Prologue

/ ZHASK /

It was the night of the Blood Moon again, the night we held our blood hunting ceremony that takes place every once in a year during a full red moon.

It was this time of the year where us, werewolves of the Eastern Werewolf Kingdom felt our strength to its extent. We would rip our clothes and run across the forest of the Great Woodlands in our wolf forms, feeling so high as we jumped over rocks and rivers and bushes and fallen trees chasing our prey. We would howl on top of hills as the light of the red moon shone upon us and got reflected in our shiny furs.

It was a good evening to be a werewolf. Unluckily for me, I had to skip the ceremony because, for some unknown reason, my father, the current Alpha King of our kingdom, had fallen ill and I had to stay by his side. Being the Crown Alpha Prince and the only child, it’s customary to be present in times like these to fulfil my duty as the next in line to the throne. But I had to be there as his son, because for all I know, it would be our last moment together.

I stood outside his chambers when our healer came out.

“Your highness...” he said, bowing his head in courtesy.

“How is he?” I asked him, feeling worried.

“I’m sorry to break it to you, My Prince, but the Alpha King is dying,” the healer answered sadly, unable to look at my eyes.

“But how?” I asked again because it still seemed so unbelievably true for me. Just days ago, he had been the most energetic Alpha King I knew, he even took me to his usual pack runs in the forest.

“We discovered some dried Wolfsbane flower on his bedside table, and I think that’s what causes the sickness...” the healer explained but I cut him off.

“Wolfsbane? Are you saying he’s trying to kill himself?”

There was no way my father would do it.

“It’s too early to make presumptions, Your Highness, but it is likely to be the case. However, thorough investigation is being carried out by the members of The Council. We will inform you of the outcome once it’s done.”

I laughed at that. The Council doing the investigation meant there would be no progressive results. The Council was made of high-ranking officials that I considered as traitors. They hated the idea of me as the next in line to the throne because they thought I was incompetent. Well, they thought the Blood Moon pack, the pack were my father and I belonged, was incompetent as a whole. Our pack was the royal pack who sat on the throne of the Eastern Werewolf Kingdom for generations. The highest pack, the leader among the packs. But for the past hundred years, our Kingdom seemed to be abandoned by the Moon Goddess. We couldn’t feel her presence anymore, especially during daytime. We used to shift into our wolf forms anytime we want until one day, we couldn’t. We could only shift during the night and only if there was a moon.

And for some reason, The Council blamed us for this, thinking the Moon Goddess was mad at our pack.

“Zhask, my love....”

I turned around to see who was speaking and there I saw my ever beautiful and loving mate. She’s Greya Lightborn of the Blue Moon pack, we have been mated for one year since we were eighteen which made her the Crown Luna Princess of our Kingdom. We were supposed to get married right after the Annual Hunting Ceremony, but like I said, my father was ill, and our marriage would have to be moved.

My mate walked towards me, she was wearing her white silk gown that clung fit to her feminine frame. She was ready to join the Hunting Ceremony but her beautiful face was filled with worry. When she was near enough she took me into her warm embrace which I always found comforting every time.

“You should go, I’ll be fine,” I told her as I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her on the head.

“I don’t want to leave you,” she whispered in my ear.

“It’s okay. He’s my father, not yours,” I reminded her. “Besides, they need you there too.”

I was referring to the packs who would be joining the Hunting tonight. If I and my father would not be there, someone had to be there to represent us and it had to be Greya, my mate.

She looked at me deeply, and I could always sensed her concerns.

“It’s okay, my love,” I told her once again, and kissed her forehead and her cheeks and down to her lips. “You should go now. The packs are waiting.”

She gave me one last tight hug before she went away with two of our servants. The hug felt like the last one, and for a moment there, I wish it wasn’t true.

But then, inevitable things really happened.

“Your Highness, your father wishes to speak with you,” another healer said, coming out from my father’s chambers.

I went inside and found him lying on his bed, pale and barely able to recognize me.

“S-son...” He said, stuttering. His eyes were not even looking at me.

Aside from the healers, another two people stood beside his bed. They were the Sentinels, those who take in charge and guard the throne for the time being in case something happens to the Alpha King. All commands starting from this moment shall be coming from them until I would be successfully crowned Alpha King.

I leaned in closer to my father. “Dad...” I replied, tears were streaming down my face now.

“I.. I... I don’t have much time left.... I’m ready to meet your dear mum in the heavens now...” he said in a very raspy voice as if he was running out of air in his lungs.

“Dad,.. please.. Don’t tell me you’re gonna die...” I cried as I held his hands.

“Son... death is not a choice. If the Moon Goddess wills it, so be it,” he explained but I didn’t want to accept that.

The Moon Goddess had abandoned us.

“Dad.... I love you.” I might not say those words a lot to him, but this was the time he had to hear it and understand. He had been the best father I’ve ever known.

“W-watch over the kingdom,” he replied, “I know you’re going to be the best Alpha King out there because you’re my son, and you will always be. M-make me and your mum proud,..”

I kept crying at his side, and then he raised his hand very slowly, summoning the last amount of his strength, and touch my face.

“I love you. But I have to go now. I will always love you,” he said, and that was the last words that came out of his mouth, until life left his body and he passed away.

I cried so hard beside him. The Sentinels did their duty to stand witness of what had happened in the chamber, because by tomorrow, I would be taking over the throne as the new Alpha King.

But my father’s death was not something I could move on from easily. It was still hard to process. It reminded me of the time my mother passed away too. I was still a child when we lost her.

I had been crying for hours by his bed and didn’t notice how much time had passed. I just felt so empty now that my father was gone. He was my greatest mentor and advocate. He helped me discover my inner wolf and taught me how to shift. He shaped me into the best version of myself and I owed him that forever.

Suddenly, I heard voices outside. There was a commotion, and the Sentinels who watched over me were alerted.

“What’s going on?” I asked, still in my mourning state.

The door of my father’s chambers burst open and the guards from outside came in.

“Report!” one of the Sentiments commanded. They speak for my father now.

The guards who saw my father’s lifeless body took a long bow to honour him before they proceeded to tell us something.

“Forgive me, Your Highness, but something terrible happen at the Hunting Ceremony,” one of the guards explained. His face was filled with so much fear and worry.

Right there, my inner wolf could sense him because I had mastered my own senses. If something terrible really happened, I could feel it in my bones.

The guard explained further. “They were attacked by rogues. Many were injured, and...” he stopped as if the words he was trying to utter next get caught in his tongue.

“And what? Say it!” I demanded, eager to find out because my hands had been shaking so bad.

“Your mate… she’s gone.”