Their Silver Moon

Nathaniel Black

The pain that flowed through my veins, it did not end. Every nerve of my body on fire as the silver chains snaked their way over my skin, I’d lost count of how many times they sliced over my skin and burnt the wounds closed again. The heat of my body, the heat of my blood – constant and unending. Instead of flinching at it’s touch, I now found the metal cold.

But it’s touch, it’s constant touch still made my body weak, shake at the knees and leave me immobile. I could do nothing, nothing but feel each link passing over my skin, cutting into my muscle, burning at my skin.

“There she is,” he hissed, his all too familiar voice echoing through the stone room. And he clutched my face, lifting it up and staring into my eyes, they now looked a deep blue. The lights in the room sparkled off them, the glistening almost reminded me of the night sky, and I wondered how long it had been, how many days had passed.

“How is she doing that?” he asked, his gaze analysing every inch of my face and his brow furrowed slightly.

“Nathaniel, who is your mate?” he said, his voice smooth as it filled my ears, calming my body and heart. The chains dropped to the floor, and the weight seemed to lift from my shoulders. “Come on, you can tell me,” he said, his words like music, soft and sweet. “Is she a witch? A vampire? A fairy? A spirit? A siren? Who is she?” he begged, the desperation lingering ever so slightly on his voice.

“Siren’s don’t exist,” I choaked and my head felt heavy as oxygen flooded my lungs deeply. And a smile ripped across his face, twitching like wildfire across his skin and pale skin.

“Who is she to you?” he asked, his voice edging me on.

It felt like days but for the first time a buzz of life flowed through me and I snapped my hand around his neck, squeezing at his throat and bringing his body to the ground, “if you so much as touch a hair on her head, I will end you,” I said, forcing my weight down onto his neck.

A laugh flooded the room around us and he seemed not at all bothered that I was trying to squeeze the life from his lungs, that “of course,” he purred, and a light seemed to sparkle in his eyes.

* * * * * * * * * *

Alice Black

The air in the hospital was warm compared to the room that Nate was in and I gasped, feeling like I was drowning in the thickness of the room the swirled around me.

“I can’t let you do that,” Jamie growled, standing between me and the pack doctor.

“Do what?” I asked, rolling over on the cot I had clearly not been in long.

“Beta Jamie has taken up the position that your mate usually dose and that is between me and my work,” the doctor growled.

“It’s okay, really Jamie,” I replied, placing my hand on his back.

“It’s not Luna, we’re very concerned about your wellbeing, and with the Alpha away on business, your heath is the utmost priority of all of us,” he demanded.

I wrapped my arms around myself, now suddenly aware of the tears I’d made in my dress, exposing my thigh and side, “Well I know what’s wrong, and it’s no need for concern, Jamie here is just trying to keep in on the down low,” I replied.

The doctor blinked for a second, “I’m pregnant,” I clarified, “I got a positive test two weeks ago now, the Alpha dosen’t know, I plan on telling him when he comes back, so your discretion is appreciated.”

The doctors gaze fell down to my stomach and his mouth fell open a little bit, “oh,” he breathed, “Oh,” he replied with slightly more registration, he looked down at the clipboard that was tucked under his arm and scratched out the form out before putting it down on the bench, “right,” he confirmed.

“May I take her home now?” Jamie asked, still holding his ground between the doctor and myself.

I squeezed Jamie’s arm, “I think it might be best if I can have a check-up, while I’m here,” and the doctor’s shoulder’s relaxed “of course, I would prefer this to be off the record.”

The doctor gave solid nod, “of course, Luna,” he replied, “please excuse me for a minute, and I’ll be back with more appropriate equipment to your condition,” and he stepped out of the room.

* * * * * * * * * *

“That was awkward,” Jamie said, as he got in the other side of his car.

“I told you, you didn’t have to be in the room,” I shrugged as he looked out the windscreen, a hint of mortification plastered on his face.

“At least I know what to expect when Grace and I-” his words stopped and he closed him mouth.

“When?” I asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

“Grace wants to have kids,” he said, a smile etching on his face, and he looked down at the steering wheel, “so we’re going to start trying, actually, we’ve been trying for a couple of months now.”

“Congratulations,” I said, and I let my hand run down my stomach, to the life that grew within me. Despite the additional heart in my body, mine still ached and the happiness that would normally have overwhelmed me – I couldn’t even smile, “truly, I’m happy for you two.”

“I know, it’s okay,” he said, and he placed a hand on my knee as he reversed out of the hospital car spot. “I wish that Nate was here for you,” he replied. His words hitting me like a tram and for a second, for a second, I had almost forgotten that Nate didn’t know, that he wasn’t at home waiting for me, that it wasn’t his hand on my knee. I adjusted my legs, Jamie’s touch lifting, and I looked out the window, “take me home please, take me to our home.”