magic shop

CHAPTER 1

Celene

It was a very cold autumn. The thick mist that fell over the Emerald City turned its streets into a maze that was too difficult to navigate through even for witches gifted with special powers and abilities. And each time Celene had to leave the castle to fetch something from the town’s market, it wouldn’t go without frowning and mumbling under her nose, a series of curse words leaving her plump lips. Because why would she have to leave the castle when there were peasants that could do exactly as she commanded them? But no, according to the Mother of the Crescent coven, the old crone that grew weaker and weaker by each following day, yet was still deeply respected by other witches and warlocks, it was too dangerous to let out a mere human since their lives were priceless and the coven couldn’t risk losing another soul. The misty maze outside brought a perfect opportunity to rob and kill those who were not strong enough to defend themselves. Most of those who did such disgraceful things belonged to the Rebels, a group that rose from the darkest parts of the Emerald City only about a year ago.

And not even witches, nor vampires could do anything to prevent the attacks.

Not when the already fragile state of politics was slowly crumbling into bits and pieces. However, politics wasn’t quite the topic the witch was interested in. Of course, the inner state of the Crescent coven she was about to inherit was dear to her heart, and Celene wasn’t blind nor deaf to the requests of her fellow witches and warlocks. These were as well so concerned and scared of what was about to come next as the Children of Night were vague and very dangerous species. And although the Crescent coven was one of the strongest covens in the history of witchcraft, although they were promised the protection of the vampire King and his closest ones that formed the Council of Elders and his small private army, not even witches and warlocks were stupid enough to count on not being betrayed by the vampire community. At least those thoughts flickered through her mind as she looked out of the window, internally cursing the weirdest autumn weather that cloaked the Emerald City in its misty gown.

“You know that as a Clairvoyant, you are basically unable to change anything about the weather. Try asking one of our brothers that are gifted with the power of elements, maybe they would be able to do something about it,” a soft voice came to her senses as her eyes peeled from the window and she turned to face her younger sister. Morgan stood in the doorframe with a lantern in her hands, half of her face covered in shadows from the light. She was supposed to run some errands for the Mother, but it seemed like the girl came back from the city sooner than expected. She always sought the company of her older sister, the heiress of the Crescent coven. The sisters were supposed to work together one day, the next Mother and her Shadow. That was the reason why Morgan, from an early age, was taught to run errands and learn difficult spells she, in the end, didn’t have a slight problem with. Because while Celene was a Clairvoyant, Morgan was a Snatcher, a witch able to steal and mirror the powers of enemies. It made her a perfect second in command.

“Did you come only to get on my nerves, Morgan? What is it that you seek?” Celene folded her arms over her chest and gave her younger sister a sharp look with a warning sign, but that was all. The older heiress was in no mood for petty games and teasing around because she felt the air in the castle tensing with upcoming news most of them might not like. Also, this morning, she woke up from an uncertain dream showing her bits and pieces of the near future that was lurking around the corner, and judging by the details she could see, she was in no mood to play around nor to be led on. And while Morgan might have seemed to be innocent, even her soul was corrupted by the very basis of the Crescent coven’s core and the way it obtained and held power.

“Mother has requested to see you in the main room. She has been a little bit restless due to the latest attacks of the Rebels, but I don’t think that is the reason she wishes to speak to you, sister. A word came from the vampire King, the man is about to visit our residence. I believe Mother is worried and wants you to be by her side when he comes. At least that is what I managed to catch when I overheard Mother talking to her subjects after I left the room,” Morgan’s words once again managed to catch Celene off guard, the news of the vampire King visiting the Crescent castle derailing her quite unexpectedly. Yes, the disturbance of power within the vampire society was nothing new to witches, but direct contact between the King of the Children of Night and the Mother of one of the most powerful covens in history was something that might have led to an event even more complex than such a simple misunderstanding. Other supernatural fellows, shifters, could see it as an assembly without honest intentions.

But then again, only a handful of shifters lived in the Emerald City, most of them rogue without a pack. And who was Celene to care for a bunch of stinky dogs? No, she didn’t really.

“I will be right with her. Is your company requested as well? Because as my future second in command, I’d like you to stand by my side, sister. You need to learn about this world as well,” Celene’s words were accompanied by her straightening her posture and a dark smile flashing through her features. She was born into the role of a leader, and she was surely about to make it worth, to the tiniest detail possible. However, not even the strongest leader in the history of witches and warlocks was able to survive on her or his own without someone they could lean on, someone they could trust when the world turned into a dark and cold place, without an apparent way out. Morgan was important for Celene as much as Celene was important for Morgan as the future leader.

“There were no words about my attendance but if you find it fitting for me to stand by your side, I would gladly accompany you to meet our Mother. Surely, there are a lot of things I need to learn about my post in the coven and what other way than to witness it with my own eyes would prepare me better for it?” the strength of Morgan’s words caught Celene completely off guard as her younger sister was usually the quiet one, only observing her surroundings with thoughts kept only to herself. During the coven meetings, she was barely talking, her eyes were usually pinned to the ground. Most of the other members of the Crescent coven used to think she was completely useless when she never spoke for herself. But Celene knew better. Even though her sister was the quiet one, the fire was burning bright inside of her. And one day, she would make a perfect second in command.

“Of course, I do. Then, shall we go?” Celene asked and Morgan’s only answer was a tiny nod of her head. The girl turned on her heel and led the way down the hallway with the sounds of a squeaky wooden floor accompanying them altogether. The main room was located on the lower floor of the castle and it reminded more of a bigger version of the library and office mixed together. The Mother loved to spend her time in the main room which was quite the right contrary to Celene who preferred to stay in the small library on the second floor. Despite the place being a little bit smaller, it was full of books and grimoires that helped her develop her abilities as a Clairvoyant.

The two young women soon descended to the ground floor, navigating through the maze of rooms and hallways to their final destination. But it was then when the door to the main room appeared in front of them, Celene caught the faint scent of something wicked lingering in the air. It was only a soft trace left behind by someone who was power-hungry and able to do anything only to achieve their goal. And the closer she got to the door, the surer she was about who the person was. What kind of creature it was. She turned to her sister and with a silent warning in her eyes, she pressed her index finger against her own lips, wordlessly advising her to keep her mouth shut. Once again, Morgan only nodded and came closer to her sister, taking a place by her right side when Celene opened the door and revealed two figures currently occupying the room.

The Mother of the Crescent coven was sitting in a big leather chair that reminded more of a throne while a man, clothed in a long velvet coat that reached the heels of his boots stood with his back facing them. However, once they waltzed into the room with Morgan closing the door behind them, the man turned and revealed himself with a sly smirk flashing through his features. He was no one else but the King of Children of Night and an honorable founder of the Aristocracy, Kim Jaejoong. The aura lingering around him was dark and stinky, and Celene wanted nothing else but to run away. However, as the next in line for the coven’s throne, she couldn’t afford to make such a craven step. And although she felt the blood in her veins turning into a chilly stream, she managed to bow down, eyes pinned to the floor as it was expected from her not to look into his eyes until he allowed her to.

“Welcome, my dearest fellow witches. I see you brought your next in line, Celene. Precautious as always, but what else should I expect from the most prosperous coven in this land? Come, sit down with us, so I can lay out my plan,” the vampire King invited them to sit as if the whole place belonged to him. Celene didn’t miss the small scoff that flashed through the Mother’s features; however, it was quickly gone. The old witch didn’t want the King to be set by the ears. No one wanted to, not when his powers were growing day by day. The man was unpredictable together with his army of loyal followers.

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Your Majesty. I’ve only heard tales about you,” Celene bowed again and took a seat in one of the chairs facing the massive table. Morgan, silently following the protocol, took a place behind her sister, not sitting down since it wasn’t really expected of her. She had to be on the highest alert in case something would go down the way no one really wanted to. But just in case, the Snatcher was ready to fight for her sister and their coven. The Mother silently approved of their behavior but the King only chuckled, shaking his head with a silent ‘cute’ escaping his thin lips. He didn’t take a seat either, even though there was one more vacant chair left. Instead, he approached the bookshelves built into the wall, carrying many old and precious books that meant the world to the coven. His long and cold fingers caressed the backs of various books, small sighs leaving his lips as he reached the end of the library, eyes immediately flickering in the direction of three witches rather impatiently waiting for him to start speaking.

“I hope you only heard the nice tales about me. Those darker I rather keep to myself, little witch,” the grin on his face made her feel cold shivers running down her spine, but then again, who was she to be scared of a mere vampire? Mainly when he was only a guest in her own home? However, if she wanted to stay on good terms with him and the whole community of Children of Night, she had to play by the rules he had set a long time ago. Therefore, the smile grew wider on her lips and her head bowed in a submissive matter - even though she hated each second of doing so.

“None but those most exciting. Now, if you excuse me, Your Majesty, what is the reason for your visit? Is there something the Crescent coven can help you with?” Celene asked because just a simple look at the Mother told her she was the one in charge right now. She had to form her questions carefully in case the vampire King would become too interested in some kind of wicked wordplay. The vampire King realized what was Celene doing, but he only smirked, satisfied with the way he was treated in the residence of witches.

“As you may have realized by now, there had been a disturbance of power within the circles of Children of Night. Some of us lost faith in the brotherhood and decided to leave us, decided to form an opposition I heard you refer to as Rebels. Those Rebels are growing stronger and stronger, day by day, and believe me, it pains my heart when I see my own brothers turning their backs on us. On me, who once gave them hope and purpose. And if only this wasn’t enough, they decided to recruit other creatures. Many shifters and witches ran to the opposite side, blinded by their empty promises of a better world without the Aristocracy and our politics. You need to understand that as a prime leader of Children of Night it’s my duty to stop them from spreading such false news. However, with their growing numbers, I cannot do that alone anymore. Hence the reason I decided to pay a visit to your residence, my dear friends. I came with one and only question - will you join the side of the Aristocracy?” despite his glorious and overly lofty manners, there was something genuine in his speech, entangled with his words that left Celene speechless for a moment. The witch looked at the current Mother of the coven, trying to find some answers in her face, but the old crone only shook her head and gestured to Celene to decide on her own. Soon, she would be crowned as the next Mother, as the next queen of the coven, therefore it was her time to take such a brave step forward and decide which destination would the coven aim for.

“I will be honest with you, Your Majesty. What you propose is something we might have seen coming, but I don’t think giving you the answer right at this moment is possible. There are many witches in our coven, and despite myself being the next in line for the crown, I cannot decide on my own without talking to my subjects. See, Your Majesty, you are basically asking us to choose your side in case of war. Which I know is only a matter of time before it happens—“ Celene took a deep breath and finally looked the King in the eyes. Dangerous ruby-red orbs were already staring back at her with nothing but power-driven hunger. She remembered one of his many speeches when he promised cold revenge to those who would break the blood oath. Although the hidden message was crystal clear - he would end anyone who stood in his way. Including witches, shifters, and mundane.

A soft chuckle pushed through his lips, followed by silent words. “Of course, I understand. You are going to be a very wise leader; therefore, I would be happy to remain in the good graces with you, Celene. But we, creatures of the night, need one another, don’t forget about it,” he bowed a little, and with those words lingering around him like a heavy cloak, he approached the door. Morgan immediately shot up to her feet, murmuring silent “I will see you out, Your Majesty.”

The vampire King was once again amused by the behavior of witches, sparing them one last look before his heavy presence left the room. “I will see you tomorrow since I need to collect your answer as soon as possible, my dear. I really do believe you will make a wise decision. For now, enjoy the rest of the night.” 

A few minutes passed until Celene was able to form any kind of response to the bold and shameless behavior of the vampire King. She felt like her feet got stuck to the wooden floor and she couldn’t move an inch, nor stand up from her seat. Just when the storm raging in her ribcage calmed down a little, she managed to get up from her seat and circled the room once or twice, like a caged animal she saw on the black market when she was just a small girl. The Mother’s eyes slowly slid up and down her nervous posture until Celene stopped and turned to the old crone.

“Does he really think we will join him in this little power play? Does he really think witches are that stupid? Mother, I don’t think I can agree with that. I understand the disturbance of the power and I understand most of our sisters are scared to leave the castle mainly when danger is lurking in the shadows outside. But that still doesn’t mean we have to join his side,” words fell down her lips without her giving them a thought or two. During her speech, she completely missed the amused grin on the old crone’s face and the return of Morgan who now stood with her back pressed against the closed door. The younger witch looked like she didn’t even want to be present.

“Is he gone?” the Mother asked and Morgan only nodded, not moving an inch away from the door. Celene’s eyes flickered from one to the other with another series of sighs pushing through her lips.

“Mother, no. I cannot do that,” she shook her head and aimed for the chair once again, sliding down like a sack of potatoes. And despite her word being definite, the word of the coven and its current leader wasn’t. She saw it in the eyes of the older woman sitting by the table, now sparing her a look that said it all.

“If we don’t join his side, he would consider it treason. He would consider us people whom he cannot trust anymore, he would consider us Rebels. Is that what you want for this coven, Celene? Is that what the entity living within yourself wants? I don’t think so. Sweetheart, you are a Clairvoyant. I know you’ve already seen what is going to happen in the future. Near future. We are not to fight what is supposed to happen. So, when Jaejoong arrives tomorrow, you will welcome him in this room and you will tell him the Crescent coven will join forces with the Aristocracy and those who believe in the higher power of our land.”

And with those words, the Mother vanished from the room with the small help of her powers. The ghost of her presence lingered around for a moment, but once it was completely gone, Celene let out a loud sigh and turned to Morgan who still looked like she would be the happiest if the earth swallowed her all. Celene could totally relate to her sister’s mood, however, it wasn’t quite easy to let go. With the burden of being the next leader, she was supposed to make the decision in the next twenty-four hours. Although it was already made for her by their Mother.

“Did you really see the future? Did you know something like this might happen?” Morgan’s words caught her completely unprepared. With lips forming the shape of a small ‘o’, she turned to her, eyes flashing silver as the entity, that has been sleeping until now, crawled out of the depths of her soul and demanded to be let out. And as much as Celene tried to put her to sleep again, the powers within herself fought hard until the very last second.

“Do you think I’d act like this if I saw him coming? Filthy blood-sucker, thinking everyone will drop to their knees just because he crowned himself the king of the damned. We might ally with him, but we will never bend down. Do you understand what I’m saying, Morgan?”

“Yes, Oracle. Yes, I do.” ***

Yoongi

It’s been two or maybe three hours since Yoongi left the pack house after the Leader called the meeting. The word came from the Emerald City and it woke up the seeds of fear in many shifters that gathered in the pack house. The message hidden behind the words was crystal clear - the Aristocracy isolated themselves from the rest of the community of Children of Night and started revolting against the last bits of pieces that kept the supernatural community living in peace for many years. Separating from the rest of the vampires only meant one thing, yet not even the Leader of the pack was brave enough to voice the worries that lingered around the room.

Maybe that was one of the reasons why Yoongi decided to shift into his wolf form - or perhaps it was his wolf taking over the human counterpart to run freely through the green maze made by old trees and soft moss supporting his huge paws as he was running deeper into the forest that became their home. The news left them both restless, unable to stay in one place as their thoughts kept coming back to the Emerald City and the threat that was hanging above the heads of creatures not only from that city but also those who decided to settle in smaller towns and villages. And although the Moon Village wasn’t the closest one to the capital, the danger was still lurking in the shadows of its borders with the outer world.

Yoongi tried hard to push these thoughts to the corner of his mind, to lock them in a box while throwing the key as far as possible. As a member of the Golden Moon pack, as a Gamma wolf who would one day become Beta, therefore the second in line, the thoughts of upcoming war caught him off guard and he almost felt ashamed of the way he left the house and ran straight towards the open arms of the forest enveloping their land. He felt like a scared little pup in wolf form for the first time, experiencing all those sharpened senses, and perceiving the world around him in a much different way. However, none of those thoughts could change the fact he fled without a single word spared towards his mates, his closest ones in the pack.

The wolf ran faster and faster through the forest, his paws digging into the soil that was still wet with the remnants of yesterday’s storm. He was sitting in the office on the second floor of the pack house, going through the book with shabby corners and broken spine, but as much as he tried to concentrate on the contents of the book, his eyes kept wandering towards the window that provided him with the view of the lake and the sky darkening second by second. The nice sunny day suddenly turned into a living nightmare, with the wind so strong and rain so cold and heavy that even the soil couldn’t absorb the water anymore. The humidity hanging in the air and the pine scent of the forest mixed together helped him and his wolf to calm down a little but it wasn’t until he reached the peak of their land, dangerously close to the territory that belonged to the Gifted; in other words, witches and warlocks.

Would you, please, slow down a little? I’ve never thought that catching up on the fastest wolf in our pack might be this tiring. Sharp words brushed against his mind and made him stop abruptly in his tracks. A deep growl crawled from the depths of his insides when he turned and met face-to-face with the Beta wolf of the Golden Moon pack, Kim Namjoon. In the middle of the chaos that erupted through the pack house, the moment Yoongi left the room and ran towards the forest, he didn’t realize there was someone trailing him to the very end of the pack’s land. Seriously, what kind of a Gamma wolf he was?

Care to explain why are you following me all the way from the pack house? Yoongi stopped and looked at Namjoon, his eyes flashing with questions. Of course, he knew why the wolf was going after him, chasing him to the point that Yoongi couldn’t do anything but face him and his little interrogation.

Because you disappeared without telling anything to anyone. Hoseok was ready to go after you but I told him it was okay. I told him you were only distracted. But that’s not true, is it? That’s not why you ran from the house as if the Death itself was following you.

Namjoon’s words felt like knives aimed exactly at Yoongi’s core, each one of them digging deeper and deeper, bringing memories he tried so hard to bury in his mind. However, as much as he tried to cover it with a wolfish scowl, he couldn’t hide the fact that Namjoon saw straight through him. That he knew that the roots of Yoongi’s fear were much deeper than just the meaning hidden behind the message coming from the capital. Shamelessly, and completely bare with his soul exposed to the outer world, Yoongi had to admit that more than the war, he was scared of the bloodshed that might have come as an outcome of shifters, witches, and vampires fighting each other in a battle that now seemed to be inevitable.

Then why are you asking when you already know the answer?

Because I am your friend and I was worried about you. Can you come back to the house with me? Or do you want to be left alone for a little longer? Namjoon’s question echoed through Yoongi’s mind for a little longer and he wondered what kind of answer he was supposed to give him. It was the moment when the raspy voice of his wolf pierced his mind with its unexpected answer.

He only does mean well. He is our friend, but he shall know we need to be alone right now. As if turning his attention from Yoongi to Namjoon, Yoongi’s wolf voice rang through the forest, its echo gently lingering around until Namjoon grasped the message the wolf intended to send. Go back to our brothers, Namjoon. We will be just fine. We only need a minute to process things. Now, go. Both, Yoongi and his wolf, knew they stood lower in the hierarchy, but not even such knowledge stopped them from commanding the Beta to leave. Thankfully, Namjoon didn’t see those words as a challenge of a power play, only as a mere request of a long-term friend. Namjoon’s wolf’s nose scrunched as he took a step back, still not convinced to leave his friend alone, but when another series of growls escaped Yoongi’s snout, he understood it was time to go and leave his friend to have some alone time.

Namjoon turned, but before he left the scene completely, he had dropped one last request to his friend.

Make sure to be back after sunset. The Leader wants to speak to his inner circle in the main office. He especially requested you to be there. I will see you in the pack house, Yoongi. Those were the last words that resonated through Yoongi’s mind as Namjoon disappeared into the bush, the sound of his breath and heartbeat weaker and weaker until Yoongi couldn’t perceive it anymore.

And just like that, Yoongi found himself standing in the forest alone, claws digging into the wet soil under his paws. The little conversation they had still lingered in the back of his mind, although he and his wolf as well tried hard to forget it happened - and brought memories so painful.

A brief flash of dark memories flickered through his mind and brought him back to the place he grew up at. Everything was crystal clear in front of his eyes as if he traveled back in time to the place that was once his home; that was once a safe haven until everything crumbled without anyone having a chance to see it prior to the event. Hunters that raided his village came after midnight, the night before the Full Moon, the night before the shifters were about to celebrate something so precious to them. Because on nights of the Full Moon, their wolf halves were closer to the Goddess of Moon than ever before. It was his first time to join the celebration since he was eighteen years old and therefore finally able to do more than just lurk from the shadows of bushes in the forest. He remembered how excited he was the night before, his heart beating so fast with excitement.

Until everything changed in a snap of the fingers. Unnoticed and covered with the shadows of night, Hunters infiltrated the village and killed as many shifters as they could. Including Yoongi’s parents and his older brothers that belonged to the inner circle of his pack. With the help of his cousins, he managed to escape the bloodshed, running deep into the forest where the lines between their land and the land of the neighboring pack blurred into a pure mess. At that time, crossing the borders without permission from either his Alpha or the neighboring pack’s Alpha was considered treason, a major breach of the rules of the shifter’s policy.

It was early in the morning when he reached the Moon Village, the sun barely peeked from above the mountains that enveloped the country in its massive arms. He ran through the streets of the village, his legs unconsciously leading him to the massive residence standing on the hill, towering over each small house standing under. No one needed to tell him it was the pack house, a safe haven he was searching for what seemed like an eternity. His wobbly legs finally reached the porch, right at the moment the door opened, revealing a large figure of no one else but the Leader of the Golden Moon pack. The man must have heard about the news happening in Yoongi’s village for he opened his arms and welcomed him without second thoughts or actually scolding him for crossing the borders without permission.

“Come on, boy. Come inside,” were the last words he heard before big black marks started appearing in front of Yoongi’s eyes until they veiled his sight completely, tossing him into the merciless arms of unconsciousness. What happened next turned into blurred lines that hazed his memory and left him unconscious for a few days. Exactly those memories attacked him out of nowhere, hazing his mind again as the hanging threat of a new war brought painful memories from his past.

We should head back, lingering around the borders will bring us nothing good. Come on, let’s head back home. The husky voice of his wolf half rattled through his mind once again and actually made his body move. The first step was slow and uncertain, almost as if he didn’t want to listen to his other half. Going back home and facing the possibility of another bloodshed caused him to feel cold shivers running down his spine, however, he knew that there wasn’t a way out of it. Just straight through it. With these thoughts, he took another step, and then another until the motion of his body completely turned into running through the forest. The closer he got to the village, the louder the sounds of life around him grew, making him feel a little bit more relaxed than before. Because he wasn’t alone. From the moment he had crossed the borders of the Golden Moon pack’s land, he knew he wasn’t alone anymore. They became his new family; they welcomed him with arms wide open.

He was safe.

And he would be safe even if the war came knocking on their door. Finally, he reached the village and slowed down a little, aiming for the stop where he shredded the clothes before he turned into his wolf form. It was a spot hidden behind the main pack house and he used it mostly when he felt the urge to change into his wolf form due to the situation. The same happened after the short meeting they had in the spacious living room of the pack house when the Leader of the pack translated the hidden meaning behind the words that came from the Emerald City. The wild beast caged inside of him almost went berserk after the news sunk in and brought him painful memories from his own past. The picture of that night made him literally shiver.

He felt the same cold again, when he was back in his human form, slipping into pieces of clothing he previously left behind. Fully clothed but barely ready to face his fellows, he took a deep breath and circled around the house to the front entrance. Muffled chatters and faint sounds of heartbeats and breaths came to his senses as he jogged up the stairs to the porch, hesitating a bit before he opened the door and slid inside. The ghost of the thought that the fellow shifters from his pack would look at him through their fingers was quickly gone when only a few of them nodded at him with friendly smiles plastered over their features. The clenching he felt inside melted a bit, and he nodded back with the same smile mirrored on his face.

“See? No one was about to judge you,” the voice coming from behind caught him off guard and Yoongi almost jumped in his place. He turned around to meet face-to-face with Taehyung, the master of sneaking around. How he had mastered the art of silencing his presence was still a mystery to Yoongi from the very first day he joined the pack. Taehyung was younger, but he was already in the lead position of the Warrior party, with his skills polished to the point Yoongi was surprised Taehyung wasn’t appointed as a Beta of the pack. It was then that Namjoon told him that despite Taehyung’s sharpened abilities, his wolf wasn’t dominant enough to claim the post of the Beta. Besides, the man was happy with his current position, so Yoongi came to the conclusion everything was exactly as it was supposed to be.

“If you sneak behind my back one more time, I swear to god that—“

“What are you going to do, huh? Are you going to fight me? Please, everyone knows you are too soft to actually do that,” Taehyung teased him with a boyish grin gracing his features. Yet, it never really reached his eyes that shone with nothing but innocence and the pure and deep love he felt towards the pack he was born into. That was one of the reasons Taehyung was actually right about, knowing that Yoongi would never do such a thing.

“Traitor, exposing me like this in a house full of shifters. But well, what can I do about it,” Yoongi’s sigh of disappointment was so fake Taehyung had to chuckle and pat his shoulder.

“Come on, you know you love me. In your weird and twisted way, but I know you do. But now, that’s not why I sneaked up on you. The Leader is already waiting in the office, you are the last one we are waiting for. He has something to say and he wants everyone close to him to hear it.”

And of course, as a Gamma wolf of the Golden Moon pack, it was his duty to listen to the leader and show up. Because one day - one he didn’t want to think about but knew would come - he would step up in the hierarchy of the pack and become the Beta, the wolf ever so important for the next crowned in line.