Warriors of Blue moon

There’s a brisk chill in the air as winter is drawing to a close, me and twelve other young women and men sit around the training area looking at all the fighting equipment there was an array of training mats, boxing gloves and wooden swords of all sizes. At the age of eighteen you were allowed to train to be a pack warrior and today is our first day of training for The Blue moon pack.

Our pack was widely known to be strong both in number and strength and that was because we had opportunities like this... to train with the best and those who pass all of the tests in six months will become an official warrior that patrols and guards our pack village and city which is surrounded by the forest boarders, the deep forest is widely known for its unmerciful rogues that like to attempt to capture and kill pack wolves.

If we pass, we also have the chance to take on extensive training and move up to be Palace guards, which is an honorable and very respected position, they guard the Alpha and Luna, their daughter Florence and future Alpha Layton which was my best friend Dakota’s dream, mine was just to be a skilled warrior like my dad. I’ve been waiting for this moment ever since I was little when I first saw him in his armor ready to go out on patrol, I remember the light glistening across his long silver sword as he slid it into his sheath held at his side.

He looked so strong, intimidating and... brave! I looked at him in so much awe that night as he picked me up and let me see and feel his armor, he told me all about warriors and their responsibility to keep the Alpha family and the community safe. “We are their protectors, we become warriors to keep everyone safe all day and night, there are many of us and we love the Blue moon pack THAT MUCH we want to keep everyone safe” he told me with such pride.

“I want to be a warrior” I squealed wide eyed as I bopped excitedly in his arms which earned a warm chuckle from father ”oh my sweetheart, you can be when your eighteen and I’ll bet you’ll make a fierce warrior”… he eskimo kissed my nose to make me giggle before handing me to mother as he left for his nightly shift.

My brother Sam was two years older than me, and he wanted to be a warrior just as much as I did. The joy that shone on my father’s face when he took me to watch Sam’s first day at training was so moving to me that it stirred me with eagerness to have him look at me just the same.

He had taken me at least once a week to watch Sam train, so I knew a lot of what to expect, but even with that and the fact that my dad had been doing light training with me twice a week since I turned sixteen which gave me a little head start but I was still nervous.

I looked beside me and gave Dakota a little smile, she was one of three of my best friends, but she was also the only one out of our group that wanted to be a warrior and it gave me courage having her here with me, knowing we were both nervous together as we clutched each other’s hands tightly in support.

My eyes moved up to my dad and Sam who were both standing at the back of the benches smiling from ear to ear giving me a thumbs up and as I smiled it quickly faltered… damn.... I looked next to Sam to see Layton had come with them and was smiling at me “You’ll be great” he mouthed from afar and I plastered on a smile of pretense to mask the fact that his presence had just made me feel even more nervous.

Layton was the Alpha Nicholas’s twenty year old son but also best friends with my brother…yes that’s right… They had been best friends, like partners in crime pretty much through their whole childhood and it didn’t take long for him to become my friend as I became close with his younger sister Florence.

The amount of hide and seek we’d all played, pretend battles or nighttime stakeouts in our tree house. We’d been to the Palace a few times when we’d all been invited over for dinner, But Alpha Nicholas and Luna Mila would always say they preferred Layton spending time at our house as it was more homely and humble compared to the Palace but they would always take Sam away to their holiday lodge twice a year and always come home with gifts for us all.

But for the last two maybe three years I had foolishly developed such a huge crush on Layton. I used to be able to treat him like a brother, a best friend but somehow out of nowhere that changed and now I feel butterflies every time he’s near and especially when he’s looking at me the way he is now, casually leaning against the flagpole smiling charmingly at me and giving me a wink! ahh DAMN YOU LAYTON... NO BUTTERFLIES TODAY PLEASE!!!

I was taken out of my distraction by a booming voice walking onto the training mats… “GOOD MORNING TRAINEES”.

It was Gabel our training instructor and head guard of the Palace, he was my dad’s age, and a close friend of his, but he was still strong, fit and able and had been teaching trainees for years.

We all smiled and clapped as he took his stance on the mats looking at us all sternly ”Today is the first day of the most important and selfless responsibility you have all decided to take.... so let me begin by saying how proud I am at each and every one of you for choosing to be here today”.... he slowly started walking past our benches making eye contact with us individually as if he was trying to gauge our confidence and self-control..

.

“Today we will begin your first level of training... there are three levels altogether... You have until the end of level one of training to hand in your trainee badge if you decide this Isn’t for you” He looked at us all with a pause… “Now...every training session will be 8.00am sharp three mornings a week. You will attend every session and the only excuses of absence I’ll accept is Your dying or a family member is!!! I want dedication and 100% effort in every session... IS THAT UNDERSTOOD??”

“YES CAPTAIN” we all called out in reply.

“Right, everyone into pairs and take a place on the mats facing each other, today we will go over the basics of self-defense”.

Me and Dakota got up and took our places together and waited for Gable’s instructions...and my heart was pumping, and the nerves were gone... I was so happy to finally be here, to train and be just like the feared and respected warriors, this is what we were all about, it is what we are known for, and I wanted a piece of that achievement.

Little did I know that the skills I was about to acquire would serve me sooner and in ways than I could have ever expected.

We all sat back on the benches after our first training session, our bodies were pumping with adrenaline and sweat covered our skin. Attempting to dry my face with my towel with Dakota sitting next to me downing her water before she was able to speak “Hey girl you wanna grab some food after this, we’ll tell the girls to meet us at Maz’s”.

" Yea sure, I want to have a quick shower though, I feel disgusting”. I replied with a tired grin.

“Oh, yea me too… we’ll meet in an hour...I’ll let the girls know”.

We got up and made our way home... As soon as I opened the door, I could already hear my dad telling my mum all about my first day " You should have seen her, love… She was so fast, every defense moves, she nailed it!” he said excitedly

My mum’s smile was stretching from ear to ear as I made my way into the kitchen “Ohh there’s our little warrior”…she said beaming.” Do you want me to make you some lunch and a cuppa?”

“Ah no mum, its ok I’m having a shower and meeting the girls”

“well ok then...but I want you to be home tonight then to have dinner with us, I want to hear all about your first day”

“Sure mum” I smiled “I’ll be knackered later anyway so Dinner and then bed would be great”.

I got out of the shower and quickly dried my hair wearing it half up half down letting my natural waves fall down my back, I got dressed and headed to Maz’s.

It was still chilly in the air, the feel of winter drawing to an end, although it was cold, I loved the amount of small robins it bought to our town and at certain points in the day you could hear them all singing and chirping away...to me it was a beautiful, therapeutic sound, making my walk to the cafe enjoyable... until a loud shrill voice interrupted my peace.

“WELL LOOK WHO IT IS!”

I looked around to see Zara walking out of a shop with her little posse... I don’t know what this bitch’s problem was but for some reason about a year ago she decided she hated me even though we had never hung out since we were kids or really knew each other.... we’d been to the same school and shared some classes, and we were the same age, but we had completely different sets of friends and never really crossed each other’s paths. It started with just nasty looks, then when to sly comments as I’d walk by… but now it’s just turned into outright confrontation every time she caught sight of me, but I ignored her and carried on walking...

But she caught up to me and sneered “Wow, for a warrior, you sure are quick to walk away” she shouted with a chuckled sneer

I looked back at her with a smile “and for a class A bitch you sure do have lousy insults” I rolled my eyes as I carried on walking

“Did you just call me a bitch?” she looked at her friends and repeated herself as if for confirmation “Did she really just call me a bitch… who the hell does this woMAN think she is”...she exaggerated the MAN part most likely in reference to the fact that I’m a woman training to be a warrior as if it were a manly thing to do, even though tons of women in every pack trained as warriors..

I stopped and turned around and casually walked toward her “Are you taking the piss Zara out of every woman warrior that’s out there? hmm?”

She just stood there with her nose scrunched up as if looking down her nose at me… So, I decided to test her arrogance “If you think Women warriors are men then how about I grab a few of them and you can insult them to their faces”.

I got closer so my face was only a few inches away from hers. ”Don’t you DARE go thinking your better than a woman warrior Zara… EVER”!

I kept my face close to hers for a few more seconds daring her to say something but of course I was right she was a coward and she had nothing good to say back to me...and showing her stupid little friends that she was pathetic. I moved back, looked at them all and smirked, then walked away toward Maz’s.

That was just one of many encounters I’ve had with that girl, I have at least two or three a week...she doesn’t scare me... never has not even in the slightest, she just pisses me off with her stuck up bad attitude. Her parents are good for money, and they have a large family that are quite spread out throughout the town and in other packs. I’ve met most of them and they all seem snobby.

I’ve rarely came across anyone in relation to her that have been humble and easy going. But Zara takes after her parents’ snobbery! with her short straight cut blonde hair that’s as rigid and boring as her personality she’s quite skinny but pretty with dainty features, it’s just a shame she doesn’t drop the attitude and smile more it would definitely show that she’s actually prettier than she first appears to be, that scowl of hers only deflects to her nasty side.

I got to Maz’s and saw my friends already at the table and Dakota was already telling Maisie and Lola all about our first training session, their eyes wide and ears pinned happily listening to every detail... I grabbed a hot chocolate and joined them.

Lola “ah here’s our other new warrior” she said smiling

Maisie “girls I’m so proud of you both your gonna smash it .and It’ll be nice to know when we’re all tucked up in our beds, we have two of our finest girls patrolling the boarders”.

Dakota “Uhh, well we still have six months to go girls before we even know if we’ve passed and get to be official warriors”

Maisie “well I already know you girls will kick ass and pass”

Lola “oh and just think when you do pass...you’ll get to use the training camp with all those hot sexy sweaty male warriors" she said her eyes rolling and fanning her face with her hand and we all laughed at her typically turning the conversation to discussing men… well hot men!

Lelanna “yea I suppose that would be a nice perk” I smirked back with a wink making us all chuckle.

Dakota " well I wouldn’t say no if a handsome warrior wanted to show me the ropes… or take me out on a date...ohh how I hope I marry a sexy warrior” she was literally swooning at her imaginary warrior husband.

Lola ”hmm I think I’ll need to start making excuses to come and watch you in the camp” she laughed “and maybe accidently walking into the males shower room”

Maisie “Ewww Lola, you’re such a perv” she said laughing and raising her eyebrow

Lola “I can’t help it, they’re so rugged and sexy”

Dakota “oh damn right I love seeing them on patrol in their armor. I swear it makes all women weak at the knees”.

“Ohh yeaaa” we all chimed in at once leaving us in fits of laughter.

Lelanna " Soo anyway Maisie how’s Jackson?”...Jackson was Maisie’s long term boyfriend, they’d been together now for two years, although they hadn’t had the “were mates” moment where two werewolves find their ‘Mate’ their ‘one and only’ ‘their destined one’ whatever you want to call it, some werewolves found their destined mate and some didn’t so couples were either destined mates or chosen mates, and to be honest I think I preferred the chosen way it meant that you decided that person was for you.. not a decision made for you.

It was harder in our time to find your ‘mate’ as packs aren’t what they used to be...there used to be a lot less separated packs. Although most Alphas stand together and act as allies against a threat, there are so many different packs around the world and some are relatively small but there are others like ours that had become very large by number and land by perhaps two or three thousand on an average per pack, so just imagine trying to go to every pack around the world and walking up to each werewolf to see if they’re your ‘mate’…. luckily, when you have your chosen mate and you have your mating ceremony to seal the mating bond nothing can break it, if one of them happened to come across their ‘destined mate’ it wouldn’t matter they might feel a twinge and recognize what that person was supposed to be, but it wouldn’t break the chosen mate bond not unless one of the chosen mates had decided to break it themselves by kissing or sleeping with another.

Once the bond breaks It would be felt by the innocent mate and from what I’ve heard it can be a pretty painful experience, not just emotionally but physically too.

My parents were chosen mates and even after four children and all the years they’ve been together, they still smooch and dance, flirt and go on dates together they adore each other, and I know without a doubt they always would. So as Maisie and Jackson have now been together for two years were all waiting for the day that she tells us they’ve decided to become ‘chosen mates’...in fact I think she’s hoping for that day to come too, she’s clearly madly in love with him and he’s always seemed smitten with her too.

Maisie “yea he’s great, actually he said tonight he’s making us cocktails and dinner”

Dakota “ahh I wonder if tonight’s the night”

Maisie “night for what” she asked puzzled

Dakota " Uhh popping the ‘CM’ question”

Maisie “Uhh guysss come on! it’s not going to happen.... not yet”

Lola ”well why not? you clearly love each other”

Maisie “because It’s a huge decision and.... well… we just need to be sure”

Lelanna “you know what Maise, your right it is huge and, I guess you’ll know when you know”

Maisie “yea we just want to enjoy what we have now, it’s amazing and we don’t need to change it right now, we’re both happy as we are”

We all listened and nodded in agreement, I mean none of us really had much experience any past boyfriends I had never lasted more than a month or two...in fact my last boyfriend was over a year ago before I finished school. All my school time boyfriends were over within a flash… Dakota had only one serious boyfriend that lasted a year and she gave him her virginity after making him wait six months she thought he really loved her, actually we all did he seemed to be really taken with her but it turned out he spent the last seven months cheating on her with his ex, so she had sworn off relationships since then and that was nearly two years ago.

Lola...well Lola has slept with...well with quite a few guys now… I mean we couldn’t blame her most guys our age were a waste of time and only wanted sex anyway and Lola didn’t want a relationship with anyone that she didn’t feel was worth it or that made her feel that special...spark!

I was already exhausted what with training and spending two hours laughing and chatting with the girls but when we left the cafe, I decided to pop to the art store for new paints, there was a very scenic woodland area next to our town lake and at sunrise it was gorgeous this time of year and for some time I had wanted to do a watercolor painting of it. If I wanted to encourage my arty side, then I needed to start taking it seriously in hopes that I could sell them on and start earning extra money... I already worked part time at a local art gallery, just keeping it tidy, welcoming visitors, giving them refreshments and being all chirpy, keeping them happy...you know encourage them to buy a painting. It was usually quiet, but I loved it there, I loved being able to see the new paintings we got in and keeping the gallery looking clean and smelling posh.

By the time I got home mum’s cooking was already wafting throughout the house as I walked through the door...mmm homemade lamb pie… mmm! I hungrily groaned to myself

Mum ”Lanny, honey is that you?" she called from the dining room

Lelanna “yes mum I’m home”

Mum ”oh good timing I’m just dishing up come and sit down”

I walked into the dining room to see all my family talking happily faces as they looked up at me from their seats with big smiles on their faces and of course there was Layton sitting next to Sam!

Deep breath, get rid of the butterflies!!

The only seat left was opposite Layton, I sat down as my mum pleaded with me to finally tell her all about my training, although she’d already heard dad’s version, she was still excited to hear it from me.

Sam “Lanny your defenses were awesome” he raised his hand over the table to high five me which I responded to

Dad “Yep as I said, she was quick, quick responding and quick on her feet, just like our Samuel” he looked to us both smiling

Mum “Ohh honey" she said putting her hands to her face, beaming ” I’m so proud, you must have been so nervous but look your already off to a great start”

Daisy and Lilly “Go Lanny, Go Lanny” they both cheered with little giggles.

Layton “she was incredible” he said looking at me intently... I mean his eyes boring into me and it unnerved me so I just smiled and thanked them all trying to turn his gaze away from me. ”I also noticed how happy that dude was when you all had to swap partners and he got to spar with you...I swear I saw him drooling so much some of it landed on the floor” he said with a smirk

Mum “what!! there’s a guy?” she chimed with an excited gasp

I rolled my eyes in annoyance and looked at my food “No mum there’s no guy, I was only paired with him for like the last fifteen minutes”

Dad “well drooling or not she kicked his ass” he said with a chuckle.

Meanwhile Layton was still staring at me with a cheeky grin, it was weird!

Mum “well there nothing wrong with a little crush he may have taken a liken to you Lanny”

’Nothing wrong with a crush? I laughed in my head “well, it doesn’t matter, I’m there for training and training only, I’m not going to date someone who’s ass I have to kick” I said with a little laugh, which got my family laughing too and would hopefully deter my mum from asking any more boy questions.

Layton just smirked while eventually moving his eyes from me to his food… Luckily after that the conversation turned onto what the rest of my family had done that day including my little sisters upcoming ballet recital, which I couldn’t wait to see, I always loved watching them practice at home in their little leotards and tutu’s at six years old they both looked so cute but took it so seriously and I must say they were beautiful dancers.

After dinner I headed up to my room and spent the rest of the evening listening to music while getting into my bed shorts and top, sorting through my clean laundry making sure to get my work uniform ready for tomorrow, when I was done, I climbed into bed putting on a comedy film on my television to help unwind... I was just settling when there was a knock on my bedroom door

“come in” I called but I was surprised to see Layton opening my door and walking in. He’d been in my bedroom a lot when we were kids and we all used to play hide and seek or other kiddish games but that was years ago when we were innocent and our only concerns were who was going to sneak into the kitchen and steal loads of snacks for us all to eat so of course to me it felt weird now, seeing him slowly walking over to me as I was still led under my blanket, then I noticed the cup he had in his hand.

“Your mum made you an herbal tea, so I said I’d bring it up for you” he said putting it on my nightstand, then looking to my tv.

“What you watching?”

Lelanna “Oh just an old film, but It’s funny and it’s a favorite to be honest I’ll probably be out like a light after that” I said nodding to the tea.

He smiled then looked at me “Ok… well Goodnight then... Lanna”

His eyes staring into mine, then his eyes moved down to the floor as if he was thinking and I wished I could read his mind. I sat up resting against the headboard... I know this look it was his ‘I have something on my mind look’ and he always seemed to want to share whatever he was thinking with me...especially since he had confided in me once about six years ago I was in the kitchen when I looked out the window into our back garden to see Layton climbing up to our treehouse but Sam was out with his then - bit of stuff he was sleeping with.

Wondering why he was alone I went out to see him and when I got up inside the tree house, I saw him sat with his knees tucked under his chin and clear streak marks from tears on his face. He must have only been fourteen years old at the time and I was twelve. I scuffled over to him and sat by his side.

I put my hand on his back and rubbed it slowly asking him what was wrong... turned out his sister Florence who was also twelve like me, was seriously ill and the doctor had said her chance of survival was very low and she may have only a few days left. Layton and his parents were in pieces, he said he was scared and needed to get away and didn’t know where else to go so he ran here.

I took his hand and held it, telling him next time to come and see me if he needed someone to talk to. I mean I was only a kid at the time and although I meant it when I said it, I didn’t think it would actually stick as we got older.

A few months later his sister recovered and although she suffers a low immune system and health problems since then, she still lives a relatively normal and happy life but he’s always still come to me when he’s had things on his mind and although I never used to mind, since I’ve started to have feelings for him and seeing him snog literally every girl that blinks at him, it bothers me so I started to distance myself from him when I could but I can’t just not be his friend when that’s what we’d always been, I mean it’s not his fault I stupidly decided to develop feelings for him after all he must look at me like another little sister or friend not ‘oh I want to rip your clothes off, do naughty things with you all night long whilst also cherishing you and only you for the rest of my life’ you know… basically the way I look at him.

I patted the bottom of my bed for him to sit down and put on my ‘talk to me I’m your friend’ smile.

“what’s going on in that head of yours hmm”... I asked concerningly.

He took a deep sigh “I don’t know, I just”...he looked at me then looked down at his hands… “There’s this girl”

Oh, fuck shoot me now! fuck I had to get into this conversation didn’t I! I took a quiet deep breath before trying to carry this topic on telling myself it’s just tough shit… you’re his friend so act like one. ”Ok, and why is this girl on your mind”?

He chuckled slightly and rubbed the back of his neck “honestly, she has been for a long time now, but I don’t know how to get her attention... like how to get her to know I like her”

I scoffed “What you? You’re popular, all the girls throw themselves at you and you’re worried you don’t have her attention?... I’m sure you already do!”

“well no, actually she’s never thrown herself at me, she’s...different, very different, she doesn’t act like those girls. She’s composed and respects herself, but she’s so funny and sweet and I.... just can’t stop thinking about her”

Oh, heavens open the floor and swallow me up right now! I just want him to go so I can lie under my quilt and sulk about how he’s practically in love with someone so ‘special’ ...but friends first, I guess! “well...if she means something to you then just ask her out, but just be gentlemanly about it, you know, ask her politely and show her that you respect her, and you do view her as someone special other than your ‘usual girls’’

He looked at me with those intense eyes again and it made me my stomach knot.

“I’m just worried she’ll say no, and I’ll make such a tit of myself, and once I ask her it changes everything, and I can’t take it back”

“look”. I got to the point of feeling over frustrated now and I wanted to get this conversation over with even If I was giving him advice I didn’t actually want to give. “if she’s as nice as you say then even if she doesn’t feel that way about you, I’m sure she’ll be nice enough to not let it change things...but if you’re worried why not just come up with ways to spend more time with her, but just not alone so it’s not like a date its more of a social situation and its less pressure on you that way, you can use it as a way to be around her and talk to her, treat her like a friend then if you feel like she’s into you...ask her out”.

“Hmm, Lanna that’s...actually a wicked idea I’ll do that”...he said with a smile and getting up from my bed… “thanks Lanna, you always know what to say”

“that’s ok, anytime” I was practically gritting my teeth.... kill me now!

He turned and started to walk out my bedroom door before turning back round to look at me “oh you free tomorrow for rugby… if I get a team together?”

“oh yea sure, I’m game but I’m not free till after 1pm after I’ve done my shift at the gallery”.

“perfect, ill arrange it for 2pm then and you can be on my team” he beamed a smile and I smiled back although my heart was pounding like it had been drop kicked.

“goodnight” he said with a wink before closing my door, I didn’t bother with my tea I just wanted to snuggle under my duvet and curse myself for having feelings for him FOR FUCK SAKE I huffed to myself. I managed to fall asleep quite quickly, luckily, I was still tired enough and my body needed the rest.