AUTHOR'S POV,The Moonbath
The agonizing wait for the full moon brought Scott home at the Devlin's mansion at early sunset. His heightening anxiety tensioned up on his shoulders. It doubled his vision while signing contracts and papers. His mouth dried, despite many intake of glasses of water. He blamed his secretary. He turned on Reina. And in the middle of a meeting, he called it a day. On his way home, he almost got hit by a car missing a turn. He was waken up from spacing out by the blaring horns of a truck behind him, with the traffic light almost turning yellow. And, he was called an asshole entering a one way street.
At home, he spent a passing minute refreshing in the shower, when he thought he has been there more almost an hour. He asked for food served in his bedroom, and left not even touching anything on his plate. Pacing back and forth the hallway, he stripped off his watch and put it back on, thinking it would lessen the tightening feeling crushing his chest at every glance of the time. Eventually, he chose to wear it on his way out.
Scott has been completely and utterly feeling terrible, that it is starting show.
Donning a black linen shirt featuring a notched collar with distinctive open neck design matching his black soft linen pants, Scott rushed to the lake side of the mansion. He had to go back in his bedroom a few more times for wearing the wrong pair of boots, and putting on mismatched socks. Three wake boats were already waiting at the dock, with stewards attending on each of them. They all greeted the Alpha as Scott approaches. He nodded, and hopped in one of the boats. The steward immediately started the engine, as it slowly move away from the dock.
The wave boat skimmed across the lake as the sun drifted toward the horizon, painting the water in molten gold. Every ripple caught the dying light and shattered it into thousand glittering sparks, as if the lake had stolen pieces of the sky and scattered them across its surface. It had a perfect reflection of every color there is in the sky, the clouds, and the spilling ambers from the sunset.
Nothing in that calming canvass brought ease to Scott.
His fingers tightened around the edge of the boat, with a thought that tonight the moon becomes a burden. And, it has turned to a death sentence on his Luna. He thought, maybe, her leaving him was safer. Him choosing a new Luna is a wise choice. Nonetheless, no matter how right and comforting those decisions were, it gave Scott an invisible hands wrapped around his throat.
Again, her.
The warm evening winds brushed against his face carrying the same distant pine scent that there was the night he brought Diana there. She was all he could think of. How she dipped her hand, disturbing the lake water. How he rowed so hard, seeing only the light on her face. Getting closer to the dock of the islet makes every memory with her become clearer. And with that, the slapping truth of him longing for her disrupts his normalcy, agitating him.
The boat arrived in the islet.
From the dock, he could see lanterns glimmering beyond the trees. The preparations are underway for the moon bath at 8:57 pm. As he set foot, he wasted no time to rush to the woodside. Reina was already there, barking instructions in the phone for the moon bath in their town. Next, she's instructing the workers to hang all the rustic wooden lanterns on the timber poles around the moon-bathing grounds. The lanterns casted warm pools of amber light over the field. It was done perfectly the Reina way. On one side, the beer kegs rolled across the grass. A few servants start serving liquor at the small circle of unfamiliar people collected in a spot near the trees.
The Barlowes.
The moment Lily sees Scott, she couldn't take her hands off him. Scott's entire body locked, forcing himself not to pull away. Her perfume flooded his senses. Smelling sweet but not the type of scent he'd savor. Lily's warmth was disquieting, and her touch pressing on his skin felt like thorns. He moved her hand away, but she was stuck like glue. Scott then greeted her family, shook hands with her parents and a few of her cousins. He never expected for them to come around. Especially not tonight. But at Lily's boasts and demand, a new family will be built after the full moon... might as well introduce her family before the wedding. It was indomitable, and quite a headache.
Every laugh that escaped Lily's red lips scraped Scott's ears. Every word about the wedding was coated in something sour. Yet, he endured it all. Smiled when it was needed, nodded when he had nothing to say. Her father, George, spoke like he was in a business meeting, while her mother, Lisa, bragged about all lavish things that she prepared for the wedding. They mentioned about needing more money for the additional creatives, coordination, and some other arrangements. Not wanting to have longer discussions, Scott reassured he'll send more after the moon bath and left them for a mug of beer for his growing headache.
6:24 pm | The pack arrived.
David carried the hard travel case of the silver spears. He swung it effortlessly, as if it wasn't even heavy. Cory began complaining how noisy Lucas was during their boat ride. Not one second did Lucas stopped making calls, and yelling on the phone. Allen felt sick from the motion sailing across the lake, begging for water as soon as he sees Reina. Austin brought his warm smile giving Scott a man hug. Somehow, their chaotic presence eased some of the pressure stuck in Scott's chest. To him, it means more spears through his heart would be driven and that thought settled in him with peace. And for that, Diana would be safe.
Beers poured from then. The islet was filled with laughters and small talks, but none ever talked about what's heading in tonight. They kept it light, and easy. Suddenly, Lily's cousin asked why were there silver spears being readied. It was then the mood suddenly became surly. Another said, instead of enjoying the full moon's light, it appeared that some beast would ruin the night of the moon bath, and the pack are preparing for battle to kill it. Lily says that Scott would make sure that if that beast comes, he'll kill it with his own claws. Little did they know, they've been fanning the flames one word after another.
The pack noticed how those remarks affected Scott. He stopped nodding than usual, along with his small responses at every sentence. It was then the conversation turned on the Barlowes. Cory bombed them with his off jokes about the wedding. Lucas seconded as he instantly finish talking on the phone, suggesting to move the wedding next full moon on a different century. Allen took the chance to ask about the money laundering issue connected to George and Lisa Barlowe. David mentioned high profile names that made the couple nervous. Names that they used for money. Names that will shove them in jail. For a man who doesn't speak much, David made small words sound big. Austin pointed which prison are cozier just in case they won't get out of it. It left the Barlowes confused, and threatened. Lily nervously laughed, thinking the pack is being in their naughty selves, and were just making fun out of them. The night became more interesting with the rising friction between the pack and the Barlowes. Entertained, Scott ordered for more rounds of beers. The night is still young.
7:15 pm | Stanley arrived in a wheelchair with Sebastian.
As familiar faces fill the islet, the mood became bearable for Scott. His inner turmoil lined in order, making him think straight. His family, whom he told many times not to be there, chose to stay by his side, setting their issues aside for one night. He took the liberty meet his father, and push Stanley's wheelchair. Stanley recognized his favorite son even from afar. In fact, he's the only one Stanley greeted. "I know your face", the old man said, smiling. "Son", he says, with Scott taking the old man to his pack.
Sebastian scanned through the crowd. "Has anyone seen Damon?", he gnashed a greeting instead of hellos and good evenings. Infuriated, he has been looking for the younger brother since this early noon, hoping Damon would help him take Stanley to the islet. The old man was quite a handful, not wanting anyone to touch him. However, Damon's number has been constantly cannot be reached, and not even his shadow was seen in the mansion. Anger seethe heavily through Sebastian's teeth, and his head has completely steamed off its patience.
"He said he's coming. Have you heard from mom?", Reina answered.
"No, haven't seen her either. Hold on, you know where Damon is?", fumed Sebastian.
She shrugged. "Damon's been rowing here, so surely, he'll show his face soon. Beer?", she went to the kegs to grab some beer. Sebastian followed anxiously.
"Rowing? What's he even doing here?", Sebastian wondered.
"He meditates", Reina rolls her eyes, turning away. Even saying it sounded ridiculous to her.
"Meditates? Every week?", Sebastian snags the beer mug form Reina's hand.
"Everyday", she says, as she gets another mug of beer.
"That's it?".
"Yea".
"You saw him?", Sebastian puts down the beer, getting more perplexed.
"We did. We found him in a valley, near the center islet.", Reina says. "Just sitting there", she brings out her phone and opens it to an app that seemed like a map. She grunted, locking the screen.
His annoyance was suddenly tainted with growing unease. He then started making calls. Damon's number finally rang, but went directly to voicemail after two rings. He made another call. Priscilla. Her phone rings endlessly, and like always, no one answers. "Where are they...", something inside him didn't sit right. Sebastian turns to Reina, who' back on her phone again, looking at a map with a red dot blinking on it. "What's that?".
"I'm tracking someone", Reina furrowed her brows at the screen as she click her tongue.
"Since when did you know to do such thing?", Sebastian quizzed, looking closely at Reina's phone.
"I dated somebody useful", Reina boasted.
"Nice, who are you tracking?".
"Mother", she says. "It's just taking a while. Signal issues", she thought with a sharp exhale.
"Track Damon too", Sebastian thought it was a good idea, which he never thought of before. As he wait with Reina, it was only then he took a good look around. Scott. The pack. Some workers still hanging lanterns. Lily and her family. Then, the islet. It has been so long since he last went there. Actually, he have already forgotten what it looked like. The Devlins weren't initially informed that there's a private islet in the middle of the circular lake when they bid on the property in an auction for magnates. When they found out it comes with a private sanctuary, it became such a good deal that inspired great plans. Their moon baths were done there before, until the family decided to spend it in the town. None of the siblings visit the islet since then. And now, going back after several years became nostalgic for him. His thoughts gathered. Out of the blue, one important detail popped in Sebastian's mind. "Hey, where exactly did you find Damon?".
8:31 pm Another boat reached the dock.
The scent of the men arriving in the moon bath grounds reached Scott first. It alerted the pack too, knowing once these men come forth from the stone path between the trees... something with absolute certainty is bound to happen. "Oh man.. This is bad", Cory mutters, drinking all his beer.
It smelled of wolfsbane and Roman.
Scott turned his head toward the figures of men carrying black duffle bags coming closer. Every muscle in his body tightened. His aura heated up the moment Roman emerged from the shadows. The calmness shattered whatever restraint Scott had left. And with a roar, he charged. Roman barely had time to turn away before Scott's fist crashed into his jaw. The impact made him stumble sideways, boots digging into the dirt. Before he could recover, Scott slammed another punch on his face. This time, Roman caught the blow with his forearm, and returned one. His fist struck Scott's cheek, hard enough to snap his head sideways.
From there, the fight exploded.
Their packs stood on each side, watching the Alphas tear each other up. Nobody moved, nobody intervened. Every punch was the torment of imprinting on the same Luna. It was rage finally given permission to breathe. And tonight, they square off whatever they left unfinished in the Devlin's building.
Scott drove forward, raining punches. Roman answered every strike with one of his own. Neither Alpha gave ground. One's lip split, and the other's nose burst red. Scott swung again, and Roman ducked beneath it, drove his shoulder into Scott's stomach, and carried them both on the ground. They rolled through dirt and stone, until Scott hammers his fist into Roman's ribs. Once... three times. Roman grunted before driving his elbow into Scott's temple. White light flashed behind Scott's eyes. Roman shoved him away, and both men staggered to their feet, breathing hard. Bleeding even. Glaring, as if still ready for the next round.
"What the fuck are you doing here?", Scott spits the blood pooling in his mouth from his busted lip.
Roman grinned, snorting the pain from his broken nose. Before he could answer, Sebastian stepped forward. "I invited him", he admits. Scott was taken by surprise. "We need an Alpha", the silence spread through the crowd. The Grayback Clan already have an Alpha.
It was a slap on Scott's face. He didn't thought Sebastian would arrive to this point that would openly disrespect him as a brother. "This is out of Roman's business! If you don't kick him out, I'll take both of your asses off this islet myself", Scott lashed.
"No", Sebastian cuts him off, as he looks at everyone. "Last time, an entire clan was almost wiped out. I almost died in there!", his lips trembled. "We've seen this before, and we've been through it. So was Roman and his pack. We were all barely alive surviving that night saving our Luna", he turns to Roman and the rest of his pack all looking prepared with bags of wolfsbane in their hands. "We have to do this together again. If not, the Luna will die in the hands of the lycan.", he says, turning his sharp gaze on Scott. "Whether you like it or not, we need an Alpha to at least match the lycan".
Lily gasped with her hands over her mouth, thinking she's only here to spend the moon bath with Scott and not be killed by a lycan. She was about to cry her tears when Reina elbowed her rib. "Not you. It's Diana", Reina cleared.
It was a cold sharp truth that excused nothing. An honesty that stunned everyone, realizing Sebastian has a point. Whispers spread through the grounds, but their opinions didn't matter to Scott. Scott let out a hollow laugh. "That's it? That's your reason?", Scott stared at Sebastian, running his eyes from Sebastian's head to foot, realizing how much he couldn't recognize his own brother anymore. Sebastian has always been smart and reasonable. But now, every word that came out from Sebastian's mouth were more like a slur, stabbing on Scott's chest deeper and deeper. Whether it is driven by fear or desperation, Sebastian sounded like a fool to him. "There's a huge difference from then and now. We were on a blindside that night, and tonight, we come prepared. A plan that we'll still do even if we're afraid. No wolf will be hurt, and no Luna gets killed.", he lifts his chin at Sebastian, meeting his eyes. "You think he's here to help?", he scoffs. "Another Alpha on this islet doesn't make us stronger", his eyes narrowed. "It makes us divided. One mistake, one disagreement. One stupid man acting on his own... the plan falls apart", he licked the wound on his lip. "I trust my pack.", he glares at Roman. "I don't trust you".
"Looks like your brother trusts me more than you", Roman blurted out, grinning. "He made a right call. I'm no monster like you".
"Did you have a fucking idea what your hero did to Diana?", Scott furrowed his brows at Sebastian. Sebastian frowned, not knowing anything about it. "I guess not", he says, hardening his face. "You can join your rapist Alpha back to the boat, and back to wherever hell he came from.", he turns away, not wanting to get more drama anymore.
The pack suddenly realized where Scott's outburst comes from. It is not some heated rivalry anymore, or letting off his steam. It's more serious, as touching Diana's hair without permission. Even Reina felt awful for stopping them from fighting in the building before. Now, the hostility have come pack versus another for the one Luna they both tug on each of her arms. Roman's face remained unreadable. "Fucking bastard", Reina thoughts bursted out loud, with her hands turning to a fist.
Sebastian grabs hold of Scott's arm. He couldn't let it finish this way. "Do you think that's too easy to do? You cannot blame me for seeking help to save Diana. We're not like you who can easily replace the Luna", Sebastian argued, yet Scott didn't answer.
Lucas's eyes flickered, immediately stepping between them. He's getting tired of their clan turning their backs on each other, especially the Devlin brothers. With Sebastian mentioning Diana, it's as if he's asking for a death sentence from his Alpha brother. "Don't go there, Seb", he shook his head, giving him a warning.
"No!!", Sebastian shoved Lucas aside, forcing his way to Scott. "How could you just leave her out there, and let her face those monsters on her own? ", Sebastian grabs Scott's collars with both fists.
"Sebastian, that's enough", Reina stepped forward.
Sebastian ignored whosever voice calls his name to stop. His face with gritted teeth inches his brother as his voice crack. "You expect me to moonbath happily with you? Your pack? And your new Luna like Diana never existed? I don't play happy family anymore, bro. If you can do that, there's no way I can!", he glares, grip trembling before finally letting go of his brother violently.
"Cool down now", Lucas seized Sebastian's shoulders and pulls him away, but Sebastian fought against the grip and returned to Scott.
"What kind of Alpha are you!! Can't protect your mate---", Sebastian fumed, only to be answered with a punch from Scott across his face. Sebastian crashed into the dirt, while Scott stood over him breathing hard.
"Scott!!", Reina cried, clutching on Scott's shirt.
David held Scott back, while Lucas block his way. "She left me!!", Scott exploded, chest rising unevenly. It was the bitter truth that he never understood. It left him asking questions that he never found the answers even if he replayed that day in his mind a thousand times. What he missed? What he did? And what he could've changed? "She left first! She made a choice to leave me, so why can't I make a choice for myself too?", he looks down at Sebastian, who's gaze never softened and never left him. Roman watched with cold satisfaction. Lily hid a faint curl of smile. The hurt in Scott's voice was a sound of triumph for them both. "I didn't know you are that into Diana to keep your hopes up that she'll come back. Because she won't!", he straightened up, collecting himself. "Leave the islet, or you all die tonight!", Scott forcefully removed all hands on him, as he walk away.
The pack soon followed the Alpha who they finally understood has been carrying that hidden wound alone. Diana's disappearance hadn't merely cost Scott his Luna. It hollowed him out from the inside. Scott admitting it out loud reframed every decision that he made since Diana disappeared. He was just a desperate man trying to survive a grief.
"Hey Scott", Roman calls. "Don't worry, I'll make sure there's one death tonight", he shouted.
"The lycan"
8:56 pm One more minute and the moon will be full.
Everyone gathered in the moon bathing grounds, except that there is an invisible line between the two packs. Roman and his pack, buzzing how to kill the lycan once they find Diana. The excitement of seeing the monster again heightened their thrill to fight. The Barlowes in the other side, questioning why they have to be there. Sebastian wandered off, taking a breather. Stanley and Reina with their servants waited alongside the Barlowes, reveling in silence. In a moment, a clicking sound came from Reina's pocket. Her heart sank seeing where the tracker is leading her.
Meanwhile, Scott and his pack, exchange nervous glances beyond the trees, distancing themselves from the rest of the wolves in the islet. The pack were grasping their spears too tightly. Waiting, and hoping. "These are big ass chains", Lucas fidgets with the cold silver chains in his hands. The sound of metal clinks as he lift the chains up and down.
"Don't make it find her", Scott utters, nodding on each of them. "Don't make it... get to her", it was a clear order they all understood.
"We'll see you at the end of the full moon", Allen holds his silver spear, hoping they won't have to kill Scott.
The last veil of the clouds drifted apart, and the full moon emerged without hurry. The lake breathed softly beyond the trees, gathering the first silver traces of the night. Pines stood like sentinels around the clearing, their towering crowns whispering whenever the warm wind wandered through. The moonflowers crawled their trunks, pale blossoms unfurling one by one as though they had been waiting for the moon too.
The light from the plenilune slowly filled the islet, shining at everything it can cast light on. It was immense, flawless. Drawing every wandering eye skyward. Not one starlight rivaled its brilliance. The night's true light drowned the amber glow of the lanterns, and painted every blade of grass with frost white edges. No one breathed as the time turn 8:57 pm.
From the moon, the wolves' eyes shifted on Scott. Their hands gripped on their weapons - wolfsbane and silver. Waiting at every heartbeat for Scott to shift. Scott closed his eyes tightly. Held his breath longer, and balled his fist harder. He prepared himself for his body to twist in pain. This time, he'll recognize the changes. He swore he won't forget the feeling.
Nothing happened.
No scream tore from his throat. No bones cracked beneath his skin. No monster clawed out from him. The wind swept across the clearing, as he look up the moon. "It's full...", perplexed, he was. He look at himself. There was no mistake, he is still human. The tension that strangled him for weeks finally loosened as he let out a shaky sigh. Cory laughed nervously, and the others still hoped the harrowing phase of the moon is over.
Roman never removed his gaze at Scott. The curse should have awakened by now. His heartbeat slowed, just like his steps going forward Scott and his pack. Clenching his fists as he get closer. Disbelieving their triumphant words that the curse have ended, Roman have lunged at Scott, his shoulder slamming into Scott's chest. The impact hurled Scott backward as they both crashed into the ground. Roman's fist struck Scott's face once. Then he wrapped his hands on Scott's neck, chest heaving. "Why didn't you turn!? What the fuck did you do to her!?", his eyes were burning. Scott was as clueless as him. He couldn't say a word. Lucas and Cory tried to take Roman away, but Roman's Alpha aura kept them away. His strong presence made a force keeping anyone from getting closer. Roman struck Scott again. "Is that why you said she's not coming back!?", Roman roared in madness, eyes reddening. "The curse doesn't simply disappear! It only ends one way!! Her death!!".