LEON ADLER
"Oh God" is the first that comes out of my mate's mouth as he stares into nothing. His body becomes rigid, totally unmoving, and he has this mortified look on his face. His eyes, however, tell everything. His eyes are wide, terrified, but there's something else there â hope. A tear pools in his eyes, and Ethan turns to look at me.
His fingers trace the broken logo on the ground. I kneel down beside him, grabbing his hand. He lets out a sigh in relief before breaking his gaze with me. Ethan purses his lips, tears already clouding his eyes as he tries to hold it back. I inch closer, offering my shoulder as he silently cries. My heart breaks at the sight of him being at his low point. I'm not even sure if he has hit his lowest, but I'd like to be there if that happens, and I'm glad that I'm here now for him.
Ethan puts his head on my shoulder as he sniffs, calming himself down. His cheeks are strained with tears, and his eyes are a bit reddish now from crying. I give him a small smile, giving his hand a light squeeze, assuring him that he's going through this with me by his side.
"Would you like to talk about it?" I ask him, almost in a whisper. He nods.
"It was overwhelming," Ethan begins, his voice a bit weak from crying. He takes a deep breath before scanning the area then exhales. "I think my parents are still alive."
"How? My dad found them dead before they found you." Ethan's eyes turn sadder, and I mentally scold myself for being such an ass. Even Apollo, my wolf, is not impressed with what I've just said. "I'm sorry. Why do you think they are still alive?"
"We don't see the shrines because we're only supposed to see them during the blue moon." He stands up, letting go of my hand and brushing the dust off of him. "And it can only be accessed by me or someone who shares the same blood as me. And I don't think I have anyone else other than... It's just me, my mom, and dad."
"You really think that they could be alive?"
"I have reasons to,"
"Then how do we do this?" I grab his hand again, giving him a half-hearted smile, squeezing his hand. If Ethan's parents are still alive, they are out there somewhere, and they could be in great danger. And although I believe Ethan, it's hard to ignore what my parents found when they rescued my mate at such a young age.
My mate seems unsure of what to do next. He has a conflicted look on his face. His eyes became hard, his brows furrowed, his forehead creased. He takes another deep breath and looks at the darkening sky. He shuts his eyes for a moment, and I can suddenly feel his strong presence.
As the sky darkens, clouds looming over us, thundering a bit, I look over at Ethan who seems to be chanting a spell. His lips are moving, but there are no words coming out of his mouth. His forehead is still in a crease, determination etched on his face as he does his thing. I scan our area, trying to sense if there are enemies waiting for the right time to attack us. With the hunters' newfound ability, the power to conceal their scent, it'd be hard to rely on our heightened senses.
"What are we doing?" I half-whisper to him.
"The blue moon only occurs once in a while," Ethan answers, his eyes still shut. He looks like he's kind of meditating. "So we're going to make the moon blue right now. I just hope it works."
"We can make the moon blue right now?" That seems impossible.
"We can," but even he doesn't sound so sure.
It's been an hour, and I'm quite surprised that nobody has attacked us yet. I keep myself on alert, ready to pounce just in case some random attack occurs. We're in the open, and even though this place is mystical and made us go round and round, we're still unsafe. Who knows what could be lurking around here. There are other monsters that could kill a werewolf, and one of them is vampires. I haven't really seen a vampire in my entire existence, but my father did.
They have hidden themselves so well that they almost sound like a myth, but they are still real and dangerous. Werewolves and vampires do not get along. Something must have happened for us to be like this, apart from each other, never talking, never interacting.
When night comes, my feet are aching from standing up too long. The moon is full but its hue doesn't come close to blue. They are white, almost too bright for me to have a staring match with it. I take a seat beside him, still keeping myself alerted.
A few moments later, Ethan opens his eyes and his eyes turn blue. His aura becomes stronger, and it has become stronger that it's starting to overwhelm me. I keep myself grounded. Strong gush of wind bushes past us, the trees and its branches crisping as it gets whisked by the wind. My heart races as I watch my mate. He stands up, lifting his hands sideway while opening his hands. The white moon slowly turns into blue. The broken logo on the ground, which was full of dirt earlier, begins glowing, so does the mark on my mate's arm. As soon as he's done, he nearly stumbles. I immediately put my hands on my mate's waist, steadying him up. He smiles faintly at me before letting go of the breath I realize he's been holding.
At first, it's like a spark, then the logo glows brighter and brighter until we have to squeeze our eyes. I shield my eyes from the blinding light and hold my mate's hand. A few seconds later, the glow subsides, replaced by a flickering spark on the logo, then the spark begins circling the area in motion, rotating around. The ground shakes a little, the logo on the ground, which was broken, is now complete with no trace of it being broken when we arrived.
Then the ground shakes more, a bit rougher this time, and splits the logo, revealing stairs down to nothingness. Ethan and I look at each other, fear evident in his eyes more than ever. I lock my hand with his. I don't know how he did it, but the moon being blue at the moment is a proof that my mate is really different. I'm just some random Alpha that got somehow stuck with him.
Before, I was questioning the Goddess of why I was given a gift to know who my mate is at an early age, a gift I considered a curse in the first place. While I was growing up, I began loathing him even though he didn't choose this. He's not responsible as to why we're here. But I was angry at him. I hated the fact that I could never get what I wanted â a woman who I was going to share the rest of my life with. I wanted pups. It was absurd to think that the Goddess was just playing dolls, and we were the dolls. But now all I see is my life with Ethan Kennedy. A bright, happy life with him.
I wish I could take all the pain I caused him.
I wish I hadn't been so stupid. I can't believe that I actually considered rejecting him, and the only thing that was keeping me from doing that was because I didn't want him to get hurt or worst, die from being heartbroken. By that time, I was still considering myself a great soon-to-be Alpha. I'm ashamed.
Ethan tightens his hold on my hand and together, we descend the stairs. We take cautious steps as we go down the stairs. One gentle foot after another. As we descend, the less we hear whistle of the trees and the wind; the only thing we hear is our gentle breaths, the light tap of our foot on the concrete ground. I take a quick look at my mate. His eyes are still hard, and the determination is still drawn on his face. His lips are a little chapped, and his hands are starting to get sweaty. I don't need to use my secret power, if I do have that power, to know that my mate is scared. Really scared, and so am I.
Alpha blood runs in my veins, but that doesn't mean that I'm strong enough to protect him from any threat that may come at us. There's a reason why I haven't stepped up as the official Alpha of the pack. Because I need to learn more. Because I have to be strong enough to protect everyone, especially my mate.
When we reach the bottom, the torches begin to light themselves up automatically. We no longer see the entrance we just took to get here. The temple looks like a devil's dungeon. It's outright creepy. And it's cold. Growing vines took over the wall. There are a few cracks present, but it's not at the point where it will bring the whole place down if an earthquake happens. In the center, there's a huge table with ancient books that are worn down. They look like they would get dusted once you pick them up. They are surrounded by trees with round fruits that I can't recognize, and this must be the trees that Ethan was referring after the attack.
"This is the place?" I ask my mate, who is scanning the area with wide eyes.
He nods. "It is, but there's something missing."
"What is it?"
"I'm not sure." He sighs, defeated.
I take another look at the temple. I roam the area, tracing my fingers across the concrete arc that's placed beside the marbled table, which is a weird design. My eyes stay on the books. I grab one and scan through the pages. There are ancient writings on the pages, and I doubt that I would be able to understand them. This seems to be straight out of a sci-fi film. Yet as my eyes skim through the pages, it feels like I understand them, like it's connecting to me. Then my eyes move between the books and the arc. I take a long, hard look at the arc before a thought appears in my head.
"This is a portal." I tell Ethan. I'm sure it is. "It is a portal."
"Wait, are you sure? How'd you know?"
"I just... I'm not sure, but I am sure that this arc is a portal access." I skim through the book again, hoping to find a clue on how to activate it until I notice the crescent logo on the ground. I kneel down, taking a closer look, and notice there's a faint blood on it. "Ethan..."
"What?" My mate looks at me with a confused expression. "What is it?"
"Would you mind dropping a bit of blood here? On this mark?"
"You think that would activate the portal?"
"I hope so."
Ethan goes into his semi-werewolf form, his eyes turning blue. He uses his claw to prick his finger. A single teardrop of blood falls down and hits the crescent logo, and it begins glowing. There's a light ramble on the ground before a loud sound echo through the temple then it stops. The arc begins emitting a blue light.
My mate shares a look with me, and a smile tugs on his lips. He turns around and hugs me, wrapping his arms tight around my waist. The sudden hug knocks the air out of me, and I let out a chuckle before I wrap my arms around him. Ethan looks up with glistening eyes, and my breath hitches. I slowly lean down, capturing his lips with mine, and the connection brings instant euphoric feeling. Our lips lock while we are in a tight embrace. I kiss him with my being, pouring as much passion as possible, ignoring the fact that we might still be in a danger.
Ethan pulls back slowly, his breathing is ragged, and so is mine. He puts a hand on my cheek, pursing his lips, as he looks at me with so much love that my wolf basically lets his tongue and just admires Ethan.
"Thank you," he says to me.
"Hey, we're in this together," I tell him, giving him another hug before checking the blue portal. "Plus, you already did your part, you know. By turning the moon blue. That's awesome by the way."
"Yeah, it's cool. I'm not even sure how I did it."
"We'll figure it out." Taking a deep breath, Ethan interlocks his hand again with mine before gently pulling it. He takes another look at me. "Hey, it's going to be all right. Whatever we find there, it'll be worth it. I'm here for you, and I'll protect you no matter what."
"And I will protect you, too."
"All right,"
"All right."
Together, as we hold hands, we step through the portal. There's a moment of blip sounds, and the feeling is like I'm getting sucked into space before being dropped back down to earth. I open my eyes. I'm a bit dizzy from using that portal. My hand is still interlocked with my mate's, who is just as dizzy as me. For a moment he looks at me with confusion before letting out a chuckle. My mate gives me a peck on the lips. I shake my head, smiling. We look forward.
The place is even bigger than the last time. It looks like a new world. The walls are made of rock. There are arches around the area, similar to the ones we've gone through, though the portals are off except the one we got in through. There are hallways leading to God knows where. In the center is a big round table. Trees with different fruits surround the area. The dungeon is surprisingly bright.
Ethan begins to move forward, and I follow him. Just like the previous temple we were in, the place is pretty quiet. In fact, it's so quiet that I can hear the light tap of water droplets hitting the ground. There are thousands of books on the shelves pinned on the wall. Ethan traces the books across his fingertips until he grabs one. He opens it and skims through the pages before stopping at a particular page.
"Do you understand them? These scripts are ancient, and I can't understand any of them." I say to Ethan who is focused on the book. He nods his head. "What does it say?"
"Ancient werewolves. It's about the race of ancient werewolves." Ethan responds, flipping to another page. "Great Alpha. Guardian of the Werewolves. Demi-werewolves. The lightbringers. I'm a lightbringer. The ancient werewolves are a direct descendant of the Goddess."
"Does the book say about your role as a lightbringer?" He shakes his head.
"Cloud. The Great Alpha. Marcus, the Guardian of the Werewolves." Ethan mumbles, flipping another page. "Kieran, a demi-werewolf. Me, a lightbringer. That's four of us still being alive. That makes us a target. If these books get into the wrong hands, and those fruits, we're in big trouble. This place is supposed to be a paradise for us. It's supposed to be â"
Another portal opens. I quickly drag Ethan down. Ethan mouths to me: turn off your scent.
I mouth back: I can't.
He replies: Yes, you can. Just focus on your ability.
And I do. I shut my eyes momentarily, focusing on turning my scent off. When I open my eyes, Ethan sniffs the air and gives me a thumbs up and smiles. I smile back. But then we remember the state we are in. There's a low-whispered gruff voice, and it echoes through the temple. I watch my mate. There's fear in his eyes again. I grab his hand, giving it a light squeeze, nodding my head. I mouth: Follow me. I silently crawl through the portal we just went through. Then we hear the man says that they need to go back to get the book they accidentally left.
My heart pounds hard against my chest. These people sound so dangerous. Ethan keeps his lips closed, and so do I. I'm afraid that if we do one single sound, they'd come after us. When we hear the portal blips, we sigh in relief. We stand up.
"Intruders!"
Shit.
Ethan and I make eye-contact before bolting to the portal. I've never questioned my running skill until now, after all, I've been ranking first to every race our pack is conducting every time. In an instant, he's right in front of us. He kicks me hard on the chest, and I topple over. And since I'm holding Ethan's hand, he comes barreling after me. I groan when I hit the table. I flinch. That one hurt. I open my eyes and make eye contact with the man.
The man is a bit older, but he has a strong build. His eyes remind me of someone. In fact, everything of him reminds me of someone. His dirty blonde hair, his blue eyes, those thin lips, that strong nose. He looks like an exact replica of Ethan Kennedy.
"Ethan...?" The man says. Shit. This could be...
"Dad?" Ethan's voice is weak. I turn to look at my mate, and he's on the verge of crying. "Dad, is it really you?"
"Oh my God, Elena, come here!"
Ethan's dad runs after him, giving him a huge hug and they both cry. Soon enough, we are joined by who I assume is Ethan's mom. She also has a blonde hair, quite short, and despite her old age, she still looks beautiful. Elena gasps at the sight before breaking down.
"My baby!" Elena wraps her arms around her husband and Ethan. I stand there awkwardly. "Oh my God, I never thought I'd see you again. I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry, Ethan. Elliot, our son is here!"
"Mom," Ethan croaks, full-blown crying now. "Dad. You're alive. Both of you are alive. You must tell me everything. Everything."
"I'm so glad you're here," Elliot mumbles, his voice weak.
Ethan's eyes meet mine. I massage my chest where his dad kicked me. His dad kicked me real hard. Ethan pulls away from his parents' tight embrace. He rubs the tears away and takes a deep breath before breaking into a huge grin.
"Mom, Dad, I'd like you to meet my mate, Leon."
Both Elliot and Elena turn to look at me before they give me a bone-crushing hug. I awkwardly stand, having no idea of what to do. Ethan purses his lips, his eyes shining in happiness as he watches us.
Elliot turns to look at me. "I'm sorry for that kick."
"That's all right, sir. You thought we were a threat."
"I did, but as soon as I recognized my son, I..."
"It's all right, sir."
"Call me, Elliot, please. And this is my wife, Elena."
Before we start to celebrate the family reunion, a voice stops up.
"Finally." A group of hunters enter through the portal. "This is going to be fun."