CHAPTER THREE

At the fall of the night, the moon shone a weak light over Moon City.

As already planned, Tessa, Damon, and Jordan, walked towards the evil ritual site, determined to destroy the sinister entity.

As the approached, the atmosphere suddenly changed. Tessa felt a surge of sensation run down her spine. 

What could be wrong?

Needless to be told, it was the presence of black magic.

"This is this place," Damon whispered with a sense of urgency in his eyes. "The supposed ritual site."

Just like in occultic groups, circles of candles could be seen all round the darkness, covering Mario and his witches.

The destroyer could be seen in the background. It was now fully controlled by the evil powers of Mario.

From the distance, Mario's voice could be heard, invoking and enchanting evil incantations.

The witches moved their bodies in flexible patters, like they were dancing calisthenics to an invisible music.

Immediately, Tessa recognized the pattern of the dance. It was an ancestral enchantment, which was used to access the realm of lunar powers.

"This looks like lunar sacrifice," Jordan whispered in low tone.

 "Obviously, they are using the full moons energy to extend the effects of the curse."

Out of the blues, Damon suddenly growled in rage. "We have to stop them, now!."

Tessa nodded in agreement. "We'll destroy Mario and his witches. First, you'd have to disrupt the ritual ceremony."

Immediately they charged towards the witches, they responded by releasing black energy to them.

However, Tessa and Damon had other plans. They shifted into their wolf forms, and fought back the witches with great dexterity.

Since Jordan had special skills in countering magic, she made sure to counter the evil powers of the witches.

As she continued to battle, her hands moved in swift motion, as she released series of negative energy back to them.

With the way the moon shone, it only rang one bell. Danger!

Suddenly, Mario's voice grew extremely loud. It has some kind of effect that made one dizzy. He was invoking the final enchantment.

Immediately, the destroyer's eyes beamed with a blood thirsty glare.

Tessa immediately charged towards Mario, and her sharp claws tore a part of the destroyer's mouth.

"No... This can't happen!" Mario screamed in confusion, as he stared in worry.

Now, the evil ritual had been interrupted, and his powers annihilated to total destruction.

The destroyer roared in defeat, as its connection with Mario had been altered.

In defeat, the witches and wizards ran away, leaving Tessa, Damon and Jordan to stand in absolute triumph.

However, their victory didn't last long.

Suddenly, a figured appeared out of the darkness. It was Alex Jones, Jordan's father.

"Forgive me, my daughter," Alex begged, with a look of regret in his eyes. "Mario blackmailed me into this. He threatened that he'd kill you."

Jordan frowned her face in anger. "Why did you keep it away from me? Why is that?"

At that moment, Tessa felt very compassionate for her friend. "We'll scale through this phase together. Just get yourself together."

While Tessa was comforting Jordan, she felt a piercing stare from behind. It was Damon. He stared at her with so much intention.

Even though they didn't have the best of the past, they were still together in battle.

However, a future filled with uncertainties, still laid ahead of them.

The destroyer who was now free from Mario's evil control, finally escaped into the wilderness.

Even though it ran away, they still feared the unknown. 

They didn't know who to trust or not.

Immediately Jordan angrily confronted her father, Tessa stood there in confusion, as she tried to absorb what her happened.

What secrets had Jordan's father hidden from the pack? 

What was he up to?

Why did he betray the pack members?

"Forgive me my daughter. I beg of you," Alex begged hee. "I can't afford to lose you, so I had to play by the blackmail of Mario."

Without being told, one could easily notice the fury in Jordan's eyes. "Why didn't you tell me? Why?" 

Damon's loud growl suddenly brought them back to reality. "Alex can't be trusted. We'll have to take him to the council of elders, so that he'd face the repercussions of his betrayal."

As they were leading Alex away, Tessa got a sudden text message from her mother.

"Treat as urgent. Meet me at the abandoned vine orchard. Come alone!" From Silvia.

Immediately, Tessa's heart skipped in shock.

What was her mother up to?

"I'll have to leave now," Tessa said with urgency in her voice.

Damon's growled in anticipation. "I'm going with you."

Tessa pondered for about ten seconds, before nodding in affirmation.

Immediately they got to the old vine orchard which was covered in darkness, a figure stepped out of the darkness.

"Tessa, I discovered something shocking," Her mother, Silvia announced with a trembling voice. "I'm afraid to tell you that your father isn't who he portrayed himself to be."

Suddenly, another figure emerged out of the darkness.

"Silvia, how dare you say that?" the figure growled in rage.

Tessa's heart stopped the moment she realized who the figure was.

It was her father.

Their was also something weird about him.

His eyes were different.

It was similar to that of the destroyer.

Immediately, Tessa noticed something abnormal. It was as if her father was shifting.

"What is happening here?" Tessa screamed in confusion.

Shockingly, her father who used to be a loving man, was now a direct opposite of himself. "Tessa, you don't deserve to know what the hidden secret is."

Tessa's mother, Silvia, immediately stepped forward in anger with warning in her eyes. "John, don't you dare!"

Without any string of worry, John continued to spill everything he had in mind.

Including series of dark confessions.

"Tessa, you're a daughter to the ancient dynasty of the lupine bloodline, which is hidden away for safety."

"I'm not your biological father!"

Tessa's entire existence went blank at that moment. 

Was he trying to tell her that her entire existence has been a lie?

Was it even possible?

Out of the corner, Damon growled in absolute confusion. "What does this information mean?"

John immediately glared at Damon with seriousness. "To be honest, The Mickelson's and Randolph's were once blood, who swore to protect the almost extinct bloodline, but we were torn apart by a curse."

All of a sudden, the atmosphere of the entire forest changed.

"That curse..." Silvia whispered in thoughts. "It is about to manifest!"

Suddenly, Tessa passed out in shock.