Night of the New Moon

Chapter Three

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THIS CHAPTER MIGHT NOT BE LONG, AND I APOLOGIZE. I COULDN'T FIGURE OUT A WAY TO WRITE IT, AND SO I DID IT LIKE THIS. THANK YOU FOR READING! ******

Chapter Three

James' POV

The call woke me at nearly midnight.

I was tired, and cranky, having just gotten off work not even three hours ago. I had been bombarded with Pack questions the instant I returned home, and had just gotten to bed an hour ago. But that didn't seem to matter to whomever was calling. I picked up the phone, glaring at it, because answering.

"What?" I barked out.

I heard an audible swallow on the other end of the line. "Master Alpha, this is Shade, from the Red Moon Pack. Alpha Sin told me to call you," he said softly. I sat up, growling. Alpha Sin was a pain in my ass, and called me about every little thing.

"Tell him to deal with whatever it is," I commanded.

"It's a girl."

"I said, let him deal with it. Compel her," I told him, bristling.

"He can't. She's stronger."

With this, I felt my entire attention snap to the phone call. Sin was an Alpha not to be messed with. He had been considered for a seat on the Council, but he had declined the offer, because his Pack needed him. If another person could shed off his compulsion, it was worth looking into. "Did you said she?" I questioned, standing up. Cold air hit my naked back, but I ignored it.

"Yes, sir."

"Explain."

I paced, listening as Shade described the female that they had found in Blue Moon territory. A young girl, a wolf girl. Not raised among Shifters, but with actually wolves. She was older than Shade, but younger than Marlie, a young female Shifter in my own Pack. "Sir, she's too strong for Sin to handle. She controlled Sarai. Sarai isn't even a Shifter!" Shade said, his voice straining with concern.

I paused, surprised.

Sarai was a bitch, and a sorceress.

And somehow she was compelled.

I sighed softly, my own curiosity eating at me.

"I'll be there in the morning."

*************

I fucking hated snow.

The Alps were not the best place to live, but somehow, the Red Moon Pack thrived there. I peered back to where the five Pack members I brought stood out in a semi circle. "Where are they, Alpha?" Jonathan asked. Jonathan was a forty something Beta. He had been in my Pack with my father, and now, he served me.

"Patience. They said they'll bring her."

And they were. I could hear the sound of a distance motor, signaling the arrival of the Red Moon members. A large jeep pulled up, and he relaxed, along with the others of his Pack. When Sin hopped out of the passenger seat, he walked forward to meet him. "Where is she?" I asked without saying hello. Sin clenched his jaw, and motioned. The back door opened, and Shade emerged, carrying a small human-sized bundle.

"We had to knock her out," he explained.

I raised an eyebrow, assessing the wrapped up bundle. Whoever it was, they lacked muscle. "Hand her over to Jonathan," I instructed. Sin's eyes narrowed, but he didn't counter my order. Shade carried her over to Jonathan, and I noticed that his hands were gloved. I frowned slightly. That was odd. Unless he feared that he would end up mated to the girl. Was she that scary? Jonathan reached out to take her, and his arms closed around the bundle. I heard him gasp, and spun around to stare as he basically crumpled, eyes wide. A growl escaped when I noticed his eyes flash blue-- his wolf.

"Put her down," I ordered Jonathan.

He hesitated, and I narrowed my eyes more. Slowly, he put the girl on the ground, and the blanket wrapped around her fell away. Several in my Pack gasped, staring. I stalked forward, staring down at her. "Lainey," I breathed, knowing I was wrong already. She did resemble Lainey, but she was smaller, and curvier. Her hair was also a shade lighter. I remembered Lainey. A bright spot in any Wolf's life, but unable to Shift, she never fit in. Her own father had exiled her when she was seventeen, and no one saw her since. "Where did you find her?" I asked Shade sharply. Shade took a deep breath.

"Five miles west of Blue Moon's Pack."

I let out a sharp sigh, studying the girl. She resembled Lainey in so many ways, and by the place they found her, it was plausible that this was Lainey's daughter. "Did she give a name?" I asked, distracted as I continued to study her. She was slim, but somehow still stayed curvy. Her hair was light blonde, and her skin was pale. I briefly wondered what her eye color was. Would they be blue, like her mother's? Or a different color, like the unknown father's?

"Timber."

Most likely she had chosen her own name. I sighed softly and leaned down, scooping her up. Whatever Jonathan had felt, I understood. Sharp currents of something shot up my arms, and I shuddered. Whoever she was, she was strong. And strong meant dangerous. I secured my hold on her, and nodded slightly. "Let's go. Thank you, Sin," I said to him. He snorted, crossing his arms.

"No. Thank you."

I ignored his statement and headed for my jeep. The others instantly fell in place behind me. As I walked, I studied the facial feature of the girl, Timber. Yes, it was more than likely that this wolf girl was the daughter of Lainey. What bothered me was why she was able to shift, when her mother couldn't? Out of any of the Wolves, Lainey was the one who wanted to be able to Shift more than anything. She was the one who deserved it. But it hadn't happened. And because of an old fool's stubbornness, she was kicked from her Pack to live on her own.

I would've taken her in gladly, but it was forbidden. It would have been the start of a war to take in an exiled Shifter. We all lost track of her, but apparently, she did well by herself. So well, that she managed to raise a child in the wild. We climbed into the jeep, Timber in my arms.

Jonathan started the car. As we drove towards the airport, where we would board a plane, I stared out the window. Going to bed last night, I had not expected to be confronted by a wolf girl who bore the resemblance of a girl from my past.

FLASHBACK

"James, look!"

I grinned at the voice of Lainey, the bright energetic fourteen year old. At my own age of four, I loved Lainey. She smelled of pine needles. I hurried towards her, my small legs straining to go faster. Lainey was sitting in the grass, her eyes on something colorful. "What is it?" I asked, squatting besides her. Lainey looked over at me, blue eyes seeming to grin in their own way.

"It's a butterfly."

I continued to stare, in awe of the small thing. Lainey stayed silent, and we both watched as it fluttered its wings and took flight. "Oh, it's leaving," I said, sadly. Lainey touched my hair, grinning.

"Say bye-bye, James," she said.

I waved furiously as it left, getting further and further away from us. Together, Lainey and I walked back towards her house, my hand in hers. It was a memory I would always remember, because it had been one of my favorite days. And the last day I ever saw her.

END FLASHBACK

I sighed softly, blinking back the memories. That was long ago, in a different time, with a different me. And I had to remember that, when deciding what to do with Timber. She was not Lainey, and if I tried to treat her like so, things would not go well.

Let's just hope I could remember when it came to be.