"What?" Alden shot up from his seat. "Father you can't really mean...""That's an order!" Alpha Alaric snapped.[What about the rogues we told you about? Who will keep an eye on Diana while we're gone?] Alden asked desperately through the mind link.Alpha Alaric paused, then turned to his daughter with a smile. "Dorian will stay with you. If you want anything, let him know."He leaned down and kissed her hair, then turned and left the dining hall.Diana was now more confused than ever. Why was everyone suddenly acting strange?"Mom?" she turned to Catherine. "Is everything okay? Did something happen last night?""Of course not," Catherine shook her head, putting on a fake smile so Diana wouldn't become suspicious. "Why did you ask?""Dad is acting really weird, and he has never taken Alden, Asher and Axel with him to his meetings." Diana said. "Don't worry about your father," Catherine took Diana's hand and squeezed it softly. "Maybe he wants your brothers for a reason.""But beta D
At first, Diana felt self conscious. All eyes were on her as she walked with Brandon towards the greenhouse where the students gathered to hangout. This was why she wanted her brothers around. Whenever she was with them, she felt comfortable. Thinking of her brothers brought her back to the awkward moment that occurred a few minutes ago."Brandon?" she called softly. "What really happened yesterday?"Brandon suddenly looked uneasy and this confirmed Diana's suspicions. Something had indeed happened last night after she passed out, and they were trying to hide it from her."It's just like the Alpha said, Diana. Just a misunderstanding." Brandon lied, refusing to meet her eyes. "Bullshit," Diana said angrily. "I thought you were my friend. Why are you lying to me? I know something happened last night, and it wasn't just an argument."Brandon remained quiet, silently letting Diana know that he wasn't going to say a word."You don't want to tell me?" she asked after a while. "Fine. Don'
At the council meeting with the ancient shifters, Alden and his brothers were restless. It turned out that Alpha Alaric didn't need them for anything at the meeting because the moment they got there, he told them to wait while he and their mother went into the room where the meeting would hold."Father is trying to keep us away from Diana," Asher growled as he paced back and forth."He can try all he can. We will never reject her." Axel threw the rock he had been spinning away."This is why I never wanted us to tell him." Alden shook his head angrily. "A part of me knew he wouldn't agree.""But what's so bad about Diana?" Axel asked. "She is the kindest and sweetest person ever.""Don't you get it, Axel?" Alden said, clearly frustrated. "Father loves her so much, of course he doesn't think there's anything bad about her.""He feels Diana is our sister, even if it isn't by blood, so we can't be mated to our own sister," Asher explained. "Also, he has this strange conviction that she ca
Diana slowly made her way into the forest, her eyes locked on the spot where she had seen the shadow.There was nothing there, and she would have passed it off as a trick of the light, except she knew she had actually seen something. The forest was dark and eeriely quiet. She usually enjoyed the peacefulness but at that moment, the silence was deafening. The trees didn't even ruffle in the wind and most of the sunlight were blocked out because of the thick tree trunks and branches.After moving stealthily in a particular direction for a few minutes, she paused. There was nothing. She began to really think maybe it had been the trick of the light.But suddenly, a twig cracked like a firecracker in the silence. Turning instantly alert, she stepped behind a large tree and tried to control her breathing. She could hear whispers and she tried to make out the words, but it was inaudible.After a while, heavy footsteps began to approach her and she stilled herself for a fight. If it was a s
"Who do you think you are, acting all proud and mysterious?" Syrena had her hands planted on her hips and she was glaring at the two girls before her. The two girls remained silent and this angered Syrena. They were part of the troop of foxes that always kept to themselves. Syrena haf gone around the greenhouse ordering everyone to vote for her for the upcoming full moon pageant. When she didn't get the desired result from them, she got pissed."Do you know who I am?" she asked. "My father is the alpha's beta and I will not tolerate such rudeness...""Leave them alone Syrena." Diana's voice cut through the atmosphere as she stepped in with Brandon beside her.Syrena faced her and sneered. "Or what? What are you going to do? Fight me?""I bloodied your nose the last time we had a fight, and you couldn't do a thing about it," Diana replied curtly, her voice mocking and degrading. Syrena glared round at the students that laughed at her when Diana made her statement. She couldn't let h
Diana tried to concentrate through out the entire day, but it was difficult, especially as it was the weekend. Her brothers were deliberately ignoring her and it hurt. If it had been a school day, she would have taken her mind off it by doing homework and studying.It got worse when dinner time came and none of them joined her in the dining hall. The maids had to take their food up to their rooms."Dad, did anything happen at the meeting today?" She asked her father casually."No. Why do you ask?" Alpha Alaric turned to her briefly before looking back at the parchment he held."Well, it's weird for Alden, Asher and Axel not to join us for dinner. I was just wondering maybe if they got into an argument."Luna Catherine shot a look at Alaric before continuing her meal."Your brothers are just tasked with Alpha duties," Alpha Alaric lied, which wasn't much of a lie. "You know they are the future Alphas. The council had a discussion with them today.""About what?" Diana asked, losing inte
"Do you want something?"Alden's deep voice caressed her ears. His eyes were half closed, the heat from his body igniting embers within her. How was she supposed to answer that question? Did she want anything? She wanted to kiss him. She wanted to feel every inch of his hard male body. She wanted to feel his hands on her. She wanted to look into his eyes as he parted her legs and filled her with that hard male length..."Diana,"His voice brought her back to the present. Diana blinked, her eyes flying up to meet him. She had lost focus again and had been staring at his lips."I..." she paused and gulped nervously.Alden's eyes darkened when she moistened her lips. His eyes were slowly flickering from gold to brown as he tried to hold in his hunger for her."You haven't answered me, Diana." He whispered huskily."I just... I..." Diana struggled to speak as Alden leaned closer to her. He was so close that if she decided to lift her chin, her lips would touch his."I wanted to see you,
Two days passed in a blur and it was finally the day of the selection for the pageant competitors.Within that two days, the relationship between Diana and her brothers improved increasingly. Diana was still suspicious about her parents and what they were hiding from her, but she didn't tell her brothers. They would probably try to take her mind off it. She would find out whatever was going on herself. She just had to be attentive to every tiny detail.She was pulled out from her reverie when the students started pouring in. School had ended for the day and a lot of them were eager to participate in the selection."Hi Diana," Josette waved to her with a big smile."Hello Josette," Diana smiled back at her. "Can you help me round up the students? We're going to begin soon.""Sure," Josette nodded and walked off.Even in the midst of everything that was going on, Diana was glad that she had a close girlfriend she could talk to. Josette was everything Syrena wasn't.And speaking of the
100 years later... Alaric and Catherine had resigned as Alpha and Luna of the pack, leaving it for Alden and his brothers to rule. One fateful day, a new group of werewolves were brought to the pack. Just as it had been done years ago in the time of Alpha Alaric, werewolves who didn't belong to a pack traveled down to the Bloodmoon pack so they could be sworn in as members, and protected from the outside world. After they had sworn their loyalties to the triplets Alphas, the warriors began to group them into pack houses. Alden and his brothers left the beta and gamma to do the job and they left, taking a walk round the pack and making sure everyone was settling in. Suddenly, they perceived a sweet and unique scent. Asher was the first to stop abruptly, and then his brothers followed. "That sweet scent." Alden whispered. They couldn't be mistaken. Only one person had that scent, and they would recognize it anywhere. It was Diana. In the next instant, the triplets shifted into
Alden and his brothers were dumbstruck. It seemed they had seen a ghost. "Diana? Dad?" Asher whispered, unable to believe his eyes. He was terrified that if he blinked, they would disappear. Beside him, Alden and Axel were so still. It was Catherine who finally took a tentative step forward and gently stretched her hand forward. "Alaric," She said softly. "Is it really you?"Alpha Alaric smiled at her gently. Then he looked towards his daughter and gently placed a kiss on her hair. Turning back to his mate, he stepped out of the pool and took her in his arms. "It is, my love." His deep voice caressed her. "I came back to you."Catherine's eyes filled with tears as she touched her mate all over, making sure he was real and not a figment of her imagination. When she realized it was really him standing before her in flesh and blood, she burst into happy tears and threw herself into his arms. "Oh Alaric," She sobbed. "I thought I would never see you again. I was so lost without you
A week had gone by since the death of Alaric and Diana. Bloodmoon pack was deserted. After the war with Astrid, the other creatures had packed up their families and left the pack to the outside world. The Michaelson school lay in ruins. The only people left in the pack were the triplets, Catherine and a few of the warriors.Even after the war they won, things didn't go back to the way they were. The sky remained dark and moonless, and the realm felt like it had been sucked dry of life. Catherine moved about the mansion like a ghost, her face etched with the pain of her lost mate and her daughter. The only reason she didn't take her life were her sons. They were what made her live each day. As for Alden and his brothers, things would never be the same. Diana didn't just die; she took a part of them with her. And though they tried to ignore the pain and pretended like they were okay, deep down, the pain of losing her was all consuming. The days went by seamlessly, until one night,
Alaric slowly climbed to his feet behind Astrid and withdrew the dagger Diana had given to him. The pain he felt was excruciating, but he carefully trudged forward, his eyes intent on Astrid. He had to do it. He had to save everyone before it was too late. It wasn't easy for a father to kill his own child, but as Diana stated earlier, it was the only way. An Alpha had to make difficult decisions, no matter who it would affect. And at that point, destroying Diana's body which was inhabited by Astrid was the only way to save the entire realm. As he got closer to Astrid, Alden sensed him and he raised his head weakly. His gaze focused on Alaric and the moment he saw the dagger, he knew what his father was about to do. Kill Diana.Before he could hold himself, he yelled out unintentionally. "Father no!" Astrid whirled around instantly, her black eyes zeroing in on Alaric. She snarled at him and shot out her arm, sending Alaric flying backwards. "You werewolves never give up." She u
"You have to kill me."Alpha Alaric froze, the color draining from his face. He slowly released Diana, shaking his head in denial. "No," He whispered. "Dad please...""No Diana." Alaric shook his head, his entire body trembling. "How can you ask of something like that from me?""It is the only way." Diana cried out. "Astrid is going to destroy the realm, and she has already succeeded because the moon is gone...""No..." Alaric adamantly refused. "Dad we can't let more innocent people die...""I can't do it Diana!" Alaric suddenly burst out. Then his voice lowered and trembled as he continued. "I can't kill my own child, my own daughter.""So you would let other people die?" Diana whispered. "If Astrid takes over, I'll die. Why not make use of the opportunity and defeat her instead?""Diana, it isn't as easy as you want it to be." Alaric whispered back. There were tears glistening in his eyes, threatening to fall. "I can't kill my own daughter. This is a difficult decision you're as
Immediately the pentagram's connection was severed, Astrid lost control of her powers for a moment. This gave the large wolf an opportunity to tackle her to the ground. "No!" She screamed, struggling to free herself from the wolf above her. The other two wolves stepped out of the pentagram and hurried towards Alden and Asher. "Mother, Axel," Asher called out in a voice filled with relief. Catherine and Axel swiftly shifted into their human forms and loosened the vines holding him and Alden. "How did you know where to find us?" Alden asked, freeing his hands from the vines. "Astrid destroyed the moon. Didn't you feel the pain?""We felt it." Axel answered, grabbing Asher's arm and lifting him up. "I felt like I would die. Mother and Father were down too, until suddenly, the pain disappeared. I don't know how it happened, but I used that opportunity to lead them here.""It was Astrid." Asher replied. He held on to his side as his wound slowly began to heal. "Now that she has destroy
Alpha Alaric jerked awake when he felt the mansion tremble. Besides him, Catherine shot up from the bed, one hand gripping him in fright. "What was that?" She whispered. Again the mansion trembled and shook as if the earth was about to split in two. Without wasting another second, Alaric pushed off the bed and hurried towards the door. "Alaric wait." Catherine called, throwing on her robe and hurrying after him. As they ran through the hallway towards the stairs, the tremor increased until the mansion felt like it was being uprooted from the earth. The chandeliers flickered repeatedly and went off, plunging the mansion into darkness. The warriors hurried up the stairs just as Alaric and Catherine descended. "Alpha...""Henry, what is happening?" Alaric demanded, his voice loud and powerful. "We have no idea Alpha." Henry responded, his voice filled with fear and confusion. "The earth suddenly began to shake. It looks like an earthquake.""Get everyone out of the mansion." Alar
"NO!" Alden roared. "If you dare harm my mate, I will...""What? Kill me?" Astrid taunted him. Her cold smile widened. "Don't you get it Alden? I am not the one who will hurt her. It is you, and everyone else who will try to kill me. Being in the same body with Diana sure has its perks. I have her powers, and her body is under my control. But if you kill me, she'll die."Alden was at a loss of what to do. He couldn't destroy Astrid without losing his mate in the process. He thought everything would be back to normal after Astrid's death. How wrong he was. The battle wasn't over. Astrid looked up to the moon. It was past midnight. She needed to begin the spells. She gazed back at Alden and her smile disappeared, leaving her face cold and dark. "If I were you, I would run back to my parents and warn them of the impending doom. Because the moment I destroy the moon, this pack is going down first."As she turned to leave, Alden made up his mind. He shifted abruptly into his beast and l
"Don't move." Diana's voice reached him. "I have a dagger at your back, and you don't want me to hurt you.""Diana," Alden gasped in surprise. "What are you doing? It's me, Alden.""I know it is you." Diana replied. Keeping the dagger pointed at him, she walked around until she was standing in front of him. There was a slight smile on her lips when she faced him. "Did you really think I wouldn't know you were following me?"Alden tried to smile back, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something was definitely wrong. Diana's whole demeanor was off. It was like he was staring at another person. "Where were you going?" He asked. Diana lowered the dagger and stood staring at him. "I couldn't sleep. I needed a walk to clear my head.""You've been acting strangely for days now." Alden voiced out his concerns. Though he appeared relaxed but he was alert to his surroundings. "Since you got your powers back from Astrid...""Did you expect things to go back to the way it was so easily?"