Ava's POV

I rubbed my hands on my shoulders feeling the air more chillier than usual. Daniel had paid for the supplies and we were heading back to camp. Uncle was planning on getting a house in town and I couldn't wait. I didn't want us to keep staying in shabby cabins in the forest. We arrived back to the woods and saw uncle pacing about.

"What took you so long?"Uncle barked at Daniel. He shivered. "The Queen was hassled by the alpha of the blood moon pack," he said.

Uncle's face hardened as he turned in my direction throwing questions at once. "Did he hurt you? did he say anything to you?"

"He said the queen.."Daniel began but I interrupted him knowing what he had to say.

"He called me a weakling. The usual taunts of the blood moons." I said signaling for Daniel to leave. He walked away.

"I warned you not to leave the camp," he said.

"I'm glad I did, "I said shrugging off.

"Ava," uncle's voice sounded low in a warning. I shrugged off again.

"I wasn't hurt, was I ?"I questioned.

"I forbid you from leaving the camp till further notice." he declared.

"Uncle!" I yelled.

"You were not hurt this time, what about next time?" he asked.

"I'll be fine. I can take care of myself."I assured him.

"I have made my decision. You stay with the pack," he said.

I frowned at him and walked away. "Ava, wait up." I turned to look behind me and saw Fernandez running towards me. I placed my hands in my pocket and kept walking, a little slower than before. He walked beside me falling along with my strides. "You don't look fine, Ava," he said.

I heaved in. "I'm fine," I said looking away.

"You're not, Ava. I've known you since we were kids, I can tell when you're sober," he said.

I sighed as I kicked a small rock that was in my way. "I'm fine,"I said again.

I was heading to the river. A good swim was what I needed to clear my head. "I've noticed since your fight with the blood moon alpha, you've not been yourself," he said driving straight into the bone of contention. I stopped in my tracks.

"This has nothing to do with that scoundrel,"I said looking away. Of course, I was lying. It had everything to do with him and Fernandez wasn't wrong about what he said.

"What's wrong Ava? you definitely don't look fine but worried. If you don't confide in me, then who will you?" he coaxed me and I had no choice but to tell him. He was right. I couldn't bring it upon myself to tell my uncle and I needed to let it off my chest.

I sighed. "It's the alpha of the blood moon pack." I said. He looked curiously and also suspiciously at me.

"What about him?" he asked.

"Promise me you won't tell anyone." I said to him.

He placed his hand on his chest. "I promise." he said.

I looked about hoping no one was eavesdropping.

"He's my mate." I dropped the bombshell watching his face turn pale.

"You're his what?!" he yelled out. I covered his mouth with my hand shushing him up. "Don't yell." I hissed out irritated by his outburst.

He took my hand off his mouth. "Tell me you're kidding Ava." he said.

"I wish I was." I said sighing.

"You are, right?" he asked again and I frowned at him resuming my walk to the river.

"I would not be so tensed up if this were a joke."I said.

He followed me. "I still can't believe it." he said in bafflement.

"It's the truth Fernandez,the horrible truth." I said. "You're not gonna accept him are you?" he asked.

I could feel his eyes boring at the back of my neck as I took off my jacket. I stopped and turned to him. "He's an enemy from the lineage that killed my mother and wiped away most of the pack. I would never forget that day."I said staring straight into his eyes.

~~~~~~~

Skye's POV

I dismissed the ladies I had earlier sent for the night to fill the emptiness of my bed. I was no longer in the mood to have them by my side. Meeting Ava today and still having her scent on me,I couldn't get her off my mind. I needed to but I just couldn't. I was still looking out the window when Robin walked in.

"The ladies have been dismissed from the house Skye."he said.

I nodded waving him aside. "I've noticed my alpha is always in a deep thought. What troubles you?you never can tell,I might be of help."he said. "What goes on in my mind is not something that you can help me with Robin."I answered him. "We've shared many secrets together, Skye. I'm not just your beta but also your best friend." he said.

I looked away from the window,walking towards the table that stood close to the wall.

"The crescent girl, I want you to find out everything about her. I mean everything and leave no stones unturned." I said.

"Why? what for?" he asked at once in a baffling tone. "Do as I have said."I said in authority.

"But, Skye," he protested.

"It's an order." I said more vehemently than I intended. He nodded and left.

Why I was so interested in this enemy from the crescent pack alarms me. Every part of me wanted her even when I try not to. My wolf demands for her presence every now and then. How could I be mates with an enemy?Why is the universe against me?why are they bringing torture to my soul? I groaned. My cellphone beeped and I picked it up to see a message from Natasha.

With all the chaos and my thinking,I'd forgotten she was a part of my life. I dropped the phone and laid on the bed,my hands folded behind my head. I wanted to forget her but I couldn't. I closed my eyes in slumber and all I could see was her spiky silvery coloured eyes.

Ava's POV

A week had gone by and I haven't come across the mighty alpha of the blood moon pack. Not like I cared, but mainly because I stayed around the camp training and doing things to get him off my head.

Uncle stuck to his words about me staying with the pack and I couldn't do anything about it.

But today I didn't obey. I wandered off the side of the river where the pack was.

The snow that fell the previous night became too steep for my feet to bear. My wolf was eager to come out.

For years, I've kept her hidden inside of me but today I couldn't. She loved the snow and being the only pure white wolf of the pack,she blended well with it.

Falling to my knees, my bones cracked with a howl escaping my lips. It was more painful than I remembered and I was quite sure it was because I never transform into my wolf form often.

The hairs on my body stood out and grew out more, and sharp claws sprung out of my fingers and toes.

Longer canines sprouted from my mouth and in an instant,I was in my wolf form.

The flawless white epitome of beauty to behold.

I leaped across the snow feeling happy and contented. She was finally out and free.

As a child, whenever I transformed, my mother always dotted black inks on the left side of my fur making me blend in with the others since I was the only pure white wolf without a spot.

I always wondered why she dipped me in ink and till now, I haven't come to understand why she did so.

Many of the pack members were spotting brown and white furs when they transformed. Others had a mixture of dark brown and very little white furs.

Mother had black fur with streaks of white covering her back to her tail and white fur from her chin to her paws.

And father?

I didn't even know him and I wished I did. Mother never spoke of him to me.

I was in another territory on the other side of the river. I had been engulfed in my thoughts and the freedom my wolf had that I didn't know how far I'd gone.

I was far away from camp and the protection of the trees. I was in an opening filled with snow. Opposite me was a lake that was forming into ice.

I lay flat in the snow enjoying the feeling on my fur and not caring that I was in another territory and I could be in danger.

My ears pricked, picking up movement from the other side of the opening. I stood up standing on guard waiting to see who the intruder was.

There a blood moon stood staring at me. Something about his eyes seemed familiar.

He charged towards me.

A vivid memory flashed through my head. A strong resemblance to the same wolf that killed my mother.

My blood ran hot. This will be no one but the alpha. Was he coming to do to me what his father did to my mother?

I charged toward him too, ready to attack. We met in the middle and I struck him with my claws.

He had a look of surprise on his face and with another attack from me, he put on a defense.

In a few minutes, he had me pinned underneath him. I threw him off me but in no time,he was on me again.

"My training had started long before yours my queen." He said into my head.

"What? how did?... Get out of my head!"I screamed back snarling at him.

"I love this situation, but I'm afraid I won't and besides, you ventured into my territory," he said having a smug look on his wolf face.

Skye's POV

With all her might, she threw me off her making me laugh. She had this wild violence in her that kept me glued to her.

My wolf excitement infuriated me the more as he wagged his tail. I had to force him to keep it in check.

He was so happy to see her in her wolf form that I almost missed it.

She was white. Pure white. Something that hasn't been seen in centuries.

She noticed me staring intently at her and backed away, retreating into the woods.

"Afraid of a blood moon?"I teased knowing her anger was the only way to make her stay back.

She turned in my direction and gave me a deadly look.

"Fear?" she scoffed. "My fears of the blood moon pack died ten years ago. All I feel is nothing but hatred for your pack." She hissed.

"I should probably not let you live but on occasions,I find myself not doing so. My wolf fancies you much to my disliking."I said. I was now a few inches close to her.

"It is very obvious I detest both of you. "she spat out angrily.

I chuckled. "I can tell your wolf and mine have similar interests."

"My wolf is under my control and does my bidding. "she refuted.

"We're going to find that out soon,"I said smugly.

"What do you mean?" she questioned.

"I wonder how she'll feel when my wolf kisses her."I teased triggering her to anger.

She smacked me with her paw.

"I'm not one of the cheap sluts in your pack."she hissed out.

"Feisty."I found myself saying instead of getting angry that she raised her paws on me.

This soft side was all my wolf's doing.

She walked up to me breaching the space between us.

"Let me make this clear, I'll never accept you as my mate. I'll rather die than..."

On impulse,my wolf licked her face leaving her speechless and flamed. She flared up attacking me, snarling and scratching.

Behind her, the crescent pack charged out of the forest. She turned to see them. Two were in their wolf form. They probably shifted to find her.

They howled as the pack yelled. "Finish him!"

"Tear him to pieces!"one yelled.

She turned to look at me and for a moment I thought she'll do so but she whispered in my head.

"Go," she commanded.

I refused to be intimidated by her clan but she snarled baring her teeth at me. With a more authoritative voice, "Go."she said.

I turned away retreating back into the woods.

Ava's POV

"Finish him!" Fernandez yelled out but I couldn't bring myself to do it. With one look into those red eyes, I felt lost.

My wolf couldn't bring it upon herself to kill her mate but rather, had ordered him to leave.

They all looked surprised seeing me in my wolf form.

I retreated into the forest where I had pulled off my clothes and shifted back to human and returned back to the cabin.

Here I stood now facing the wrath of my people for letting the alpha go. Their surprised look at my wolf form was gone and replaced by the anger of not shredding their arch enemy to pieces.

Fernandez's voice came the loudest.

"How could you have let such an enemy go free! You had the upper hand and should have killed him!" he vented.

"He spared my own life on the first fight. It felt right to do the same and be even." I tried justifying my actions. Why was he so mad anyways?

"To be even? Oh, please spare me that." He said with a continual raising of his voice.

"Fernandez, what's wrong with you?"I said trying my best not to get upset.

"It's so obvious why you let him go, Ava," he began and I cut in. "What do you mean?"I asked with a raised brow.

"We all know the reason why you couldn't fight him."

"Fernandez,"I called out in a warning tone but he was oblivious to the fact I was sounding a warning.

"Because he's your mate!" he yelled out in front of the pack.

"Fernandez!"I yelled and the pack gasped and started murmuring.

The anger in him suddenly evaporated when he realized he had spilled the beans.

"Ava I'm.." he began looking sorry.

"Save it, Fernandez," I said and turned to see my uncle standing behind me.

"What did I just hear him say?"

I gulped down the lump in my throat unable to mutter a word. He looked expressionless and I had no idea what he was thinking.

"I asked a question, Ava, what did Fernandez just say?" he repeated.

"Beta Phil..it's.." Fernandez stammered as he tried explaining but uncle hushed him with a finger.

"Stay out of this Fernandez, you've done enough damage," I said not looking in his way.

I took a deep breath. It wasn't like I chose the blood moon alpha to be my mate.

It wasn't my doing, so why was I so scared to just say it?

"You heard right uncle. The blood moon alpha is my mate."I said without a hint of guilt.

I mean this was totally not my fault.

"Everybody leave." He ordered. They dispersed still murmuring and whispering.

I do feel like ripping Fernandez apart.

Uncle turned his attention back to me.

"How could you let this happen?" he asked.

Like what?! Was he kidding? Like do we plan who our mates get to be?

"What are you saying, uncle? We don't plan who our mate gets to be." I replied indignantly.

"I recall asking you several times what he said to you but you kept saying nothing!" he raised his voice.

"What should I have done? Tell you the enemy's my mate?!" I yelled equally getting annoyed.

"This could have been avoided!"

"How? I have no control over things like this. This is a part of us, of all people you should know that!"

"Don't use that tone on me, young lady," he said in a low annoying tone. "I'm still your uncle and the beta of this pack."

"And I still remain your niece and future alpha of this pack."I equally said defiantly and walked away.

In my angry state, I brushed past a girl on the shoulder without remorse and kept walking away.

I was mad at the fact that they believed I chose to be mate with the blood moon alpha.

If anyone should be blamed, it should be the moon goddess and not me.

I got to the river and angrily threw pebbles into it. I vented my anger out and pulled my hair in frustration trying my very best to maintain composure.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Evening came by quicker than before and I walked back to the cabin.

Everyone was dressed at their very best and I wondered what the occasion was.

Fernandez walked towards me and I backed away from him walking in another direction.

I saw a young girl and decided to ask what was going on.

"Why's everyone so dressed up? Are we expecting the prime minister?"I asked

She giggled. "No, my Queen. It's the annual parade in town, it's tonight."

"Oh." I sighed. It was a parade that everyone in town participated in and usually, we blended in with the crowd to avoid being detected.

I guess with the exposure of ourselves to the blood moon we could go out without being worried, only if we stayed in groups.

I loved going to the parade but this year I didn't feel like it. I turned away from her to retire to my cabin when she called back.

"Won't you attend the parade my Queen?" she asked.

"I don't think I would this year," I said with a weary smile on my face.

"Oh." it was her turn to sigh. "I don't think we'll feel safe out there without you," she said looking downcast.

"Come along Camila the parade is about to start!" Another girl exclaimed in excitement.

Camila gave me a small smile and hurried to the girl who ushered her.

I gave a thought to what she said and decided to attend the parade if at all they'll need me.

The pack had left already and by the time I got there the parade had started. There were loud drum noises everywhere as the streets were crowded with people.

A combination of humans and the supernatural.

I sighted uncle with two police officers. The ones I recalled seeing a few years back.

Uncle's face was expressionless as he spoke to them.

In a few minutes, they left. I was curious about what they were discussing.

Brushing aside my previous anger, I walked up to him.

"What's the matter with the cops?"I asked.

He shrugged. "A report has been given to them about the constant noises and fires in the forest with wounded wolves later seen in some parts of the forest."

"Is he investigating?"I asked.

He nodded. "But there's no need to worry. I know these two cops. They just want us to be careful before it gets to their superiors."

"So, they know who we are?" I questioned.

"Just these two. They don't want the town going into the chaos that they live among wolves that can turn human." He said and I nodded and walked away.

I wanted to enjoy the parade and watch the magicians with their fires. I had just crossed over to the other side of the street when a hand grabbed me pulling me into a dark corner.

He placed a hand over my mouth shushing me up. I looked into the eyes of the man in front of me and it was no other than him. Skye, the blood moon alpha.