#5 When the New Moon Falls

Leo

“Just give her the code, Nick, before she punches you in the face.” I sighed at my Gamma. He mindlinked me a few seconds ago, telling me about Austyn’s plans.

“Dude, you seriously pissed her off, and now I have to deal with it. Amber’s even mad at me. How did your relationship problems become mine?” Nick scuffed.

“Shut up.”

“You need to come up with a better come back.” Nick mocked me before ending the mindlink.

Quinn was clawing at my head and I was fuming. I gave over control to him. My clothes ripped from my body as Quinn exploded out of me. He howled loudly, shaking the pack grounds with his despair and misery. He started running, his paws pounding the earth as we raced towards the woods. He literally plowed through anything in his way. Tree trunks, rotten logs, boulders, they all fell victim to his fury. He snapped at a couple of omegas who stopped to ask if we were okay.

I pulled him away from the crowds, not wanting our piss poor mood to set off anybody else. We ran deeper into the woods, heading for our favorite spot. Miles from the packhouse, was a small waterfall that dropped into a swimming hole. Quinn darted for the top of the waterfall and flung himself off it. Unlike most wolves, he loved the water. We belly flopped into the swimming hole and sank, our madness and the cool water practically creating steam.

All I wanted to do was keep my mate safe. That was it. And somehow I started World War III in the process. I had no idea what to do. I couldn’t give Austyn what she wanted. I was physically incapable of allowing her to go see my father. The only thing I could think of was to see him myself, but I knew he wouldn’t give me the answers we both needed.

Quinn growled feverishly at my negative thoughts. He paddled through the water and snapped at a couple of fish. He snatched a trout in his mouth and chucked it onto dry land. He jumped out of the water and shook himself off. He smashed the fish with his paw and tore it apart, gnawing on the trout as his morning snack.

After another run, Quinn was finally settled down enough to let me shift. I pulled on a pair of sweatpants and stomped through the packhouse. Everyone avoided me like the plague, my bad mood radiating off of me.

“You need to either get it together or hide yourself away, the entire pack is in a bad mood becuase you’re pissy.” Jacks said as he entered the kitchen. I shot him a glare, rummaging through the fridge for leftovers.

“Leo, she’s fine. She’s with Nick and the Luna Guard, and four she-wolves who, I’m pretty sure, can handle their own. Hell, I’m pretty sure our Luna can handle her own,” Jacks said,

“She’s handling you just fine.” He added under his breath.

“I can hear you.” I growled.

“I know.” He replied smugly.

“What do you suggest that I do oh mateless Beta?” I slammed a bowl of leftover spaghetti on the counter.

“Fair enough,” He plopped down at the table,

“But, I know this isn’t a solution.”

I grabbed a fork and sat down across from him. I started shoveling the cold spaghetti into my mouth.

“I don’t have a solution. Austyn wants answers, she deserves answers. My father is the only one who has them. I can’t let her near him.” I said with my mouth full. Jacks looked at me in disgust but I ignored him.

“You need to go talk to him. Even if he blows you off, you can at least tell Austyn that you tried.” Jacks suggested.

“You think that’s really going to make her back down?” I said, raising an eyebrow.

“No, probably not. But, right now, we’re trying to make her less pissed at you and you less moody.” Jacks said.

“Fine. I’ll go talk to him.” I snapped, shoving the bowl across the table, my appetite gone.

I sulked out of the packhouse again and started checking the many, many houses that my father frequented. All of which were inhabited by single she-wolves. Eight houses later and I was still coming up empty. Finally, house number nine showed some results.

“I know he’s in here, Mary, don’t make this difficult.” I sighed at the she-wolf guarding the door. I could sense my father inside her house.

“It’s fine, Mary.” My father grunted from somewhere behind her. She glared at me and stepped aside. My father slammed Mary against him, giving her a sloppy kiss, before greeting me on the porch. I resisted the urge to gag.

“What do you want?” He asked.

“For you and your playthings to stop speaking to their Alpha in that tone.” I snapped, growling at Mary. She finally submitted, bowing her head and slipping back inside.

“Great, now she’s not going to want to….”

“Shut up, shut up, shut up.” I covered my ears, not wanting to hear what he and Mary were planning on doing later.

“Grow up, Leo.” My father rolled his eyes at me.

“I have to ask you something and I need you to be honest.” I grumbled, dreading this entire conversation.

“You need to stop asking and just take what you want. You’re such a weak Alpha, boy.” My father said, walking ahead of me. I closed my eyes, trying to keep Quinn in control.

“What were Beta Jason and Alpha Victor fighting about before the rogues attacked?” I cut to the chase. My father froze in his trott, turning around to face me with an amused expression.

“So now you’re doing your human mate’s bidding, too?”

“We both want to know why Alpha Victor treated her so poorly. I think he had something to do with her parents’ death.” I said.

“He treated her poorly because she’s a pathetic, disgusting human who is useless and serves no other purpose then being a slave.” Quinn’s control snapped and so did mine.

My fist made contact with his face and he stumbled backwards. He rubbed his jaw, wearing a bloody grin.

“I struck a nerve, I see.”

“You. Will. Respect. The. Luna.” With each word, my fist pounded his face. He was on the ground now, laughing as blood poured from his mouth and nose.

“Now you’re starting to get it. I beat respect into you, Victor beat respect into that girl, and now you’re beating respect into me; well trying to, at least.” My father looked up at me and I resisted the urge to punch him again.

“I am not you.” I said between my teeth.

“You’re more like me than you think.” He said.

“Are you going to answer my question or not?” I growled.

“Not.” He replied smugly.

“I don’t ever want to see your face again. I hereby strip you of your title and rank. You are banned from the packhouse. If you can’t fall into line, you will be exiled from the pack.” I spoke without emotion.

The smile finally wavered from Frank Storm’s face. I turned my back on him without another word, leaving him bleeding on the grass.