Pull of the Moon - Chapter 5
#5 of Eben Black Series - Pull of the Moon
© All characters and storylines surrounding these characters belong to me, Eben Black..
The lions had gone home, and now we were playing host for a tiger. Donovan had met us at the penthouse garage and rode up with us in the elevator. No one talked. Kane leaned against the far wall, arms crossed, eyes closed as he became lost in his own thoughts. Bishop had healed most of the damage and was now just wincing whenever he moved his left shoulder. Donovan stood at the front of the elevator, a pleasant smile curved those lips. His eyes held a gentle knowledge that said things with the werelions had gone well. Meanwhile Snow and I were huddled at the back of the elevator. I was standing, Snow stood close and seemed to loom over me. But he wasn't violating my personal space. In fact part me liked the fact I could feel the line of warmth that ran down his entire body. The fact it didn't bother me and was somehow pleasant made me feel eerie inside.
Snow was sent to his own bedroom in the penthouse. Donovan had assured him that he would be safe here, and Snow agreed, looking at me as he spoke. Donovan then asked to speak with me. There was a shadow of hurt there in Snow's blue eyes. I did what he seemed to want and need. I assured him I'd be back. He relaxed instantly. What the Hell was happening? He sat down at the foot of his new double bed, his muscles bunched around his furred abdomen and stomach. He eased back and gazed up at the ceiling. The resident-doctor, Fiona Lenor would look over Snow and make sure he was healing fine. Donovan lead the rest of us into the lounge where he stood before the fireplace. Kane sat back on the couch, legs crossed at the ankle, slouched down like he had been in the back of the 4x4. Bishop eased into the leather couch beside him, cradling his busted arm against his chest. His wounds in time would heal, but sometimes a wereanimal healed badly. It could be considered a bad day, or bad timing. He'd be right as rain. It was just his body telling him to take it easy for a while. Bishop seemed to be hating it. I stood at the windows, looking down at LA below.
"Explain to me what happened?" Donovan asked as he eased back against the mantelpiece, arms folded.
"We rode to the rescue on behalf of those tigers and saved their asses big time." Kane smirked as he spoke. He was annoyed with the tigers it seemed.
"Did you manage to speak with Nico?" Bishop asked.
Donovan shook his head. "He's on lockdown in his manor house outside of LA. He refuses to acknowledge that Snow is his problem."
"And what's his real reason for saying that? Snow has no recollection of where he came from, or who his alpha is. Hell, I don't think he has an alpha." I frowned and added, "He doesn't know Nico."
"So Nico was right. Snow has nothing to do with his tigers?" Donovan thought outloud.
"What do we do with Snow in the meantime?" Bishop asked looking cautious now. I think deep down we all knew the answer to that one.
"He's staying here for the time being. But I need you all to understand one thing, he's about to become a permanent fixture in our lives," Donovan explained.
"What do you mean?" I asked, awkward tension ran through me.
"Something happened between you two tonight. Explain it to me."
"Explain it?"
Donovan nodded. He looked at me with focused green eyes.
"Everything went fine, but when he touched me it felt like someone had sparked a match inside me. It was warm and nice, and each time I touched Snow it grew and became stronger."
The whole room went quiet. Everyone seemed to know something I didn't.
"How do you feel about Snow now?" Donovan asked.
"I don't know."
"Do not lie to me, Eben. Please be honest."
I growled under my breath and admitted what I was feeling. "I feel like I wanna be in that room, holding hands with him, touching him."
Donovan, Kane and Bishop all exchanged glances.
"What? W-what aren't you all telling me?" I demanded.
Donovan looked concerned for a moment and then said, "You've begun a binding ritual. A binding ritual between alpha males and females."
"Binding?"
"When an alpha finds his or her mate, the female will respond by awakening a form of binding. Touch strengthens the bond, and cleanses the two of impure thoughts about one another. The personalities of the couple do not change, but a bond tightens and their relationship becomes more and more powerful." Donovan frowned, "But that is something that female alphas alone can do. How did you manage it? You didn't do anything out of the ordinary? Nothing unique that could envoke a binding?"
I shook my head and then asked, "When you said he would become a permanent fixture. Are you saying I won't be able to let go of him now that we're binding together?"
"Its irreverseable, but at the moment your about halfway through the binding. In his current state whenever your apart from one another, the need to be with one another will grow. The anticipation of the bond is too powerful be left half done. You need to complete the binding. It forms a kind of rule, that says no matter where you both are, you are still as one. That way you'll be able to be apart, when your together it will be amazing. A feeling like no other, but when your apart you'll be able to bear it and go on with your life." Donovan looked at me and said, "Mate with him. Mate with him and finalise the binding."
"Mate with him?" I stammered, "But I barely know him."
"The feelings you have for him alone are like that of a long-term relationship, Eben. All thats needed is a small act of sex and you'll have no regrets about the binding."
"This is all insane. He's a tiger for crying out loud!"
"And we are trying to form a coalition with the other species of wereanimal. Having a wolf-tiger binding in our midst would be a major benefit."
"So I go in there, let him fuck me, and your coalition gets strengthened? Not a good enough reason!" I growled back.
Donovan frowned. "You are being prudish, Eben. He is handsome, a God some would say. He seems like an honourable, decent guy. And because you won't make love to him, he'll turn into a shadow of his former self, a wandering slave, forever following you like a lovestruck pup!"
"Listen to the feelings your having, Eben. Ask yourself would it be so bad to make love to him?" Kane asked.
I considered it for a moment and then realised he was right. Walking in there and making love to him sounded amazing. Perfect almost.
I shivered and said, "If I do this, what happens then?"
"You form a bond with Snow, and then we confront Nico. We also have to discover whether this was a randomised feral outbreak, or whether this has something to do with the incidents around the US."
"What will happen where Snow's concerned?" I asked looking confused.
"Snow remains here, and helps bolster our forces. Believe it or not he's a powerhouse. A gentle giant, but nevertheless a powerhouse." Donovan smirked and said, "Perhaps his power awakened yours."
"His power made me into a form of male-alpha-female? Is there a name for that within the wolves? Saying male-alpha-female sounds a bit methodical."
"A female alpha werewolf is called the Lupine." Donovan smiled and added, "You even feel like a Lupine. I've met one or two before, and the same power hangs around them like a constant white noise."
"So I'm a Lupine now?" I asked.
Donovan and Kane both nodded. Kane added, "The first male one ever, from what I remember?" he looked at Donovan, and the other wolf nodded.
"So where does this leave me, rank-wise? I'm not your Lupine, so what does it mean to be an alpha's Lupine, when the alpha doesn't lead a pack or animal group of his own?"
"You could be my Lupine too. Its early to say, but you feel like a Lupine on the hunt, not a bound Lupine. Bound Lupine's have no white noise around them, but your power is leaking, searching."
"What does it feel like?" I asked looking curious now. Would I bind myself to Donovan? It had been a hidden desire of mine, but could I manage two wereanimals at once? I didn't know.
"For me it feels like there is a cord fastened around my heart, and its pulling me, almost dragging me toward you. Metaphorically of course."
"And you two?" I asked, looking at the others.
"You feel powerful to me. Like a true-blue alpha. Nothing more," Bishop said.
Kane nodded in agreement.
"So my inner wolf has become a female and is hunting for powerful mates?" I looked surprised but not scared. The wolf was me, and I was the wolf. If I was a Lupine then I'd deal with it regardless.
"Right now we need to take care of Snow, he's in there now. I can feel him waiting for you, but he won't wait forever." Donovan glanced at Snow's bedroom's general direction.
Someone stepped into the room, peeling surgical gloves from her hands. Fiona tossed her long mane of auburn hair and smiled at Donovan. Fiona was powerful for a werewolf, she had the power of alpha, but I had soon found out that like Donovan, her tastes did not lean towards male company. She was a lesbian, and loved that fact. Her slender form swayed into the room, a black dress fastened around her form. She'd been with her partner when Donovan had called about Snow's wounds. Because Fiona was no King, like Donovan, she was allowed a mate of the same gender. But if she desired to be Queen to Donovan's King then she'd have to mate with that of a male. Then again, looking at the fact I was now a male Lupine, anything seemed possible now.
Fiona considered me for a heartbeat, her ears piqued and she gazed across the lounge at me with dark green eyes. Her mouth twitched and then she smiled.
"A male Lupine?" she murmured as she stalked toward Donovan.
"Eben has attained a new power level, for lack of a better word. He's now a Lupine. And about to bind himself with Snow." Donovan looked at me as he spoke. There was a sad smile there.
"He's asking for you, Eben," Fiona explained as she turned and faced me, "His wounds have healed. Completely healed that is."
"Excuse me?" Donovan stammered. His eyes widened, "He healed silver wounds in a matter of hours?"
Fiona nodded. "He's a unique one, but I've never seen someone's body push out silver-plated bullets and heal before my eyes before."
"You did say he was a powerhouse, Donovan," Kane added with a smirk, "And you were right about him being a powerful asset."
"Regardless of that." Donovan looked at me and smiled, "You need to go and finish what you started."
I actually pouted and stood up, I mumbled, "I didn't mean to start anything."
Donovan laughed, a deep, pleasant sound from his muzzle. "Once he's bound, the need to touch him will subside, and besides, you'll have a mate. Isn't that what you want deep down?"
I glanced at Donovan for a moment and then murmured, "Don't we all want that?" I left without another word. I needed to make sure things didn't lose control where Snow was concerned.
Sex on the first date? I felt a typical teenage boy now. Hadn't felt like that in a while, I had to admit.