walked out of the room. She rushed into hers, and she collapsed onto her bed.

“Morag, do you think there will be someone one day who is going to like us?”

“Of course, Grace. One day we are going to find our mates, and they will like us.”

“No, I mean someone who will like us just for us.”

Morag sighed. It seemed like she could not answer this question either. It took her a while to speak.

“Saoirse and Joice like us really much.”

Grace smiled bitterly.

“Morag, what do you think? Why did she have to go to visit the Blue Blood Pack?”

“Because her evil dad ordered her to do so?”

Grace laughed this time.

“Morag, the Blue Blood Pack’s Alphas, has a son who is about the same age as Saoirse. She never cared about her, so what do you think? Why did he send his only daughter to meet the Alpha of the biggest and strongest pack?”

Grace felt that Morag was frowning inside her mind.

“Do you think he wants them to mate later?”

Grace just laughed sadly.

“Grace, Saoirse said that pack is horrible, remember? They like their pack members, but if you are an outsider, they will get rid of you. What kind of pack does that?”

Grace laughed sadly.

“They also execute in the Red Moon Pack. And if they do that too, I don’t think other packs wouldn’t kill sinners.”

“They do that with sinners only. Which isn’t better, of course, but that still makes more sense.”

Grace felt Morag’s worry, and she could hear her whining.

“Maybe we should just take Saoirse and Joice and run away to be rogues.” She said sadly.

“We couldn’t stay alive outside for long.”

“We are Alphas.”

“Yes, but what would you do if you met a few vampires or witches?”

Morag remained quiet, and it seemed like she couldn’t answer this time.

“Morag?”

“Hm?”

“Do you think Alastair will come back in one piece in this lifetime?”

“He’s got Farlan. He is strong and he’ll take care of him. Farlan would tear apart any creature that attacks him or his human.”

Grace smiled this time.

“Do you like Farlan?”

Morag thought for a few moments.

“Yes, he is kind, clever and good looking, I think.”

Grace wanted to say something to her, but a knock interrupted their conversation. Grace sat up in her bed, and as she left it, she felt a familiar weird energy that made her guess who was behind the door. She opened it slowly to see the black-haired witch. Her yellow cat eyes smiled at Grace kindly.

“Evanora?”

“May I come in?”

“Yes.” she said. She opened the door wider for Evanora. Evanora put her palm on Grace's arm and pushed her gently inside while she closed the door behind them.

She made Grace sit down, and she stared at her while she held her hand. Grace felt the calming warmth, and that made her nerves calm a little.

“Me and Aradia just went to see Alastair and Lennox to wish them good luck. But we felt sadness around the place, which surprised us as everyone danced in happiness. I followed my senses, and they drove me to you.”

She sighed.

“Gracie, what is wrong? May I help you with anything?”

Grace sighed deeply.

“I just feel so alone.”

She smiled sadly and caressed Grace's cheek.

“You are not alone. You have your father. He loves you so much.”

Grace lowered her head.

“Alastair is leaving.”

Evanora looked at her and frowned. She stared at Grace’s face for a little while, and her caressing hand stopped.

“Alastair will return.”

This time Grace raised her head to look at Evanora curiously.

“Did you see that?”

Evanora smiled for a few seconds, then she shook her head. That made Grace confused. She could not decide if she shook her head because she, Grace, was so curious, or she just said a simple “no” as an answer, but she did not dare to ask.

“Gracie, why don't you give him something to remind him of you? You could give him something to protect him on the way, and just ask him to bring it back to you. That will encourage him to come back. I’m sure about that.”

Grace's eyes widened, and she started thinking. She did not have many belongings. Finally, she knew what she could give him. She slowly touched her neck. She had a thin golden necklace. That was a gift from her mom. Then she moved to her chest of drawers.

She also had a drawing of her mom’s wolf. On the back of the drawing, there was a text written in Scots Gaelic. That was a message from her mother. That was a habit.

Fenella asked the Moon Goddess to keep her daughter healthy. She asked her to give Grace persistence to achieve her dreams, to stay strong no matter how complicated her life is, and to find her own happiness. She asked her to never let sadness take the lead on her, and to never fall into despondency.

As she read the message from her mom, she did not notice Evanora watching her with a satisfied smile.

She stood up and went to Grace. She caressed her head.

“He’ll find the way back here. Do not worry, little wolf.”

Grace looked at her with a little smile and nodded.

“I have to go now. But if you need someone to talk to, you can find me.” Evanora told her before she moved to the door.

“Evanora,” Grace called her name quietly. She turned back to look at the young Alpha.

“Thank you.” Grace said that still with a little smile on her face. Evanora just smiled, turned around and left.

Grace stared at the drawing for a while. She put it back in her drawer and went to bed. She wanted to get up early because she wanted to say farewell to Alastair.