As Luna of the Blood Rose Pack, I trusted my mate, Alpha Orion, to protect our family. But that trust shattered the night he abandoned me and our daughter, Lyra, at the border, claiming urgent business. Left with only a few wolf warriors, we ventured into the darkness, unaware of the nightmare awaiting us.

Chaos erupted as we reached the border—bloodshed, wolves battling fiercely. In the ensuing chaos, I was torn from Lyra’s side. Helplessly, I watched as attackers closed in on my innocent child. Her screams pierced the night, calling my name, begging for help. My heart broke as her life was brutally taken before my eyes.

Cradling her lifeless body under the cold moonlight, I wept, questioning the Goddess and the cruel fate that had befallen us. The prophecy foretold my torment, but nothing could prepare me for this living hell.

While I mourned my precious Lyra, Alpha Orion held Lilith in his arms, consoling her over a dead pet. He had chosen her, and in doing so, he had killed our daughter. “You never cared about us, did you?”

--

"When the Moonlight Wolf awakens, draped in silver and shadow, her heart will tremble with destiny's weight. In that fateful heartbeat, she will be seduced by darkness, her soul slipping into the abyss. Her final breath will be a gift to the world, a sacrifice that rekindles light and restores harmony to a fractured realm."

The curse was whispered one fateful night exactly in the full moon of my birth month, and as someone who was in the lineage of the rarest wolf kind, the Moonlight wolves, I received the prophecy like all others. However, everyone in the pack I grew up in didn't like what they heard, even me.

I was scared. It never occurred to me that I would be a full Moonlight Wolf, and I would have its full power, not just half, but full of it. But it had a consequence. The prophecy said that I might succumb to evil.

I became an outcast, and an eyesore to the pack because of the prophecy about me, but that too, was all in the distant past.

Now, years later, I met my mate, the Alpha of Blood Rose Pack. I was the representative of our pack together with my daughter, Lyra, at a banquet. It was in another town, and it just ended hours ago.

I caressed the hair of my daughter while humming a lullaby. Outside, the trees were swaying, and the clouds were overlapping the moonlight.

My mate said he would meet us on the town's border to ensure that we would be safe on our way back, so I was relieved. Not until I felt the sensation of our mind link.

"I don't think I can fetch you and Lyra. I have something urgent to do. You'll head home safe for sure, since some of the warriors of the pack are with you."

He never answered my mind link after that. He even ignored my calls when I picked up my phone. I felt helpless, and for some reason, my hands were turning cold.

In recent weeks, I heard a lot of crimes around the area, especially at the border. There had been deaths, and the news said that rogues were going around a lot these days.

Not only that, I am the Luna! And I am with Lyra, the Alpha's heir. We were always an eyesore to the eyes of the enemies of the Blood Rose Pack.

We drove in silence, the black SUV gliding smoothly along the road as the dense forest pressed in from either side. My daughter Lyra sat beside me, her small hand gripping mine. Two other cars, filled with our wolf warriors, flanked us. As we crossed the town's border, a chill ran down my spine—a premonition that something terrible was about to happen.

The road ahead narrowed, and suddenly, the tranquil night exploded into chaos. Tires screeched, and masked figures surged from the trees, brandishing silver-tipped weapons. My heart pounded in my chest. We were under attack. Hunters. And worse, they were werewolves.

Our warriors reacted instantly. The car doors flew open, and strong hands pulled Lyra and me from the vehicle.

The night was filled with the clash of metal and the guttural growls of shifting wolves. Fear clawed at my throat as I clutched Lyra close, my heart hammering in terror.

"Stay close to me, Lyra! Don't let go!" I shouted, trying to keep the panic from my voice.

In the chaos, several warriors grabbed Lyra, pulling her away to protect her. I was separated from her, surrounded by my guards, who fought with ferocity to keep the hunters at bay.

No... No! I was separated from my daughter!

"Luna, we need to get you to safety! They are from the rival pack!" One of my warriors shouted over the cacophony, his eyes wide with urgency.

"No! My daughter! I need to get to her!" I screamed, my eyes darting frantically toward where Lyra was being shielded. My heart lurched as I saw the warriors around her being overwhelmed. One by one, they fell, their bodies hitting the ground with sickening thuds.

"We can't save her anymore!" One of the warriors cried; desperation in his voice. "We're outnumbered and overpowered!"

"Luna, you have to run! We can't hold them off much longer!" Another warrior pleaded, his grip tightening on my arm as I struggled against him.

"No! Let me go! I have to save her!" I cried, desperation driving me to fight against their restraining hands.

Blood splattered across the ground, and the air was thick with the sounds of battle. My heart raced as I watched the last of our warriors fall.

Lyra stood alone, surrounded by five massive wolves, her eyes wide with terror, tears streaming down her face.

"Mommy! Help me!" Her voice was a terrified wail that shattered my soul.

"Lyra! No! I'm coming!" I sobbed, pushing against the warriors holding me back. But they were so strong that I could feel my arms burning.

No... This can't be. My daughter was just a few meters away, surrounded by hunters! I know their duty was to protect me, even at the cost of their lives, but what about my daughter? The warriors who were trying to keep her safe were already killed!

My heart broke as I watched the hunters lunge at Lyra, their fangs bared.

In an instant, it was over. Lyra's lifeless body crumpled to the ground, her innocent eyes still open in shock.

"No! Lyra! My baby!"

The hunters, as if their mission was already complete, retreated into the shadows. I broke free from the warriors and stumbled toward my daughter's body, my legs giving way beneath me. I fell to my knees beside her, my hands trembling as I reached out to touch her cold, lifeless face.

"I'm so sorry, my sweet girl... I'm so sorry..." I whispered, my voice cracking with the weight of my grief.

I cradled Lyra in my arms, my heart shattering with every sob. The world around me faded into a blur of pain and loss as I rocked back and forth, clutching the only piece of her I had left.

The remaining warriors, bloodied and defeated, stood silently, their heads bowed in sorrow. They had failed to protect the most precious part of my life, and the weight of that failure hung heavy in the air.

"Luna, we need to leave. It's not safe here," one of the warriors said softly, placing a hand on my shoulder.

But I couldn't move. My soul was shattered, and all I could do was hold my daughter's lifeless body, my cries echoing through the silent forest—a mother mourning the unbearable loss of her child.

And there, I could feel my wolf howling at her grief.

While I mourned my daughter, Alpha Orion’s first love, Lilith, posted on her social media, “You always appear just when I need you. Grateful to have you around!” Accompanying her post was a photo of the two of them, looking content and intimately close.

My hands trembled as I took a screenshot and sent it to Orion, my mate. My message was laced with the anguish and betrayal I felt, "Is this why you didn’t bother to meet us at the border, despite knowing we were in danger?"

Days passed in a haze of grief. It wasn’t until after Lyra's cremation and burial that Orion finally responded. His words were a cruel knife to my already shattered heart. "You and Lyra can manage yourselves, but Lilith can't be without me!"

I couldn’t believe what I was reading. My mind swirled with disbelief and sorrow, but clarity pierced through my pain. "Alpha Orion, let’s break our mateship," I replied, my fingers trembling as I typed the words that would sever the bond I had cherished for so long. After sending that final message, I blocked him.

Orion had been my guiding light for so many years. We had grown up together since I was eighteen, fresh from leaving my previous pack. He had been my best friend, my confidant, and eventually, my love. From the beginning, everyone knew that I would always follow him, no matter where he led.

I stayed by his side through everything—supporting his pursuits, witnessing his heartbreaks when Lilith left to be with her true mate, and standing by as his faithful friend. During his relationship with Lilith, I silently endured the agony of unrequited love. I don’t remember when I started developing feelings for him, but I knew they deepened during his darkest times. When Lilith left, he was devastated, and it was then that I finally confessed my feelings. We decided to choose each other as mates, and for a while, it seemed like we had a future together.

Our life together unfolded with the passage of time. We had known each other since we were eighteen, began dating at twenty, married at twenty-six, and welcomed our daughter Lyra into the world when we were twenty-nine. Lyra was just six years old.

For years, I followed Orion with unwavering devotion. My gaze never left him, always burning with love. I spent my youth and the prime of my adulthood by his side, believing that one day I would hold a cherished place in his heart. But I was wrong. To him, I was never more than a second-best option. While he basked in the affection of others, I grew accustomed to being humble and making sacrifices.

Despite being mated and sharing a child, I never dared to ask too much of him. He was constantly busy leading the Blood Rose Pack, and I knew better than to disturb him. Whether it was dealing with illness, attending prenatal check-ups, or even giving birth, I bore everything alone, afraid that my needs would annoy him. I never wanted to be a burden.

The only time I had ever personally asked him to come for us was when I heard rumors of rogue sightings at the border. I feared for our safety, for Lyra's safety. But even then, because of Lilith, he abandoned me—his Luna—and our daughter. His decision led to Lyra’s death. She was only six, full of potential and dreams.

Does he even know how excruciating it was to watch our daughter die in front of me? Does he understand that a part of me died with her? Those mornings and nights lost their meaning after her death.

I knelt at Lyra’s grave, sobbing until there were no more tears left to shed. My body felt as empty as my heart. When I finally rose, I left with a heart that felt as though it had died.

Not long after, I saw Alpha Orion and Lilith approaching. He held her shoulders tenderly while she cradled an urn in her hands, her face haggard and grief-stricken. My mate looked at her with eyes full of pity and tenderness—a gaze he never spared me.

"The cemetery is beautiful, full of birds and flowers," Lilith said softly. "Farrow would have liked it, right?"

Farrow was Lilith’s poodle. I felt a bitter pang of irony at the thought.

Orion’s expression was one of deep concern as he looked at Lilith. But when his eyes met mine, his gaze hardened, the pity replaced by a cold indifference.

"Seraphina, you're never going to stop, are you?" He said, his voice filled with disdain. "First, you talk about ending our mateship, and now you're following me here. Do you have nothing better to do?"

He stepped toward me, frowning with irritation.

"Step aside," I replied coldly, my voice devoid of any emotion. I didn't want to exchange another word with him.

At that moment, I could feel my wolf's rage turning ice-cold.

Lilith stepped forward, her voice gentle but carrying sarcasm. "Seraphina, my dear Farrow died suddenly of illness. I was devastated, and I needed Alpha Orion’s support. Please don’t be angry," she said, her tone soft and soothing. Yet her eyes betrayed a different message, one of unspoken dominance. "He will always choose me. With me, he's always there."

I met her gaze, my expression impassive. "Oh, your Alpha is so good to you," I replied flatly, concealing the storm of emotions roiling inside me.

Upon hearing that, Orion’s frown deepened, irritation flaring in his eyes. "Look, can you be reasonable? Farrow's death has already made Lilith very upset, and here you are, being sarcastic?" His voice was sharp, cutting through the fragile peace of the cemetery.

His eagerness to defend Lilith stung, but I merely glanced at him, refusing to let him see how deeply his words wounded me. Without a word, I pushed past Orion’s shoulder and walked away, each step a battle to maintain my composure.

As I distanced myself from them, I could sense Orion’s confusion. This was the first time I had confronted him and Lilith without tears or accusations. I was calm. It was as if my grief had turned my heart into a rock.

Moments later, I heard footsteps behind me. Orion caught up to me, his voice a whisper of exasperation. "Isn’t this all because I didn’t meet you and Lyra at the border? Why are you so angry with me for so long? You're being petty!"

His words were a cruel twist of the knife as if I were to blame for the distance growing between us. "Well, it's all my fault," I replied, my voice cold and detached, not even bothering to look at him.

At that moment, Orion seemed taken aback by my indifference. For a moment, his frustration gave way to a softer tone as he tried to explain. "Farrow's death was a big blow to Lilith. I was worried she might do something drastic if she was left alone, so I went to her. Is Lyra upset with me? I'll make it up to her when I get back. She's such a good girl; she’ll forgive me, right?"

If he had cared at all for our family, he would have known the horror that had befallen our daughter. But his world revolved around Lilith, and he hadn’t even noticed our daughter's death. "You don’t have a chance anymore," I said quietly, resuming my walk, my heart heavy with the finality of my words.

Orion reached out, his hand gripping my arm in desperation. "Why is there no chance? Okay, okay, I promise I’ll never do that again. You don’t have to be so mad about this, alright?"

For the first time, he seemed willing to lower his pride, to make amends. But his promises were too little, too late. If Lyra had survived the ambush, perhaps I could have found it within myself to forgive him. But now, the possibility of forgiveness has died with her.

"Let’s find a time to end this miserable mateship as soon as possible," I said, shaking off his hand with finality. My voice was firm, my resolve unshakable. I walked away without looking back, the weight of my decision settling over me like a shroud.

As I left, I could feel Orion watching me, a sense of something lost dawning on him. He frowned as he called his Beta.

"Beta Herbert," he said, his voice tinged with urgency, "prepare the most beautiful doll you can find and have it delivered to the pack house for my daughter. Ask her to help persuade her mother not to be angry with me."

His words were hollow, a desperate attempt to mend what was broken. But I was done waiting for him to realize everything. There was no doll, no apology, that could ever bridge the brokenness that had formed between us.