Filed to story: Tangled in Moonlight Unshifted Novel by Lenaleia
It’s a hot topic.
Vester nods, his face unreadable. “William, your response?”
A leaner wolf with a split lip steps forward, his shoulders drooped in shame. “I apologize, Luna. I don’t know what came over me. My friends can tell you, I only drank one beer. We’re all limited to one, you know.”
to
I nod, even though I didn’t know. “Go on.”
“It’s like I got drunk right off it. Like I’d been slamming shots all night. I don’t know what came over me. I can’t even really remember it clearly.”
Vester nods and moves to the next wolf.
One by one, their stories unfold, each eerily similar to the last. The words blur together, a chorus of confusion and regret.
“It came out of nowhere…”
“I felt drunk, but I’d barely had anything…”
“I was looking for a fight, and I don’t know why…”
“When I came to my senses, I couldn’t understand what I’d done…”
Vester’s voice cuts through my thoughts. “Luna Ava, how do you judge these actions?”
looking to for judgment.
Is it really that simple? No further investigation, no gathering of evidence beyond these testimonies, and boom, we’re done? It just seems unfair.
Why are our packs so basic compared to human law?
Selene’s voice fills my mind. The Alpha is the law in the pack. You know this. While some matters require deeper investigation, others can be handled swiftly. It depends on the Alpha’s discretion. It can be a boon or an injustice.
“Your actions have caused harm to our pack,” I begin, my voice steady despite my nerves. “We need to work together. To become stronger. To heal from the true enemy of our pack. And yet we brawl among ourselves. We speak poorly of our Alpha. We rage at the very people we should be fighting for. This cannot go unpunished.”
I pause, letting the weight of my words sink in. The accused wolves lower their heads, shame evident in their postures.
“However,” I continue, “I believe your testimonies. We are all exhausted. We’ve been pushed past our breaking points. We have lost friends. Family. We’re displaced.”
A few nods in the audience. Good. At least some of them are resonating with my words.
“Therefore, my judgment is this: You will work to repair the damage you’ve caused. Apologize to each other. And move on.”
A ripple of surprise moves through the crowd. Even if they’re not whispering, I’m sure the pack bonds are buzzing with the things they’re saying to each other.
“But let this serve as a warning,” I add, my tone hardening. “Watch your words carefully from now on. Question our Alpha again, and it will be the Alpha himself who passes judgment. And I assure you, he will not show the same mercy I have today.”
The accused wolves nod as one.
There’s a subtle shift in the room. Something in the energy, perhaps. In their gazes as they look at me.
They’re nodding. A few even have faint smiles. Even Vester’s stoic expression softens, though this was his plan and no surprise at all. Maybe he’s just relieved I got through it without fumbling.
Well done. You showed strength tempered with compassion in your first act as Luna. They will remember this.
Reaching down, I brush my fingers over Selene’s head in silent thanks for her words. Trying to speak like a confident judge is much harder than I thought it would be, and I never assumed it would be easy.
LISA
The pack only has a few cars now. Nothing like the SUVS they used at the Westwood Pack; these are older sedans and a couple trucks.
The Grand Sage sits in delight in the front, while Elverly crosses her arms and scowls out the window from her side of the backseat. Kellan seems minorly irritated I gave up shotgun to the Grand Sage, but maybe it’s just me projecting things.
Despite being pretty okay with giving me space, he’s also clingy. I know, I know, I’m contradicting myself. It’s just how things feel right now.
The gentle rumble of the car lulls me into a drowsy state as I gaze out the window. It’s almost hypnotic, the way the landscape rolls by.
“How does this automobile function without horses?” the Grand Sage asks for what feels like the hundredth time. His enthusiasm for technology is endearing, if a bit exhausting. for technology is endearing, if a bit exhausting.
Kellan, to his credit, answers patiently. “It’s an automobile, sir. And it runs on an internal combustion engine.”
I stifle a yawn, my eyelids growing heavy. The constant questions and explanations fade into background noise as I let my mind wander.
“Why do we keep passing these cities?” Elverly’s sour tone cuts through my haze. “Are none of them suitable?”
Kellan glances in the rearview mirror. “These aren’t cities, ma’am. They’re small towns. We’re avoiding anything too close to the safe haven to maintain our cover.”
The old gnome scoffs. “Humans and their excess. Calling these sprawling monstrosities ‘towns.”
I turn in my seat, meeting Elverly’s disapproving gaze. “Actually, these are pretty small compared to real cities. In big human cities, the buildings touch the sky.”
“Humans aren’t so capable.”
“They’re engineering marvels,” I explain, warming to the subject. “Some are over a hundred stories tall, with foundations that go deep into the earth.”
The Grand Sage turns in his seat to peer back at me, eyes sparkling. “Fascinating! And how do humans traverse these vertical metropolises?”
“Elevators,” I say, then catch myself. “Um, they’re like… vertical moving rooms? They carry people up and down.”
Elverly shakes her head. “Stairs work just fine.”
I shrug. “A hundred flights of stairs is a lot. There are elevators everywhere. You’d understand if you saw them. We have to build high because of the population of the cities; we’ve run out of space to house them. Millions of people can’t share one or two story houses in such a small area.”
“Millions?” Elverly’s voice is barely a whisper, her face pale. “In one city?”
It must sound overwhelming to someone who’s never experienced it. “Yeah, New York City has over eight million people.”
“Eight million souls, all in one place,” the Grand Sage muses. “The magical potential of such a gathering boggles the mind.”
Elverly sniffs. “It sounds like a nightmare. How do they not suffocate each other?”
I can’t help but laugh. “It’s not so bad. There are parks and open spaces. And the city has its own kind of magic, you know? The energy, the diversity, the constant motion…”
“You sound fond of it,” Kellan observes, his eyes meeting mine in the rearview mirror.
“Yeah, I guess I am. I mean, I always wanted it to be my home. To become a city girl like that.”
The Grand Sage nods sagely. “Home is where the heart finds peace, regardless of its surroundings. There are those who thrive in a busy atmosphere.”
“It’s not just the atmosphere. Convenience, too. Oh, and the food.”
“Food?”
“You could get anything you wanted, any time of day or night. Indian, Chinese, Italian, Ethiopian… And the best pizza in the world, if you go to New York.”
“Pizza?” the Grand Sage inquires.
“Oh man, you guys haven’t lived until you’ve had pizza.” I grin. “It’s like… a flat bread with tomato sauce and melted cheese and toppings. It sounds simple, but when it’s done right, it’s heavenly.”
Kellan chuckles. “You’re making me hungry.”
“Sorry,” I say, not feeling sorry at all. “But seriously, the food in the city is amazing. And then there’s the museums, the theaters, the music…”
I trail off, realizing I’m gushing. But the gnomes are listening intently. The Grand Sage, of course, is always interested in things humans do, but not Elverly.
“It sounds… vibrant,” Elverly admits grudgingly. “Though I still can’t fathom so many people in one place.”
The Grand Sage claps his hands together. “Marvelous! We must find a way to visit one of these human metropolises someday. Think of the technological wonders we could study!”
Kellan coughs. “That might be a bit complicated, sir. Many of them have been attacked.”
“Ah, yes. He strokes his beard with a sigh. “The world has changed. A pity”