CHAPTER ONE – GREEN EYED STRANGER

ORA

My pulse hammers with fear as their leader presses forward.

His partners are no different. They all have a sticky red substance dripping from their chin. I go completely still.

“Wh-who are you? Where’s m-my Dad?”

They say nothing, coming closer while I try to edge away.

“Is this the prophesied child?” One of them snarls. “The one who would one day single-handedly rule Blood Moon Creek?”

Even with fear coursing through my veins, I still feel a little stirring of annoyance at the mockery in his tone.

“This dirty little girl is what our King Alpha is so afraid of?”

I don’t know why, but I blurt.

“I’m nineteen!”

“Good for you.” The leader snarls, still pressing closer.

I look around frantically, searching for anything I could use as a weapon. My gaze lands on a fallen tree branch and I pick it up, brandishing it before me like a loaded gun.

“D-don’t come any closer. What have you d-done with my dad?”

The leader’s glowing eyes flash with derision.

“You’re issuing threats now? We put that sorry excuse of a wolf out of his misery, just like we will do to you soon enough.”

Pain — so scute, so sharp, pierces my heart and I almost drop my makeshift weapon. I shake my head as my tears fall faster, willing his words to be a lie.

That howl wasn’t dad. He’s alive. He can’t be dead. He can’t be!

“We brought you a little souvenir.” One of them says, and something is thrown at me.

I shriek and step back as something sticky lands at my feet. Willing my hands to stop trembling, my eyes lower to the…gnarled, bloody piece of flesh. I forget everything else and kneel to take a closer look, my tears making it difficult to see properly.

I would recognize that signet ring any where. Dad’s signet ring. I feel my legs give out and I plop down on the ground, already feeling drained. My heart feels like it has been sliced open.

A slight whimper draws my attention. I wipe my cheeks, getting to my feet as I notice movements in the shadows.

A harsh slap resounds in the quiet night, followed by a childish cry. Sophia!

I stumble to my feet, realizing that the leader’s goons are hitting Sophia and mum to keep them quiet.

Suddenly, it all comes bearing down on me. The pain, the fear, the anger. I am so tired of running, of hiding and watching the people I love get hurt. If the prophecies are true and I am the future Queen Luna, then the reign of terror on my family stops right now!

“Let them go!” I growl, my voice shaking with barely concealed rage.

The leader faces me squarely, unleashing his seven inched claws.

“We do not take orders from you, child.” He mocks.

I take a daring step forward when I see one of the guards pull my mother by her hair.

“I’m warning you. Do not hurt them.”

“Are you challenging me?”

“Ora, no. Please, just stand down.” Mum pleads.

I ignore her. I will not stand down. I am so sick and tired of my family suffering for my sake. This ends now.

“Yes, I am issuing a challenge. Let my mother and sister go if you do not want to get hurt.”

They all erupt into guffaws and that only kindles my anger. I feel a strange thrum of energy beneath my skin, pushing me to my breaking point.

When another pained cry escapes my mother, I strike without thinking. I leap on their leader, scratching and clawing with all I’ve got.

He lifts one hand and swipes me against the face, sending me reeling back in pain. I land on the cold ground, feeling warm blood trickle down my face.

My head feels like it’s been sliced open. Mother’s cries and Sophia’s yelling all sound like they’re coming from another place… another time.

I feel my body being lifted, but I cannot muster the strength to fight back. My limp body is thrown high in the air and I am flung against the trunk of a tree with a force that could kill an ordinary lycan female. But I am no ordinary female.

I am a rare specie. A Luna and female Lycan. The only one of my kind. I am the future Queen of Blood Moon Creek. I am invincible.

I lie on the cold ground, willing my strength to return, then I remember the amulet second my neck.

Mom says that if I ever rip that amulet, my powers will flow free and I might not be able to control it. Someone might get seriously hurt, and that is exactly what I want.

I hear Sophia whimper once more and that ends my silent debate. I’m about to rip the amulet apart when a loud, pain filled roar shakes the forest.

For a moment, my heart stops beating. I crack my eyes open to find the shadows of our attackers falling like rag dolls to the damp earth, their heads rolling off their bodies.

What the heck?

I see mom and Sophia cowered together in the distance as a tall figure looms over them. I can smell their fear from here.

With pain radiating through my entire frame, I roll slowly to my feet and pick up my discarded trunk. I do not know if the newcomer is an enemy or not, I do not know why he killed the Blood Moon Lycans, but if he’s a threat to my family, he’s going down.

I creep within inches of him. Even in human form, his impressive build and the way he snapped the necks of those beasts tells me he’s a lycan himself.

With my heart thundering against my rib cage, I raise my stick slowly.

It all happens in a blur.

One moment, I’m about to seriously dislocate his shoulder and the next, my miserly weapon dangles from my fingers while strong fingers wrap around my throat, leaving me unable to breath.

I drop the trunk completely and claw at the hand around my throat. I feel myself being lifted from the ground. I hear mother’s distressed cry and Sophia’s whimpering, but all my mind registers is the manner in which the stranger’s skin burns into mine, branding me…just like the monster in my dreams.

I begin to feel dizzy from the lack of air, but just before I pass out, he opens his eyes and familiar, fierce, golden orbs pin me in place, setting my already burning soul aflame.

Just before I pass out, I hear his growl. It floats around me like a dangerous, sensual caress.

“Did you really think you could sneak up on me, princess? Did you really believe you could hurt me?”

I want to tell him that I am no princess. I am a fucking Queen, and that his hands around me feel too good to belong to the enemy.

But the world goes black and the words die on my lips.