AUTHOR'S POV
"Diana? Diana!", Roman searched around as he repeatedly called her name. He can no longer smell her scent, as she vanish in the crowd of wolves reeking in their strong redolence. "Look at what the fuck you've done!! Now where is she??", Roman hissed in anger. The ambiance fell silent. The dancing broke off. The chatters turned down. Everything stopped at the thundering voice of the Alpha, as if the flappers cut the movie scene.
Shaken at Roman's spurning and petrified at his burst of anger, the only thing the girls could do is apologize. "Sorry Alpha!", the girls frantically said hoping his anger won't result in violence as it always does. They didn't saw that he was with his Luna. As they have known him for so long, the Alpha of the Black Creek Clan has been amazingly flirty and sensual when it comes to ladies. He never says no to women he prefers. He thought, he should make the best out of his un imprinted life tasting different flavors of women.He even boasted about continuing to do so, even after the imprint. And yet, this happened.
Being an Alpha, Roman easily get girls in line left and right to either make out or have a one night stand. Every girl give in to his charms and dyingly live for a chance to warm up his bed. Lucky are those whom he spend his time with twice - either he's too drunk to remember or he simply forgot their identity. How convenient and fun it was that girls only pass by in his life like wasted time. Now that he's lured into Diana's fragrant scent, other women suddenly looked uninteresting. He can readily taste bitterness just by getting a glimpse of other females. The heat that grows in his chest when some guy is close to her. And, he's not complaining. "Where is she!? Find her!!".
Meanwhile, Diana, who found a chance to getaway from Roman, vanished beyond the crowd. He wouldn't notice her anyway, being engrossed with women, she thought. A man unsuitable to be faithful because of an imprint. With no particular direction, she just trailed somewhere quiet. She didn't mind getting her feet filthy, as she carefully walk barefoot on dirt. "Where are you Kristia?", she looked everywhere.
With seemingly no chance to find her in the lively avenue, she then decided to follow the string of lights going farther towards a hill. Diana wavered towards the tracks, wondering if Kristia would be somewhere dark, far from the crowd. It is dark, and disquieting, making her doubt her plans. At some point, she wanted to go back and take the easy road to just find her through Roman. And yet, somewhere in the corner of her mind told her to just go where the wind blows. As she walk through the trees, she found herself under the vastness of a mystical starry night sky. It spoke a thousand colors, complimenting the waxing moon. It made her forget the fear that was about to nibble her from inside.
"What brings you here? Where's Roman?", a voice of lady startled her, as she search where it came form.
"I'm sorry to disturb you.. I'll get going then", Diana turned away, despite not knowing who it was.
"The nature is not mine to own, Luna. Come here, please join me", she invited as she wave at Diana. She was sitting on slope of the hill, waving her one hand high up and a glowing oil lamp in the other for Diana to see. "Here!".
Diana smiled and went closer to the lady with very long black hair. As she get closer, she noticed the big scar on her face and a depilated side of her head. "Are you Chieftain Oli?", Diana assumed.
"Am I that too recognizable?", Oli scoffed. "The scars gave me away huh?", she brushed her hair back nodding to Diana to sit beside her.
"I saw you teaching the children a while ago.. if I may ask, how could you teach them in your wolf form? Do wolves talk?", Diana asked as she sat on the grass cushion beside Oli.
"The intriguing Luna is consistent on with being peculiar." Oli whispered as she look ahead. "Wolves mindtalk. We look straight into the eyes and channel our minds to converse.. ", Oli explained as she gets puzzled about the uniqueness of Diana. 'She's a dormant Luna... in the shadows', she thought.
"Ahh", Diana nodded at Oli, then stared at the bed of stars blanketing the sky. "Hmm.. Mind talk.. wolves do have a lot of nice superpowers.. ".
"I've always believed that what has been taken away, will be given back", Oli assured, as if she knew what she's talking about.
"Not in my case", Diana answered. She has been what she is ever since. Diana doesn't expect to shape shift, mindtalk and, whatnot. What she wants now is a peaceful and happy life with Scott.
Oli felt sadness from Diana's every word. "The crowd and the party is there, why don't you have some fun with the wolves your age? I'm sure Roman would love to dance all night with his Luna", Oli asked.
"I'm not really into partying. Roman is busy with.. with some people anyway. He didn't even noticed I left", Diana chuckled..
"Hmmm.. Well then, it's an honor to be in the company of the clan's Luna.", Oli smiled. "You chose a good spot for the stars".
"With all due respect, Chieftain Oli. I'm not your clan's Luna… I'm already someone else's Luna", Diana respectfully said. "And yes, the stars are beautiful tonight".
"Hmm? Does Roman know?", Oli asked.
"Yes".
"And yet.. here you are", Oli replied, thinking there's no escape for her in the grasp of Roman. Diana glanced at Oli. Her heart skipped a beat from the thought that Roman may not give her back to Scott. Oli forced a smile as she lit the oiled lamp she brought.
"Wolves see in the dark. Why would you bring a lamp when it's useless?", Diana asked.
"The fire helps me focus", Oli gazed at Diana's face, this time... longer and more focused.
"Is there something on my face?", Diana asked, as she rub her cheek.
"Aside from the undeniable explicit beauty that you have.. the Luna who have no scent is hard to read too", Oli exhaled sharply, with a half smile.
"Oh! You read minds?!", Diana couldn't hide her astonishment.
"Let's just say.. I hear one's mind talking, before words even come out of their mouth. When you arrived today, I've been trying to read you.. and when you sat here close to me, I can clearly and only hear mumbles.", Oli thought it was too unusual, yet she digs in deeper and still gets nothing.
"I'm not a bit surprised..", Diana curved her lips downward. "Chieftain Oli, how come some wolves have special powers like mind reading, seeing visions..", she asked.
"So you know Dolphus? Well, it's a gift.. When wolves survive living in solitary for years, the moon goddess blesses the deserving lone wolves with one particular gift to run in their bloodline. We are called the Sigma Wolves.. eventually, we find our way back to our clans and serve the people", she answered. "We don't actually live within the clan, we live... separately.", she explained.
"I met Dolphus once.. hmm.. That's a nice gift of inheritance. So, do you have children?", Diana asked. Oli was about to answer when she sensed Roman nearby.
"Diana!!", a man's voice ripped through the dark making Diana's and Oli's heads turn back. "I've been looking all over for you", rushing towards Diana, Roman breathlessly climbed uphill.
"I'm just right here.", she replied, as Roman held her arm helpinh her stand up.
"I've been worried sick. What are you doing here? It's dark here, the party have already started", Roman said, as he held Diana's shoulder.
"I don't feel like partying, Roman.", Diana said, pulling away from his grasp.
Grinning on the side, Oli watches Roman become too careful with his choice of words and gestures towards Diana. Reading his mind, Oli figures that a much greater worry bothers the Alpha aside from being left by his Luna with the women who just jumped on him earlier.
"Would you like to rest now?", he anxiously asked. "Oli, we'll get going. Are you coming too?", Roman said without even waiting for Diana to reply.
"I'll be fine on my own, as always", Oli replied. "Go Luna, I hope you find your peace", she said with a smile. Diana waved goodbye to her new found friend with an incredible gift.
Roman held Diana's hand as they walk downhill. She didn't liked being held like a child but, she's left with no choice since it's darker now making the passages hard to see. "Ouch!", Diana winced at her foot that got pierced by something sharp. She bent down and checked it only to find she stepped on a rusty nail sticking in the sole of her foot
"Let me see", Roman crouched down as Diana held his shoulder for support. "Damn... I'll pull the nail out, it might hurt a little", he gritted his teeth at the possible pain she might get.
Diana took slow shallow breaths as she clutch on Roman's shirt. "Okay, do it", she said. At the count of three, Roman freed Diana's foot from the nail. "Ahh...".
"Can you walk?", Roman asked. Before she could answer, Roman already carried her in his arms. "I got you", he said.
"I can walk Roman", Diana insisted but Roman didn't listened. Knowing Diana can't see in the dark, he wouldn't want her to step on something that would hurt her foot again. Walking through the dark woods, Diana could hardly see what's ahead. The sound of the forest started to fill the air, bringing back the memories that make her tear. Did the shadows just moved, she thought. She started to feel uneasy when the leaves rustled. It wasn't this scary earlier. Then there's this critter sound that kept clicking at a distance. It made her feel watched.
Roman suddenly felt Diana's arms tightening around his neck, and her body getting more tensed. "We're almost there, Luna", he told her. Reaching the well lit yard of partying wolves, Diana and Roman were met by members of the pack led by Gunner. "Alpha, something's up", he said.
Diana noticed Gunner staring at Roman's eyes directly. Then, she observed how the rest of the pack shifted their gazes at each other. 'The mindtalk', she thought. Afterwards, the pack head out in different directions. Gunner stayed with Roman as he trail the two. "What's wrong?", Diana asked.
"Bad news, danger's coming", Roman said, as he sprinted back to his camper.
"What kind of danger?", Diana asked as she furrow her brows. Roman didn't answer. As soon as they reach his mobile home, Roman let Diana in and placed her down the bed. He checked for her wound which have started to heal on its own. Roman pulled the drawers, grabbed a towel and went in the bathroom. Despite unhurried, she can feel him being anxious at the clumsiness that slips through his measured movements. He returned with a wet towel, and proceeded in wiping her dirtied feet. "There are fresh clothes in the drawer, make yourself feel comfortable. I'll be back", Roman said. Diana nodded in approval as she watch him leave. She squinted her eyes when she heard a clicking sound on the door. 'Did he just locked me from outside?'.
Hurriedly, she went for door and held the knob. Turning it softly, it didn't opened. Roman, on the other side of the door, ordered Gunner who's waiting upfront, "She doesn't get out, and no one comes in without my permission".