The Moon Wolf

Chapter 42 (First Draft)

Jules' voice could suddenly be heard from the doorway behind them. She wisely did not address her wolfed-out alpha. Instead, she addressed this otherworldly glowing creature she once knew as Penn.

"Alpha Penn, would you like to come in? We are having a meeting about Codax with what remains here of the pack leadership."

Penn let Troy go and he let her, his arms falling loosely to his sides. She gave him a warm smile, but then turned her attention to Jules. "Yes, I'd like to know what you've found out," she told the she-wolf eagerly. She had so many questions. Who was Codax? Why was he so adamant about destroying the Griffin pack? Why would he go to such lengths to destroy Lara's offspring and her pack's legacy? She just didn't get it. What could drive a wolf to such madness? She was really hoping they could shed some light on this situation for her.

Penn reached for Troy's clawed hand and pulled him with her as she entered into the basement of the pack house. Once inside, she made sure to speak directly to Beta Lucas and Jules about Cassidy and Jackson. She was sure they were worried sick for the two siblings even without saying it. 

"Your niece and nephew are doing really well," she told the couple as she came to stand with them in the cafeteria. "They've been a tremendous asset to me," she assured them with a gentle smile.

Lucas turned with watery eyes and gazed gratefully at Penn. "We are relieved to hear it," he confessed quietly as he wrapped a supportive arm across Jules' shoulders and gave her a reassuring smile. She returned the gesture by hugging him to her side and smiling brightly at the news.

With Penn's free hand she gave Jules' forearm an encouraging squeeze before letting it go. She did not let go of Troy's hand though. By this time a crowd had gathered in the basement cafeteria to greet Penn. She could tell right away that they were not hostile, just curious, but she could also tell that Troy was unstable and likely to strike at anyone who gave offence. She was determined not to let that happen.

"Hello everyone," she called out in a friendly voice. "I know I don't exactly look like the Penn you know, but it's still me," she confessed sweetly.

It wasn't like her to be so openly congenial, and yet, at the same time, she felt it completely like her. Finding her true self had really impacted how she felt about the world around her. Instead of fearing people's reactions and bracing for the worst, she found herself embracing people's natural reactions, whether good or bad, and letting them come to understand her slowly - at their own pace - until they were ready to accept her - kinda like the way Troy had originally interacted with her. She couldn't be sure, but she had high hopes that the Orthos leadership would be open to her, even in this new altered form that was currently lighting up the whole of the cafeteria in a mystical blue and faintly silvery glow.

"So, it's a long story," Penn continued when nobody protested. "And, I will fill you in when we have more time," she promised everyone present.

She found the crowd subdued, but clearly curious. She sensed very little outright disapproval or antagonism in the group. She used to think it was her wild instincts that helped her to accurately determine if someone was a threat or not. But now that she knew she was a soul-star, she was beginning to realize her intuition was a product of what she was. A soul-star must be able to recognize the intentions of another soul. Wolves could clearly mask their expressions, as she had learned to, and even their scents, from one another, but it must be impossible to mask the nature of one's soul from an immortal soul-star. Penn had used this ability much of her life without even realizing she's been doing it. But, now that she was more aware of herself, she planned to use it to do what she could to help the pack and the pups.