#1 The Rise of the Crescent Moon

Josephine

“Let’s stay here tonight.” I suggested to August, sitting up in his bed with the blanket wrapped around my bare chest. August grinned, sliding his belt buckle into place and leaning across the bed to give me a kiss.

“Whatever you want, love.” He picked up my shirt from the floor and handed it to me.

“I want a shower.” I laughed, pulling on my jeans.

“Sounds fun…” August wiggled his mischievous eyebrows at me, wrapping his arm around my waist.

“Alone.” I shoved him away. August pouted as I snuck into the bathroom.

“Fine,” August grumbled,

“I’ll get us some dinner, what do you feel like?” He asked. I peeked through the cracked bathroom door,

“It’s your choice.” I shrugged. August pecked my lips.

I quickly ran through the shower, using whatever soaps I could find in the tub. Standing in front of the foggy mirror, a green towel wrapped around my body, I smelt my hair and smiled; I smelled just like August. Sitting on the bathroom vanity were a pair of August’s drawstring sweatpants and the smallest T-shirt he owned for me to wear as pajamas.

“Oh look, so young and pretty.” A high pitched voice crept through the bathroom. I jumped back from the unfamiliar reflections staring back at me in the mirror.

“Who the hell are you?” I shrieked, gripping my towel tighter. A shiny blonde woman with cat-like eyes cackled as she slipped through the mirror to stand in front of me in the bathroom.

“Look, Elm, she’s just as pretty as her mother.” The woman smirked, reaching out a long, manicured finger towards my face. I swatted at her hand and shoved her away,

“Don’t even think about touching me.” I growled which only seemed to amuse the wicked woman more. She waved her finger and the other figure in the mirror materialized next to her. The man, Elm I presume, had a dirty face and greasy blonde hair.

“She’s lovely, mother.” Elm sneered.

“I’ll repeat myself, who the hell are you?” I snapped.

“My, my, how feisty,” The woman replied,

“This is my son Elm, and I’m Victoria. Happy to make your acquaintance.” The woman, Victoria, bowed her head like something out of a bad Victorian movie.

“You’re a witch.” I said matter-of-factly, crossing my arms across my bare chest. I couldn’t miss the stench of witch even if I wanted to.

“2 points for the little Valentine girl.” Victoria giggled.

“What do you want?” The look Elm was giving me made me feel nakeder than I already was.

“You.” Elm sneered.

“You’re going to be awfully disappointed.”

“Oh not yet, dear, we can be patient, just like we were with your parents.” Victoria said.

“What do you know about my parents?” I demanded.

“Your father made a deal with us many moons ago and it’s soon time for you to pay up.” Victoria said, walking in a circle around me.

“Your parents’ sacrifice bought you some time, but we’ll be collecting on our arrangement soon and we wanted to see what our merchandise had grown into.” She purred. This lady was making less and less sense.

“Did you have something to do with my parents death?” I snapped. Elm chuckled,

“This one is not very intelligent.” I glared at the greasy man. He smelt like a dirty wolf; a rogue wolf.

“Let me see if I can explain this in a way that you will understand,” Victoria dramatically cleared her throat,

“When your father was a young Alpha, he made a deal with our rogue pack to ensure the safety of his pack and the survival of his Alpha bloodline. He sacrificed his Luna’s wolf, in turn, ensuring that at least one of his offspring would be born wolfless. When your father tried to force the future Alpha, your brother, to reject his human mate and take a wolf for a mate, he broke our arrangement,

“We came to the cabin to take you as a consolation prize. Your parents offered up their lives in exchange for your temporary safety. Your father tried to end the Valentine bloodline by keeping you from your Alpha mate, making you useless to us. Fortunately for us, love willout!” Victoria giggled like a small child, placing her boney fingers on my shoulder.

“You’re crazy.” I grabbed Victoria’s hand and threw her across the room. Elm was on me in a second, shoving me against the wall. With one hand firmly clutching my towel, I was left at a disadvantage.

“You will be mine.” Elm sneered, his face inches from mine.

“Now, son, let’s not lose our heads.” Victoria dusted herself off and stood behind Elm.

“You minds well kill me because I won’t be coming with you, ever.” I said, pushing against Elm’s grip.

“No need to be so dramatic. There’s always a deal that can be struck.” Victoria’s head poked around Elm’s shoulder.

“Mother…” Elm complained but she silenced him with a hiss.

“Offer us your first born daughter and you will be spared. You can have a son to continue your bloodline and a daughter to continue ours.” Victoria’s face jumped from one side of Elm’s head to the other.

“You can take your deal and shove it up your…..”

“Are you still in the shower, love?” August’s voice called from the bedroom.

“August!” I cried out but was silenced when Elm tossed me across the bathroom, my head slamming against the ceramic wall.

“Well be back for you, girl.” Victoria whispered, her and Elm disappearing back into the mirror just as August came bursting through the door.

“Josephine!” August covered the bathroom in two strides, kneeling down at my side and brushing my hair from my face.

“What happened?” He asked, holding my face in his hands. I could feel the blood dripping down my forehead. August’s face was filled with fear as he fumbled for a towel and pressed it against my forehead.

“What. Happened.” August repeated through his teeth, trying to hold Arlo together. With a shaky breath, I told him about the witch and the rogue wolf who came out of the mirror. August stared at me like he was trying to decide if it was me or the concussion talking.

“Who were they?” He finally spoke.

“I’ve never seen them before, but they said their names were Elm and Victoria.” I squeaked. August slammed his fist into the mirror, shattering glass all over the floor as growled,

“I’m going to kill them.”