Moon Bound (Glorious Darkness Book 1) (29 page)

|GLOSSARY|

Mate
- 
the one person destined for a werewolf, his/her other half.

Both mates feel a strong physical and emotional attraction towards each other and can later establish a mating bond between themselves. Finding one's mate is considered a Moon's blessing, however, in recent years there's been fewer and fewer wolves to find their mates.

Staying mateless and not taking a human or a werewolf mate, however, is frowned upon. The mateless werewolves are considered dangerous and a burden for the pack since lone wolves are more prone to mental illnesses than your average mated wolf and they don't contribute to the pack's growth by providing offspring. In the best case, unmated wolves wither and die. In the worst, they start a killing spree.

Shifting - 
The bodily change from human to wolf form, which for a newly shifted wolf is a very painful experience. The first change usually takes place once a juvenile hits puberty, usually between 13 and 16 but there are cases when it happens even later. The latest age recorded for a shifting wolf to undergo through the change is 18.

The shifting is an important part of the life of a werewolf. It is the moment the human find its beast and the mating connection is triggered, allowing the werewolf to find his or her mate. It is usually the male who first shift and then finds his mate and the opposite for females who find their mates first and then shift with their mates by their side. Young males, however, are still being aided by the pack Alpha when their first change takes place.

The first change can be triggered by any strong enough emotional or physical impact and is uncontrolled while any other shift can actually be controlled by the wolf and happens at will.

Pack
 - 
A group of werewolves living in a community and following a single leader, the Alpha. The size of the pack can differ from a dozen members to hundreds living in the same area if not in the same packhouse.

Packhouse
 
- 
The Alpha's habitat, usually occupied by the Alpha and a few other close to him in rank wolves as well as his mate and family or his mistress(es) if the Alpha is unmated. The packhouse
 
and the surrounding it area is where pack meetings are held and all the significant for the pack events take place.

Alpha - 
The ultimate leader of the pack. An Alpha has a keener senses and stronger instincts than your average wolf. The Alpha male's draw towards his female is stronger than the usual. Beasts in their purest form, Alphas are much more dominant, possessive and protective of their mates than any other wolf. Their beasts are more prominent and stay closer to the surface, which makes Alphas more vigilant and aware of their surroundings, however, more temperamental and easily angered as well. Staying mateless is the biggest curse for the Alpha because it's first and foremost their mate who brings them peace and balance their fluctuant at its best nature.

Beta - 
The Pack's second-in-command, charged with executing a big part of the Alpha's orders for the pack and also taking part in the pack's administration and internal affairs. The Beta is the Alpha's right-hand man and main advisor.

Elders - 
Former pack law-enforcers, warriors or high-ranked
 
wolves who have once taken part in the pack's administration who are now retired from their former duties and playing the role of pack and Alpha's advisors. They are usually the elderly wolves, in some cases retired pack Betas or Alphas, greatly respected by their fellow packmates
 
as well as by high-ranked
 
wolves such as the pack Alpha.

Mate bond - 
A two-way mental and emotional connection which is fully formed once the mating is finished and both male and female have been marked and consummated the mating. Prior the accomplishment of the bond, it can still be felt by both mates, however, its impact is somewhat diminished. With one mate originating from a different pack, once the bond is formed the female is automatically joined into the male's pack bond. Any blood relatives who are not a part of any pack are joined to the pack link once the female is claimed by her mate.

In some sources, there's a reference of breaking the mate bond. Possible in theory, however, it's rarely done in practice since the breaking of the bond is first, life-endangering
 
for both mates, and second, leaves deep mental and emotional scars. In werewolf tradition, breaking the mate bond is considered the worst taint on a male's reputation and strength.

Mating/mating process -
 
The process of establishing the mate bond. According to some sources, it starts as soon as the wolf finds his/her mate, according to others, the beginning of the mating is initiated when one of the partners marks the other, which is usually the male who marks his female. The female in most cases places a matching mark on her male during the couple first mating act, thus, sealing the bond and finally forming the two-way connection.

Luna - 
The Alpha female, mated to the Alpha of the pack. It's usually the Alpha's true mate who takes the Luna's
 
position but sometimes when the Alpha hasn't found his true mate, his chosen mate does that instead.

The Luna's role in the pack consists of taking care for her packmates, being emotionally supportive of them and balancing the pack as a whole. A true mate Luna is considered to be a great asset to the pack since she straightens the Alpha further and is also able to control the Alpha's savage instincts.

The Luna is heavily protected by their packmates
 
and their Alphas who are very possessive of their Luna.

Partial shift -
 
A rare ability to transform a part of the body, usually the upper part and the extremities of the body
 
by
 
enlarging one's chest, feet and arms, growing canines and claws.

Juvenile - 
Unshifted wolf who has already hit puberty.

Pack bond(link) - 
The mental connection established between packmates. Sometimes, it can also transmit feelings beside thoughts. The pack link is used mostly by the Alpha to communicate his intent to his pack and locate his pack members but can also be used by any pack wolf for interpack
 
communication. The first to initiate a pack bond is the Alpha, which grants him the right to manipulate the link by will. In case the Alpha is challenged, killed or dies, the pack link and the ability to control it are transferred to the strongest male in line, straightening the claim of the new Alpha over the pack.

Vampire - 
A creature of the night feeding off of blood. Usually, vampires are turned humans but it's rumored they could breed among themselves once. Nowadays, a vampire producing a natural offspring has disappeared. No recent cases of such have been recorded.

The average characteristics of vampires are their lighting speed and reflexes, enhanced senses and ability for mental influence which, in very rare cases, can include other supernatural beings.

Vampire strength and abilities vary depending on age. Newly-turned
 
vampires are susceptible to heavy sunburns with their skin being highly sensitive to sunlight whereas older vampires are merely irritated, if weakened too, by sunlight.

Werewolf - 
Nature's most evolved
 
predator. Sharing physical and behavioral traits with common wolves, werewolves are usually born as humans and supposed to shift into their wolf' form after hitting puberty. The change happens usually between 13 and 16 but also can be a year before or after.

Werewolves are commonly known for their enhanced strength, hearing and sense of smell as well as their quick healing.

There are rare cases in which it's been recorded that werewolves can possess a range of abilities, most related to healing and partial shifting of the body.

Wildling -
 
Werewolf shifter who has been stuck in between transformations, allowing the creature usually possessing two forms - one human and one wolf form, to stay as a half-beast, half-man.

Regarding behavioral traits, the wildlings are more beasts than men, however, their bodies are stronger and larger than the average werewolf and their speed greater.

Originating from the first werewolf to ever be born in his wolf form, wildlings now are born in litters, starting their lives as wolves and later shifting into their human forms. Most of the juveniles never accomplish the final stages of the change and instead stay in the half-bestial
 
form the wildlings are known for.

Magistrate - 
A member of the Ruling Council charged with governing supernatural creatures such as werewolves, vampires, fairies, magicals...

A Magistrate's decision can only be overruled by the Dominus'.

Dominus - 
The head of the supernatural ruling body.

Ruling Council - 
Supernaturals'
 
ruling body consisting of 24 Magistrate members, one Dominus, playing the balancing as well as the highest authority role, and a total of 6 Headquarters based in different parts of the world, each one of them housing 4 Magistrates authorised to control the local supernatural population.