EARLIER
All the members of the pack searched for Diana until the sun meets the sky. The night stretched with everyone losing track of time searching for her. The rays of the sun started to seep through the thick dark clouds as they gently move away. The daylight which ought to bring her back only made her absence more visible. The biting cold subsided, as the birds chirp on a brand new morning. It didn't started for a some beautiful beginnings like it always does. Today, the wolves left no stone unturned looking for Diana.
The continued hunt for the Luna was split into multiple groups. The wolves were frantic. Controlled, yet silent. The Grayback Clan were thorough at searching every cave, nearby huts, and even burrows. Their desperation grew when the Black Creek wolves spotted Diana's tracks first, covering them as they search. Despite having the same intention, meeting in the eyes were like clashing blades.
Meanwhile, Roman, who was rummaging through the forest to find clues on his own, stumbled something that shone underneath the lime green foliage glistening with morning dew. It was sparkling well enough to catch his attention, as he bend over and take a hold of what appeared a gunmetal lighter with fur clipped on its lid. With his thumb, he wiped the dirt stuck on its case revealing an engraved moon and a howling wolf. Sniffing the snipped fur, he sensed something musky, damped and lethal. "What the actual fuck", he uttered as he pocketed the lighter and went after Gunner who seemed to have sensed something more.
The rain erased so much of Diana's trails. Gunner, who's a top tier tracker, was able find the tiniest drops of her blood that have mixed with rainwater and dirt leading the pack on a certain direction. He went uphill and found a pair of shoes stuck on mud, and sepals of wolfsbane lying around. Her snagged clothes on tree branches were like hands taking him to the cliffs.
Noticing that the Black Creek wolves has been getting leads, Lucas observed how much they communicate in silence. He watched the subtle hand signals as they move in formation. It was certainly a loophole that he found to be at least one step forward at the wolves who had truly remarkable and unparalleled fieldcraft. Lucas had no plans to burn more daylight stammering around. Anxious, he followed Roman and Gunner shortly, signaling Cory to take the other side to find more clues.
They reached the edge of the cliff and discovered a bloody scene of struggle. More blood were seen on the rocks going down the slope. Whistling to Gunner, Roman presaged his comrade to check downriver for any signs of the Luna. Looking down the cliff, he breathe shakily wondering if she can survive both the height of the cliff, and the river's strong current.
"You should rest. Our pack will check the river,", Lucas said, as he stood beside Roman, insisting that they will take matters of finding the Luna with their own hands from now.
"Why can't she shape shift?", Roman asked without looking, pretending he didn't hear a thing Lucas just said.
"We still don't know.. Just like you, Scott imprinted on her weeks ago. She's filled with so many mysteries that are yet to unfold. She may not be able to shape shift, but she's definitely a full-blooded wolf.", Lucas explained, as they both look down the ravaging rapids.
"Did she.. imprint on Scott?", he took a glance at Lucas looking forward to his response.
"Yes", Lucas replied, turning away... not wanting to hear more inquiries about Diana.
Roman scoffed, taking it as a clear no. "Even if you follow me around.. I'm taking her as soon as I find her", Roman warned, as he face Lucas' back who came to a standstill at his words.
"Let's see then if she goes with you", Lucas turned his head to the side, and smirked.
"I bet she'd rather choose life with an Alpha who can … protect her", Roman said, as he squinted his eyes. Shrugging off such cryptic message that seemed nonsense, Lucas went downhill where Cory ran off.
Back in the town, Allen reached the plaza and found Alarick who has been furiously giving out a speech in front of the weeping townspeople. Most held each other's arms and found comfort in the hands of their remaining family members, while others stood on their own looking lost and defeated. He chose to stand by for a while to hear the Beta elder, before he proceeds to his purpose.
"For decades, our town has been peaceful. We've been living our best lives with our families without fear.", Alarick looked in the eyes of every person in the town plaza. Despite bearing a clear face with no signs of struggle like everyone has, his lips were veiled with gloom and his voice cracked with furor. "Ever since that Luna arrived, I can already tell she'll bring great misfortune to our clan. A Luna with no scent?", he spits. "Look at the faces of our dead love ones. Look at our beloved Elder Loveta! She died in so much agony", Alarick exclaimed. "Who knows? She might have summoned that beast to slaughter our love ones.. to destroy our town that we built for centuries.. That Luna removed our children's right to live and to imprint someday.", he berated, as the crowd listen with teary eyes. "Remember the time when a lycan destroyed our village? You all have seen how our brothers and sisters bathe in their own blood. The Blood Moon last night is the proof!! The bad omen is upon us. The appearance of the estranged Luna brings death!!!.", he indignantly yelled.
"Elder Alarick,!! We didn't had an unusual Luna before, and we still faced a lycan. How could the new Luna be the bringer of death?", an old man from the crowd said. The townspeople started to whisper with each other, clamoring a demand for a more reasonable explanation.
"YEA! The Luna is missing, we must find her so she can explain for herself", a woman who can barely stand up blurted out. Alarick was taken aback, unsure of what to say.
Stanley then took the limelight and faced the confused crowd. "Aren't you all wondering, how the Luna with no scent had my son imprinted on her? She could be dealing with Nagualli to deceive us, penetrate our peace, and take our lives", Stanley said with full conviction which silenced the people. "My sister herself told me I shouldn't let Scott imprint. Maybe, she knew? That the Luna he'll imprint on will ignite this bloodbath", the crowd appeared to agree with Stanley, giving satisfaction on upturned lips of Alarick. While, Allen shook his head in uncertainty, he remained clutching his fist as the people get their heads clouded over their fears and wrong perceptions. Not wanting to hear how terrible things would end in the plaza, Allen scurried away to look for Scott.
"I say.. we end this! I say, we should not let history happen all over again. We do not deserve to live in fear every full moon. I SAY… FIND DIANA AND KILL THE LUNA!!", Alarick howled as the wolves of the Grayback Clan howled too as they nod in approval. He gave Adoff a side eye with a smirk remembering how he intentionally let Diana fall off the cliff hoping she's dead.
"Elder Dolphus should know. He must've seen it", Alarick told Stanley as he turn away from the crowd.
"Elder Dolphus?? Has anyone seen Dolphus Crumbe? Can anyone check Elder Dolphus if he's in his hut by the river? My goodness, I hope he's not dead too", Stanley frantically asked, opting Gregory to check on the wise man in his hut. He then turned to the humming crowd, with his brows furrowed and hardened face."While our Alpha is still resting and gaining his strength from his fight with the lycan, Elder Alarick will takeover the clan as soon as my son is fit to lead", the townspeople then chanted for Alarick's name over and over again.
Gathering back in the plaza, Lucas, Cory and Austin returned after hitting a dead end at the rivers. They plan to regroup, map out and might as well use tools to continue the search for Diana. However, setting foot at the plaza, they couldn't believe how things turned with Stanley agreeing to the meaningless savage desire against Diana. And now, the search for Diana became more stark raving mad as the people spread out the forest.
Roman, who just returned to the plaza as well, signaled Gunner to trail the man who went after the elder man who was mentioned. A hunch came over him, overhearing that the wise man lives on a hut near the rivers. He then decided to move along to the Devlins Chalet where he was told that Scott was resting. Hearing the false assumptions and cruel intentions of these two enraged men to his Luna makes him throw up. Meanwhile, Lucas immediately followed Gunner when he noticed Roman giving him signals again. "I'll take Gunner. Cory take the forest. Austin keep an eye on Roman. He might know something", he whispered to Austin and Cory before they all head out.