Alpha Xander: His Contracted Luna

***IN THE MOUNTAINS***

“I know I am telling you, Jackson,” Catherine wiped the tear from the side of her eye. “I saw a witch with black eyes, and-and Xander was there when your body was… not alive and you were rotten,” she placed her palms over her reddened face and subdued to the thick brown furry rug by the fireplace.

“I am trying to understand,” he consoled. “The burnt scars on my face are still there… I don’t know if the magic or witchcraft brought me back but Xander can’t-he can’t sacrifice an innocent life.”

Catherine pulled the blanket off the couch and sheathed herself.

“This is all new to me… the visions… it’s all overwhelming,” she steepled her fingers underneath the blanket. “Xander cared to explain but he didn’t sound right. I am just as confused as you are. Believe this, Xander made that decision. I saw the look in his eyes as clear as day.”

“Even if you are right, I am not the one who needs the enlightenment,” Jackson thumbed his brow and his face mellowed. “It’s Manny-

A loud thud was heard outside the cabin. The wind hit hard against the door.

Catherine gasped in shock, “Does this happen often?” She pulled down the blanket from her body. This was unfamiliar to Jackson with the look on his face.

Jackson got up to his feet and looked out the curtains. The coast was breezy and clear. The tumbleweed rolled on the rocky grounds. The parch was starting to get foggy.

“Just stay where you are Catherine,” Jackson hushed walking to the door. “Don’t come outside.”

Catherine’s left hand trembled. She gripped her hand with the other and inhaled sharply. The curtains were flowing, the window was unlocked and the air rushed in. Her long black her was ravening over her shoulders.

She crawled up to her feet from the couch. She stealthily walked to the window. Wham!

The window glued shut and sent her hair dropping down to her shoulders. Jackson’s gruesome face appeared at the window giving her fright.

“Oh God you scared me,” She sighed in relief.

The Beta came back into the cabin with a straight face.

“Catherine… I’ve got news you’re not gonna like,” his face darkened.

***FEW MOMENTS LATER***

“What do you mean I am not safe here?” Catherine raised her voice. “I just got here.”

“I know, I know,” Jackson cautioned. “The winds around here are not that strong unless there are people around.” He looked outside the curtains again.

“Then we’ll stay hidden,” Catherine folded her arms. “I don’t how but that’s your duty. The one thing-the one thing Xander left you with!” She raised a finger at his face, “-was to keep me safe. Guard me with your life. And now you want me to run the first minute you sniff danger.”

“Yes, I am not disputing that order,” Jackson locked in his fingers. “But right outside… I saw a freaking mountain goat-dried of its blood,” he whispered raising his brows.

“I don’t give a damn what’s outside Beta,” She said sternly pointing at the door. “You will handle it.”

The hollering of the wind stopped.

“We will have to make a detour round back,” Jackson peeped through the door-hole clenching his fist. He turned back to face Catherine, “Are you to go under?” he thumped lightly on the wooden floorboards.

“You mean like a bunker is down there,” her face failed to be brightened.

“No, more like an underground-no underlying shed,” he smacked his lips. “We need to move. Now,” he pointed to the ground at his feet.

They opened the door and went outside. The atmosphere appeared to be foggy and the mist was slowly descending upon them. He held her by the hand. They both scurried to the back of the cabin.

They were at the back full of rustic compartments. Jackson let go of her hand to pull away planks covering a square metal plate. It had a lock on its top left end.

“Stand back Catherine,” he spread out his arm to release his claws.

“Just because you want to bust open a lock?” She rubbed her palms to feel warmth.

“In case of any shards popping out,” Jackson chuckled.

He made a step back, crouched his pose, and struck his claws at the lock. It would have been a clean break if he hadn’t cracked a nail and bled out.

“Oh my God Jackson, your hand,” she clasped her palms over her cheeks. “Oh, now you’re healing. I am so quick to forget the rapid healing,” she rubbed her eyes.

“Not everyone though… Sandra doesn’t heal as quickly as the others do,” he opened the metal crater. “It’s kind of a rare condition among wolves. We’d get into that later, right now you need to get in.”

Catherine stood over the hollow opening. It was dark and reeked of metal rust. Her feet trembled standing at the top of the ladder.

“Just breathe in… and breathe out,” He held down her hand slowly helping her down the Ladder steps.

“How do I breathe in and breathe out, the air is toxic,” she nagged. “Unlike you, I can actually get sick.”

Jackson dug his left arm into his back pocket and handed her the brown scarf from earlier.

“You dropped this in the cabin,” he locked the crater from inside with his right arm. “I remembered you tied it around your waist.”

“It probably came off my girdle when I sat on the carpet,” she winced at the creaking sound of the metal crater closing.

Her foot reached the ground at last. It was about twenty steps down the ladder to reach the surprisingly smooth floors of the underground layer. The space in between the steps was a headspace wide.

“Stay still let me get the lights on,” Jackson jumped down a few steps to the ground.

Catherine huddled behind him. He walked to the darker end of the layer. Flick!

The lights came on. Yellow and dim. It makes the eye squint upon every gaze or blink looking at the upper structure of the underlying shed.

“You sure know your way around this shady spot,” Catherine rested her arm on a wooden stock.

“Be careful… there’s dust on there,” he tapped the edge of the wooden stock. “If you pull the sheets over that corner,” he pointed to the other end from where they stood, “You’ll see clean furniture and… I don’t know-something that’s less dusty or not dusty at all.”

“You don’t say,” she cocked her head wiping the dust off her elbow. “You still haven’t given me an answer,” she walked to the other end of the spot.

The light didn’t glimmer at this end. The shadows were darker and thicker. She could barely hear the sound of her steps. She halted and looked back at Jackson opening up a wooden crate with a crowbar.Property © NôvelDrama.Org.

“What’s that?”

“Oh, these are just supplies.” She turned back to the sheets.

“What is under these dusty old white covers?” Jackson rests the crowbar to the side.

“You can pull them over to find out.” She balled her fists and looked around.

“Enough of this, it’s creeping me out.” He opened up his palms.

“What do you mean?” She rocked back and forth.

“First you’re not answering the obvious-” He folded his arms around his chest and leaned on a sealed wooden crate.

“I came down here a while back. To set up this whole storage.” She snapped.

“So you can do what? Trap someone? Trap me? Because this is scary, okay!” He inched forward smoothing the back of his pants.

“I am so sorry I this is scaring you.” Her voice began to shudder.

“What is this really?” He stopped and sniffled.

“This was supposed to be a safe haven… for you and the Alpha.” She sat on a stool to rest her wary legs.

“You could have just said that.” He palmed his neck.

“It was the emergency of emergencies, Catherine. We are not even meant to be down here.” She pushed her hair over her face.

“To hold out if when it all blew over.” He bobbed his head.

“Yes, exactly that.” She ran her fingers through her hair and stood up on her feet.

“Who would hold the fourth if he was down here with me?” He clapped his palms in agreement.

“A plan is in the works. To gather his closest allies.” She wiped a line of sweat from her forehead.

“You werewolves are so quick to act without planning.” He cracked his knuckles one after the other.

“Xander may not look it… but he has a plan. Long before you came along, no offense.” She pressed a finger to her bottom lip.

“The last plan I witnessed of Xander, he sacrificed an innocent girl.” Jackson’s breaths quickened. He stepped back and held out a hand to caution her accusation.

“I don’t know what you saw but he did what he had to do.” Catherine tensed.

“That was cruel and heartless.” Jackson stiffened.

“He saved a life. My life! Shirley’s death is a debt for me to pay, not Xander not even the witch or Faye who was bewitched. It’s mine, Catherine. Mine.”

“I will find answers my own way.” She turned to the white covers and pulled them over.

“I don’t understand this.” Jackson was just as appalled.

Her eyes gleaned to the silver caskets.