Moonless

Chapter 41

AN; So I think I got to mention but I changed Blood Moon pack to Red Crescent pack because I thought it sounded cooler, yee. Anyways, enjoy this chapter! And I think I forgot to say it in the previous chapters but thank you for surpassing my goal of 500 votes with 670 votes. The new goal is 1000 which we ain't going to reach, let's be real. We still out here struggling to get those reads but 3,621 reads isn't too shabby! I think we could get to 5,000! Anyways enjoy, and I hope this clears up a little of the confusion the last chapter created! If not the chapter after this will!
-Sam
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When we stepped into the wooden, triangular room, where dad was waiting. His black hair was artfully combed back and he had Ian in his arms. He wore a black tux with a red tie.  On the ground in front of him, a feast of meats, fruits, and cakes had been laid out on an ordinate brown, blue, and red carpet.

Ian and I both had mom's brown eyes and her hair, while Liam looked a lot like dad. Dad joked that all he asked for was at least one child that looked like him, and he got that with Liam. So, it was okay for me and Ian to look like a mom."

Liam sat slumped in the corner in a suit while he played on his Game Boy. He didn't look up upon my entrance.

Ever since he turned 11, he had turned mean. He didn't like to spend time with us anymore, and all he would do was play his video games.

Silver moons and stars dripped from the ceiling and encircled the round skylight that would be opened once the moon reached its peak. The moonlight would shine down on me I would turn into a wolf for the first time.

Dad's green eyes lit up when he saw us come in.

There's my girl he cried. He stood and walked up to me. When he reached me, he swept me up into my arms and spun me around.

I giggled and he set me down. "Are you ready to finally run with me and mommy?"

I nodded and he walked me to feast on the blanket. We sat down together in the midst of the food

Meanwhile, mom walked up to Ian, careful not to step on any of the plates of food on the ground, and gently grabbed his hand.

"Time to go to bed my love," she said gently.

"But I want to stay and watch, I don't want to go to bed!" he whined.

"You aren't alone enough to run with us. You will be soon. Just have patience," she said and lead him out of the room.

I looked down at my dress and frowned and looked back up at dad.  "Daddy, can I go get another dress? I don't like pink!"

"Shut up!" Liam snapped, he lowered his Game, Boy. "Who cares about your stupid dress! It's going to get destroyed anyway when you turn!"

I turned to him and stuck my tongue out at him.

"Liam, be nice to your sister!"

"Maybe I would be nicer if she wasn't so annoying! She's worried about her dress when she should be worried about more important stuff!"

"She has nothing to worry about," my dad said softly. "Liam put down that game and come join us." Dad patted a spot on the ground beside him.

Liam crossed his arms and stared at us from under his dark bangs.

"Liam now!"

Liam let out a couple of exasperated huffs, but he listened and sat down beside him.

Liam reached for a nearby plate of ribs glazed with a golden sauce, but dad slapped his hands away.

"Wait for your mother."

"Ian got to eat," Liam retorted.

"Ian had to go to bed, so he had to eat now. It would be rude to start without her. So, while we wait let's talk about the Moon Goddess and The Dark One, and the reason for this ceremony."

"Not this again. You know mom hates it when you tell this story.."
Liam groaned but dad ignored him and continued.

"Our Moon Goddess shines bright in the sky. But with light, comes shadow, and it was from her shadow that the Dark One, her husband, emerged."

"Everyone loved the Moon Goddess for her beauty, so they would often pray to her. But they would hide their faces from the Dark One out of fear, because of his ghastly appearance."

"You remember the story of the she-wolf and the man that fell in love with her? The story of our ancestors?" he asked and looked at both me and Liam.

We both nodded.

"Well, He became jealous that they both prayed to the Moon Goddess for their miracle, so they could be together. And that the Moon birthed a new race without him."

"So, he sought revenge on her, by eating their children. They had nine children together, and he ate eight of them leaving the 9th, the Sun."

"So, in order to appease him and save her remaining child from being consumed, she delivered a message to all the wolves, her followers. For those who worship the Dark One, power was granted, but for those who spat him, he marked their child as his. His to swallow whole. And that's why we give our Luneras to him. So that he does not become angry, and eat the Sun, and curse us all."

"The other packs may have forgotten this sacred duty of ours. But we haven't and we, pay what is owed to him, so he has blessed us with his presence on our pack lands. And tonight we feast in his honor..." dad trailed off when mom stepped into the room. Her mouth was set into a firm line.

"Nelson, I told you stop telling our children that story!" she snapped. "Especially since..." her eyes darted to me.

"Helen, my love. Your line has been blessed by the Dark One and given much power. There is no need to fear. He will take none of our children. Come sit, let's eat and celebrate."

She shook her head at him, but still joined us on the ground, and so the feast began.

We ate until the room grew dark and mom lit the candles.

"It's time," Dad said abruptly and we all stood up.

Mom guided me under the skylight with Liam following behind us, while Dad walked over to the far left wall and slammed his hand against a button protruding from a wall.

The sound of metal gears grinding together reverberated throughout the room. And the skylight above us opened to reveal the moon, full and bright.

Moonlight came pouring down onto me and painted my skin white. And I stood there with mom's hands on my shoulder and waited. And waited..and waited. Nothing happened.

"Mom?" I asked nervously. The room had grown deathly quiet. "Why am I not changing?"

"Helen..." my dad said softly and began to slowly creep towards us from across the attic.

"Noooo!" my mom screamed and grabbed me and turned and ran.