swear not by the moon.

+

“Santiago, got it.” confirmed Selin. Crossing her arms, she stood up straight and chuckled softly at his response. “It truly is…Gah, I used to find the moon pretty, but now it’s like my literal lifelong enemy.” Nights was where she found her serenity, especially when it was a full moon. Now, that was all taken away from her in a blink of an eye. It was an unfortunate thought, but she chose to tuck it away as she wasn’t here to complain. “Ah, I understand…No rush really, I had no plans of leaving despite my poor first impression of this place.” It was simply an obstacle at this point and if she wanted to get better, she had to grow accustom to both the good and the bad of the supernatural life. She took another glance at the view and soaked it all in. Although what had happened was unfortunate, things were somewhat back to normal. At the end of it all, NP on the whole still stood tall and kept going. 

“That’s really kind of you…Both yourself and Zoey have been really welcoming.” replied Selin with a sincere tone. Her jaw clenched slightly at the mention of family. She never understood that, despite having her mother and Sara. They were probably the closest to a family that she’d ever had, but the notion of it still seemed foreign to her. “I see, well I appreciate the clarification and sentiment. It does put things into perspective, especially knowing that I’m in good hands…I trust you, I do.” She nodded once more to confirm and listened attentively to what he had planned. “Right, next full moon. I’ll keep that in mind.” She paused to ponder on her response before finally saying, “Yes, we can…I guess it’s just…that whole concept of how you gained such control. Like how did you even get there? I’m still…struggling in that department…I just don’t know how to live with this…”

—

“I think... most bitten wolves have this sort of relationship with the moon.” Granted, he couldn’t assume it was a rule, and even if it were, there were always exceptions to it, right? "And, I guess that giving you the whole speech of the bite being more of a blessing than a curse won’t cut it, but, not everyone survive it. So, being alive is already good enough. I mean, in my opinion, that is.” Because, Alpha or not, Santiago had always favored life over death. Whenever someone would tell him about horrible full moons were, he wouldn’t try to change their mind with empty arguments, but being alive trumped changing once a month. 

The mention of Zoey made the werewolf smile. “Yeah, Zoey and I go way back. She’s a great woman, even greater Alpha. Whoever you choose to side with, you’ll be in good hands. I promise.” Gently, Santiago patted the woman’s hand, before motioning for the she-wolf to sit down so they could talk. The sun was starting to set later in the horizon, which made up for a nice and beautiful golden hour. MJ would like the colors, he thought to himself as he nodded once, appreciating her trust. Trust, he knew, wasn’t something so easily given and if he had Selin’s, he certainly wouldn’t take it for granted. “Control, just like anything in life, is a tricky subject. Whether you’re a werewolf or not.” Known for not being able to sugarcoat much, Santiago also knew that it was better to be honest, especially with baby wolves, who came to him wanting to gain control in a matter of weeks. “I was born a werewolf, so to me, control came not with taming the wolf in me, but with making it part of me. Accepting it was there, scratching to get out until it finally did.” His gaze fell on her. Being in touch with more bitten wolves would help Selin to know she wasn’t the only one who still struggled with being who she was, that’s why he wanted her to spend more time with the pack, to see for herself that despite feeling so, she wasn’t alone. Not anymore, at least.

―

Teddy can’t help the startled look that flashes across his face when the door suddenly opens. Perhaps more worryingly though is that Santi also feels just as worried. He supposes though that that’s what he gets for sending him a cryptic message. “Yeah of course I just -,” he cuts himself short as he walks through the door, a hand rubbing worriedly on the back of his neck. “I’m not bothering you am I? I just figured that I should see you in person if I’m going to ask this.” He and Santi had always had the type of relationship where they could be honest with one another even when they had been dating. They both knew that they could turn to one another if they needed to. It was exactly for that reason that Teddy knew he couldn’t back down from this. 

—

For a moment, Santiago thought about laughing. No, of course he wasn’t bothering, but he felt like he could smack Teddy for not saying whatever he had gone there to say. After the small number of people leaving the pack because of his poor multitasking skills and terrible leadership spirit, Tiago could only assume his friend was there to say that he too, was dissatisfied and was also leaving the pack. “Are you going to ask to leave, too?” Tiago mumbled as he pinched the bridge of his nose. It was none of Teddy’s fault--the way things had just piled up on his shoulders and the way he had miserably failed in keeping up with his job  and the pack. None of it, was anyone’s fault but himself. But, Santiago also found himself trying to walk alone in a path where others should have joined him, too. Was he going to start assigning roles in the pack? Definitely not something he wanted to do. A sigh escaped his lips before he looked at Teddy. “Sorry, man. Sit down.” It came to him that the reason why he had allowed himself to even blurt those previous words, about Teddy leaving, was because--well, this was Teddy. Santi motioned to the couch close to them, hoping Taerin wouldn’t feel weird. “What can I help you with? And, do you want something to drink?”

+

When it comes to adapting to her werewolf lifestyle, Selin failed miserably in that category. Despite her time in Astoria, she still struggled with her transition but she knew that a major part of it was the fact that she was an omega. Committing to a pack was a decision she didn’t want to take lightly. Her options were currently between Santiago’s and Zoey’s pack, and as grateful as she was for their accommodations and patience, she was still on this journey of deciding her final choice. Currently, she was meeting with Santiago to further discuss her situation. She found these encounters useful and every time they occurred, she was able to learn something from it. 

When she arrived at the pier, she greeted Santiago with a lighthearted smile and accepted his hand, “Selin is fine, Mister Bodden.” Shaking her head, she took a brief glance of their surroundings and replied with, “It’s been non-stop, but nothing tragic…At least not yet…” Her tone was light, despite the ominous message behind it, but she met his gaze and wore a playful smile. She needed to quit being a pessimist and start having a bit of faith, “Kidding, I was kidding. I’m alright and yourself?” She shook her head once more, “No worries about that, I was able to locate the place just fine. Luckily I was briefly introduced to this area, so navigating it wasn’t so bad. Thank you for meeting with me, I truly appreciate this.” She paused and chose to set aside her pride, “I do want to apologize for taking up your time, especially since I don’t technically report under you, pack-wise and all…”

—

“If we’re on first-name basis, then I don’t see why you should stick to Mr. Bodden, then. That is actually my father. Santiago or any variation of the name is fine by me.” Leaning back against the rail so he could watch her more properly, the pier colorful lights mixed with the sun burning on the horizon, casting pretty shadows on her face. “Well, yet, is the best word in the dictionary for us both before and after the full moon.” He joked right back, because of course he knew how to take a joke, and, if Santiago wasn’t going to enjoy his sabbatical by also trying to relax a little, then what was the point in having taken a break in the first place, right? He could relax in between pack things.

When Selin thanked him for meeting her, the Alpha shook his head. “Of course. It’s my pleasure. I was supposed to reach out to you sooner, but this whole country turned upside down, so my plans got a little sidetracked there.” While Santiago wouldn’t go as far as saying he understood what she was going through, after having spent so much time around bitten wolves, it almost felt like yes--he knew how they felt. “And you’re not taking up my time. I don’t want you to feel like you owe me anything. Whether you join my pack or not, I want it to be because you want to be with us, and not because you feel guilty or like you owe me. Don’t get me wrong, of course you’d be an important addition, we’re like family here, Selin---which is why it should be something you want.” Again, he offered her a small smile. “Okay?” Ducking his head, Santiago searched for her eyes, as if searching for confirmation from her, too. “As for me, I’m good. Just trying to prepare for the next full moon, which, shouldn’t hit us too hard as that last one did, so you definitely have that to look forward to. Is there anything you want to talk about? Maybe ask? We can sit down for that.”

―

It wasn’t surprising to get the call from the other, considering that things had been tense and off for everyone ― Zoey was going through it as much as the next person, but it didn’t mean that she didn’t want to reach out to all those that were affected and she loved. Santiago was one of those people as she smiled at the sound of his voice. “You know how it is, I can never get enough of you,” she teased back at him with a shake of her head. “Though I have to say that this is a better setting than the last few that I’ve seen you at.” She cocked her head towards the lake before she glanced back at him. “Sure. A beer sounds good,” she added, knowing that eventually he’d tell her why they were there in the first place as she walked towards where he was at.

—

“I wonder if you even want to.” Santiago fired right back, teasingly of course, without not even turning around to face her at first... although, that didn’t last long, and the werewolf soon turned his head to face Zoey as she motioned towards the lake staring back at them. “Figured we could use a change of scenario. Lots of changes have been happening lately, right? Why not join in on the trend?” He smiled, but Tiago was still trying to figure out whether his reactions had been an automatic response to Zoey’s presence, or if he truly meant to do that. Lately, a lot within and around him, had been sending those alerts--like life was on autopilot, but it just kept moving faster and faster. He handed her a beer and welcomed Zoey by his side, moving his free arm around her shoulders in order to gently bring her head closer to him so he could press a kiss on it. “Hey, you.” His arm dropped from Zoey, the hand moving to take his beer can from the other hand, and his gaze rested on the cyan blue waters of the lake. “The craziness that happened earlier this month... the more I think I’ve seen everything, the more life makes me realize I haven’t. Were you separated from someone? James, your pack?”

set: late afternoon

availability: closed | @selinbcris​

              — Not only it had been expected of him, but also, he had made a promise to MJ’s sister to check in on her friend from time to time. Adaptation to bitten wolves, tended to vary from person to person. Ones adapted rather quickly, others, not so much. Selin seemed to be falling into the last category, and, despite not being part of his pack, he figured it wouldn’t hurt to lend a hand. His mother definitely would, so why not him, right? Especially with the full moon approaching. He got in touch with miss Baris to ask if she’d like to meet him for coffee, but figured they could also enjoy the sunset by the pier while talking about her adaptation to the werewolf life. He was leaning against the railway, watching the waves crash on the shore when he caught her scent, despite all of the fried goodies surrounding them. Turning towards her, Santiago offered the woman a smile.

“Hello, Miss Baris. How have you been doing?” He offered her a hand. “I hope I wasn’t too hard to find.”

location: kingston pub

availability: closed | @kodadawson​

               — His friends from his old precinct, upon hearing that Santiago had asked for a leave, reached out to take him out for a drink. While they hadn’t been the closest of friends, they had been the ones to spend the longest of times with him, especially after he’d become a detective, so they knew each other fairly well, so to speak. And Santiago wasn’t planning on staying long, but conversation was good and he’d missed these people. It wasn’t the same in the North Valley precinct he was currently at.

Someone from his party left to go to the restroom, but the conversation carried on. Glass shattering on the floor was heard mid-conversation, merely seconds before voices rose in the crowd announcing a fight nearby. Someone fell over him, making Santiago get up from his seat and try to break the fight apart. Judging by the strength coming from one person, it was safe to say they were supernatural, which made Santiago work harder on trying to break the fight apart, that, annoyingly involved that person from his former precinct. Security stepped in, moving the fight outside, including Santiago. 

Great. Just what he needed.

Out there, under the street lights, Santiago was able to recognize a familiar face from pictures an old friend used to show around the precinct. “Hey, hey! Kelly, what the hell, man?” He said, trying to pull Officer Kelly away from the fight. “The hell is wrong with you? That’s Dawson’s brother, you crazy?” Officer Kelly practically growled as he said something nasty about the other man’s brother, which resulted in more blows being exchanged and forcing Santiago to pull Koda away from the fight when Kelly finally stumbled backwards and fell on the ground. “Hey, knock it off. He’s drunk. I’m sure he didn’t mean what he said. Are you alright? Just calm down. Kelly says the dumbest shit when he’d drunk.”

location: quarry lake

availability: closed | @zomartinez​

               — Temperatures were still fairly low in Astoria, despite winter being almost in the end, but what that really meant, was that there wouldn’t be many people by the lake. The sun setting late mixed with cold weather usually kept most inside. Usually. That’s why Santiago had picked the rocky surroundings to set up a fire and drink the beers he’d brought in a cooler, while looking over the horizon. He had been on a leave for the first time ever since joining police academy, and now, he found himself having to choose between the two things he loved the most: his job and his pack. Wolves had voiced their unhappiness with his lack of dedication, and with that in mind, the Alpha figured he needed a break.

Picking up Zoey’s scent wasn’t a surprise since he’d invited his close friend to join him there. At least it would also take her away from her workplace for a change. “Fancy of you to join me, Martinez.” He teased, humor evident on his voice as if trying to mask the odd feeling on his chest. “You want a beer?”

location: wind forest entrance pathway

availability: closed | @lucxgonzalez​

               — Although Santiago had been shifting for several years now, there was never something that could describe his relationship with the shifts as comfortable. There was nothing comfortable in breaking bones... but one would get used to it. After the full moon began lowering itself on the horizon, allowing the wolves to start going back into their human shapes, the Alpha observed everyone, checking in especially on the pups that had shifted for the first time that afternoon, and the that one wolf that had stepped into a hunting trap while running. Lucky for them, Lucia was also tending to said wolf, which, calmed the Alpha down a little. 

At least, there had been no casualties this time.

The pack then, started saying their goodbyes to head home and Santiago wanted nothing more than just go home, take a shower and collapse onto his bed. He noticed Lucia sending the wounded wolf on their way once their healing process began, and, after checking in on them and offering a reassuring word, the Alpha rested one arm around Luce’s shoulders. “Are you ready to go home, Gonzalez? How about I give you a ride?”

▬

Even if she was now in her wolf form, there was a clear remembrance in her mind of the moment she was leaving her work only to find the wolf that  would change her life. She could notice it the wolf in front of her the same stare that once caused her to stand still unable to do anything but wait for an inevitable fate. She was in trouble. Aleyna howled, a cry of desperation for her alpha because she wasn’t prepared to do anything, she didn’t know how to react aside from running away from the situation. She didn’t have anyone in there to protect aside from herself, so her instincts weren’t to stay and fight. They were to flee. And she couldn’t even use words to make him aware that she wouldn’t cause any harm. And she did take a few steps back, not wanting to turn her back to him and then, running to the left side.

—

Santiago could feel it, especially when that wolf howled, that they were scared, but that didn’t stop him from continue with his attack stance. Following the wolf with his piercing gaze, Santiago stopped short, after noticing they were retreating. No wolf willing to attack would react like that, which calmed him down a little, but he still feared for the safety of his own. With Teddy being out of the country for work, Santiago felt like he needed to pay extra care to his own, because his right-hand man wasn’t around. He took a few steps forwards, before one of his own contacted him about one of the younger wolves stepping in a hunting trap, which made him immediately turn around and sprint back towards his pack.

Shay gave a doubtful look, wincing at the idea that people would be stupid enough to go out later today with the moon on the horizon. “They probably will make a few stupid decisions to go along with their stupid ideas.” Shay grunted as she lifted the branch with him and set it off to the side. She clapped her hands, dusting off any dirt and wood that coated them from the branch. “I only hope that no one gets hurt because of it.” It was wishful thinking and Shay worried for her own safety that people kept indoors. She didn’t know what she would do if she hurt someone.

“Oh - yeah, yeah,” Shay nodded a bit too much. She worried about others safety than her own but she knew she had to be so careful this full moon. She’d be lying if she said she wasn’t scared. “I’m prepared.” She said with more confidence. She hoped he would believe her but she wouldn’t blame him if he didn’t. She knew what to do, where to go, she only hoped she wouldn’t run into other solo wolves because things could get dangerous really quick. She let out a sigh, not wanting to think about it any further.

—

Santiago let out an amused chuckle, actually enjoying the blonde’s sense of humor. He wished, though. He wished. But, from experience, especially during his years as a cop doing rounds, he knew how stupid people’s ideas could get and the amount of recklessness that seemed to fill their bodies during the nights of the full moon. “I highly doubt they’ll listen to the news and stay in, but... I hope nothing serious comes out of it. I’m Santiago.” He offered his hand, realizing only now that no names had been exchanged just yet. “Santiago Bodden. It’s nice to meet you, miss---” And while at first Tiago didn’t sense that much truth in her words, he didn’t insist. Maybe the blonde was already in a pack and he would be stepping on another Alpha’s toes... maybe it was none of his business altogether. 

“Well, if you need help during this full moon, my pack and I should be around these parts before the peak.” Still, he offered. “No strings attached, I promise.” And added, just in case the she-wolf might think he was imposing something on her. “But, let me ask you... have you also noticed the animals hiding? It wasn’t like that last year, was it?” Or maybe he just didn’t realize it, because it wasn’t his job as a Beta back then.

— ◈ —

Her eyes opened slightly, feeling Santi against her cheek. She smiled seeing him. “Good morning,” MJ yawned, rubbing at her eyes. “You did? That is awfully sweet of you.” Feeling more awake at his words, she sat up in bed. “Thank you.” Continuing to smile, she kissed him. MJ nodded. “A walk sounds good. I am sure Nellie would appreciate it too since it’s the weekend and now she’ll get a longer walk.” Her afternoon walks with her after getting back from work had quickly become one of her favorite things, especially since the puppy was still so excited to explore the neighborhood. “How was your night? You must’ve gotten home late, I don’t think I remember you even getting back.” 

—

“Eh. I can be sweet sometimes.” Santiago shrugged, because to him, that wasn’t much that big of a deal, but at the same time, he wasn’t one to take his own efforts for granted. He wouldn’t gloat about it, but he just wouldn’t say he didn’t do nice things. “I got home pretty late, yeah. I feel like I haven’t seen you in over a week... work has been very time consuming.” Santiago explained. He didn’t really like blaming work for not being able to handle his personal life that well, but it was what it was. 

Once they were done with breakfast, the weekend moved along with ease, giving way into the week and, before they noticed, it was already Monday evening. This past full moon and these past couple of weeks had been hammering on his head about how he was feeling about everything. His pack, his job, MJ... And he felt like talking to her could help him. Lucky for him, Santiago could leave the precinct early in the evening, so he picked up something for himself and MJ to eat and headed home. “MJ?” He said as he closed the front door. “I brought dinner. I hope you’re hungry.”

“—They’re everywhere, I don’t know how you can’t notice them.” Maybe some people were just more immune to the annoying things. Or ignorant. Sort of the same thing, Samara figured. “Tinsel is not an appropriate ‘all year around’ decoration. –Why do they even need decorations? It’s a supermarket.” Another shrug. “Just seems…obnoxious.” But then again, people probably thought that about Samara’s opinions.” 

—

“I never said I couldn’t notice them. I just said they didn’t bother me.” And for whatever reason, Santiago couldn’t understand why they bothered the other person so much. It wasn’t like they had an overwhelming scent or anything, he just didn’t understand why they were so much of a big deal. “For the same reason you decorate your house.” He shrugged. “It’s nice on the eyes. But maybe they bother you for another reason. It seems like you’ve got yourself two tasks: two get oddly bothered by them and to get over it.”

▬ 

Aleyna didn’t know exactly the moment she detached from her pack, but now she was mostly exploring the woods aimlessly, waiting for the moment she’d hear a familiar howl or to be able to contact one of them within her mind because she distasted the idea of wandering by herself. The reddish shade of brown that her fur would offer, gladden during daylight. It was also the indicator of danger, when she found herself moving her paws backwards the moment her eyes met another wolf. She wanted to run away, cry for her alpha; but primarily, she stood silent. Trying to read the moment she was in.

—

There was nothing like the woods in the early morning. It was amazing how serene it could be… almost like the world itself was still sleeping. She enjoyed her early duties of clearing the trails - making them free of debris and making sure everything is clearly marked so no one ends up getting lost by thinking the trail led elsewhere. As she walked the trail she came across a fallen branch. She looked up then back down, wondering how it had fallen. It would be tricky to move around it and if anyone was going to use the trail for a hike or on their bikes, it would inconvenience them. As she walked toward it, she picked up the voice of someone.

“Morning, boss.” She gave him a friendly greeting despite not having expected to run into anyone this morning. She allowed herself to relax in his presence - or at least appear calm. “Everything’s fine - just have to move this branch out of the way so people can walk by.” She gestured to it, glancing back to the large branch then to him. “D’you think you can lend me a hand?” She doubted she would have too much trouble on her own but considering he was already here… it wouldn’t hurt.

—

Tiago could understand the reasoning behind it, but for God’s sake, why would anyone in the right minds take strolls in the forest on a full moon? “Yeah, of course!” He nodded, jogging over to where the blonde was to help her lift up the log. “Let’s just hope people don’t get any stupid ideas today---which, we both know they will, making everyone else’s jobs harder.” Hopefully, not his. Especially since the Alpha would only be able to pay proper attention to this the following day, or later tonight. Lifting up that branch wasn’t hard, especially with two people lifting it up, and they did it in a heartbeat. 

“There we go.” Tiago nodded while wiping the dirt off on his pants, then shifting his attention to the blonde. “Rather be safe than sorry, right?” Though she wasn’t one of his wolves, Santiago could sense the wolf in her. Figured it wouldn’t hurt to ask. “Are you safe for the full moon?”