Luna Grey (6 page)

Eric grumbled
as the engine started outside and roared off into the night. He
glared at the ceiling as Craig’s footsteps greeted him.

Perhaps his
brother had come to take out his frustration of not being able to
go out hunting on him.

The door
clicked open and Craig cautiously peered in. Satisfied to see Eric
on his bed, he waltzed in and sat on the chair at the desk.

“What do you
want?” Eric spat, wanting to be rid of his brother.

“Nothing, just
thought you should know that tomorrow night is forecasted to rain
but dad’s not cancelling the hunt, he says it’ll give them some
more fun as it’ll make tracking harder,” Craig stated as he rested
his feet on the desk and played with a pen.

Eric thought
over this, pleased at the knowledge. Luna may stand a chance of
getting away if they struggled to track her in the rain. But why
was Craig telling him? Did he feel obligated because Eric hadn’t
given away his absence? Or was it a strange brotherly loyalty?

“And perhaps,
if someone were to leave the door unlocked, you could find her
first and get her out of here. Perhaps come back to the cabin and
take one of the cars,” Craig leapt to his feet and strode to the
door.

Eric stared in
disbelief at his brother, trying to make sense of what he’d said.
Was he seriously offering to help him? Why? What was in it for
him?

“Are you
serious?” Eric mumbled as he sat up as Craig stood at the door.

Craig turned
and gave him a sincere smile. “You’re not the only one who doesn’t
agree with the traditions, but you’re the only one who’s been brave
enough to go against it.” With that said he exited the room, and
the lock clicked shut as Eric stared dumbly at the closed door.

Luna huddled on
her bed as she heard the basement door open and Craig came down the
stairs. He strode over and slid the chunky soup to her. Instead of
leaving briskly like usual, he eyed her carefully as he seemed to
consider talking to her.

“Eric has a
plan, but when they let you out, run as far as you can and hide in
the storm. Eric will find you with any luck, I know he must have
spent the days with you, so he’ll know your scent best,” Craig
chewed his cheek and turned away. He slowed as he reached the
bottom of the stairs but didn’t turn back.

“Good
luck.”

Eric waited
patiently as he heard his family downstairs as they excitedly
prepared for the hunt. The rain hammered down on the cabin, and
Eric watched as it dripped fervent trails down his window.
Lightning lit the sky occasionally, followed by a monstrous crack
overhead.

They’d inject
Luna with their serum and let her go for a two-hour head start
rather than three because of the rain, but they were keen to hunt
in these unique conditions.

He’d overheard
the voices downstairs, they were going to split up rather than hunt
in a pack, and if anyone found her, they were to alert the pack by
howling.

This comforted
Eric, he’d stand a better chance one on one if he came across
anyone out there.

He’d put all
his trust and faith in Craig now; it’s all he could do.

Luna whimpered
as Eric’s father swung the cell door open and his brother Trevor,
whom Eric had told her about, helped him restrain her on the
bed.

She struggled
and cried out as the needle pierced her neck, and she felt the
painful sting then burn of the serum. Tears welled in her eyes but
she wouldn’t give in to the terror, instead she turned her head and
snarled at her captors.

Eric’s father
scoffed and Trevor grinned.

“A feisty one,
she’ll be fun,” he growled as he ran a hand down her body.

Luna tried to
edge away from the touch, but her mind was now focused on how her
blood was heating up and her body was burning.

The two men
dragged her upstairs and outside, and threw her in a pile on the
muddy ground.

“Run bitch,
make it worthwhile,” Trevor snapped as Eric’s father had already
disappeared back into the house.

Luna lay in a
cool puddle, grateful for the cold droplets that pelted down on
her. Her gown, which Craig had returned to her after her escape
attempt, was plastered to her body, and her hair was sticking to
her face as she got to her knees.

She stared down
at the ground as her body began to shift forcefully, and she
gritted her teeth against the pain. A forced shift was rather
painful, and eventually she let out soft whimpers as her body
collapsed back to the wet earth and writhed. Her bones cracked and
morphed as fur sprouted from her skin, and her skull cracked and
moved as a muzzle protruded from her face.

Eric growled as
he heard his family laughing after tossing Luna out in the freezing
rain. He’d get to her soon enough, and he’d protect her no matter
what. But his blood boiled in hatred towards his family. He could
never forgive them for this.

Eric waited out
the two excruciating hours anxiously, but then he heard the
relieving sound of the alarm going off and the chaos that ensued as
his family injected themselves with the serum.

Yips and snarls
rose up form downstairs and he heard the wolves tumble through the
open door, fighting their way out as they took off into the wet,
freezing night.

He sighed as
the expected footsteps tromped up the stairs and his door clicked
open before Craig darted back down to join the hunt. He didn’t want
his family suspecting anything.

Eric waited a
few moments before darting downstairs, but he froze in the kitchen
where the injection gun for the serum sat on the table.

The serum not
only forced a change, which they were unable to be shifted from for
72 hours, but it also boosted their strength and speed. Something
he could use right now to save Luna.

He went over
the plan in his head and realised that he couldn’t use it, because
he needed to steal one of the cars. A bit hard to do with paws.

He grumbled at
the unfairness if he were to come up against anyone in his family
before he dashed out into the storm.

Eric’s
sensitive nosed twitched at the wet droplets that adorned it as he
searched the wet leaf litter for Luna’s scent. His red-brown fur
kept him rather warm despite the harsh winds whistling through the
pines which makde the tops dance harshly. Lightning cracked
overhead and the sky lit up with all its monstrous glory.

Eric trembled
as the winds changed direction and the freezing, wet air was blown
right into his already chilly nose and eyes. He shied away from it,
but not before catching the slightest familiar whiff.

He’d already
caught the scent of his family as he’d searched the surrounding
forest, but Luna had been harder to track.

The aromatic
fragrance that he’d caught the slightest whiff of made him change
direction. It was extremely faint, but it was Luna. Only he could
pick up this scent, as he’d grown used to her pleasing smell.

He trotted
along as the wind howled around him, deafening all other sounds
that may be trying to reach his ears. He had to stay ultra alert in
case he came upon a relative, he wanted to avoid any fights, and
this storm made detecting an attack extremely difficult.

He weaved
through the shuddering pines as they stood strong in the horrific
winds, and his nose worked overtime as he tried to stay on Luna’s
trail. The wind and rain made it difficult, and he struggled to
stay on track. He would lose the scent and have to circle around,
dragging in deep breaths to try to relocate it again.

His family
would be searching blindly, so he had the higher chance here.

The rain soaked
through his fur now, and the snarling winds, even though muffled
and slowed by the sheltering pines, still froze him to his core
despite his thick coat.

He shivered in
an attempt to warm himself as his ears flattened against the water
trying to creep in.

The going was
excruciating slow, and he was sure hours had passed since he’d left
the cabin as he battled his way through the storm. He sought refuge
in thickly grouped pines for a few moments as he regained himself
before pushing off once more.

He halted as a
dark mass towered before him, and he realised he was standing
before a cliff face of some of the mountainous terrain. His nose
caught the sweet aroma of Luna, although it was quickly lost on the
wind as he padded towards the rocky wall.

He searched the
large boulders and wall, almost missing the crevice tucked behind a
large rocky outcrop.

He eagerly
ducked inside, glad to be out of the storm.

Luna’s familiar
scent greeted him, and the unwelcoming snarling made his heart
soar.

He whimpered
and lowered his head, relaxing as Luna realised it was him. She lay
huddled against the back wall of the small cave, her body trembling
as the storm raged outside.

Eric shook
himself, sending droplets in all directions as he turned back
towards the entrance of the cave. It was well hidden, and he was
thankful Luna had miraculously found it. It was warm and safe, and
he would need a rest before he challenged the weather again.

Eric turned
back to Luna, who was watching him carefully. They would have to
get back to the cabin and steal a car. But he needed to catch
himself first. His nose was numb and cold, and his body was
shivering like mad from the cold.

Luna whimpered
and used her muzzle to beckon him closer, and Eric complied, eager
to borrow some of her warmth.

Eric curled up
in front of her and she rested her head on his neck. She tenderly
licked his ear and he closed his eyes, wanting to enjoy her warmth
and closeness. How he had wanted to lie beside her and hold her
close, to kiss her and make love to her. But she was stuck in wolf
form, and he had to get her to safety.

Eric didn’t
move at first when Luna began nuzzling his body, enjoying the
gentle touch from her.

But then she
shifted her body, prodding her nose into his lower stomach. He
opened his eyes as her muzzle worked its way lower, and he shivered
as she licked his private region.

He gave her a
confused look and Luna cocked her head and whined.

Eric just
stared as she licked again, causing his length to protrude from its
sheath.

She was pleased
with this and moved up to his face to tenderly lick him as she
whined.

Eric could
smell her desire now, and his body reacted to the lust.

Luna turned
away from him, showing him her rear and raising her tail to let him
know she would allow him to take her.

Eric no longer
felt the bite of the cold or the numbness of his nose as he stood
up and nuzzled her back legs.

He mounted her
and sighed as his front legs held her tightly below him. She lifted
her head to try to reach him, to lick his face and whine as he
thrust into her.

Eric’s animal
instincts took over now, and he rode her eagerly as her warm body
took him in. She made soft sound of pleasure and rocked back to
meet him with each thrust. He wanted to make her his, to stop
anyone else from claiming her. She belonged to no one else.

She pulsed
around his length, tightening as he reached his climax and thrust
deep inside her.

Her growled as
Luna took most of his weight as he enjoyed the momentary
ecstasy.

Luna made soft
sounds of joy, and as soon Eric dismounted she was nuzzling his
face and chest happily.

Eric shared
affections with her, and the two lay down to rest shortly. Eric put
his head over Luna protectively and wrapped his tail around her as
she huddled into his side.

Outside, the
storm raged on, but Eric took comfort in knowing he was warm and
safe with Luna by his side.

Eric awoke as
thunder cracked through the sky and lit up the cave. But it wasn’t
the storm that had interrupted his slumber. It was the shadow
standing within the entrance.

He snarled and
snapped as he leapt to his feet and stood over Luna
protectively.

His growls
softened though as the form shifted, and Craig inched closer. He
was naked and in man form now, and he crouched low to avoid hitting
his head.

“I caught your
scent Eric, and if could catch it, so can the others. We need to
leave now,” Craig spoke over the howling storm, and Eric growled at
his stupidity.

Of course his
family could track him, they knew his scent extremely well. He
shouldn’t have let himself fall asleep.

He wondered
briefly how Craig was in man form, but came to the assumption that
he mustn’t have injected himself with the serum in case this
happened. Which also meant only Luna had the additional strength
and heightened senses it provided.

“Let’s go,”
Craig beckoned them as he turned back to the entrance of the cave
and his body morphed once more.

Eric nudged
Luna reassuringly and she climbed to her feet, trusting him.

The trio took
off into the storm, and Eric prayed they didn’t run into anyone on
the way.

Craig slowed as
they reached the clearing near the cabin, and Eric nuzzled Luna
affectionately to reassure her. They’d miraculously avoided their
family as they made their way back. Craig had guided them, and Eric
was thankful for his help.

Craig growled
softly, and Eric eyes searched the darkness for what had disturbed
him. He spotted the form near the cars as lightning lit the sky up
with a monstrous crack.

One of Trevor’s
sons was guarding the vehicles.

Eric froze as
Craig snapped at him to keep the pair there before he launched
across the open area before them. Luna trembled beside Eric as they
stayed in the tree line, and he watched with a newfound respect for
his brother as a fight ensued.

The snarls and
snaps that rose from Craig and his cousin were sure to alert
someone, and Eric couldn’t let his brother fight this fight
alone.