The Outcast

To the Moon and Back

" Maybe the wolf is in love with the moon,
And each month it sings for a love
That it will never reach... "
- Anonymous

Every month he howls  singing his song of love to her maiden up above. And as the moon changes,  he barely noticed that it has been years since she's gone.  Ten solid years of despair and emptiness. She died but his love for her did not.  It still burns brightly giving him strength in facing day after day.

Tristan Jones is now the Alpha of the Black Moon Pack and he is still yearning for his irreplaceable Luna.  Ten years and it was still her and no one else comes close.

Miranda Jones,  the former Luna of the pack,  after surviving the ordeal with the celestial beast was banished as her punishment for torturing Mona, thus awaking the beast within her.  The Grand Alpha himself gave the sentence,  but it went through a rigid deliberation process with the other Alphas.  Indeed,  she was the root of the chaos and it was just right to banish her from the pack.  Not long,  they heard that Miranda, overwhelmed by her banishment,  jumped off to the Moon River.  Since then,  no one has heard of her. 

Three years after the incident,  Tristan was crowned the new Alpha of the Black Moon Pack, right on his twenty-fifth birthday.  He could have been happier if only his Luna was there to pin him the badge of responsibility. He appointed Troy Brooks as his beta, Henry Mason as the gamma.  Since then,  their bond have become stronger as that of brothers. Troy married Joyce Wilson and he was the  godfather of their first born,  whom they named Tiana (in honor of him,  Tristan and Mona.) Whereas,  Henry and Leizel are married for eight years and are now expecting their second child. And all of them were free of the remnants of the broken bond, and so their lives were nothing but peaceful.

Through those years,  so many women had tried to please him. As an Alpha and to continue their line,  it was his reponsibility though try hard as he may,  his heart has a mind of its own. It did not want to open up and love again. 

The Grand Elder place Mona's heart rightafter the chaos, thus restoring the Moon Stone, serving its purpose of helping their kind to retain their sanity and not turn to monsters and savages.  Since then,  everyone has regarded Mona higher than anyone else. She has become the epitome of goodwill and hope to their entire race.

It has been ten years of peace and harmony among the packs.  Ten years and amidst his little achievements,  there is an emptiness in him that no one else can fill. 

He was on their veranda again, his usual place,  leaning on the railing and talking to the moon,  his father appeared behind him.

"Lost in thoughts?" William said,  now a little bent with age.  Bill Mayfield died five years ago,  the injury he got from the beast's attacks did not totally healed plus his grief of losing yet another important part of his life made him sickly.  He died on a full moon and he was buried next to his beloved wife. He left Troy his estate as he treated the man as his own since Mona had died,  and the latter,  took care of him as he was battling with the illness which at last, consumed him. 

Tristan simply nodded. He loves solitude more than ever.  He appreciates the time he is not surrounded by his overwhelming paperworks in the office and the noisy packhouse.  He is more himself here in this veranda,  the moon shining down on him.  His father clears his throat. 

"It is really  hard to forget.  You know,  Son.  When I was young,  I loved a wonderful woman,  more than I loved your Mom.  We made plans for our future together but as you see,  fate did not allow it.  Since then,  no matter who I meet,  or who I lay in bed with,  it was always her.  In my mind, and in my heart.  Yes,  I did love another woman,  but she remained my constant.  Do you get me?  You are not getting any younger Tristan.  I know Troy and Henry had been talking you with this but let me talk to you about it again.... " His father spoke sincerely and totally fatherly.  Yet,  Tristan knows where this talk is heading.  He's been into  this a million times before and the idea for him is nothing but vague.