Lucas POV

I sat on the edge of Lily’s bed feeling like a fraud, my eyes fixed on her unconscious form.

My heart felt heavy with the weight of what I’d done. I reached out, gently, tucking a stray strand of her hair behind her ear.

“I’m so sorry, Lily,” I whispered, trying to rein my emotions in. “You deserve so much better than this – than me,”.

How had it come to this?

As I watched her, memories of us flooded my mind. The first day I met, Lily, she was hiding from a group of girls who had obviously been bullying her. She had looked so fragile that day when she ran up to me and asked me to hide her.

She was so different from the others in the pack. While others mocked me for my status as an adopted child, Lily had seen past that and befriended me.

That was the first time anyone ever needed me or asked for my help. In that singular moment, I felt as powerful as the moon goddess. Our first date had been at a local diner after weeks of saving… I wanted to take her somewhere special but she knew we couldn’t afford the big restaurants in town, so she lied to me about craving locally made food.

But that was the best day of my life to date. After that, we’d spend countless hours studying with Lily patiently explaining complex topics until they clicked for me. The way she’d stood up to a group of bullies picking on a young boy we had seen one of the nights when he had taken a stroll…her bright echoing laughter through the school hallway or the way her eyes would light up with smiles when she talked about her favourite book.

In this world filled with deceit and lies, Lily was the only true thing.

“You were always so genuine,” I murmured “So smart and brave. I admired that about you, and still do. There were times when I worried that you were too good for me,” I added my voice breaking “Turns out you are,”.

I sighed heavily, running a hand through my hair. “It’s just that, I wish things could be different. I haven’t told you this before but I know what it means to be bullied. I understand what it’s like to never belong. This pack is the first place that felt like home,”.

I was adopted by the Gamma of this pack when I was 10 years old. As a child, I had to put up with taunts, beatings and constant fear. I was always the easy target since I was small and it didn’t help that I didn’t grow as fast as the other kids.

So, I became the subject of bullying by rogues and senior wolves who made my life a living hell.

The world was cruel… and I was taught to always grab opportunities, especially the obvious ones.

I love Lily but she was just like me. She was a nobody in the pack – no wolf, no power but Vanessa her sister… Vanessa was everything I wanted to have. Strong, beautiful with an equally powerful wolf. Mating her would secure my position. It would elevate me to heights I never dreamed of. No more bullying, no more sidelong glances and no more whispers about the ‘adopted runt’.

“I can’t go through that again,” I said more to myself than to the still-unconscious Lily. “I won’t be weak anymore – I can’t afford to be weak anymore and Vanessa… she can give me the strength I need. If I get mated to her, it means, I would become the next Alpha and no one would dare bully me or you … ever again… or anyone. I would make sure of that. So, I hope you can understand why I had to do that…”.

I trailed off as tears sprung from the corner of my eyes. I love, Lily… so much that it hurts me to see her lying there without smiling or talking back to me with excitement and knowing I was cause pricked my heart more.

No matter how much I’ve tried to fit in here, I was always referred to as the child who was adopted. It was like a stigma and the only way to get rid of it was to be with Vanessa. She wasn’t so great of a woman… but she had the power I needed.

I reached for her hands, pressing tiny kisses at the back of it… I wish I could tell her everything I had in mind… all my plans but I couldn’t risk it. I knew this day was coming… a day when I’ll finally have to let go of her but why did it seem so painful.

Suddenly, she groaned making me jump up startled. I stared at her as she stirred murmuring words that seemed strange to me but didn’t wake. I was beginning to get worried now… if she had fainted like Vanessa had said, she should be awake by now.

I stood, watching her stir again without opening her eyes. I decided to go and call Vanessa, she was one of the pack’s paramedics, so she had sufficient knowledge about keeping someone alive.

I checked in her room but didn’t see her. Taking the stairs, two at a time, I reached the ground floor and was about to call out her name when voices drifted to me. Pausing, I strained my ears recognizing Vanessa’s voice. Following the side of her voice, I arrived at a door at the corner of the hallway. The door was partially open, so it was easy to hear the people talking.

“You don’t have to worry about her shifting, Dad,” Vanessa’s voice came on strong, dripping with hatred “The dosage should be enough to suppress even the strongest wolf. Plus that little bitch hasn’t shown a single sign of shifting,”.

“Yeah! I agree,” Alpha Stone replied. “It’s a good thing that we’ve been poisoning her for years and she hasn’t noticed. Always so clueless… that one,” the Alpha chuckled. “We can’t risk her wolf awakening now, not when we’re so close. Do you think she fainted because of the rejection? You said she held her chest and seemed in pain? Maybe she felt some stirring within her. You know her bloodline…” the Alpha hesitated for a second… “I’m worried that our potion will not be strong enough for it. Plus, with her turning 18…It’s a significant number,”.

My blood ran cold. Poisoning? Suppressing Lily’s wolf? My mind reeled as I tried to understand what I was hearing.

“Once I mate with Lucas and he marks me, it won’t matter anymore,” Vanessa continued, her voice dripping with confidence. “With his strength and my bloodline, we’ll be unstoppable and she will be nothing but a forgotten memory,”.

“And you’re sure the boy will do what we want?” Alpha Stone asked.

“He’s in my palms, Father. He loves me so much and he didn’t hesitate when I told him that we can only be together when he rejects Lily which he did yesterday. Don’t worry, Dad… you can trust Lucas,”.

“Good!” Alpha Stone sounded pleased “After your wedding with the boy, then we would move on to phase 2 of the plan,”.

I stumbled back, my heart pounding as I crept up the stairs, careful not the make a noise. I’d known Vanessa to be cruel, but this? This was beyond anything I could have imagined.

Why were they so determined to harm her? What was phase 2 of their plan? I couldn’t believe I had put Lily in such a vulnerable position. Now, whatever they were going to do to her, I would be an accomplice.

“I must save her!” I murmured urgently to myself, taking the stairs faster.

I couldn’t undo the hurt; I’d caused but I could try to make it right. I had to warn, Lily. To tell her the truth about what her family had been doing to her and what they planned to do.

With shaky legs, I continued until I arrived at Lily’s room. As I pushed open the door, a warm feeling coursed through me as I stared at her… she was awake!”

Lily POV

My eyes fluttered open, my head pounding with the worst headache I’d ever experienced.

For a moment, I lay still, trying to piece together what had happened. Then like a wave, everything came back to me. Lucas’s rejection, Vanessa’s words that night, the pain I had felt when Lucas rejected me. Everything I had feared would happen had truly happened… the moon goddess knew how to give the best birthday gifts.

I sat up abruptly, ignoring the wave of dizziness that washed over me. This wasn’t a nightmare after all. The ache in my chest was enough proof that everything had happened. This was my new reality and it was a bleak one.

“Happy birthday to me,” I muttered bitterly, my voice hoarse.

As I buried my face in both hands, trying to remember when I had kept the pain meds in my room, the door of my bedroom was thrown open and Lucas ran in. When he saw me, relief flooded his face.

My heart clenched painfully as our eyes met. Part of me wanted to scream at him to go away, to never show his face again to me but another part… the part that still loved him despite everything, wanted him to gather me in his hands and tell me everything would be alright but I was so done with this.

“What do you want?” I asked straightening my shoulders as I glared at him. “And is that a relief expression I had just seen moments ago? Did you think you had killed me with the stunt you played? I bet you’re happy,”.

“No!” he shook his head and rushed to my side. “I’m just so happy that you’re fine. I was worried, you fell hard,”.

“Great news!” I scoffed “Now, can you please leave? Go be with your girlfriend… I don’t want to ever see you around me,”.

“Lily, I…” he started ignoring my threats, then faltered. I watched as he took a deep breath and tried again. “I’m so sorry for everything. I’m sorry that I cheated on you and for everything I said that you must have heard. What I did… what I said … it’s unforgivable but I hope…”.

I laughed humorlessly, interrupting him. “You’re right, Lucas. What you did is unforgivable and I’m not sure I have the good graces to forgive you anyways. Is that all you came to say?”

He shook his head, as his eyes darted nervously to the door and back. His expression grew serious. “Lily, listen to me. You need to get out of here, it’s not safe for you anymore. You need to leave,”.

“Leave?” I glared at him, wondering what he was talking about now. “As in leave the pack? Are you mad? Is it because you’re now marrying my sister that you want me to leave? How much space can I possibly take up by being here? Or did she put you up to this too? She did right?”

“No!” Lucas yelled, running a hand through his hair. “did you hear me the first time. I said it’s no longer safe for you, so you need to leave,”.

I blinked, realizing he wasn’t joking. Confusion replaced some of my anger. “What are you talking about?”

He ran his hand through his hair, for the second time in a few minutes – it was usually a sign that he was agitated. “I overheard something a few minutes ago. Your father and Vanessa your sister, they’re planning something. Something bad. You need to get out of here, now!”

My mind reeled from curiosity and fear. After everything that had happened, now this? Was this another one of Vanessa’s ploy?

“Lucas, slow down. What exactly did you hear?” I asked.

But Lucas was already moving. He grabbed a bag from my wardrobe and started to throw clothes into it. “There’s no time to explain everything. Just trust me, Lily. You’re in danger here,”.

“And you expect me to go with you? You who betrayed me some hours ago,” I scoffed, climbing down from my bed. “Listen, Lucas, my father and Vanessa do not regard me as anything. If that’s the danger you’re talking about, be rest assured it’s normal. So please…”.

Before I could say, Jack, Lucas crossed the room and grabbed my hand, pinning me with his stare. “Why are you so damn stubborn. I just told you your life is in danger and you’re here…” he trailed off, letting go of her hand. “I’m sorry for raising my voice but I don’t care if I have to carry you on my shoulders. We need to leave now,”.

“Fine!” I squared my shoulders. “I’ll go with you but I need to check something. Give me a few minutes. I need to talk to my father,” I said my voice stronger than I felt. I’d spent my whole life trying to earn my father’s love, trying to belong in this family. I couldn’t just leave without answers.

Lucas looked at me like I was crazy. “Lily, No! We need to go,”.

But I was already moving, marching out of my room and down the stairs. I found him in his study, buried in his usual pile of paperwork. As soon as he saw me, he looked up from what he was doing, with a calm expression.

“Ah, Lily,” he said “Feeling better, I hope?”

My hands clenched into fists at my sides. “Why?” I demanded, my voice shaking as tears gathered in my eyes. “Why can’t you love me like you love Vanessa? What did I ever do to deserve this?”

He sighed, closing the lid of the laptop. “Lily, I know you’re upset. Perhaps, we should have this conversation when you’ve calmed down…”.

“No!” I shouted, surprising even myself. This was the first time I was raising my voice at him. “I want answers and I want them Now!”.

He stared at me for a while, his expression blank and unreadable. Suddenly, he smiled – making me take a step back in shock. It wasn’t a kind smile.

“Very well,” he said, his voice suddenly turning cold. “You want the truth? You’ll get it. I hate you because you’re the reason why I lost my mate. You were never meant to be a part of this family in the first place,”.

“This same, old story again,” I bit my lips trying not to cry. “I’ve spent every waking moment of my life apologizing for that. I’m sorry, Mom had to die giving birth to me but I’m also sure that she would never want you to blame me for her death, I didn’t ask to be born,”.

“Oh shut up!” he snapped “We lied, okay! She didn’t die giving birth to you… she died protecting you. She gave her life for your sake…”.

I froze as the weight of his words settled in. “What…what are you talking about?”

He stood and came to where I was standing, looming over me. “Your blood, Lily… it’s special and you’re the vessel. You were handed over to my mate by some strange man when you were a child with instructions that she must take care of you and protect you. I guess she took it personally,”.

“That’s… that’s not true,” a tear rolled down my cheek as my voice cracked. “She was my mother… she gave birth to me….”.

“And you think I’ll treat my daughter the way I treat you?” he scoffed “Please... I don’t want to laugh,”.

Tears stung in my eyes but I refused to let them fall. “Then why keep me around all this while? You could have gotten rid of me the moment your mate died? Why bother to keep me here only to maltreat me?”

“Because,” he said, his smile turning cruel “I made her a promise and I intend to fulfil it. By the way,” he paused, went back to his desk to pick up a file which he stretched in my direction “I secured you a spot to go to college in the neighbouring pack’s territory,”.

My head spun; this couldn’t be happening. “You…you want me to leave?”

He nodded, his voice taking on a fatherly tone. “It would be good for you. A chance to start fresh and I could finally have some peace in my own house,”.

“I don’t want to leave, Father, please…” I cried trying to reach for him but the stern look on his face stopped me.

Then everything dawned on me.

“You’re lying,” I whispered turning to face him. “This isn’t about college is it? You’re trying to get rid of me,”.

The smile on his face was replaced instantly by a smirk as he sneered. “Smart girl. Always too clever for your good,” then he sighed. “Yes, the truth is, you were going to leave tonight anyways and as soon as you do, I’m going to declare you a rogue and if you ever try to come back, you’ll be treated as a rogue… just so you know, there are lots of packs who hate rogues, I wish you the best of luck surviving out there,”.

I staggered backwards, bumping my back on the edge of the table in the room. “You can’t do this,” I said, my voice barely audible. “I’m your daughter,”.

“You’re not my daughter!” he repeated “You’re just some stupid girl with no wolf and great blood running inside of you. You have until midnight to leave or I’ll have you dragged out myself and thrown out. Hurry my dearest, Lily… time is not your friend,”.

I felt numb as I dragged myself out of his study, and back to my room where Lucas was done packing. As soon as he saw me, he murmured.

“I’m so sorry, Lily… I never thought… I never knew…”.

I nodded not trusting myself to speak. My entire world had crumbled around me in the space of a day. My boyfriend, my sister, my father and a mother who wasn’t my mother after all. I went from being the girl hated by her father and sister to a … BASTARD! Everyone had betrayed me… I had nothing left.

A few minutes later, I reached the edge of the pack lands with my bag and Lucas hovering behind me. He had kept apologizing and asking for my forgiveness but I had managed to successfully avoid him.

Beyond these lands… I will now be a prey… but it’s fine…I had nothing to lose now.

Without turning back, I drove through the gates.

Kai POV

Royal Hunters Pack.

I go by many identities…

Some say I am ruthless and do not have blood flowing through me, other’s say I am a reincarnation of the king of death sent to live about werewolves as punishment. Some say I am a human who was punished by the universe but none of these identities stood out more than the last one…

That I was a monster – a monster who had killed his father, to claim the Alpha title.

There was a time when I used to get bothered by the rumours but the more, I lived, the more I slowly got used to these rumours. These days, I don’t bother myself trying to explain how to become a better person. I just wanted to live my life, protect my pack… that’s all,”.

I gazed out from the window of my bedroom to the expanse of my pack lands, loving the way the moon hung low and full over the dense forest, casting long shadows across the land. My pack was like an impenetrable fortress – I made sure of that.

The scent of my Beta Liam arriving wafted up to my nose. His footsteps echoed in the eerie quiet outside the hall. It was quite late; I wondered what could have brought him to my room so late at night. I heard him take a deep breath before knocking.

“Come in!” I said without turning.

Liam pushed open the doors and stepped into my study.

“Why is it so dark here?” he complained turning on the light “Are you some sort of dark lord?” he complained again, “How can you survive staying in the dark for so long? Looking at you now, I could almost believe that you killed your father to claim the Alpha title, goddess?” Liam hissed.

“I think you’re the reason why I’m yet to take a Luna. The way you nag at me is enough to make me stay off women,” I retorted, turning slightly to face him. What do you want again? And please don’t tell me it’s another list of eligible women you need me to go out on a date with?”

“Well!” he stuttered guiltily. “They’re saying that we might be in a relationship and I cannot stand that sort of rumour. You’re not even the kind of guy I’d date if I was into men,”.

“Nice try, Liam,” I chuckled leaving the window to join him “What news, Liam?” I asked, my voice a low rumble.

“Celeste asked me to deliver a message. She said the birds just brought her the information a few minutes ago and it’s from the neighbouring pack – Silver Moon Pack,”.

Celeste was my sister – twin sister. She was born with a special and rare ability to communicate with the elements. She could speak to birds, trees, leaves… whatever that has a natural existence. It gave our pack an edge over every other pack.

I leaned forward, my interest piqued. “Go on,”.

“She says the Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack had driven his daughter out of the pack. He stripped her of her identity and declared her a rogue,”.

A slow, smile spread across my face. “Interesting, very interesting. And what of the girl now?” I asked.

I saw Liam shift uncomfortably. “She’s currently on the run, Alpha. Our monitors picked up her scent and it seems she’s heading in the direction of our pack. And …” he paused “She’s not alone. rogues are pursuing her,”.

“I thought we got rid of every one of them outside our territory,” I sighed “Gosh! This is so frustrating. Gather a team of our best men, I want that girl around and brought to me, Alive and unharmed,”.

“And the rogues sir?” Liam asked.

I smiled, “Kill them all,”.

As Liam hurried to carry out my orders, I turned and gazed out of the window at the moonlit forest. Was this what my mother had meant when she sent me a message earlier today about some prophecy? Saying it was going to be fulfilled today.

‘The one who bears the mark of the Moon has the fate of the Gemini and in her flows the blood of ancient Lycan King. It’ll come in an unexpected form… either as a man or as a woman but he who harbours her, shall evoke the blessings of the Universe,’.

That was the ancient prophecy… was it this girl? Could she be the one that could bring liberation to me and my people? I wondered silently. The only way to find out was to bring her alive to the pack.

While I pondered on the words of the prophecy, my phone dinged, with a notification. When I opened it, my brows clouded with anger as I stared at the pictures my mom had sent me. They were pictures of women and the data. I sighed, fighting the urge to hurl my phone to the wall, my mom was on my neck to get married but I couldn’t just find the right woman yet and she was not giving up soon.

Trying to take my mind off it, I decided to join the team going after the rogue and hoping I would also find the girl. I ran out of the pack house and shifted into my wolf. I raced through the forest, loving the way the gentle evening felt on my fur with the moon shining gently on me.

The night air felt strange, I couldn’t place my finger on it. While I stood, trying to figure out the best way to search, my car drove past. I could smell out at least ten rogue wolves chasing after the car. That must be the girl but why was she in a car for moon’s sake?

When with her wolf, she could be faster.

Ignoring my intrusive thoughts, I started running in the direction of the car. The rogues were gaining in on her by the minute and I was a bit far. I needed to do something to distract them.

As I got ready to howl, up ahead, one of the rogues suddenly darted across the road in front of her. Instinctively, she swerved, the car’s tyres screeching in protest. For a heart-stopping moment, I thought she would flip but somehow, she managed to regain control

I was gaining in on the rogues. Without thinking, I reached for the first one, slitting its throat with my claws, making it deep enough to kill it. I grabbed two more rogues at once, snapping their necks with the flick of my wrist.

The woman was driving faster than before now. I wish I could reach out to her and ask her to slow down but I was a bit far. I grabbed three more rogues and snapped their necks. I had like four more rogues to kill. They were still chasing after her like their lives depended on it.

From the corner of my eyes, I saw one of the rogue darts from the corner of the forest and slammed itself into the side of the car. The impact sent the car spiralling out of control as it went off the road, and into the dense forest.

A low, menacing growl escaped my lips and, in a flash, I reached the four rogues and in unison, I tore them apart. I was angry… and I couldn’t even tell why. I looked up to the moon, and howled… it was louder than my usual howl and carried thrice as much strength as it did before plus I didn’t know why I just did that.

I started towards the valley the car had gone into… when I was a few distance away, I noticed about 10 rogues had gathered on the upturned vehicle, looking for a way to bring her out, so they could feast on her.

Something pumped into me… the kind of burst of energy I had felt go through me, some moments ago.

“I don’t mind ripping some heads over their shoulders of these rogues,” I said as I raced towards them. When I got closer… the anger in me at the sight seemed to fill up every part of my body, until I felt they would burst.

Turning to the moon again which was strange… I howled… Lightening cracked through the sky as thunder clapped… when I lowered my face, hoping to reach out for the first rogue… but they had all disappeared and instead, staring at me with fear in her eyes…

Was the most beautiful woman I’ve seen.