A Luna For The Alpha King

"Help! Somebody help me!" Ruby screamed while trying to run through the woods. A weird groaning noise echoed behind her as she desperately called for help.

Grrrrrrrr...rrrrraaaarrrrr...the noise persisted, growing closer with each step.

Something was chasing her, something hungry and dangerous. Panic set in as Ruby looked over her shoulder, squinting to see what it was. To her horror, it was a pack of wolves!

She was no match for them despite her past athleticism. The wolves closed in, their growls sending shivers down her spine. Questions raced through her mind – how did she end up here? What was she doing in the woods at night?

As she ran, she accidentally stepped on a prickly flower and winced in pain. Strangely, when she checked her paws, she realized she had paws! Panic intensified as she questioned her reality.

While pondering her bizarre situation, the wolves closed in, surrounding her with menacing growls. One wolf with dark, silvery fur approached and spoke to her. Shockingly, she understood him.

"Why are you running?" the wolf barked, leaving her bewildered. "Is this a dream?" she thought.

Suddenly, the wolf pounced, biting her nape. A deafening roar woke her up from this nightmare. Covered in sweat, she sighed in relief, thanking heaven for the illusion.

"Oh, thank God, it was just a dream," Ruby muttered, panting heavily. To calm herself, she reached for her rosary and started to pray.

Her mom entered, recognizing the signs of Ruby's recurring nightmares. Concerned, she comforted Ruby, assuring her they were just dreams. But Ruby insisted they felt too real.

Determined to find a solution, Ruby decided to seek help from a priest or a physiotherapist. Her mom supported her decision but reminded her to take a shower due to the musky smell of her sweat-soaked pajamas.

As Ruby headed to the bathroom, she felt a sharp pain in her nape. Curious, she inspected herself in the mirror and discovered two deep tooth bites on her neck. The suspense lingered as she wondered about the strange marks and the unsettling dreams.

"What's going on with me?" Ruby wondered, staring at the bite marks on her neck. She couldn't bring herself to tell her mom. Her mom was super religious, and she'd probably think Ruby was possessed if she found out about the strange bite. Thankfully, her mom would be sticking around for a few days, giving Ruby some space.

"This is seriously weird. I need to get help, like, ASAP, or things might get even crazier," she thought, still fixated on the marks in the mirror.

Her mom called out to her again, interrupting her thoughts. Quickly, Ruby hid the marks, not wanting her mom to catch on. "Yeah, Mom?" she responded calmly from the bathroom.

Her mom suggested making warm milk to help Ruby sleep better. Panicking a bit, Ruby declined, opting for water instead. The suspense built as Ruby grappled with her hidden secret, unsure of where to turn for help.

The next morning was bright and sunny, with butterflies fluttering outside Ruby's window. It felt like the perfect day to embrace happiness and tackle anything that came her way.

Opening the window to let in the fresh air, Ruby felt optimistic. "Today's going to be awesome," she told herself. But her mom suddenly appeared at the door, startling her.

"Mom, how long were you standing there?" Ruby asked, a bit spooked.

Her mom chuckled, checking her watch playfully. "Just thirty seconds. Good morning, my Ruby love! How's my princess doing?"

"Fine, Mom," Ruby replied, managing a smile.

"You look way better than last night," her mom remarked.

"Yeah, maybe," Ruby agreed, rolling her eyes slightly. She wasn't fully convinced.

Her mom dove into her wardrobe, rummaging for clothes. Ruby, puzzled, asked what she was up to.

"You've got an interview at Pulborough's company," her mom explained, presenting a dress she thought was perfect for the occasion.

Ruby's heart sank. She had completely forgotten about the interview. "How could I forget that, Mom?"

Her mom laughed it off. "Happens to the best of us! Your dad was just as forgetful," she teased, dropping the dress on the bed. "Guess you took after him. Now, get a move on and get ready!"

The suspense lingered as Ruby realized she had an important interview she hadn't prepared for. The pressure mounted as she scrambled to get ready in a hurry.

Ruby agreed to wear the red dress her mom picked, not wanting to upset her guest. Her mom beamed at how stunning Ruby looked, but Ruby worried it might be too much for an interview.

"Red for an interview? Isn't it too flashy?" Ruby twirled, trying to show it off to her mom.

"No way! You look sharp and gorgeous. That's how you nail an interview," her mom reassured her confidently.

Trusting her mom's fashion sense (after all, she was a stylist), Ruby shrugged and accepted her advice.

Her mom offered breakfast, but Ruby declined, feeling strangely full, perhaps from nerves or the previous night's events.

"Let's not talk about last night, remember? We'll figure it out," her mom comforted her while adjusting her dress.

Not wanting to upset her mom, Ruby agreed to take the food in a lunchbox. She hadn't done that in ages, but her mom insisted it was essential for her to taste the specially prepared meal.

Laughing together, Ruby grabbed the meal and headed out, waiting for her ride.

The car pulled up, and the driver called out to her. As Ruby approached, ready to get in, something bizarre happened-the driver's face transformed into that of a wolf.

"Whoa!" Ruby gasped, stepping back in shock. The sudden transformation left her stunned and bewildered.

"Ruby, you okay?" her mom asked, concerned.

Ruby caught her breath and glanced at the driver, but he seemed the same. "Nah, just a moment, Mom. I'm good," she reassured her mom.

Waving goodbye, Ruby got into the car and asked the driver to take off. Her mom kept waving until they were out of sight.

"Hope my hair's not a mess, ma'am?" the driver asked nervously.

"Talking to me?" Ruby was surprised.

The driver nodded, seeking reassurance. "Nah, you're all good."

During the ride, Ruby's thoughts kept drifting to the dream from the night before, those wolves surrounding her.

"Why did you bite me?" she remembered asking in her dream.

"You're mine," the wolf had replied.

"Not yours!" she barked back as a wolf, feeling trapped by the circle of ten wolves. She felt a sense of confusion and mistake in her transformation.

Interrupting her thoughts, the driver called out that they'd arrived. Ruby snapped back to reality, seeing the impressive glass building beside her.

The building was huge, reflecting the sun with its shiny, clear glass. It was super tall, with tons of windows reflecting the city. The glass was so clean you could see your reflection in it. It had sleek, silver frames and blueish panels adding color. At the top were these pointy things that seemed to reach for the sky. It stood proud and caught everyone's attention.

"One of the best in Pennsylvania," the driver praised. "Should I end the trip?"

"Yeah," Ruby replied absentmindedly, her mind stuck on the building. She got out, thanking the driver, who drove off.

Taking a deep breath, Ruby approached the building, feeling a mysterious pull toward it.

"Morning, how can I help?" a short lady greeted Ruby at the glass doors.

This lady was small, old, with silver hair shining. Big glasses covered most of her face, making her eyes look huge. "Hi, ma'am," Ruby started, feeling a bit uneasy in this beautiful place. It had a certain charm, and she sensed she might be seen as different among all these professional-looking people.

The lady, Macy, listened as Ruby explained she was there for an interview happening in two hours. "Oh!" Macy smiled, shaking Ruby's hand. "Follow me." She led Ruby, asking about her name and complimenting her dress.

Ruby, trying to be confident, replied, "Thanks, I'm Ruby."

Macy stopped at the door, saying, "He's busy, but you're next. Sit here. Water or coffee?"

"Water's fine, thanks." Ruby waited as Macy went to get the water.

An interviewee rushed out, crying. People stared, and Ruby felt a bad vibe. What if the interviewer didn't like her either? Anxiety settled in.

Macy returned with sparkly water. "Thought you might like it," she said.

"Normal water would've been fine, but thanks." Ruby took the water, nervous. Macy assured her the interviewer would like her instantly, but Ruby was skeptical.

"Why do you say that?" Ruby asked.

"He's been expecting you. You're the one," Macy cryptically claimed.

Feeling uneasy, Ruby didn't want to question Macy further. People often liked her at first but changed later. She didn't want Macy to turn against her, too.

"NEXT!" a frustrated voice yelled from the office.

Ruby took a deep breath, heading in. Macy wished her luck, and Ruby stepped into the office, feeling a strange shift. It was like she belonged there, but she couldn't understand why.

"Have a seat," the only woman in the room said, reading Ruby's file. "Now, why do you need this job? What do you have to offer?" The room's attention shifted to Ruby.

Ruby took a big breath as she faced the intimidating people in the room. They seemed tough and a bit scary.

The lady called for Macy, wondering why Ruby was there. But when the interviewer got snooty, Ruby couldn't hold back.

"You shouldn't treat people like that just 'cause you're in charge," Ruby objected.

"What? How dare you!" the lady snapped back, eyes flashing with anger. Her eyes seemed to shine like silver, which freaked Ruby out.

The lady blew up, yelling that Ruby lost the job. Ruby stayed calm, grabbing her things to leave when another interviewer, Archer, stopped her.

The angry lady was stunned that Archer wanted Ruby to stay. "She's a Luna," he said.

The room went silent. The lady was shocked. "How can she be a Luna?" she stammered.

Archer insisted he sensed it. He kept staring at Ruby, making her feel like she knew him from somewhere, but she couldn't place it.

"So, she gets the job just like that?" the angry lady questioned.

Archer nodded, saying Lunas were the best for the job. Ruby asked what a Luna was, and they explained it was a special thing in the company for werewolf fans.

Ruby found it strange but cool. She wasn't into werewolves, but the company's quirkiness intrigued her.

The angry lady muttered something odd, but Ruby let it slide. Things had been weird lately, and this lady's behavior was just a small part of the strange stuff she'd experienced.

"Macy was so excited when Ruby stepped out of the room. 'You got the job, aren't you excited!' she said.

Ruby wondered, 'Where did I get such courage from?'

'You've got that courage within you,' Macy reassured her. 'You've got the power.'

Confused, Ruby asked, 'Excuse me?'

Macy paused for a moment, trying to say it more softly. 'Don't worry. As humans, we all have that inner confidence.'

Ruby smiled but felt Macy had more to say. Macy asked if Ruby wanted to start today.

'Start what?' Ruby was feeling a bit confused.

'Now that you've got the job, do you want to start today?' Macy clarified. She told the other people waiting for their interviews that they weren't needed anymore and asked them to leave.

They left one by one. Ruby noticed they were all women seeking the job.

'Why are they all women?' Ruby asked.

Macy turned to them, saying, 'It was in the job description. Didn't you see that?'"

She was getting more and more confused the longer she thought about it. "Can I start tomorrow?" Ruby asked. "I have stuff to do today."

Macy grinned, saying, "Sure thing. Anything you need, I'll be there."

Feeling even more puzzled, Ruby walked away from the building. The interview had left her feeling even more confused, and she couldn't shake the strange attraction she felt towards that man, Archer.

She entered the pitch-black room, panting heavily, beads of sweat forming on her forehead as she surveyed the darkness. The loud smashing sound had heightened all her senses, putting her on edge as she tried to locate its origin.

"Where am I?" she wondered, fear evident in her voice, scanning the room for something familiar. Her vision remained fuzzy, the moonlight through the window behind the bed providing the only illumination. Paws dug into the surface of the TRI blanket beneath her without her knowing her transformation and possession with a special place in her heart.

Aside from that, something felt off. The bed adjacent to the vacant one was not supposed to be empty. "Where the heck am I, and where is the owner of this place?" she questioned.

Suddenly, the door creaked open, and her cousin, Mabel, walked in. "Mabel?" she attempted to speak, but Mabel screamed at her.

"What is wrong?" then, with instinct, she began to race outside.

"Get that wolf?" the voice approached from behind as they hurried, the sound of guns and bullets in the air.

She called for help from just anyone, but no one could hear her. Yes, she knew she was a wolf in this place, wherever it was, but she didn't know the reason why.

'This has to be a dream...' she begged. 'This has to be a dream.' She kept on repeating as she galloped her way for safety.

The slither of bullets passing across was evident, and for a minute, she felt she was going to get shot. But no, she wasn't; she had a high sense of hearing, and her stamina was pretty much unprecedented.

But she wasn't sure she was going to make it. She continued to run, trying to find safety, perhaps in a house. But in a timely move, some pack of wolves dived in while the humans or people gave her the chase.

She slowed down for a minute, and all she could hear were screams of horror as the wolves chased them back to the cabin.

"What is going on?" she thought.

"You still haven't decided on who you are?"

Then she turned to the voice behind her. It was another wolf. The same wolf she'd mostly seen in her nightmares.

"This has to be a nightmare, right?"

"Do you feel it is?"

He circled her, his eyes stony and silver.

"Yes."

"What about the bite on your neck? Do you feel that's a dream of some sort?"

She realized she didn't even understand what was real and what wasn't. She tried as much as she could to explain it away, but no matter how much she tried, she felt stupid.

"I don't know..."

"One of

"One of the pack."

Then they showed themselves again, circling her like they often did in her dream. "No, this can't be real." She tried to close her eyes and wake up from her nightmare once more.

"You are mine and will forever be mine."

"What the fuck are you talking about!

"You are a healer; you are the queen of our pack, you've always been, and you must take your role."

"I am no animal!"

Then the dark, silvery werewolf, who had a calm demeanor to him, smiled while he kept on circling her, making sure his sight stayed on her. "Well, feel..."

"What?"

"Sense it."

Then, quite oddly, she began to smell and take in the surroundings. Her sense of smell was heightened, and she could feel everything around her. It was way more powerful than being human.

"Why do I?" she looked at her paws and the fur around her legs. She was red-silver.

"Alpha, we have a serious problem." Then they brought in the injured. "Alaric has been injured. She is badly hurt."

Then, the alpha turned to her.

"What?"

"Sense it!" he called, and she went towards the injured, licked the wounds, and in a matter of seconds, the wound began to close up, the bullet popped out, and that was it.

"Do you believe now!"

Then she woke up. She took in deep, long breaths. "What is wrong with me?" she wondered. Luckily, this time, she didn't scream aloud at the hearing of her mom. She didn't want her mom making baseless conclusions, telling her she'd been possessed and how much she needed to see a priest of some type.

She stretched herself and found out her body ached a bit, but the minute she dropped her legs on the floor, she found out they were smeared with dirt.

She shook her head, not willing to believe it. Then she bent down to take a little dirt in between her toes. She found grass strands and soil. "Oh my, it is real..." she began to shiver.

Who was she going to talk to? She felt stuck at the moment.

"Ruby." Her mom appeared once more.

"Mom!" she jumped. "What are you doing here?"

"I heard your footsteps," she said and walked up to her. "For a moment, I thought it was burglar, wanted to call the cops." She giggled. Ruby, on the one hand, tried as much to giggle, but she wasn't having it.

Her mom wanted to sit beside her when she noticed the muck and mire in between her toenails. "Ruby?"

Ruby tried to hide it from her mom, but her mom was keen, and she could clearly see what was in between the toenails. "Don't tell me you've been playing in the fields?" she asked, then turned to check the time. "But it is too early for that."

"Uhm...the draught took my favorite bedsheet out, so I had to bring it in."

"You mean the TRI sheets?"

She nodded.

"But I had given that to your cousin Mabel; she dropped in and told me that you wanted to give her that for her camping in the woods."

Then she quickly remembered that she indeed wanted to give her cousin the sheets. How was she going to pull out of this one without her mom knowing? She thought hard about it.

Ruby's mind raced as she tried to come up with explanations for the dirt on her feet. She had been caught in a lie, and her heart thudded in her chest with each passing moment. Her mom's concerned gaze intensified the pressure she felt to keep her secret hidden.

Her mom continued to stare at her, trying to make her talk with the stare. "I hope..."

"Mom, I'm fine," Ruby quickly said, forcing a smile to mask her unease. "I just need a moment alone, if that's okay?"

Her mom hesitated, visibly puzzled by Ruby's behavior. "Sure, dear. I didn't mean to intrude. I'll leave you be." She could see her mom was hesitant to let her be as she wished, she could see her mom was worried, and suspected something was wrong with her.

Her mom stayed at the door for a moment, looking at Ruby, and trying to say what was in her mind. But she hesitated, she wanted Ruby to come out anytime and tell her something was indeed wrong as she suspected.

"But you need to stop sneaking out, and even if you wish to sneak out, you need to have some slips on."

Ruby was shocked, and raised her head to look at her mom. Her mom nodded.

"Yes." Then she looked at her feet. "Do learn to wear your slips on, if you wish to sneak out to seek a friend."

Ruby turned to her feet once more, and grinned shyly. "Okay, Mom."

"You know you can never hide anything from me, Ruby." She continued. "So, you need to be more open with me."

Ruby nodded. All she wanted was to be left alone. But she didn't want to tell her mom to her face, so she wouldn't hurt her.

Her mom smiled one more time, and closed the door behind her as she finally left. Ruby took in a deep breath, sighing in utter relief the minute her mom left her room.

As her mom exited, Ruby leaned against the door, listening intently until her mom's footsteps faded into the distance. She sighed with relief, grateful to have avoided a deeper conversation. But the sudden revelation that her mom had noticed the dirt on her feet left her stunned. She couldn't shake off the feeling that her secret might be at risk of exposure.

"This isn't good, my mom has began to suspect something odd with me," she thought hard on it, and turned to her feet one more time, they were soiled with black dirt.

Pictures of wolves, the Alpha, and the healing kept flashing in her mind, as if they were trying to send her a message. But everything felt so real that she couldn't tell if it was a dream or not. The smells, the sights, they lingered vividly, blurring the lines between reality and imagination.

Taking a deep breath, she decided on her next move. A warm bath might help clear her mind, washing away the confusion that clung to her.

Once alone, she hurried to the bathroom, the sound of running water muffling her racing thoughts. The shower offered a brief respite, the warm water a soothing distraction. But her mind was consumed with questions. What had happened? Was it a nightmare or something else entirely? And who could she confide in about this strange occurrence?

Jadey? No way. If she told Jadey the details, she'd catch on that something was off. Jadey loved all things extraordinary, and admitting to something supernatural would only make her suspicious, which Ruby didn't consider much of a help.

Susan? Not a chance. Sharing the specifics of her dream with Susan would likely lead to her being labeled as crazy. Susan was definitely not someone Ruby could confide in.

As she pondered, her phone's incessant buzzing shattered her contemplation. With a startled gasp, she emerged from the shower, still dripping wet. The persistent vibration came from her phone lying on the bedside table, flashing the name 'Mabel' across the screen.

"Mabel calling at this hour?" Ruby mused aloud, staring at the phone. She hesitated, debating whether to answer the call. Mabel, her cousin, was someone she trusted, but revealing her predicament seemed daunting. After a prolonged moment of indecision, she finally gathered the courage to pick up the call.