#1 The Rise of the Crescent Moon

Josephine

I stared in shock at the key as it created what could only be described as a portal right in front of my eyes. I was not expecting this when I ran into August’s office.

Out of the golden vortex came a figure with curvy hips and long hair. August pressed his body protectively against mine, ensuring that he was between me and whatever danger was coming through the portal. The vortex sucked iteself back into the key, leaving a woman standing in front of us.

She had raven black hair, olive skin, and black orbs where her pupils were supposed to be. She had on an arrangement of colorful robes, dark leather pants, and high heeled boots. Her lips were stained red and her face was expressionless. She looked around the room, her eyes resting on me.

“You are the descendant of Alpha Maxwell?” Her voice was beautiful and dangerous at the same time. August tried to block me from her, but I struggled against him.

“I am.” I said, pushing August to the side and moving to stand next to him. He grabbed my wrist, ready to pull me away at the first sign of danger.

“Why did the key do this to me?” I demanded, showing her my palm.

“Because it recognized the Alpha bloodline.” The woman smiled.

“He’s the Alpha.” I said as if it were obvious, motioning towards August.

“Perhapes, but Beta blood runs through his veins. The Alpha bloodline belongs to you, and you alone could awaken the key and call for my help.”

“And you are?” August asked, attempting to keep Arlo at bay. I slipped my wrist free of his grasp and laced our fingers together, pushing waves of calm through him.

“Mayze.” she said plainly.

“You’re a witch?” August asked. She nodded,

“You may know my sister, Marlow. Or, I guess it’s Victoria these days.” August began to react defensively,

“You have nothing to fear from me. My sister and I are two halves of a very different coin. She the dark and I the light. Hundreds of years ago we parted ways when she began her plan to create hybrids. Our job as witches is to ensure balance, creating hybrids goes against our birthright.” Mayze’s voice was genuine and, for whatever reason, I trusted her.

“So, you’re here to help?” I asked, stepping around August once more.

“I swore my allegiance to your first Alpha, Alpha Tobias, when he settled here a century ago. I knew what my sister was planning, I knew she wanted to use the wolves. I informed Alpha Tobias of her plan and assured him that I would be there to help when the time came.” August interrupted Mayze,

“Then where were you when your sister nearly murdered our entire pack? Where were you when she killed Josie’s parents?” He accused her. I elbowed his side, telling him to give her a chance.

“A lack of communication on the part of your Alphas. Somewhere along the line, the promise I made to Alpha Tobias failed to get passed down through the Alphas. When Alpha Maxwell took control, he had idea about me nor the original deal Tobias made with Marlow. He stumbled upon a book that held my essence, just as you stumbled upon this key. I appeared to him and offered to help. Your pack had already suffered heavy losses and many members had been kidnapped. I helped stage a rescue mission but it was too late, the kidnapped wolves had already been killed in Marlow’s failed experiments,

“I arranged a new deal between Maxwell and Marlow, ensuring the survival of the pack and the delay of Marlow’s hybrids. I sealed the deal in blood, ensuring that Marlow couldn’t just murder the Alpha bloodline to get what she wanted or force anyone to give up their claim. She insisted on her own seal, the death of Alpha Maxwell. She was hoping that, with his death, the deal too would die over time. It would appear her wish came true, the lack of communication continued and the terms of the deal were lost,

“I promised Alpha Maxwell that I would look over the pack and help when called upon, but I had to be called upon. I placed my essence inside this key and gave it to the Beta. He was to carry on the story, preserve the key, and ensure that future Alpha’s knew to call upon me for help when Marlow returned. I’m not sure what happened along the way.” Mayze explained. Her story lined up with what we had heard from Marlow, Benji, and my father. I couldn’t help but want to believe her.

“Well, she’s back. She’s threatening to take me away if August doesn’t agree to drink the potion and lose his Alpha bloodline.” Mayze looked at me confused.

“August’s bloodline is not the one she needs.”

“Victoria….Marlow, was very clear. I was to be kidnapped and married to her son, or August would give up his claim to the Alpha bloodline.” I replied.

“She threatened to kill Josie too.” August admitted through a clenched jaw. I tried to take away his pain.

“This is curious.” Mayze said, pacing the room.

“Is she tricking us?” I asked. Mayze shook her head,

“No, she’s not one for tricks. Marlow prefers threats and straightforward action. I suspect that she honestly believes removing the bloodline from August will nullify their deal. She thinks the pact was made in regards to the current Alpha of the pack, but that isn’t the case. I sealed it with blood, your family’s blood. Whether you’re the Alpha or not, it’s your bloodline that matters.” August and I shared a hopeful look, maybe we had a way to stop her.

“How can we end this?” I asked Mayze.

“I made sure that the deal would not end with the death of your bloodline, but I didn’t make the same concession for her. Marlow’s death will end all deals made, bring down her pack of rogues, and eliminate all possibilities of a hybrid.” Mayze spoke with the utmost clarity and confidence in her plan.

“How can her death ensure that no hybrids are ever made?” August questioned.

“My sister is untrustworthy. No one knows her plans for making the hybrids but her and myself. She sealed the hybrid spell with her own blood, ensuring no one could replicate it or use it without her. We come from the original line of witches, no other witch has pure enough abilities to create such a spell; no other is strong enough. With her death, it will end.” Mayze promised.

“How do we kill her?” I could see the plan beginning to come together in August’s mind.

“A stab through the heart,” Mayze reached into the folds of her robe and pulled out a silver knife. She unsheathed it and revealed it’s red tip,

“With this dagger. It’s been dipped in a special potion and enchanted with our blood. It’s the only weapon that will kill either of us; the only weapon strong enough to kill a witch from the original bloodline.” She looked between us both and sighed.

“You don’t have a reason to trust me. You have been betrayed and lied to repeatedly, I understand. So, in a sign of good faith, I will surrender this dagger to the Alpha bloodline.” She locked eyes with me and held out the dagger. I stepped forward but August tried to stop me, I looked back at him, my eyes pleading for him to trust me.

“Don’t doubt me.” I urged him. I saw in his eyes how much he didn’t want to let go of me, how much he wanted to stand between the witch and me. In spite of that, he slowly released his hold on me and nodded. I walked towards Mayze and claimed the dagger. She let go of it with ease and I stepped back beside August.

“You now possess the only thing that can kill me. I hope this opens a line of trust between us.” Mayze said. I nodded,

“It does. Thank you for trusting us enough with this. Would you consider staying here with us while we work out a plan?” I asked, stepping into my responsibilities as Luna. Mayze nodded,

“We must act quickly. Marlow will sense my presence in the mortal world soon.” I looked up at August who agreed to let Mayze stay here, offering her a suite of her own on the Beta and Gamma floor.

“I must rest now, but tomorrow we should hold a meeting and conduct a plan.” Mayze insisted.

“Absolutely.” I nodded, instructing Ethan to show Mayze to her room. As she left the room, I stared at the knife in my hand and then met August’s gaze.

“What the hell just happened?”