The scene came to an abrupt halt. The blue glow of the enchanted stone faded like moonlight dispersing at dawn, leaving behind only a lingering wisp of the Silver Moon Pack’s unique soul scent, floating weightlessly in the air.
“Ava… my Ava
era
My mother, a Beta she–wolf now aged with grief, sobbed so hard she could barely breathe. Her howls were raw and broken, the kind only a mother makes when mourning her lost pup.
Her claws dug deep into the wooden floor, splintering the planks beneath her trembling fingers, but she didn’t seem to notice
She had raised me from a fragile newborn, feeding me the softest cuts of meat, licking my fur dean with the warmth of her
tongue, and teaching me to pray to the Moon Goddess under the full moon
Never in her worst nightmares had she imagined that the daughter she had nurtured with so much love would die in a cold.
collapsing mine–ber body shattered beyond recognition.
Lucas’s father, the old Alpha, exhaled heavily, rubbing his temples as if he had aged a decade in mere moments.
According to pack tradition, if two generations of an Alpha’s bloodline lost their mates, it was seen as a curse from the Moon
Goddess herself.
His once–proud mane, streaked with gold, began to wither into a dull, wintery gray, like frost creeping over dead grass.
Lucas stood frozen in place, his pupils contracting into sharp slits. His fur bristled wildly, every strand on end, as though he had been struck by lightning. His claws scraped against the wooden floor, leaving deep gouges in the planks beneath him.
“So… it was you.”
His voice was no longer entirely human.
The deep, guttural tone of a true Alpha rumbled from his chest, layered with the unmistakable growl of his wolf.
“You killed Ava.”
Sophia went pale.
Her legs buckled, and she dropped to her knees. Her ta
terror among werewolves.
curled tightly between her legs–a universal sign of submission and
“Lucas! Please, let me explain!” She shrieked, her voice raw and desperate, like a fox caught in a hunter’s trap. “I didn’t mean for her to die! 1 thought Ava would just get injured–I didn’t know the mine would collapse!”
That was the final thread, and something shifted inside Lucas. His claws elongated into wicked, obsidian talons. His fangs grew, piercing his lower lip until blood dripped freely down his chin.
With a snarl, he lunged.
1/4
+15 Bonus
His first strike, backed by the full force of his Alpha strength, slammed into Sophia’s stomach. She went flying
Her body crashed against the stone wall with a sickening thud, blood pooling at the corner of her mouth. She barely had time to struggle upright before he was on her again, his boot driving into her ribs with a force that sent another sharp crack echoing through the hall.
“You fihi
It broke her ribs, maybe more. “You filthy traitorous bitch!” He roared.
His attacks became feral and relentless. It was pure, unfiltered rage. He didn’t care about control. He didn’t care about honor. He
wanted to tear her apart, to end her, to make her pay for what she had done.
It took half a dozen wolves to restrain him.
Silver chains were thrown over his limbs, his packmates barely able to hold him down as he thrashed violently against them. His
howls of fury echoed through the night, shaking the very foundation of the hall.
Sophia, bloodied and broken, was dragged away like the disgrace she had become.
Her once–pristine fur was matted with mud and blood, her whimpers weak and pitiful.
By pack law, she was now an exile. No werewolf pack would ever take her in.
And worse. The scent of decay began to rise from her body.
It was the unmistakable stench of a rogue. The mark of the Moon Goddess upon an oath–breaker.
