The Moon Wolf

Chapter 29 (1st Draft)

* Media pic is of little Mia in her fur.

On the street outside Fancy's home Alpha Troy and Penn were greeted by First Beta Lucas and his mate Jules, the six Orthos pack elders, Reagan, the pack doctor, and the Master at Arms - Anex. Troy had called Lucas just moments after Fancy had called him. And Lucas had gathered those who were most involved with Penn and the pups, to greet her.

Though, Troy noted, he and Jules had not woken Cassidy and Jackson to bring them along. Cassidy and Jackson had been officially adopted into Lucas' home that winter when all the other children were placed. It was a forgone conclusion. After all, Lucas was their maternal uncle. But, it seemed strange to Troy that he had not brought them. He scanned up and down the street looking for them, as he and Penn approached everyone, but they really weren't there.

Troy gave Penn's hand a comforting squeeze as he drew her to what amounted to his pack's leadership. They all stood, dishevelled and in different stages of dress, on the pavement watching Penn with a mixture of confusion and awe. On the one had, they were surprised to see her like this - in the middle of the night with no prior warning after being gone all winter. And, on the other hand, they were struck dumb by the transformation in her. The shimmering light that seemed to emanate from her so altered her appearance that none of them could even be sure it was really her. She looked as if she were of a heavenly origin rather than an earthly one in that moment.

Casting strange looks at one another and at their Alpha, no one moved or said a word in greeting for the longest time until Ruuni, the eldest of the elders, stepped forward and asked what was on everyone's mind, "Is that you, Penn?"

Alpha Troy looked at all the perplexed faces and he wanted to laugh. He understood their hesitancy. In some ways it was obvious who she was and in others, well, she appeared otherworldly. Dressed now in a T-shirt and jeans, she was not as effulgent as she was when naked under the moonlight in Fancy's room. However, the skin of her bare arms still glowed under the gentle touch of moonlight, and her face gave off a radiance that could only be classified as supernatural. The sight of her was captivating everyone's imagination - even the elders, who it was thought had seen everything.  

Penn arched a single eyebrow at the lot of them in confusion. How did they not know her? Why were they confused? It seemed to her that they were caught up in the same sort of daze Fancy and her parents and even Troy had been. There was something terribly wrong with everyone and she could only hope that the children were not affected. 

"Yes, Elder Runni," Penn replied politely and submissively, "It's me. I'm here to ... to see the children." She had paused a bit not sure if they would be happy about her sudden visit. Not after she'd spurned their invitation to become a part of the pack by running away.

Ruuni nodded and then walked slowly up to Penn as she let her eyes roam over the young she-wolf. "You don't look like yourself," she admitted. "What's happened to you?"

Penn looked down at herself and frowned. "I don't understand. I haven't changed," she replied thoughtfully. "What's so different?" she asked elder Ruuni as she took courage and looked the much older woman in the eye.

Reagan, the pack doctor, came forward then and rested her hand on Penn's arm asking in awe, "Can't you see it?"