Memories of the Blue Moon (Lunar of the Moon - Chronicles - Book One)
Chapter One: Many Passing Moons

Autor looked down at the forest from the highest tower of their castle. They have moved so many times, in so many years. Always a step behind the witch, and always a step ahead of the Alpha, who was trying to take over their pack.

Without an Alpha of their own, it would be very hard to not fall victim to his charms, or anything else he may throw at them. Autor may be the leader of her pack, but she’s not an Alpha.

And no amount of anything would ever change that.

“Autor.”

Autor turned to the whisper. Serene stood in the doorway, wringing her hands.

“What is it?” Autor asked as she watched the younger wolf.

“It’s Monty. He uh…”

“He’s what?” Autor asked.

She has had about enough of her brother’s antics. He has been nothing but a pain since Aly had left her in charge. Sometimes she wondered if he even cared, that their cousin is missing, and another Alpha wanted their pack.

“He ran away.”

“He what?!” Autor asked with a high-pitched squeal.

“He said that he had found something and was going to check it out. He said we could follow and gave me a place we could even stay. He said that there’s plenty of running space, and we can stay under the radar.”

“Let me see.” Autor said as she held out her hand.

Serene held the paper out to her leader.

Autor read it and grunted. He had gone to America.

Autor looked at the pack, her cousin had left her in charge of. There were a few new members, but most of the pack were those who had joined before Autor was even born. She had just told them the news of her brother’s disappearance, and now they’re making the decision to follow, or let her brother deal with his problems on his own.

“If he says he has found something, do you think he means Aly?” Autor’s mother asked as she watched the pack.

She may not be a werewolf, but she was still one of the pack.

“I’m not sure.” Autor admitted. “He has been so secretive lately, and leaving the compound in the middle of the night; when he thought I was asleep.” She shook her head. “Sometimes I feel like he’s trying to overshadow me and take the pack, and I don’t think he even cares that our Alpha is gone. I think he wants to…”

“Your brother has been searching for Alameda, ever since she went missing.”

Autor looked at her father. “What? Why didn’t he tell me?”

“Because he knew you needed to keep your mind on the pack. The pack is more important to your brother than anything else in the world. He knows that without the Alpha, that leaves us open for any kind of attack.” Her father said as he watched her.

“But…” She took a deep breath. “Why does he act like he wants to lead the pack?”

“To throw you off his scent.”

She placed her forehead into her hand. Her brother had purposely made her think that he was trying to overthrow her, when in reality, he was trying to fix things, by replaceing their Alpha.

“Oh, Dermont.” She mumbled.

“So, what now?” A tall muscular man asked as he stood up from the table.

Autor looked at him. Drake Erikson has been a part of the pack since Autor was five and Aly saved him from a hunter. He was one of the few werewolves of their pack, who had been bitten, rather than born to the curse. He also had a temper, the others tried to stay clear of. He has followed her lead for all these years, but she knows his true loyalty, lies with Aly, their Alpha.

“Monty says that we can follow him. That there’s a place close by, that we will be able to roam free. We just need to replace some land I guess…”

“With what money?” Drake asked as he looked around. “I don’t know about the rest of you, but I don’t have any.”

“We will figure it out.” Autor said with a huff.

“I can help.” Elaine Brantley said as she raised her hand.

Autor looked at her. She wasn’t a werewolf, but she wasn’t human either. She was a witch, a very powerful one. She’s the reason Autor’s human mother, has lived for as long as she has. Without the woman’s magic, her mother would have died of old age, hundreds of years ago.

“You?” Drake asked as he looked at the witch.

Autor tried not to roll her eyes. Drake has been leery of the pack’s witch since he had joined them. Autor shivered. She had to admit, the woman could be creepy at times. Especially on a Blood Moon.

“Yes, me. Do you have a problem?” Elaine asked as she looked at Drake.

“Not at all.” Drake said as he folded his arms over his chests.

“Good.” Elaine said with a bit of acid in her voice.

“What do you have for us?” Autor asked the witch, to try and pull the woman away from glaring at the biggest and tallest werewolf, of the pack.

Elaine turned to Autor. “I can cast a spell to help us with the land.”

“A spell, sure.” Drake grumbled.

Elaine glared at him. “How do you think we have gotten what we have, for the past eight hundred years?” She said, reminding him that she has been a part of the pack, much longer then he has.

Drake huffed as he turned away from her.

Autor has never figured out what his problem was with Elaine, whether it was because she was a witch, or because she has more persuasion in the pack. Either way, they hated each other and were always snapping. Luckily, Elaine stayed away during the full moon cycle, otherwise, Drake may do more than snap at her with his words.

“It’s settled then.” Her father said as he got to his feet. “We pack and head for America.”

“I haven’t made up my mind yet.” Autor said as she watched her pack start to stand.

Everyone looked at her as if to say, ‘what’s the holdup?’

“I agree we should go after Monty, but should the whole pack go? I mean, what if he’s running into a trap?”

Drake scratched his chin. “Then it would be best if we were all together, wouldn’t it? I mean, the pack is stronger when it’s whole…”

“It isn’t whole.” Autor said with a cry. “And it hasn’t been for three hundred years.”

“Autor.” Her father said as he came around the table and pulled her into his arms. “Drake is right, we would be safer if we stuck together. But the pack is yours, you make the final call.”

Autor sniffled. “It’s not mine, Daddy.”

Reinhard looked down at his daughter. She had been so young when Aly had disappeared and left Autor in charge. But she has shown strength and courage, in these long years, without their Alpha. She’s a good pack leader, and they would follow her anywhere she led them. Even to the pits of hell.

“Aly left the pack to you, Autor. She trusted you to keep her pack safe. And you have. This is your pack now.” He said as he held her close.

“When Aly comes back, it will be hers again.” Autor said with another sniffle.

“You will always be her beta. And the pack will always follow you.” Reinhard said as he pulled his daughter back from him, so he could look into her pretty face.

She sighed as she looked up at him. “Thanks.”

“Anything for my little girl.” He said with a smile.

“So, are we going or not?” Drake asked as he watched father and daughter.

Autor straightened her shoulders as she turned to her pack. “We’re going.”

It took them three days to pack, but they were ready to travel across the world. Not being able to take a plane, in fear of being discovered, meant they were walking. And a long walk they had ahead of them. They only stopped long enough to rest and sleep. They had built a wagon for Elaine and Autor’s mother Fara, to ride in, and the wolves took turns pulling it.

Of course, Werewolves, rarely got tired.

It was Autor’s turn to pull the cart and she lifted it effortlessly and dragged it across the road, as they made their way to the ocean. They were going to replace a ship willing to take them across the ocean and make their way to America, where her brother waited.

It took a lot longer to get to America then Autor had planned, but they finally stepped onto the shores of a beach.

“Look at that sun.” Serene said as she held her face up to the sky.

“Don’t dally, Serene.” Her mother Tessa said as she passed her pup.

“Okay, Mom.” Serene said as she turned to help her pack with their belongings.

“So, this is what civilization looks like.” Autor said as she looked along the beachfront, at all the houses.

They have always hidden themselves in mountains and thick forests. Never letting themselves live among people, just in case.

“What now?” Drake asked as he stood next to her on the beach.

“Now we follow this map and replace our way to Carson City.” Autor said as she held up a map.

Drake nodded. “We go that way.” He said as he pointed in the direction, they needed to travel.

She looked at the map, then nodded as she turned to the rest of her pack. “Are we ready?”

Everyone gave a nod and they started their travels, once again. It had been more than a month since they had started their journey, and everyone was tired of traveling.

“Do you think we’ll replace Monty?” Serene asked as she caught up to Autor.

Autor looked down at the girl and smiled. She has known for a long time, that Serene has had a crush on her brother. He couldn’t do any better than Serene, as a mate.

“He’s not hiding, so I believe so.” Autor said with a nod.

“I can’t wait to see him.” Serene said excitedly.

Autor nodded. Neither could she.