THE LUNA IS GONE

The Alpha King marched angrily to the throne room, his eyes filled with fury.

"Cursed? What does he take me for? A fool?" he thought. Pausing, he noticed a guard standing outside the door of the throne room.

"I had no idea I had become invisible. How else can you explain not greeting your king?" he growled, and the guard fell to his knees.

He looked around and saw the others bowing. "Do you have a problem with your eyes? Didn't you see your fellows bowing?" His voice was softer this time but the threat in his tone could not be missed and the guard was trembling in fear.

The Alpha King observed the guard's fear and gestured for him to stand. The guard, breathing a sigh of relief and stifling sobs, hurried to open the door to the throne room. As the guard turned to express gratitude, the sound of bones breaking filled the air; the King smashed the guard's head against the wall.

"Learn to show respect in the afterlife," he whispered, then proceeded into the throne room, indifferent to the bloodstains on his clothes.

Upon entering, The Alpha King watched as his subjects argued at the Golden Table. He had called them to discuss the increasing thefts at the clan's food reserve and it seemed they had begun the meeting without him. They were so into their arguments that they didn't notice his presence.

He wasn't concerned about approving higher bread and wine prices or how it affected the people. His mind lacked sympathy. Rumors of a rebel group attacking guards had surfaced, and despite being irritating to the Alpha King, he knew he had to act.

He cleared his throat and they instantly fell silent.

"Oh no! Don't let me stop you. Continue." He said with a smile on his face, a smile they clearly misinterpreted.

"They must face consequences," one of them stated.

"I propose bringing them to the palace before deciding. Who knows their motives? Are there more of them?"

The Alpha King, intrigued, leaned in, resting his elbows on the Golden Table.

"We should understand their intentions. There could be a cause we haven't addressed yet," the speaker continued.

The room fell silent as metal scraped. The Alpha King rose, fixing a devilish grin on the speaker. He approached slowly, his claws tapping on the table. Standing just a few feet away, he motioned for the speaker to continue.

Trembling, the speaker hesitated.

"You were saying?" The Alpha King's voice sent the speaker to his knees.

"Forgive me, my Alpha. I spoke out of turn. I—"

"You did well. You made a valid point. Get up," the Alpha King interrupted, offering a fake smile.

He helped the speaker up and gestured for him to go on.

"I was mentioning that—"

The sound of metal slicing flesh cut through the room, the speaker's head rolling to the ground. No one saw the Alpha King signal the nearby guard or heard the sword being unsheathed. Tension rose, and silence prevailed.

It became a game of words for their lives.

"Does anyone agree with what my friend here suggested?" the Alpha King held up the severed head, its shocked expression frozen.

Silence.

"Does anyone believe we, the royals, are failing?" he bellowed, crushing the head.

The remaining attendants stayed silent, heads bowed low. With a devilish smile, the Alpha King returned to his seat.

"I thought the same," he wiped his hands clean on a cloth.

******

As Allen walked back to his chamber, his mind flashed back to that day. The memory haunted him constantly. How shattered he had felt. He had stormed into Luna's chamber uninvited, finding her partially dressed. Despite Allen's intrusion, Luna's reaction didn't reveal her annoyance. She was six months pregnant, her belly more pronounced than before.

He remembered sitting Alexa down, asking about her well-being and the baby. He had sought to comfort her with a hug and didn't know when he'd kissed her. She had been too shocked to react and he'd mistook it for her approval only to be slapped hard.

"Leave my room," her tear-filled eyes glittered as she commanded. Those words lingered, tormenting him each day.

Shaking off the memories, he opened the door to find Collins seated, waiting for him.

"I know you're a wizard and my childhood friend but it doesn't give you the right to enter my chamber as you please."

"Just like you almost ruined our plans with your anger?"

"But I didn't." he muttered. Adjusting his cloak over his shoulders, "I'm going for a walk."

Allen made his way to the door. However, Collins halted him, fixing him with a stern gaze. "What's the matter?"

"You were in the wrong," Collins stated firmly.

"Why do you say that?!" Allen exclaimed. "He never showed any concern for her. Not once. I was her main support. Her family was denied access to the palace by his orders, and according to her, they didn't attempt to visit either. I... I was there for her. What more could I have done?"

"She was carrying the King's child, Allen. Are you out of your mind?" Collins asked in astonishment.

"Yes," Allen replied defiantly, marching out the door and slamming it behind him.

Memories of Alexa's slap flooded his thoughts like a relentless wave. If he couldn't have her, he could still attain what he had always desired. Before she entered his life.

Fuelled by anger, he made his way to where the midwives had taken Alexa. The path was silent and chilling.

"Why have the midwives abandoned Alexa? Why is she there alone?" Allen's mind raced as he quickened his pace. A large hole in the wall let in cold air, explaining the chill.

"Alexa?"

He burst into the room, searching for her. The recent trails of blood indicated she had given birth not long ago. Recognizing the scent of the newborn, he weakly smiled.

"Alexa?!"

His call echoed through the room, met only by the morning wind's whistle. Alexa was nowhere to be found, nor was the baby's cry.

Alexa had fled.