CHAPTER III

I think we are all a little unsettled when faced with a meeting before a Council of wise men, even if it is in your own home.

They were meeting in the basement, which I used as both a meeting room and a party room, while I was slowly erasing the sole of my boots, walk after walk in my living room.

"Do you want to stop walking? You're making me dizzy" complained Ricky who was lying as if fallen from the ceiling on the big sofa.

"He's going to meet with the board alone Ricky, it's normal that he's nervous" my best friend defended me.

I gave him a grateful smile as I sat down in one of the individual chairs, stopping with the walks but starting the uncontrollable movement of my leg.

"It's his father who is presiding over the Council Tony, nothing will happen to him" argued Ricky.

"Shut up Ricky, please" I asked without looking up from my legs.

I could hear the slight creaking of the basement door as it opened, the heavy footsteps of one of the council members.

��Matt, the Council is waiting for you" I was informed by Mr. Olsen, one of the junior members of the Council.

I could see Anthony mutely vocalizing 'good luck' as Ricky raised his thumb in support, just as Mike patted me on the shoulder when we crossed paths in the corridor.

I breathed in and out a few times before walking through the door that separated me from the people who could change my life in just a couple of seconds.

The structure of the room remained the same as ever, the small difference in height between the judges and the courthouse had never been as great as it is now.

Mr. Olsen took his place after indicating mine, right in front of the chair my father occupied, guarded at his sides by Mr. McHenstride and Mrs. Willson, the next in the herd's hierarchy. He was tall, perhaps even taller than my father with his six feet, his face was a sign of his seriousness and his fierceness represented by the scar that ran from the top of his cheek to the base of his throat, she on the other hand was smaller than my mother, but no less dangerous. She was short, yes, but she was wide, not to the point of being considered big, but she imposed enough with that face of imperturbable serenity that she never abandoned.

"Matthew" started Mrs. Willson, stopping after my slight grunt "Matt, your father has told us briefly what has happened, in the same way that Mr. Bright did before; but we would like to hear it from a more central point in the story."

"At some point this morning at lunch one of my friends made a comment that made me very angry and as Father taught me at the time, I put some space in between to avoid any misunderstanding"

"You are right to follow your father's advice, boy" added Mr. McHenstride.

"I left my companions behind and went to an outdoor area to calm down, that was the first time I noticed it."

"What did you sense?" asked my father.

"An aroma that was totally unknown to me, it didn't match any of those I'm used to perceiving every day at university, it was totally new."

"Did you get a glimpse of anyone new who might have had that smell?" asked Mrs. Willson.

"Just curly blonde hair, Mrs. Willson."

"What happened next?" asked my father, leaning against the high back of his mahogany chair.

"Nothing remarkable happened at that moment, the boys came looking for me and stayed with me for the rest of the lunch hour until it was time to go back to class."

"Mr. Bright told us that you stayed in limbo before you even started walking to the university pavilion." McHenstride asked.

"I smelled it again, sir. Michael had to practically drag me into the classroom where the professor was still absent."

"Mr. Hachens was late again, but he wasn't alone, he was accompanied by a boy" my father started, and I continued.

"He came with a boy, Ryder Fisher, if I am not mistaken."

"What happened next?" asked Willson.

"The door hit the wall deafly when it opened again, letting the smell that had me so intrigued since that morning, I was distracted but I smelled that fragrance and my head went up immediately."

"Did you see it and what happened?" asked my father.

"I didn't really notice what happened, I just remembered some honey-coloured eyes and as if someone tore the soul out of my chest, as if all the wires connecting me to the earth, to my own existence, had been torn out of their anchorage. The next thing I remember is running and not stopping until Michael and Anthony found me in the clearing 40 kilometres from the University" I concluded.

"That's what we were afraid of, David," said McHenstride to my father.

"The legend is true," added Mrs. Willson

"What does mean, Dad?" I asked after seeing him nodding as he stroked his chin.

"Come with me son," said my father as he rose from his 'throne' and headed for a door I had never seen before.

"What's this, Dad?" I asked as the door to that mysterious room closed behind my back.

"Here are all the relics of the herd son, alpha after alpha have left their legacy in this room."

"What do you mean by this dad?" I asked as I approached him who was leaning against one of the several shelves that adorned the four walls of that room.

"Can you maintain a calm posture? I'm asking you seriously, son."

"Of course" I answered quickly, wanting to know why he had brought me here now and not before.

"I'm asking you seriously Matt, don't say what you know I want to hear. Promise" he asked me by placing a hand on my shoulder.

"I promise Dad" I said seriously.

"You know that from practically the beginning of the noble race we belong to, it has been a Dunbar who led the Eastern herd."

"I know that, Dad."

"Impatient boy, don't interrupt me," he said as he gestured to me to take a seat at the desk behind which he sat.

"Sorry" I apologized once I was sitting.

"Back in the 17th century, around 1647, when Ienego Dunbar was the leader of the clan, a witch came to our lands…"

"Witch? Really?" I asked sceptically.

"Aren't you a werewolf? I don't know why you are surprised" answered my father.

I made the gesture of the zip in my mouth, letting my father continue.

"As I was saying, a witch came to our land looking for shelter from the humans who were hunting her, to which the benevolent Ienego agreed, protecting the witch from all the hunting parties that had followed the witch's tracks to her land, dissuading them that the witch was not there. The witch gratefully offered Ienego a gift and a prophecy."

"What did she give him?" I asked really interested.

"Leadership and duration. She promised him that the leadership of the Eastern herd would always rest on the shoulders of one of his descendants" explained my father.

"And the prophecy?" I asked.

"The prophecy stood as a simple tale before Ienego's eyes, but he still had it transcribed into one of the books" explained my father as he stood up and approached the largest display case in the room, from where he removed something hidden under a burgundy cloth mantle.

"What's that, Dad?" I asked as I approached him.

"It's Ienego's book, each of the chiefs is responsible for leaving his legacy written down and this is his" he said as he delicately left the book on the table and proceeded to unwrap it from that burgundy fabric, revealing a book with dark green, leathery upholstery as far as I could make out.

"Is that the famous prophecy you're talking about?"

"That's right son," replied my father as he delicately turned the pages of the old book, stopping a little after passing the meridian of the book.

"Can I... can I read it?" I asked timidly.

"You must." urged my father, letting me pass in front of the yellowish but still clear pages of the book.

The text on those pages was clear but still complicated to read.

"Do it out loud Matt" asked my father.

"The moons will sail the sky for 324 years until the moon howls at its rightful owner, the one who with his birth will change the course of the waters of destiny, the winds of history and the memories of the earth. His birth will be overlooked for 21 years when his true destiny will begin to be written after he loses his soul to the true love of his life, the hand that will control the unstoppable force of such a pure soul, his companion, his true companion; his moon. Moon, purity and wisdom will join the pure and noble soul of his companion, with whom he will reign over both the animal and human kingdoms."

"324 years since 1647 ?" I asked.

"1998 son" replied my father.

"What are you trying to tell me, Dad?"

"You are the one the prophecy speaks of, son, and that girl; that girl is your moon"

said my father placing both hands on my shoulders.

Moon I want to know your name.