“You probably don’t know this. But it does need to be told. The Luna Brotherhood, back when it formed was not the exclusive werewolf organization it is now. Back when Wallachia was a principality that was a vassal state for the Ottoman Empire; several weres got together and began discussing how they are sick and tired of all the bloodshed. It was when Prince Vlad Dracul came into power that the brotherhood finally acted; attacking both Vlad’s soldiers as well as the Turks.
The Luna Brotherhood wanted to protect the innocent citizens from the harm that both sides had wrought. At the time, you had werewolf, were-felines, were-rabbits and a few were-skunks all working together. Brethren under the fur; predator or prey, it made no difference. They were all weres, just different species. Scaring off the Turks and removing Vlad from power; the werewolves of the burgeoning organization helped perpetrated the myth of the blood feud between vampires and werewolves. It worked so well, that people, peasants and nobles alike assumed were-beast were myths. That is until the Spanish inquisition.
By then the Luna brotherhood was mostly werewolves. Helping other were-beasts escape persecution; acting as an underground railroad to help their kind seek safe refuge where ever it may be at the time. A village the Luna brotherhood had set up in Spain was beset upon by religious fanatics; determined to root out witch craft and devil worshiping. It was not known who tipped the church off, but someone saw a farmhand or simple person change into their fursona. That town was put to the sword and many other weres in hiding were soon discovered. Branded as familiars to the innocent girls falsely accused as witches; the weres that could shift into hooved animals had the unfortunate designation of being declared the devil incarnate.
It got so bad that it slowly started to trickle into the other countries. Religion meant nothing. It was the fear of our kind that set off what we’ve come to know as the great purge. Naturally we fled. But at this time the new world was discovered. We had a new place to call home. With some of our kind travelling to what is now Central America and then heading north and south from there. They met other weres; indicative to those locations, but still kindred. Learning from the new weres and finding friendship with the Native Americans. The weres in the new world were able to remain in relative peace.
By then the Luna Brotherhood was exclusively a werewolf club that you know of today, to put it mildly. They felt that since wolves were one with the moon or some such nonsense; that the Luna Brotherhood should be exclusively werewolf. They still looked out for other weres but some felt entitled and looked down on some of their kindred kind.”
********
Dave looked at the Romanian that just spoke with him. His accent making some of what he said difficult to understand let alone believe; Dave just looked at his wife and shook his head.
It was thirty minutes prior as he saw his daughter Zylina leave to hang out with a few friends, a group of three men heading up his walkway to his front door. Each wearing tailored suits and polished black leather shoes. Picking up that the three were werewolves like him. Dave’s mood soured when one of them handed him a sealed letter bearing the Luna brotherhood’s sigil. It was a tense few moments before one of them spoke up.
“I know we were supposed to meet up tomorrow, but I felt it was necessary to discuss this letter I received from you last night.” The man holding up the letter that Dave wrote stating his resignation.
“I don’t know how any clearer I can be,” Dave looking serious; “I can’t run the chapter if no one is willing to join.”
“Perhaps if you invite me in,” the heavily accented man speaking; “I can change your mind with a story.”
******
“I find that story of how the Luna brotherhood came to be,” Dave looking at the man who is the head Alpha; “hard to swallow.”
“Sadly it is true,” the alpha sighing; “I’m telling you this because I know of the difficult position you are in. It took great courage to betray your brother in-law and bring down his pack.”
“I risked my life to be the council’s spy,” Dave growling; “you have no idea what I had to put myself through. Sending a video of Alyssa Cooper getting her throat ripped out to Tachibana," Dave now snarling; "and not trying to stop the senseless murder all for the sake of sport..."
“On the contrary,” the alpha responding; “When the Soviet Union was oppressing Romania with its iron fist, I was a KGB agent. Tasked with looking for dissidents and enemy agents, I was using my position within the politburo to help the Luna Brotherhood guide people across and escape into Western Europe. Every day I risked being caught and sent to a Siberian Gulag for giving my fellow werewolves, guard schedules, false documents and sending KGB agents on wild goose chases. So I know exactly what you went through. Which is why,” Dave seeing the Alpha rip up his resignation paper; “I’m not excepting your resignation.”
“I can’t lead a pack if no werewolf will join,” Dave sighing; “I’ve been branded as a pack betrayer.”
“Then don’t ask werewolves to join,” the alpha speaking; “invite the other weres into the Seattle chapter. Remember,” the alpha sighing; “the Luna brotherhood was originally all inclusive. It didn’t matter if you were a werewolf, werecat, wererabbit or any other were-species; brothers and sisters under the fur. That was our original motto and mandate.”
“And what will the nearby chapters say,” Dave shaking his head; “when they find out that a were-rabbit is a beta or worse a wer-mer. They’ll laugh at me and look at the Seattle chapter as joke.”
“For the first time in centuries,” the alpha getting up along with his bodyguards; “the Luna Brotherhood has a chance to undergo a change. After what your former pack did,” the head alpha sighing; “the were-communities the world over have stopped trusting in our ability to protect them. Most are viewing werewolves as savage and blood thirsty, like the ones portrayed in those old Universal Studio and Hammer Film movies. You and I know that is not true. I want the Seattle chapter to be the watershed moment, which the Luna brotherhood can change. Change for the better.”
“And how do you think the Elder Council will react,” Dave shaking his head; “when they find out I’m sending scrolls to the other weres here in town?”
“I will smooth that over with them,” the Alpha answering; “Since there is going to be a public gathering this Monday, what is it a holiday event?”
“Labor Day,” Dave looking at the still sealed letter on the table; “Moon Lake has an annual picnic at a sectioned off portion of the lake. It’s the only time of the year you can be in your fursona during the day.”
“Perhaps,” the alpha grinning; “if time permits, I’ll check out this celebration your town has. In the meantime,” the head Alpha pointing to the letter on the table; “your new orders, do your best to fulfill them. It’s basically what I already told you.”
“Janet,” Dave finally speaking after the head Alpha and his bodyguards left; “if what he said was true and not bullshit-“
“Then this is exactly,” Janet interrupting; “what is needed to save the Seattle Chapter.”
“It also means,” Dave opening the letter and reading its contents; “that we will have to move to Seattle when this is done.”
“That won’t be for a while,” Janet sighing; “It’s not as if that Romanian expects us to have the chapter rebuilt in a few days.”
“What will Zylina say when she finds out,” Dave putting the letter down; “we just said she could join a pack. Now that we have to plan a move?”
“Let that wait for a time,” Janet looking at her husband lustfully; “we'll just deal with one thing at a time. We have a house,” Janet assuming her werewolf fursona and approaching her husband; “and are all alone in it. Let’s,” Janet removing Dave’s clothes as he to shifts into his fursona; “have a bit of fun Mr. Nash.”
Outside as the three werewolves get back into their vehicle.
“Do you think it will work,” one bodyguard speaking in Romanian.
“Our organization is on the brink of implosion,” the Alpha answering; “it has to work. Look it’s roughly lunch time,” the Alpha looking at his watch; “let’s get something to eat at that place called Grrrrrrr. We'll head over to the council building after,” the Alpha sighing; "I only hope that grizzled were-vixen Tachibana is going to like what I just ordered our Seattle Alpha to do."
The other bodyguard silently nods as he starts up the car and drives to the restaurant in Moon Lake’s downtown center.