Hunted (BurningWillows & BloodMoon)

[BurningWillows]

Her growl was low, a warning to him to back off.

"You don't scare me," he taunted, taking another step into the room.

She lunged, getting within an inch of his face before the binds attached to her wrists stopped her, dug well into the concrete floor. She snarled, canines at full length as her eyes turned dark with bloodlust.

"LET ME GO FATHER!" she snarled, pulling harder.

"Want to take me on?" he asked, his voice mocking her, ringing through her head, "You've decided your stronger than your Alpha?"

"Fuck you!" she howled, thrashing at the binds, "I did nothing! NOTHING! You've had me bound for weeks! Denied me of seeing my mother! Starved me! You've-"

"Shut up," his words were a mental slap, silencing her instantly, "You're stepping out of line."

One of his hands rose, gripping a old whip. Instantly she backed away, pulling the chains as she sunk to the opposite side of the room, cowering.

"Not so mighty," he snarled, "Who did you think you were, challenging me?"

What had she been thinking? She was nothing. No one. Just an empty shell of her sister's, a failed copy.

"Lie on your belly," he ordered and she obliged, squeezing her eyes shut for the oncoming pain.

~~

The dream swirled, sparing her the pain of the torture she had endured, instead it turned her over to another memory she had forgotten, minutes after her punishment was over.

The clatter of chains as they fell from her wrists were audible, screaming in her ears.

"These will do," he sniffed, kicking the chains that now lay in a heap in the middle of her room, "Thank you for testing them."

Testing? She'd been stuck in those hellish binds for weeks now.

"Your sister will make great use of these," he hissed, turning away from her broken and bleeding body.

Luna...

"And next time, watch your tongue," he continued, strolling out, "Or I'll rip it from you're ugly mouth."

 

[BurningWillows]

Ashlin moved to the side of the bed, letting her feet dangle as they waited. She wanted to return to her search, but Reyn wasn't about to let her leave until the worried siren was satisfied the Halfling wasn't dead.

"You're showing a lot of concern for him," Ashlin piped up, "After ignoring him like the rest of us have for the last week...what changed?"

Reyn's head picked up, "If all we ever did was judge people based on their mistakes and wrong-doings, everyone would hate each other. Sure, he can be dispiclable and cruel...but he risked his life for me last night. That is what I judge him on, and that is what changed."

Ash looked at her hands, thinking over everything she had done in her life, all the mistakes and evil she had bared witness to. And yet Braxton chooses to love me. Why can't Eli have someone to care for him, like I have for me? She's right, I have no right to judge him. Not with my past.

 

[BloodMoon]

It flashed on the edge of her mind, forcing the alpha to snarl, snapping at the other wolf as she quickly turned lunge at him. As the brown wolf jumped to the side, the blackened wolf quickly making her way back into the forest, finding her way back to the same nest within the trees she’d be residing in this morning.

Laying down, the wolf chewed at her thoughts, trying desperately to recover those lost names, while trying to sort through the memories of another that flashed painfully through her mind.

 

[BloodMoon]

Reyns words pulled his attention, his eyes staying closed as he listened to the two chit chat. Growling, the Halfling turned his head towards the wall, his sour mood a regular thing when he was first waking up.

 

[BurningWillows]

"Look whose awake," Ash exclaimed as Reyn breathed out a sigh of relief, "Well my job is done here."

She stood up, pacing across the room but stopping at the door, "Stop pouting Eli. The girl was simply worried because you didn't wake. A little gratitude me nice actually. I did just spend half my magic on you."

She strolled out, scouring the rooms for Luna. Ending with the last room with the children sleeping, she gave up the search as she woke the kids, pushing them in motion to get dressed and find their ways downstairs for breakfast.

~~

She appeared at the bottom of the steps fifteen minutes later, the table full of chattering kids and Braxton's face less then pleased to be stuck alone with them.

"I was going to relieve Xael of cooking duties," she stated, kissing her man, "So he could look for Luna himself. But if you want to cook, I can babysit?"

 

[BloodMoon]

It felt odd to the Halfling, waking up within some ones lap, especially after trying to recover from his transition. Opening his eyes, his whitish green eyes piercing up at her, the color slowly beginning to darken to his usual state of emerald as he looked up with a relaxed look in his eyes.

“Thank you.” He muttered, his words groggy and uneven with his only recent stirring.

Smiling up at his woman, Braxton kissed her as her lips pressed happily to his.

“I can cook, or look after the kids… Although, I think I’m better with food.” He chuckled softly as he stood, kissing her sweetly again. Brax looked up at the kitchen, several children running up to hug Ashlin’s legs.

“I think that confirms it.” He chuckled as he squeezed her hand softly.

“I’ll be back soon… With bacon.” He grinned disappearing into the kitchen to look at a pissed off man.

“Why don’t you go look for Luna, I’ll take over.” He replied happily grabbing some more potatoes and peeling them as he simultaneously pulled out what looked to be some deer meat off to the side, cooled to be reused today.

 

[BurningWillows]

He stormed out of the inn, his mood soured, ready to face his mate and tell her off. He knew some of his annoyance was out of place, but at the same time the wolf part of her had won over the human part, leaving him in the night. And while he loved all of Luna, it was becoming obvious that half of her could care less about him.

It had never occurred to him that he had won her heart over...her human heart. He wasn't a wolf though, he had no way to understand that other half of her, and it was creating a wall between them. A wall he was starting to fear. Lunar was quick to remind him she was more wolf than human whenever given the chance. If that was true...how long could only part of her love him?

"Luna!" he called out, reaching the edge of the forest and seeing no wolf, "I know your out here."

What could he say? That he had doubts of her loyalty when she pulled stunts like this? That his biggest fear was him waking up and she was gone, torn from him due to her wolf blood?

"Please come out," he called, exasperated.

---

"You are very welcome," she murmured, stroking his hair, "I know this invades your privacy in like a zillion different ways. I'm sorry handsome, I just got worried. You're usually so aware of what's around you, awake before anyone else."

 

[BloodMoon]

“She’s not here, she’s deeper in the forest.” Jays voice called out, his naked figure turning around the corner to look at Xaels exasperated figure stood at the edge of the forest.

“If you follow the clumps of fur and blood you’ll find her… But right now is a bad idea… She snapped at me earlier.” Jay grunted looking deeper into the forest.

“Wolves from the clan followed us out here… Targeting Kayden but Lunar…” He stopped biting into his lip as he thought of the memory himself, shuddering painfully.

“Just… She’ll come back, give her time she’ll snap outta this.” Jay replied, turning back into the forest to go back to attempting to hunt.

 

[BloodMoon]

Eli blinked, trying to work out his blurred vision while he stared up at Reyns glowing face.

“Happens…” He gurgled, his body feeling raw within as he tried to move, his heavy body laying still against his will while he still remained only partially awake.

 

[BurningWillows]

He was frustrated, hurt, and confused. But overall his concern for her won out. Finding a tree stump he sat down, crossing his legs and closing his eyes, letting his head bow.

I can wait all day,he thought, letting his breath calm into a rhythmic pattern. He let himself fall into a meditative state, awake and aware of every sound around him as he waited for her to come out on her own.

 

[BurningWillows]

She watched as his eyes turned darker by the second, losing their angelic touch. In minutes he would be back to his usual cocky self, that sweet, caring side gone. As much as Reyn had fallen for all that he was, it had been refreshing to feel an emotion from him other than lust. She bite her tongue, watching his face.

"Thank you for last night," she whispered, kissing his forehead.

 

[BloodMoon]

They screamed, their voice’s echoing within the room as her talons slashed them down with playful giggles. The beast reared it’s head, her arms flashing out by her side as a vicious snarl ripped from her lungs.

“Sway… Sway with me… Don’t you want an all powerful Alpha?” Her voice gurgled out. “Let me see you move your bodies.” Her deepened voice called out. Blood painted the wall while more wolves leaped into the room, canines exposed as their large towering bodies easily loomed over her bloodied body. Her claws slashed out as they leaped forward, their bodies dropping amongst the piles. But as her body slipped out of the door before her, men jumped her, her tiny body slipping around as she slashed at them again. Her body ached, her talons growing further while her canines sharpened, small black and red ears poking out of her blood soaked hair. They screamed out while her arms pushed back, her shoulders popping while her body pushed itself, attempting to turn into the beast as the disease slithered through her veins.

How many days had that been…? How long had she slain her own before…

Claws sank down her back as a foot pressed firmly into it, chains clamping to her shifting and boney hands as they pulled her back, clamping another wrist thick chain onto her neck.

“Control her for Christ sake! Before she kills us all!” The gruff voice called out, a slight shudder to the voice as they pulled her down. Lunar’s head looked up, her father hiding behind many wolves, teeth bared as they shoved her down into the stone, blood pooled around her body from the others in the room next to her.



Lunar’s mind clamped back, her world spinning as the scent of blood held in her nose. Snapping at the air, the wolf growled before clawing at her face, ripping flesh away from her boney muzzle as she tried to release herself from the memories, flooding her mind painfully with the return of her old pack. They brought this… Her voice rang in her head as she kept pawing at her face, blood dribbling down into the grass as she continued to try and release herself.

 

[BloodMoon]

A soft smile slowly pulled at Eli’s lips, his lighter emerald eyes staying locked on the girl before him.

“You don’t need to thank me, you know I’d do that any time for you.” He mumbled, laying within her lap.

 

[BurningWillows]

"Still out there Luna?" he called out into the trees.

Okay...so I'm not that patient.

"I'm not mad baby," he continued to call out, arms crossing over his chest, "Lunar? My moon? I know you can here me! You have the sharpest senses out of all of us my love."

Meditating had helped. He wasn't frustrated or annoyed anymore. Just worried. And concerned. Jay's words kept banging around in his head.

"Luna," he called out again, "Baby, where are you?"

 

[BurningWillows]

"Says the angel," she shot back, grinning, "I'm not sure the demon in you cares as much. No matter though, at least the demon loves my body so I can't complain on its tastes."

 

[BloodMoon]

The name they called her, rung out again, frustrating the wolf as her claws shredded her face. Burying her skull into the dirt, she pushed as she tried to release herself. Why was this creature calling her? Why did her body, and her heart ach to respond yet she couldn’t remember? Why couldn’t she remember past anything that remained to killing her own kind? The wolf growled, snapping at a leaf as her head remained pressed into the dirt. If she moved, she felt she might do something she felt wasn’t right, leaving her to question… What was past the bloodlust? What made her heart scream so badly within?

 

[BloodMoon]

Eli shrugged, thinking about one of the two worlds.

“It’s quiet for once… They both are…” He replied, thinking about the two worlds in which typically tore his mind and body apart.

“Both sides have good tastes none the less.” He replied.

 

[BurningWillows]

He waited, but he couldn't hear any signs of her approaching. Jay had said to follow fur and blood. Which means her bloodlust is high, she's probably as confused as I get when I'm hungry. And nothing brings me back either, until I feel sated.

He hadn't felt hungry in weeks though, Luna keeping him well fed during their nightly romps. But this bloodlust for Luna seemed to stem from the wolves stalking them, not from actual hunger.

Still, maybe she's still hungry, he thought, pulling his sword out and slicing his palm open, watching as blood pooled.

"C'mon Luna," he breathed, ignoring the sharp pain, "Take the bait my Alpha."​

 

[BurningWillows]

He had never really talked about either side of him, how they worked inside that head of his. Reyn cocked her head as he spoke though, listening attentively.

"I'm glad you think so darling. I do pride myself on keeping you happy," she answered his second comment before the first.

"Is it rare that both sides cooperate?" she asked, continuously stroking his fine blond hair in her fingers, massaging his scalp.

 

[BloodMoon]

The wolf huffed as her head lifted, both eyes looking over the landscape as a reddish glow took over her vision. Stepping cautiously forward, the beast found herself winding through the trees, her body soon rounding the corner to look at a familiar face. Blood filled her nose, her wolfish ears twitching while she listened to everything around her. Their scent still lingered in her nose, yet something else was even more potent as she neared. Lunar sniffed, lowering her bleeding head to paw at her nose in an attempt to release herself from the others. She stepped forward cautiously, her bloody and leave ridden fur looking matted with small chunks of a squishy meaty looking material hanging within the tangles. He was familiar… Something in her knew that. It screamed within her, confusing the already lost wolf

 

[BurningWillows]

And there she was. Xael blew his breath out in one long sigh, not realizing he had been holding it for so long. The tension in his shoulder's lessened, seeing his mate alive and whole. He hadn't realized how stressed he was not being able to feel her, know if she was okay. Now she was before him and all the frustration and annoyance faded as only concern coursed through him.

"Luna," he breathed, kneeling on the ground still feet away as he rolled his sleeve up to expose his blood more, "There is my darling angel."

She didn't look much like an angel. Her eyes were clouded, her face bleeding. Her fur was matted with blood and guts, and the stench of death rose off her in waves. There wasn't a speck of gold in her eyes left, only silver. He'd forgotten her eyes changed, so used to waking to her golden iris's staring up at him lovingly, seeing them every time he turned to smile at his beautiful mate. Jay was right; she had gone feral, lost in her mind to the blood and hunt through the night.

But I can fix this,he thought, reminding himself of what had happened in the city, They said she came back from a worse state for me.

So why hadn't she yet? Her body was stiff, hackles risen and head low as she watched him. There wasn't a flicker of recognization in her eyes or body movement, further gone than he had expected. What was different then? What's different now? I'm in front of her, calling her name. What more...

In the city there had been more of them, trying to take her down. It had been hectic, and chaotic and no one knew every second of the story. But they had all said she'd been a threat, that her strength alone could have killed them all if Ash hadn't convened as she did. And Ash almost died because of it. She threw herself into danger to try and save her friends.

That was it. He was too calm, too easy to ignore right now. Her attention was still on her old pack, their bodies littering the forest somewhere behind her. He was simply a curiosity, but it wasn't enough to pull that human heart out of her, the one beating for him.

Well stabbing myself would be useless, I need some outside force to be hurting me, something to shock her. He looked up, staring through the canopy with his light green eyes, trying to gauge what to do. His fingers reached to his neck and clasped the talisman there, his face and arms exposed to the sun.

Pulling it off slowly, he felt it almost immediately, as the talisman sat in his hand, his face already starting to ache in the sun. Once he dropped the talisman his skin would smoke, then burn, and in minutes he would be in flames. With a shaky breath he sat down in the grass, crossing his legs, and watched the talisman as it slipped through his fingers and hit the dirt with a dull thud. Instantly his exposed skin screamed at him, tendrils of smoke billowing her his milky flesh as his teeth gritted together.

It's okay, he told himself, She has to return to me. Or I'll put the talisman back on. Not till the last second...the very last second...ah!

His hands began to burn first, the skin peeling and bubbling.

"Luna," he moaned, eyes attached to her.

 

[BloodMoon]

Eli couldn’t help the gentle and happy hum that left his lips, his eyes closing as he listened to Reyns words.

“I like it when you do.” He mumbled, his body beginning to feel odd as it craved more rest.

“Why don’t we go eat? You must be starving.” He breathed.

 

[BurningWillows]

"You are my priority," she kissed his hair, "But if you wait here, I'll bring us food."

She slipped away, strolling downstairs and stealing two steaming plates from the kitchen as the children were being fed.

"Is it just you two?" she asked Ash on her way back up.

Ash shrugged, "Xael went looking for Luna, and Jay and Kayden are missing, probably in the forest. Whatever, they get to miss out on breakfast. These kids are going to eat us dry."

"Well good luck," she replied, smiling at a few of the kids.

"Hey Reyn?" Ash pointed at her own neck then nodded at the siren, "Your business isn't any of mine's, but I'm pretty sure Eli won't want to see that."

Reyn thanked her, sneaking back upstairs as she fiddled with her hair to hide the bite mark on her neck. She kicked the door closed softly as she walked back into the room, Elijah waiting where she had left him.

"Want some?" she asked, pushing a plate towards him.

 

[BloodMoon]

The wolf chuffed as he extended his hand, calling her to him like a pet. A growl left her muzzle while she backed up from him, unwilling to accept anything less then what she deserved as not only a wolf, but an alpha. Both silver eyes remained locked on him, trying desperately to understand why her body still sang for him. She could see him thinking, debating as something came to mind, sitting as he dropped a small tooth-looking object. But then… something seemed to click.

‘Xael.’ Her body stiffened, and her heart skipped a beat. The wolf’s mind racing as she tried to look over the memories and her primal instinct. Her body bolted forward, her nose shoving painfully into the mans chest as she shoved him backwards into the shadows. Her body soon rested above his, her muzzle pushing into him as she continued to take his scent in, her heart aching for him as the touch to his skin began to ring further into her. Her nose continued to push into his skin, trying to override the scent of the others while his scent flashed memories, personal memories. Stepping back several steps, she picked up the object softly between her teeth before dropping it on his chest, her body moving back to lay down, her eyes staring intently on him as memories continued to flood back.

 

[BurningWillows]

"My moon," he purred, ignoring the blistering heat on his exposed skin as she forced him into the shadow's, finally sparking recognition in her.

He lay in the cool grass, feeling the small thump of the talisman on his chest and then her weight as the large wolf lay above him, letting her muzzle sit on his chest beside the talisman, watching him. Xael knew she wasn't still all there, her eyes still silver, her body still stiff. Any wrong move could make his mate turn on him, but concern for his own well-being was far from his mind. Letting his eyes close, his fingers dug into her sides, combing through the matted fur and flecks of meat until he could feel her warm skin.

"I won't put that talisman back on till I have my mate back," he muttered, opening one eye to stare down at her as he smiled softly.

I wish I had Jay's connection to her, he thought closing his eye once more, What is she thinking right now? Does she recognize who I am to her yet, or am I kidding myself here? If I was a wolf, this would be so much easier. Luna understands wolves, she understands her nature. I don't have any part in that.