Chapter 13

Luna of the tribe. [MOMENTS EARLIER] Five days had passed since the Alpha Convergence, one in which Wolf King Asher had told all the Alphas and Betas present that he would obtain his mate, the Luna of the Tribe, before the next meeting in less than three weeks. He sat within his cave as he thought of the next step, or how he would be able to achieve the goal he set for himself and the word he gave the Alphas. His black hair dropped, covering his sharp eyes and slightly pointed nose. His chin rested on his hand as he pondered on the matter. Asher didn't know what to do anymore. The matter was not so easily solved by his fist, claws or intimidation. Finding a mate was something beyond even his own power. For someone such as him, this was rare, unheard of even. But such was the reality of his circumstances. A mate, also known as the other half of a wolf is someone all adult werewolves possess. However, a Werewolf's mate is not one whom either can decide for themselves. The binding truth of the Werewolf which existed since ancient times is that a mate is one who is chosen by Destiny to complete the wolf. A mate is not someone one picks, it is one who has already been predestined for such a Werewolf. Parents would often tell children the tales of how they met their mates. A sudden feeling within the wolf within would surge forth, and the scent of such a mate would never leave the one searching for them. In other words, a Werewolf can not mate with another Werewolf who isn't his mate. Such a union would end in disaster and unfruitfulness. For a Werewolf to be recognized as a responsible member of the pack, they must either be engaged or have already married their mate. Usually, everyone discovers their mates as they reach adulthood and late bloomers even find theirs before reaching 21 years of age. Yet, here he was… 23 years and still, no sign of her. Normally, a wolf without a mate would never be allowed to wield any tangible position in the pack. In Asher's case, however, it was different, since he possessed immeasurable power which surpassed even the previous Wolf King. The Werewolf dogma did not apply to him, since a higher law dictated that only the strongest could lead the pack, and ultimately, the tribe. From the age of 21, Asher already became the Alpha of his pack, the Rockwood faction. His father voluntarily stepped down after realising the strength of his son. However, Asher was not only beyond his peers in power, but also in the mind. He possessed unparalleled qualities as a leader, as much as a warrior. His pack flourished and became highly prominent in the tribe, all due to his capabilities. Even the Wolf King at the time had no choice but to acknowledge him. Inevitably, the authority and power Asher possessed began to overshadow the King's, and this caused an imbalance within the tribe. In order to resolve this, there was only one option to undertake. The Alpha Battle A one on one duel between two Alphas who wish to challenge the other in order to determine who is superior. Of course, this Battle was even more significant since Asher faced the very King of all Wolves in the Region. After a devastating and destructive battle, only one emerged victorious… Asher himself. The previous Wolf King, Davos, abdicated the throne to him after realising the vast difference in their power, still remaining Royalty, though his authority was stripped from him and given to Asher. One so young, yet possessing the greatest strength in the entire community, such was the existence of the new Grand Alpha, Asher Rockwood. And now here was the same werewolf known to be invincible, bothered with the issue of marriage 'I need some air" He muttered to himself, leaving the cave where he sat and thought of his next step. As the Wolf King, he ruled the entire region from the peak of Zenith Hill. But that doesn't mean he lived there. The place was merely his throne and ground of authority. As he stood on the hill and gazed upon the grove of trees beneath him, he smiled. 'I control everything here, yet I can't manage to control this part of my life… How ironic, ``he said to himself. He climbed down the hill, and within moments he was at its foot. Placing his hands in his pockets, he walked down a random path to clear his head. After walking for some time, he wasn't sure how long, Asher still felt troubled and restless within himself. He thought walking would calm him down, but it didn't. He felt uncomfortable in his human skin and wanted to go wild. Realising that he needed to unwind, he halted for a moment and released his hands from the confines of his pocket. He glanced around him and used his ear to pick up sounds within the woods. No one was nearby. Usually, his kind could only fully transform in the night, only capable of partial turning during daytime. However, there were exceptions, he being one of them. After making sure there were no witnesses to his transformation and that he wasn't being watched by anyone, except by a group of woodpeckers who seemed to find him interesting, he decided. 'Well then, why not..?" He smiled to himself. His eyes suddenly glowed red as his face darkened and the entire body of the man slowly changed, turning into something… Not human. His clothes ripped as his body enlarged, muscles growing and his height towering. Fur rapidly grew all over him and his fingernails extended to become claws. Fangs appeared from his mouth which enlarged to take the shape of an animal's jaw. His ears grew, standing upward and his hind legs bent, with sharp nails emerging from his transformed feet, tearing through the sneakers he had on. His torn shirt, trousers and undergarments were scattered on the ground, as he also removed the already vandalised shoes from his legs, turned paws. 'Grrrrrrrrr" He made a growling sound. The Black beast stood among the trees, an appearance entirely different from the man who was once there. The beast stood on just his hind limbs, bending slightly. It's muscular structure and savage looks made it look all the more terrifying. The wolf stood, seven feet tall, with a huge body and deep black fur covering most parts of his body, leaving his feet, hands, chest and a portion of his face bare. The parts not covered with fur were dark grey, properly accentuating the black surrounding them. 'Ah… I feel so much better" His deep and dark voice let out. He stretched himself, getting a feel of his transformed body. After he was done with his light stretch, he prowled and ran through the woods, moving past the cluster of trees and the shrubs around. He didn't lay them any mind, only focused on freeing the pent up frustration which kept bothering him for so long. Suddenly, he stopped. He took a few steps back and became disoriented a bit, not knowing what to think or how to react. The reason for his strange behaviour was that he had caught something… a scent. 'This is…" He muttered to himself. The smell of tree barks, nuts and animal droppings all sifted through the air, all of which Asher recognized. But there was an addition, something he had never smelled before, and it captivated him, rendering him incapable of picking up anything else except for that one scent. He glanced toward the direction of the scent's origin, picking up his pace. He raced toward the aroma he couldn't resist. Like Lavender with strokes of Rosemary the scent made his nose twitch and his head pound in desperation to know the source. He felt himself getting closer and quickened his pace. The snow around him got thicker as he raced past them, not realising that he was already leaving the vast cluster of trees as he approached a cleared area. He halted and stared at the cottage in the cleared area. Made with timber and lacquer, it had a sense of beauty he had to appreciate. Within the house was the origin of the scent that drove him crazy. His claws grazed the tree beside him, drilling a gaping hole into it. 'I want it… I want it now" He growled.