"She's filled with some kind of strange energy." Luna Catherine whispered."Energy?" Alpha Alaric repeated unbelievably. Something like this had never happened. Shifters didn't possess energy within them. They could only make a connection with the moon.What Diana was doing was totally different. She was drawing power from the moon. The energy cloaking her felt cold and with what Catherine described, it felt like lightning bolts."Get everyone out!" He ordered suddenly. "Now! Let them return home, until we find out what is happening."The full moon pageant came to a halt. The students began to panic as they hurried out the hall, turning occasionally to throw cautious looks at Diana.Now it was obvious to everyone that she wasn't an ordinary shifter. She was something different. Something strange.A few minutes later, the building was empty, leaving only Alpha Alaric, his mate, Dorian and the triplets. Diana remained in the middle of the hall, her head tilted to the sky, eerie silver l
A MONTH LATERDiana woke up that particular morning in a very happy mood. It was her eighteenth birthday. The day she would find her mate. The day she would finally shift.The joy she felt knew no bounds and she squealed happily as she rose up. Today was going to be a good day, she thought. She could feel it.Then her mood turned sour the moment she walked up to the window amd stared outside. Syrena was standing beside her father, Dorian, and they were discussing something with Alpha Alaric.There was an ugly scar running up Syrena's right arm, a scar that had refused to heal. A month ago, Diana had inquired what happened to her.In response, Syrena glared at her and told her coldly to mind her business. Diana had kept her concerns to herself, realizing that Syrena would never warm up to her.As if sensing that someone was staring at her, Syrena looked up and her gaze locked with Diana. Diana smiled tentatively and raised her hand to wave, but Syrena scowled and coldly averted her
The mating ground where the mating ceremony would hold was filled with all the shifters. This particular night, the other creatures stayed back in their homes. The mating ceremony was mainly for the werewolves to find their destined mates. Even Alpha Alaric and Luna Catherine, as well as the other shifters who already found their mates were not present. That special night was for those who hadn't found their mates.The mating ground was situated deep into the forest, a large open space where the glow of the moon could easily reach. The full moon was already in the sky, obscured by rain clouds. At midnight, the clouds would disperse, letting the moon aid the shifters in finding their mates.Diana stared out her window, her heart hammering within her. Tonight was finally here. Her entire life depended on that night.Though the other shifters were only concerned with finding their mates, Diana mainly wanted to shift. She knew that if she shifted, she would definitely feel the pull of t
The clock struck midnight and Diana slowly closed her eyes. It was time.A cold wind suddenly blew threw the forest, carrying the scent of pine and bark. From where she stood, she felt the stir in the air as the other shifters felt the pull of the mate bond.With her eyes still closed, she could feel the hair on her skin stand on end. She could hear the sound of bones snapping and reshaping as the werewolves transformed into their wolf form. They tore through the forest, following the sweet smell of their mates, letting the moon and the pull of the mate bond guide them. When a shifter found his mate, they would stay together the entire night to mate and bond by marking each other. Diana kept her eyes shut, praying repeatedly within her to the moon goddess to help her. She just needed to shift. Finding her mate wasn't her biggest problem. She needed to connect with her wolf.That night was her only hope. Eighteen was the last age every werewolf was supposed to shift. If they passed
Diana broke down in tears as she whispered."It's over for me. I'm never gonna shift.""Diana," Alden called softly and crouched beside her. He tried to take her into his arms but she pushed his hands away."No, leave me alone," she cried. "I want to be alone.""Diana listen to us," Asher pleaded, gently smoothening her hair. "We're here for you, remember that?""You can't give up hope this way," Axel added, and his words angered Diana.She lifted her hair and glared at all three of them. "You wouldn't be saying that if you were in my place.""That's an unfair thing to say," Axel said in a hurt voice. "We also didn't meet our mate. We're just trying to make you feel better.""You're making it worse," Diana pushed his hand away from her and stood up. "I know you didn't find your mate, but there's always another time. There are other mating ceremonies to be held. But me? I have reached the last age for every werewolf to shift...""Diana...""I don't think you know how I feel," Diana con
Diana didn't stop running even when she was no longer in the forest. She burst out into a large clearing, went up a low bridge that was built over a small stream, and continued running.The pain in her chest was too much and she found it hard to breathe. Syrena's hurtful words kept resounding in her head.'I can't wait for everyone in school to hear the news that the Alpha's daughter is a wolfless omega'It tore at her heart and all she wanted was to crawl under a rock and never emerge. How would she hold up her head in school? She would be made an object of mockery by the others.Suddenly she tripped on an upturned tree root and collapsed on the ground, breathing heavily.Her chest heaved as she tried to drag in large gulps of breath. Her heart pounded rapidly and she just lay there on the grass, trying to catch her breath, her tears crawling down the side of her face.After what seemed like years, Diana finally sat up and looked around her. She was in an unfamiliar place. The fores
"Your home is cozy." Diana commented as she lowered herself into one of the plush couches in Jasper's living room.Jasper's home was at the edge of the forest, the last building before the long expanse of trees and grasses. It was a little cottage befitting a lone wolf."Thank you," Jasper smiled at her as he dropped a tray holding two cups of tea. "It needs a few feminine touch though.""I guess it does." Diana agreed and laughed softly. Jasper's place indeed needed a little bit of decoration. It was too bland. Too lonely. "Maybe when you find your mate."Jasper sighed heavily. "I have given up hope of ever finding my mate.""Jasper, you can't do that." Diana said, her voice filled with concern. "You can't just stop searching. I'm sure you'll find her. Unlike me, I haven't even found my wolf. There's no chance of me ever finding my mate."Jasper stared at her quietly, his eyes filled with some strange emotion."What if we're both wrong?" He said suddenly.Diana carefully placed her t
Alpha Alaric watched the sun slowly crawl out from the horizon. He stood in his chambers, staring out the window. He hadn't been able to sleep a wink the entire night.The mating ceremony was over. And he knew.He knew Diana didn't shift. Everything was clear now.She wasn't a werewolf. She was a shifter with no wolf. It broke his heart just thinking of it. They had all hoped her eighteenth birthday would change everything. Now everything was clear. Diana couldn't be mated to his sons. As she had no wolf, she would be seen as an omega. People might not say it to her face outrightly, but the thought would always be there.How can he let a wolfless omega be the future Luna? He loved Diana as any father would love their daughter.But when it came to the pack, he had to push aside his fatherly love. The pack needed a powerful Luna, one that would be able to lead with his sons. If word got out to other packs that the Luna of the Bloodmoon pack was a wolfless omega, it would be dangerous
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?"