Shifting Moonlight - the prequel Read online

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  JT, the son of the Northwestern territories alpha Lendon, walked into the clearing where the wolves were gathering. The sun warmed the long ponytail that flowed halfway down his back. He was oblivious to the looks from the females, unaware that their fingers itched to set his neatly tied hair free. He was equally unaware that he was definitely the best looking wolf present. Women flirted with him often, but he didn’t pay much attention. Average shifters were not a clumsy race, yet he knew he had a natural grace that was beyond the norm. When combined with his alpha training, that grace and confidence made other wolves notice. JT’s thoughts on the other hand, would make most people politely excuse themselves and leave the room.

  "Ha!" He snickered to himself, as he pictured a room full of restless wolves trying to slip out of the "room" of his mind all at once. It's not that his thoughts were boring exactly, they were just serious. His mind is concerned with things he sees as important, since he will be taking over as alpha soon, his dad stepping down by next year. Which is why JT was at the conference representing his pack, instead of his dad, in the first place. For all the past conferences, JT had stayed behind and looked after the pack. As the Alpha in training, it gave him valuable experience he'll need all too soon. It was one reason he was still unmated, losing the opportunity to meet other shifter women, as his mate wasn't found among his pack.

  "Figures you would be picky." He thought to his wolf, feeling it's amusement in return. He knew he should have made it to a conference long before now, but responsibilities always took priority over his personal needs. He was here now, though, but would his mate be here as well? With all the responsibility about to descend on his head, he wasn't sure he was ready to find her.

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  Sasha walked across the clearing in the middle of the park, taking in the myriad of colors and smells attracting her attention. She loved the Adirondacks, always filled with beauty and splendor, no matter the season. This was her home. Sasha just couldn't picture herself living in a place without these mountains as her ever present backdrop, these woods as her wolf's playground, or without Lake Champlain's view to bring her tranquility. The clearing was crowded with wolves, no tranquility here today. The main meeting wasn't for another hour or so, but most wolves were already here, using this time for socializing, greeting people they knew, meeting people they didn't, and, for some, looking for their mate.

  Sasha was still thinking about whether she wanted to meet her mate or not. In fact, she was so engrossed in her thoughts she wasn't looking where she was going. Well, at least she wasn't looking when she hit a wall!

  "Umf! The air left Sasha in a huff. She realized she was staring at a teal colored T-shirt, stretched over a very hard, and very sculpted chest. Hands came up almost immediately to steady her. She could feel the heat of his hands on her bare arms. Just as Sasha felt the air return to her lungs, she looked up......and lost her breath all over again.

  "Are you okay?" JT grabbed the person he nearly ran over, as she nodded, "I'm very sorry! I should have been paying better attention to where I was walking. A friend had waved at me and as I turned to wave back, I crashed right into you. Again I apologize." Just as he finished talking, the girl in his arms looked up. As her big beautiful green eyes looked at him, it felt like someone punched him in the gut. He couldn't breath. His wolf woke and felt like he was going to burst out of him, uncontrolled, and howled in his mind, "MINE!!!"

  Sasha was staring at the most incredible blue-green eyes she had ever seen. As she desperately tried to draw a breath, her wolf feeling like she was clawing to get out and howling, "MINE!!"

  She had never felt like she was going to shift uncontrollably before "Calm, breathe," Sasha thought to herself and her wolf. "Please." She begged. The heat from the male's hands on her arms felt like it was burning, yet she couldn't move, couldn't look away, and still couldn't breathe!!

  JT wasn't one to panic, as he tried to calm his wolf, he thought to him, "what's wrong?"

  "OUR MATE!!" His wolf was projecting into his thoughts. "Claim her!" JT could feel his fangs lengthen.

  Meanwhile, Sasha was having similar problems. "My mate? I've been here five minutes!" Not that she could do anything about it, seeing as she was about to pass out from lack of oxygen. Sasha's eyes started to close, and as she lost consciousness, she began to shift.

  JT, also, was shifting as consciousness slipped away......

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  All of the wolves in the vicinity stopped and stared in awe, as more made their way over to see such a rare occurrence. Very rarely do their people shift to wolf form to mate. This only happens when there is resistance to being mated, either to the person picked by their wolf or to being mated in general. Since the wolves are not willing to risk losing their mates they......takeover. Just until the binding is done, then the wolves are linked, mind, body and soul.

  After the binding, the mated pair understand each other completely and there isn't any room left for second thoughts.

  The two wolves standing in the middle of a growing crowed didn't notice the other shifters. They were too engrossed in their own feelings of intense joy and happiness for having found their other half. In moments their souls will be complete.

  Garyson stepped up to the two wolves, a giant smile on his face. He was good friends with JT's father and although he had only met JT on the occasions the conference was in JT's territory, he knew his reputation. The younger wolf is known for being patient, responsible, strong, and intelligent. He was a good leader and earned people's loyalty easily, for there was was something about him that inspired trust, a quiet dignity, a knowledge that you get when you look into his eyes that you matter, that you matter not just to him but to the world. JT's determined but positive attitude made people feel that he will do his absolute best to make that world a better place. Garyson was smiling because he knew JT would be a perfect match for his strong willed, independent daughter. Here was the one wolf in all the packs that wouldn't butt heads with Sasha, who would let Sasha keep her independence, who could make Sasha happy.

  Garyson was prepared for a binding ceremony, as there probably be a few today. It was a simple ceremony, only needing an Alpha, a witness, a length is twine or leather to bind the participants hands with and eight words. As Garyson stood before them, each wolf bit their own paw, drawing blood and held their paws to the Alpha. He brought their paws together mingling their blood and tying a leather thong around their joined paws. "One heart, one mind, one soul." Garyson pronounced over the bound paws, with his head bowed, "for eternity."

  As soon as the Alpha finished, heat rushed through the two wolves starting at their joined paws and ending in their tails. Awareness followed the heat, feelings not their own, memories shared. It was as if they had become one, one being, no barriers, no questions, just understanding. They nodded as one to the Alpha, and he unbound their paws. The wolves released their hold on their form and they shifted back to human.

  Sasha and JT still held each others eyes as they regained control of their bodies. Their minds forever linked, as was their hearts and souls.

  Hi. JT's thought filled Sasha's head.

  Hi. Sasha thought back as tears of joy started to fill her eyes. They both reached at the same time and found each other's hand.

  One heart, one mind, one soul. They both thought as smiles started filling their faces. For eternity.

  Yes, for eternity.

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  This is Sasha, the inspiration for this story. She is our 13yr old Peek-a-Pom, We got her in 2001 as a tiny puppy. Right from the moment I saw her, Sasha was always confident she would get what she wanted, and was not afraid to let you know what that something was. I was looking at her and her brother at the pet shop, down on my hands and knees, my purse on the floor next to me. To this day I don't know if she picked me because she liked me or because I was her ti
cket out of there, but she crawled into the small tote bag I was using as my purse, with just her little tail sticking out. It was such a cute thing to do that I fell in love and granted her wish. $400+tx later, I took my small bundle home. I won't tell you about how when I stopped at a store on the way, just for a min, making sure I parked in the shade and cracked the windows, while she barked as I ran inside, she relieved her bladder on my seat while I was in there. That about says it all. Do not tick off the queen!