AUTHOR'S POV
Endless howls surrounded the Lockwood Cottage just when Scott was about to reap the joy of being alone with his Luna.. It was something Diana have thought would be happening constantly during her stay at Vrkan. The barking continued, angering Scott as he slowly take a peek at the window. Catching a glimpse of their Alpha by the lace curtains, the howls were even louder and longer. The pack never ceased to pester Scott until he gets out. 'Talk about timing', he thought. It was a shame for Scott not to even spend a few more quality time with Diana upon arriving at the town. Leaving unwillingly, he kissed Diana goodbye for the council meeting in the town hall. As an Alpha of the clan, it is expected of him to lead the assembly of the clan members for the moon festival preparations.
The council meeting had the presence of the Alpha himself, the five elders, and the rest of the pack. Scott sat in the farthest end of the oval table with his pack seated nearby, facing the elders and the other wolves. "Once again, our clan will be united! Something that everyone has been looking forward to each month", Dolphus Crumbe said curving his lips up. Grazing his long white hair matching his white mustache and beard, the oldest elder sat back as he huff and puff with his wooden pipe setting off a very pungent and intense scent of tobacco. Every wolf in the room listened to his preambles being the respectable blind man who sees because of his gift of seeing visions.
"I know you are dying to see us elder Dolphus!", Cory blurted out in excitement. David elbowed him, realizing the offensive irony Cory's slip of the tongue. "I mean, to spend time with us", Cory gave an awkward smile to where Lucas, Austin and David almost broke into laughter.
Alarick Whitlock, the muscular Beta elder with gray hair, grunted in annoyance at the pack members' childish ways. Unimpressed, he still sees them as imprudent young lads incapable of being serious in handling council matters. He believes that a total disaster for the future of their clan awaits as soon as the responsibility is turned over to them. "The townspeople are almost done with the preparations for a week-long celebration or… until supplies last festival.", the old town chieftain said. He certainly negated having a lavish celebration, for it is impractical for the entire town considering a month's harvest will be consumed for a single event. Being the chieftain for a long time, his unadorned fest ideas have survived their clan with just a moonbath and a night of celebrating the full moon. Things changed ever since Scott became Alpha. "Though, we still have time to change our minds to pursue a week-long celebration. Ha! It's too much as we all know!", he scoffed with his idealistic proposition refusing to meet Scott's eyes.
"Lucas and Allen will make sure everyone gets supplied with everything they need. Next.", Scott said blandly like he wants to finish the meeting right away. He knew that with the clan Beta, money will always be the talk of the town.
Adoff Wood, an Omega elder and Alarick's right hand man, glanced at the clan Beta with a mischievous smile. The short man with thin mustache clicked his tongue as he swept his long back hair. "Maybe it's time to change back to our previous traditions. The town needs money to feed our growing families anyway", he added.
"The town has been illustrious and rich for the past eight years under the Lockwood-Devlin reign. A week long festivity each month won't hurt.", Lucas lifted his brows with a smirk to the two dubious elders. He then tossed a thick book of records on the table, where the earnings of the town is carefully written and balanced. The elders pored over the ledger with mixed emotions. A couple were marveled, while Adoff scrunched his nose with derision. Alarick kept his chin up, not even taking a single glance on the book.
"I remember an overworked wolf family eating potatoes and tomatoes on a bright sunny morning. How disgusting, I hate vegetables!", Cory uttered bluntly remembering a time that a tremendous scarce of food supply scourged over the town. Many were oppressed through hard labor, and still ended with nothing on their table during the reign of the Whitlocks.
"We wouldn't want to go back to the old darkest days. Would you?", Allen added, as he chew his gum loudly, blowing a bubble. All of Scott's pack members grew up with privileges and connections. Regardless of what they need, they can easily acquire them in just one call sufficing the town's necessities and possible insufficiencies. Scott thinks that the people deserves at least a week of rest after a month of working hard in the town, as what his father, Viktor, did in the past. This is his way of giving back to the clan for their undeniable diligence and patronage.
"Anyway gentlemen…", a short brown haired woman with bangs wearing thick round eyeglasses laughed awkwardly as she butted in the heated conversation between the elders and the pack. "The torches are in place for tonight's light ceremony. I'll make sure that the entire town plaza will be so lit for a week! Nothing but exciting and good times ahead for all of us", Loveta Windward, an elder who's known for bringing light and peace in the town, said as she push her round eyeglasses up her nose. The decorations and most of the lined up activities were all her creative ideas, putting all of her visions into reality. This month, she went for full moon decors scattered all around.
"I heard you imprinted on a human. The Lockwoods really have their great ways to surprise the clan", another elder said who was sitting at the opposite far end of the oval table. Velvet Driscoll, the most rigorous and refined among the elders, asked Scott. The news has been spreading that he imprinted on an unusual Luna.
"She's not a human... the Luna is just special.", Dolphus replied as he nodded, as if he knows the Luna already. Scott isn't much surprise that the elders have heard of his imprint. He trusts that Dolphus must have already seen it very he even met Diana.
"I can't believe you imprinted already, Alpha. It feels like yesterday when I saw you running butt naked in the fields as a boy", Loveta dramatically recalled with teary eyes.
"Ugh! What?! To have a father as lunatic as Viktor Lockwood, I am not surprised that his capricious son would usher mediocrity too….Who knows? That Luna might bring misfortune.. or worse, a plague or death!", Alarick exclaimed slamming his palm on the table. Adoff nodded like a fool in approval.
Scott clenched his jaw, not letting Alarick to get on his nerves. He remained calm receiving the an overwhelming response from the elders. Letting them drive wild into their delusions, he just sat there and listened to their sentiments.
"Are you scared of a woman, Elder Alarick?", David asked as he confronted the obnoxious elder, not wanting to hear more of his mocking against Scott.
"I'm afraid of a woman of anonymity", Alarick stood his ground, gritting his teeth. No matter how destined the imprint was, the eccentricities of Scott's Luna ought to plague him frightening theories of adversities. A deep-seated fear rose from his chest, as it reminds him of a grim past along with the worries that history might just repeat itself.
"She's not just some woman", Cory answered, meeting the burning gazes of the ill-tempered elder. Watching over Diana for the past few days, despite she has no scent all over her skin, she never gave the impression of being blight. "She's the Luna".
"You call that a Luna? I heard she doesn't even have a mutt scent in her!", Adoff leaned forward, lifting his brows at Cory. His eyes blazed with scorn, darting at him trying to scare him down with his Omega aura. Cory stood on his feet despite standing smaller in height against Adoff, as the exchange of their aura became intense. He had no reasons to back down against an Omega elder.
"Enough", Scott growled filling the room with his dominance. The wolves inside the town hall bowed as the Alpha radiates his strength weakening the wolves with him. In a moment, he released the tension elevating inside the hall, and sighed sharply. "If there's nothing more, I'd like to visit the stock houses now", Scott said casually, crossing his legs. He gave each one a quick glance, waiting for any words to come by.
Thus, no one dared to respond. Scott then stood up and walked out of the hall followed by the pack, leaving the elders glued on their seats. Before closing the door he looked back and said, "Whether I choose a beast, a human or a wolf.. no one will touch or even speak ill of my Luna".
Outside the hall, the pack shape shifted to their wolf forms and combed the path towards the town stock houses couple of hectares from the town. Scott run through the wind, displeased with how the meeting ended. Only a quick run in his wolf form could calm his hissy fits. The pack tried to keep up at Scott's fast pace. Eventually, they started scampering at the boulders, and frolicking through the trees. Letting the steam off as they make a dash for the stock houses. It was truly liberating.
Still in his wolf form, Scott took a moment as he roam the surroundings, while the pack check the stock houses for the supplies. He thought he needed to cool down more for a bit. He stopped before the golden barley field at the back, feeling the cool breeze. Sitting tall, he watched the long-haired stalks sway to the whoops of the wind under the shades of the thick moving clouds. Alaric have always had his way to drive him up his walls. Mentioning his father was something that he had overcome, nonetheless, involving Diana is a new trigger. "She's a wolf, Elder Velvet", Scott uttered looking afar, after sensing the presence of his respectable mentor.
"She doesn't seem to be. I'm surprised it doesn't bother you even if she's a doctor", Velvet stood by his side, in her human form. Being his mentor for several years, Velvet knew Scott from his thick skin down to his tiniest bone.
"I imprinted, as she did. Her profession bothers me, but, I'm an Alpha. I can manage", Scott said with confidence and conviction, implying that his strong wits and innate advantages can take over his unruly emotions. "She's different. But, whatever kept her wolfness suppressed, of course I intend to find out.", Scott said with a sigh.
Velvet scoffed at Scott's arrogant certainty. He's been this way ever since. But deep inside, she knows that it won't be easy for Scott to clear his mind with a bad memory with doctors. "I know you will.", Velvet replied.
"Do you know Alva and Daniel Woodsworth?", Scott asked.
"I don't know any Woodsworth. Would you like me to look into it?", she offered, with a glint in her eyes.
"No. It's too dangerous. Someone already died.", Scott strongly refused. "I don't want to lose another prickly old woman", he said, as he give her a side eye.
"You haven't changed, boy", Velvet deeply sighed. "You know, death is inevitable. It simply means, your Luna is of great significance.", she gave a thought.
"She is, and I wonder why...", Scott replied, turning his head to his mentor."You haven't changed too Elder Vel, you still know the incredible means to annoy me. You didn't have to mention her in front of the elders", he ranted.
"Alarick still gets to you?", she lifted her brows as she ask.
"Alarick? Oh, please", Scott turned away to join his pack, leaving Velvet grinning.