AUTHOR'S POV
"Excuse me?", Diana asked, as she turn her head to the man glaring at her from the bar.
The pack elder studied her face, as he tilt his head with a scrutinizing glare. "You don't belong here. Go back to where you came from.", Alarick said, as he chug his ice cold mug of ale. The bartender nervously wipe a line of iron casted mugs, refusing to meddle with the gray-haired customer who's throwing the first punch with a lady.
The air instantly turned awkward, before she could even argue. Diana didn't want to provoke misunderstandings or any unnecessary conflicts in a town of full of wolves, where she is most vulnerable. She didn't have the slightest idea why this rude man is speaking of insolence against her, when they don't even know each other. 'Drunk at this hour, maybe', she thought. "You must be mistaken, sir", she simply said, turning away.
"What's your name?", Alarick asked in a very dominant tone. He looked at her from head toe, spitting on the floor.
Diana didn't want to answer, but for the sake of Scott's good reputation in this town, she responded respectfully. "Diana. Diana Woodsworth", she replied.
"Woodsworth?? Are you related to Daniel Woodsworth?", a lady behind the bar asked, as she appear at the doorway coming from the kitchen, carrying a plate of pecan pie and a bowl cheesy potatoes. The bartender took the food and placed them on a tray, serving them on Diana's table.
Diana was flustered hearing her father's name from a stranger's lips. Her head turned cold, and a soft thump disturbed the calm in her chest. "Do you know him?", she asked, as she stood up nearing the bar.
"That doctor is infuriating!! He charges double for a child. My only son did got well, but his charges are too unreasonable. Imagine, we even sent him forth and back for free", the lady said as his two year old son clung to her leg. "Ya see, Frederick won't ever consult him again, right darling?", she smooched her son on the top of his head.
"That's... your son?!", Diana paled seeing how recent their encounter is with his supposedly dead father, thinking that it might be a different person they were referring to.
"Yes!", she positively claimed. "He gives no discounts for wolves…. Oops", the lady suddenly slipped her tongue mentioning wolves to Diana whom she believed is a human. She slowly glanced at Alarick who's already glaring at her.
"Maybe it's a wrong person, the Daniel Woodsworth that I know has been dead for years", Diana answered but deep inside, her curiosity was burning.
"It's no surprise that this lady is not related with that doctor. She's clearly… different.", Alarick figured. "So you better get out of this town, or else..".
"Or else what Alarick?", Scott replied as he walk towards Diana. The bartender hugged the round tray against his chest as the tension arises in the presence of the Alpha. "Or else what?", he repeated, darkening his eyes and gritting his teeth at the elder scowling at his Luna.
Alarick spitted on the floor and stood up. Scoffing on his way out, he didn't even bothered to continue what he's going to say. The lady from behind the bar slowly exited through the doorway, taking her son. Her blabbering mouth once again caught her in trouble, she hissed.
Diana sighed sharply and went back to their seat with no other choice, fanning her heated face with her hand. "I leave you for a moment and trouble come rushing at you. What did he say?", Scott asked as he sat beside Diana grasping her trembling hand.
"Nothing offensive", she replied with a timid smile.
There it is again.
That shrug and unreadable expression over the raw wounds twisted underneath her. It was perfect and almost natural, that no one could hardly tell what's wrong. And for Scott, he already know by heart how Diana hides a fracture behind her usual surface calm that only he can read. Scott just nodded as his Luna shy away from the hostile confrontation with Alarick. By the exchange of glares they had earlier, it seemed like the elder just became his usual self, a pain in the neck. "Alarick is a Beta elder in our clan. Despite a total nuisance, he's a great wolf who have very good sense second to an Alpha. He must have caught a whiff of your... uniqueness", Scott explained, kissing Diana's hands. "Don't mind him, he's an all talk kind of wolf".
Diana sipped a bit of orange juice, keeping it all in. "That wolf got quite a temper". She held Scott's hand over hers, taking hold of what shook her. She lolled her head on his chest, regaining control on her emotions in his comforting fragrance and soothing warmth. They stayed that way until their beverages were served.
Later, loud thudding sounds and laughters suddenly filled the tavern when the doors bursted open. Lucas, Austin, David, Allen and Cory made their way straight to Scott and Diana's spot uninvited, as if they knew they were already there. Diana jolted from Scott's arms the moment the pack pulled their own iron chairs and surrounded them with sunny faces."You can't sit with us", Scott squinted his eyes in annoyance, unwelcoming the boys. Diana smiled with a small wave of her hand greeting the pack who's intentionally ignoring the Alpha.
"Luna!! How's your stay here so far?", Cory asked with an ear to ear smile, leaning his arms on the table, resting his chin on his crossed arms. A sparkle glint in his eyes, pricking up his ears to Diana.
On the spotlight, Diana shifted her gaze at each member of the pack whose eyes are pinned on her. Her answer was much awaited, despite Scott squeezes her hand gesturing not to pay attention to their nosiness. "Well... everyone has been really nice, and warm", she spurred lies. The moment she met the people of the town, she noticed how indifferent and cold some of them seem to her. Especially Alarick who wanted to kick her out of the town.
"I'm sure the Alpha's home is very warm", Allen embraced Scott, squeezing his broad shoulder bubbling a laugh. Scott slapped him many times, pushing him off of him. The day with his Luna wouldn't be so much better without the pack pestering them, he assumed with sarcasm.
"Luna, I would like to formally introduce some members of the pack. This is Allen.. you already know Cory, Austin and David, right?", Lucas crossed his legs, as he snap his finger for the bartender. He mumbled his order of a few drinks for the pack.
"Yes, very nice to finally meet you all", she politely replied, offering her hand. Immediately, Scott swatted their arms before they could grab Diana's soft hand, especially Cory who even stood up to reach Diana.
Scott pulled Diana closer to him, marking his territory, tightening around her. They all bursted out laughing with how childlike their Alpha is. "Alright, back off", he warned.
"Luna, you should've come to the town plaza last night. The light ceremony was extremely a marvelous sight to see", Cory said with a smirk as he glance at Scott. The pack shared a conniving look, with the corners of their lips trembling as if suppressing a laugh. David shut his eyes tight, shaking his head refusing to break into character. Lucas had his eyes on Scott, as he find the Alpha's expressions too entertaining.
"We howled outside your home, no one answered. But we surely heard sounds from inside", Austin nodded, narrowing his eyes forcing a poker face.
"Sorry we didn't make it. Something came up", Diana could already read the room at where the pack is trying to lead them on. She gazed at Scott who clears his throat as he look away, scratching his head with his finger. His ears were slowly turning red.
"Must be something really important for the Alpha to miss a very special event for the wolves", David uttered with his eyes half open and arms folded. Scrutinizing their reluctance.
"Stop quibbling about it! We can join the light ceremony next full moon", Scott hissed. "Eat up, Luna. I'll take you to the vineyards after", he calmly said, as he slice the pecan pie with the fork, letting her try a small bite. The pack couldn't help but giggle at Scott's gentleness to Diana. It's something that they never thought they'd see in him. As it should, they saw what they came for.
Diana find the pecan pie wonderfully made, but with the pack watching their every move, it was too hard to swallow. Being with Scott now, she realized that she'll have to deal with these boys... and that shouldn't get into her. "Why aren't the Devlins here yet? Will they not come?", Diana asked opening a topic so they won't be on hot seat all day.
"They usually arrive on the day of the full moon.", Scott answered as he feeds her more. Diana has been losing weight lately, something that is very noticeable especially when he saw her entire body last night.
"Will Sebastian come too?", Diana asked again. It would be nice if she sees another person in this town whom she'd feel accepted and welcome, apart from the pack.
"You're close with Sebastian?", Lucas lifted his brows widening his eyes in surprise. It's rare that he is very close to anyone in the pack.
"They are! They like… hugged each other at Alpha's party", Cory remembered, as he pull the bowl of cheesy potatoes toward him. Austin, already with a spoon in hand, took the first big bite.
"You can say that.", Diana said, as she remembers Sebastian's secret. A slight bother piqued Scott like a pin hitting his eye. He could barely hide how truly maddening when Diana speaks of another man... especially Sebastian who have seated in a good spot in her.
"Well that's surprising, Luna. Sebastian is a non-interactive pack member. He doesn't join big occasions too long, or even hang out with the boys.", David get cozy with his elbow on Cory's head. Things just got more interesting seeing Scott's mouth twitch carrying that masculine pride.
"He doesn't hang out with anybody", Cory removed David's elbow then fixed his nicely done hair.
"He's just a very private person, handling more interesting matters", Scott leered to the side.
The pack caught a whiff of jealousy in their Alpha as they poke more fun at him. Living this lifetime to see Scott's childish ways is too priceless to see. More drinks were refilled, and a couple more plates of refreshments were served. In that moment, Diana found how deep their connections are with each other, and how solid and unbreakable their bonds are. After the endless talks and laughs at the tavern, Diana still didn't seem to forget the name that ruffled her composure. Though, the pack did lightened her up, she couldn't help but brood over Daniel Woodsworth from time to time.
Later, Scott and Diana went for the vineyards. The pack joined the two as they follow their tail. Though, she had one condition for that tour. None of them should shape shift... to where they all easily agreed. The townspeople gossiped and stared as they witness how Scott held Diana close to him. They were even more stunned hearing the Alpha and the pack call a woman with no scent - Luna.
They reached the vineyard in no time. With the pack keeping them company, the long walk under the warm sun didn't seem too long. Diana was struck to see long rows of grapevines trailing a trellis stretching into the distance. Heavy clusters of shiny globes of purple blue grapes were hanging low, as the sunlight warm its emerald leaves. Austin, Cory and Allen went their way to the farmers who were working around the vineyard. They happily connected with some people who were pruning the the vines, and harvesting the ripened ones. David took Scott to the part of the vineyard which were swarming with pests, leaving Diana and Lucas walking on the soft terrain between rows of grapevines.
"The vineyard is one of the major livelihoods of the people of Vrkan. Our clan makes sure everyone survives and make a living", Lucas explained as he pick a bunch of ripe grapes ad handed it to Diana.
Diana took a piece and her face instantly lightened up at the sweet taste of their locally growing fruit. "This is impressively delicious".
Lucas didn't just walked Diana through every path of the vineyard. He made quite a distinction of the pack's commitment given their definitive roles to keep the clan thriving. Some people might have seen the jokes in them first, but never the discipline behind the playful facade that they carry. From managing the vineyards and other agricultural farming under David's care, livestock farming and ranching in the hands of Cory and Allen, construction and maintenance of infrastructures of the town headed by Austin, and Lucas and Scott's keen eyes for keeping the order and become on top of things, they surely balanced their sense of duty and quiet current of their diligence to move the lives of the clan as they take care of their people behind the curtain.
Diana smiled, and was utterly impressed on how Lucas set the right tone to introduce himself and the pack to her. He was a natural charmer, seizing such moment to build a good first impression. As she was so immersed with the sound of his intelligible voice, Lucas' hand that landed on her arm as they walk on the uneven terrain triggered her ordeal. Frozen, she mindlessly drifted away from reality lulling her in the void of her deep thoughts leaving Lucas monologuing on his own ahead of her. Who would have thought that she would petrify even at the lightest touch of familiar people? Her heart knocked out of her chest. Images of William blurred her eyes. The voice of Alarick screaming in her head saying she doesn't belong here. The bright sunny day slowly turned dim.
Just in time, Scott returned to find Diana staring into nothing as Lucas continue his speech. His footsteps nearing her didn't even wake her from that daze. If only he could rip her sorrows and give her answers to all her doubts, he could free his Luna from that overbearing grief and melancholy. "Don't let Alarick get into you. He's one harmless douchebag", he whispered to Diana as he kiss her on her temple. Diana gasped leaving her mouth open at how Scott could lift the weight of her torments so easily.
"You two might want to get a room?", Lucas teased, rolling his eyes.
"We're done here, the sun's getting warmer. Let's roll out.", Scott said, pulling Diana away.
"I'll go get the others", Lucas smirked, as he went after the pack. He walked off with an unexpected ease, that finally, something right have fallen right into place for Scott.
Diana looked up to Scott, staring into his glistening eyes staring right back into her. His large palms rested on her waist, keeping that small gap between their bodies. Once again, his mild presence effortlessly took her off from the dark abyss of her agony. And somehow, she felt lighter. "Alarick's right, Scott. I don't belong here", Diana murmured suddenly, embracing Scott's waist, as she decidedly tell him at least one heavy baggage dawning over her shoulders.
That hint of trust gave Scott a quiet relief. His patience is starting to pay off he thought. "You belong with me, Diana", Scott replied hugging her back tightly.
Watching close by, the pack truly enjoyed witnessing how the Alpha and the Luna found their way to each other. With enthusiasm, they praise the moon goddess' gift of an unbreakable bond for a chance to love and be loved for every pair of wandering wolves. A certainty that love will surely find their way.
It was all fun when they all had to go separate ways in preparation for tonight's moon bath under the full moon. It's Diana's first time to witness a major wolf event, making her anxious and excited to watch something different. Despite having urges to go back to the tavern to ask about Daniel Woodsworth, she returned back home with Scott. Some other time, she supposed.
On their way back, Scott shape shifted into his wolf form, letting his Luna ride his back so they can save more time going home. Besides, he can't bear to see Diana suffer the long walk under the sweltering heat of the noon. The couple arrived at the Lockwoods cottage hours after noon. As soon as the doors shut close, the two gets lost in each other's eyes, as they hungrily yearn for each other's lips.