Festival

~Nathan~

I have been trying to sight Hannah but she's so damn busy in the cooking area. Helping with cooking and arranging things with some other ladies. I wonder if Cathylene Durk put her up to it or she volunteered. Either way, I don't like how she's been so busy without catching a breath for herself. 

“You are missing her?” My beast taunts. 

“Shut up.” 

“Oh really? You sure you don't need me keeping you busy?” 

Sure I need some distractions but definitely not from my beast. He'll only make me miss Hannah the more. 

Full moon festival is finally here. The first since my return. Every member of the Pack is gathered in the center of the town–sort of an open field surrounded with tents. The night is lively. The moon is gradually filling the sky with its roundness. I admit, I may not like this pack but the full moon festival is something I enjoy and always look forward to here. 

Some men are selected to hunt in their wolves form. They are to enter the nearby woods and return an hour or more with their kills. The first person to return with his kill wins the prize. While they are away, some ladies dance and entertain the remaining members. 

I sit quietly in the crowd, partly due to Cathylene Durk’s orders. A deeper part of me yearns for Hannah. After she ran off in her wolf form after fighting off the bullies, we'd argued and haven't really been on good terms. 

Soon a winner emerges for the hunt after barely an hour. As soon as he reveals his kill, the place erupts with roars and growls.

At exactly few minutes to twelve midnight, when the moon will come full in the sky, one of the elders suggest Liam and Jaxon to be the first festival shifters and fight. 

“They should show us how they will lead our Pack when there's war. A leader should be a warrior!” One of the elders roars. The elders in support roar. 

“Step out, Alpha candidates! Jaxon Blackwood and Liam Durk!”

Cathylene is furious. “Nonsense! Warrior? My son is better off closing deals and making money than reducing himself to such a level with those riffraffs.” She runs around trying to convince the elders to take off the duo fighting but a good number of them refuse. She calls me inside the tent. 

“Nathan, you do it,” she blurts out of nowhere. 

“You transform here and once the fight is over, you come back in and transform.”

My veins throb. “And if they recognize my beast?” 

“Beast?”

I want to hiss but grind my teeth instead. “And if they recognize my wolf?”

She flap her hand dismissively. “Oh. They won't. No one will.”

Now I'm standing in front of my best friend about to engage in a fight. 

The twelve midnight hits and my fight with Jaxon begins. Inside the tent, my bones crack and my beast takes over. Jaxon is already fully transformed and waiting outside. He growls at my sight. I sneer back. He makes the first move using his claws to target my neck which I swiftly dodge. Unlike me, Nathan abhors physical training. I very much know I will end up hurting him if I let my beast fight with our full strength. But he doesn't know it's me he's facing yet. 

He charges at me again, this time aiming to send me flying in the air. I dodge, grip his skin with my claw but release him again. Our eyes lock and his face twitches. He's recognized me. 

“Nathan! What the fuck you doing here?” He mindlinks me immediately.

“Long story, man.”

“This is cheating, dude. You are helping your weak ass brother!”

“No. This is your chance to win.”

If I let him win, Cathylene will think I did it because he's my friend. Yet, I don't want to hurt him. 

He howls and charges at me. I see his claws coming but don't dodge it. It lands on my body and gives me scratches. He grips my skin with his fangs and sends me into the air. I collapse on the ground with a grunt. He pounces on me, snarls and inflicts several scratches on me. “Why aren't you fighting back, dude?” He mindlinks me again. “This is also cheating. You know that right. They'll think you let me win!”

I smirk. “I’m sorry, Jaxon.” In a flash, I shove him off me. Grip him with my claws and flings with force. He crashes back to the ground after rolling in the air. I curl my claws around his neck and pin him with my weight. He gasps under me tapping out. 

“I'm sorry, Jaxon.”

Liam is declared the winner as I paw back into the tent.

“Yes, my son is the best in everything. I'm glad you all have seen why he must be the Alpha,” I hear Cathylene boast to people commending Liam's fighting prowess—my prowess. 

The door to the tent I'm hiding swings open and Hannah bursts in. She's the last person I want to see me like this. “Oh my god! You are bleeding. Are you alright?” she asks, bending beside me, her face lined with worry. Memories of the mall day flash in my brain. I swallow painfully. 

“How did you know it was me?” I ask because cathylene making me fight in place of Liam happened at the last minute. Hannah was not aware. 

“I can recognize you anywhere,” she casually responds. If only she knows what her very response does to me. “Let me see. Is the scratch deep? You will heal fast right.”

“Have you forgotten, I heal quickly.” I smirk. 

“I know but it's still a bit deep.” She trails her fingers on the scratches on my chest gently. The hairs on my body stand erect as a thick gulp drops down in my stomach. Hotness rushes through me. Her scent is driving me crazy. My eyes outline her face as she busily scans my injuries. I didn't take the damn pills and my beast is in a high mood. I can't even call him in order because we are in sync. I want to hold her closer for as long as I can, perceiving nothing but her scent. I want to kiss her so bad. “Fuvk.” I grunt, my body heating up with desires. 

“Are you in pain? Where? Where?” She asks with concern, leaning in closer. 

“Not that…” I mumble. “It's just–you are too close.”

“Oh I'm sorry. I–” She tries to leave but I hold her back, biting back a groan. She is misunderstanding me again. “I don't mean you should leave.”

“Uhm–okay you want me to get–”

“I want you to stay here with me.”

“But–”

“Please, Hannah.” I pull her onto my chest. For a moment, I fear she will be furious but she didn't resist. My chest is heaving up and down in fast racing. I feel her fingers trailing my chest again. Slowly. “Why is your heart beating so fast? Are you sure I shouldn't get a doctor?”

“No. I just need you here. Right now.” I say but only in my head. 

Suddenly the door swings open.