Moonlit Destiny

PART 1: Elias and AmyEliasThe true mate ceremony that I'm supposed to be a part of has almost begun by the time I make my way to the clearing. The light of the impending full moon guides me until I set eyes on the bonfire, but with every step I take, I hesitate. I know that once I step forward into the ring of firelight, there'll be no going back.From a few paces away, I see the fire crackle, sending sparks dancing into the night, casting flickering shadows on the faces of my pack. They stand in a loose circle, a congregation of the people I've known my whole life. But two faces in particular make me stop dead in my tracks.At the edge of the crowd, my parents stand, and I can't help but notice my father's arm clamped tightly around my mother's waist. To anyone else this might seem like a gesture of affection -- certainly that's how it's intended to look -- but I know better. Even by the dim light of the fire I can see the strained expression on my mother's face, the grimace that p

EliasI move effortlessly through the woods, every tree, every turn, imprinted in my mind from a lifetime of navigating their depths."Elias!" comes my father's call again but it's quieter this time, lost in the distance between us.Though he could easily follow me if he wanted to, I have to have faith that his arrogance will outweigh his concern. As a respected member of the pack, it wouldn't do for him to leave the party early, even if it was in search of his unruly son."It's not much further," I say, blocking out his voice and turning, instead, to Amy. Her hand is still firmly clasped in mine and as I look at her, I catch a glimpse of those hazel eyes again. Her full pink lips are curved into a mischievous smile and it's clear she's enjoying this adventure.I'm not sure why I invited her to join me, but something about her is intriguing, different. She's a flicker of curiosity in the darkness of my discontent. And there's something else too. The title of her photo series, "Incomp

EliasThe sound of rustling wakes me as I open my eyes to the soft glow of dawn. As I slowly pull myself from the fog of sleep, I see the nascent sun casting a warm light on Amy, who's scrambling to get dressed. For a moment, I pause, staring at her lithe form as she pulls on her shirt. The sun and shadow cast a gorgeous silhouette of her curves, reminding me of the ridges and valleys I explored last night.She looks more beautiful than ever, her tousled red hair and the remnants of a smile playing on her lips. Suddenly though, I wonder why she's in such a rush to leave. I hope she doesn't regret what happened last night."Hey," I say softly into the silence of the cave. Amy stops suddenly and, although I can tell she's in a hurry, she takes a moment to lean over and kiss me."Hey," she breathes as she pulls away, evidently surprised by her own forwardness. "I'm sorry to wake you.""It's okay, " I tell her, sitting up and stretching. "I was hoping maybe you'd stay a little while thou

EliasI want this kiss to last forever but I know meeting Amy like this is dangerous. My father made it very clear how he felt and I'm sure by now the rest of the pack knows about it too. I finally manage to pull away."You'd better come inside," I tell her, ushering her through the door.She nods brusquely and steps inside. The moment the door is closed though, I take her in my arms again."I hope it's okay that I'm here," she tells me, her words slightly muffled from where her cheek is pressed against my chest."Of course it is," I reassure her, though my mind is racing with concerns. I run a hand through her long auburn hair though, remembering the same act as I made love to her last night. It pushes away any doubts I have and instead floods me with the same joy I felt this morning when we walked through the forest hand in hand."God you feel so good," I tell her, my voice coming out as little more than a whisper.At this, Amy pulls back, and I'm struck by a sudden sincerity in he

Elias The quiet solitude of the cave wraps around me as I sit in contemplation. After Amy left, it was all I could do to keep myself from chasing after her, but sure enough, I found myself walking the streets. Not to find her, exactly, but to find an answer -- something that would lead me out of the mire of confusion and toward some kind of clarity. And there's only one place that affords me the peace I need to do that. The echoes of my last conversation with Amy linger in my mind, and the air is thick with the weight of uncertainty. Usually the cave is a place of solitude and silence, but today every inch of the place reminds me of her. The tousled sheets where we spent the night taunt me from the corner, as if reminding me what I've just lost. I want to find her, want to tell her I won't give up on us that easily, but the moment the thought enters my mind, it's followed by my dad's fierce warning. "Fuck him," I spit into the darkness, my face twisted in a scowl hardened by years