ANNALISE SHAW
ANNALISE POV
“Again,” I demanded.
“Come on, Annalise, I’m a wolf, and I’m tired. We need a break. We’ve been training all night,” Nova complained, her voice echoing in my mind.
“Fine, Nova. When war comes, you can tell the enemy you’re tired and see if they care,” I snapped.
Nova is my wolf, my best friend, and the only one I can trust. Let me explain what’s going on.
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On my 13th birthday, I had a dream—a dream that changed my life forever. In it, I was visited by the Moon Goddess. At first, I didn’t know who she was. We sat together on a log from a broken pine tree, deep in a forest that seemed like something from a fairy tale. The scent of pine was thick in the air, and the sun barely pierced the dense canopy of green. I could hear animals rustling around us and the distant roar of a waterfall. But none of it held my attention.
All I could focus on was her.
She was glowing. Her eyes were the most vivid blue I’d ever seen, her long white hair flowed like a waterfall, and her presence was calming—soothing, even. She introduced herself as the Moon Goddess and told me she needed my help with a mission. An important one.
She said I had to save both the supernatural and human worlds.
For a 13-year-old, that was a lot to take in. I barely believed the supernatural world even existed. It was something from books—fiction.
“What are you talking about? Supernatural beings don’t exist. They’re just stories,” I shouted, feeling both bewildered and defensive.
“Annalise, there is truth in every story,” she said softly. “I do need your help. War is coming. You, with your unique bloodline, can save countless lives. You are a hybrid with royal Lycan blood.”
I thought she was insane. But then again, maybe I was the crazy one since this was my dream.
“You’re half vampire, half werewolf, with a royal Lycan lineage,” she continued, her face softening with pity.
I blinked. She was serious.
“No! You’re mistaken!” I protested. Sure, my parents were strong, but they were just regular people—probably just gym fanatics or something.
She sighed. “Your parents aren’t your biological parents, Annalise. They were entrusted with your care by your birth parents, who wanted to keep you hidden from the supernatural world.”
I felt like the ground was ripped out from under me.
“You’re lying!” I shouted, jumping to my feet.
But her words lodged deep inside me. Could it be true? Could my parents not be mine? My heart raced, and tears began to flow. If they weren’t my real parents, why didn’t my birth parents want me? Was there something wrong with me?
“I’m sorry, Annalise,” she said gently. “But you were always meant to know. Time is of the essence now. You need to start training immediately.” She looked at me with sincerity that softened the blow. “Would you like to know what happened? I can answer your questions now, but you won’t see me again until your next birthday.”
Despite my anger, I sat back down. I needed to hear the truth.
“Why didn’t my real parents want me? What happened to them?” I whispered, my voice fragile. My eyes stayed on the ground, hiding the tears.
“Your parents loved you deeply,” she said, her voice filled with compassion. “They gave their lives to protect you. Your mother was the Vampire Princess, and your father was the Alpha of the Blood Moon Pack. When they met at a supernatural summit meant to maintain peace, their connection was so strong that it broke your father’s mate bond, something that never happens—unless fate has something special planned.”
I was speechless. A broken mate bond?
“Your father couldn’t let your mother marry the leader of another vampire coven. So he marked her at the summit and took her home.”
I swallowed, trying to process it all. “What happened then? And what’s a mate bond?” I asked, curiosity slipping through my confusion.
She raised her hand to quiet me. “Let me finish first, Annalise.”
"When your dad got home, his mate was very upset because she felt the bond break. She screamed at them, telling them they would both die, and she would make sure of it. Your mother's coven was so displeased by her actions that they sent vampire warriors to try and kidnap her and bring her back. But your grandfather, being the supportive father he was, called a white witch to cast a spell to hide your mom's scent and protect her. Your grandfather wasn’t happy about starting a war with the vampires, but he supported your dad no matter what.
After three years of being together, your mom started getting sicker with every passing day. That’s when they found out she was pregnant with you. The vampire kind were cursed, so they couldn’t have children. Your dad didn’t mind, though; he had his nephew and was okay with that. Your grandfather called the white witch back to check on your mom, hoping she could help. That was their last hope since neither healers nor doctors knew what was wrong.
After checking your mom, the white witch informed them that it was black magic that caused the pregnancy and that if your mom didn’t abort the child, she would die giving birth. But your mom loved your dad so much that she was willing to give her life so he could have a child of his own. Your dad prayed to me constantly, but I couldn’t help. Even I didn’t fully understand what was happening; it felt like someone was blocking my powers. He made her as comfortable as possible during the pregnancy, even reaching out to her coven for help. But no one could help, as no vampire had ever been pregnant with a wolf child—let alone one from the Lycan bloodline.
As your birth drew closer, the vampires of your mother's coven and the wolves of your father’s pack came together to protect you, as word had spread that a powerful being was about to be born. The day your mom went into labor, your father was devastated. He knew he was losing the love of his life but tried to stay strong for her. He gave her all the support he could, honoring her last wish—to take care of you and give you the life you deserved. She transferred all her power to you as she passed away.
On your first birthday, your father's pack was attacked. Your dad died trying to keep the rogues and other vampires from getting to you. Since then, your mother's coven has had vampires protecting you. Your current parents are head warriors of your father’s pack, ensuring you are protected from all sides.
Now, to answer your other question: a mate bond is special between two wolves. It’s like soul mates. If one of you gets hurt, the other feels it. If one of you is unfaithful, the other feels that pain too. A mating bond is meant to be special—it connects two people in a way that completes them," she finished with a deep breath.
After hearing everything from the Moon Goddess, my emotions were running high. Mostly, I felt anger. I also felt robbed. Everything I knew was a lie, and now everything would change. But one question still stood—who could be so cruel as to take parents away from their only child? What was their plan? What was their endgame? And why didn’t my step-parents say anything? I was so mad I wanted to smash something. My body started to shake as the anger rose within me, but the moment the Moon Goddess touched my shoulder, I calmed down. My body relaxed instantly at her touch.
"You can speak your mind with me, Anna. I’m here to help you," she said gently, like she was expecting me to explode at any moment.
"Why didn’t my stepparents tell me?" I asked, knowing they were well aware of how much I hated lies.
"They were sworn to keep it a secret until your 18th birthday, when you were to join the pack with your grandfather and the rest of the family," she answered. I nodded.
After thinking it over, I realized I had a mission of my own—revenge. And I would have it for my parents. A few minutes later, I turned to the Moon Goddess and said, "I’m in." She nodded at me. I knew I had a long way to go. Hell, I had just turned thirteen today. But there was so much more I needed to learn, so much more I needed to understand before I could set my mission in motion.
"First, we need to get you and your wolf comfortable with each other. That way, you can start training. Normally, werewolves get their wolves between 16 and 18 years old, but I’m giving you yours early. Would you like to see her?" she asked. I nodded eagerly.
With a wave of her hand, a huge white wolf appeared from behind a tree and walked towards us. She bowed to the Goddess and then stood next to me.
"Her name is Nova. Go on, you can touch her. She will be your best friend—your other half. She will understand your every emotion, so you’ll need to keep them in check until your next birthday." I nodded and turned to Nova. I raised my hand halfway, waiting for her to respond. She lowered her head and touched my hand. The contact sent a wave of completeness through me, something I had never felt before. She was so beautiful, with mesmerizing blue eyes and a small black patch on her belly. The Moon Goddess smiled at me as I noticed the patch and informed me that it was the color of my father’s wolf, so a piece of him would always be with us.
I cried like a baby that night after taking everything in. Eventually, the Moon Goddess stood up and said it was time for her to go. But before she left, she turned to me and said, "This must remain a secret between the two of us. Don’t trust anyone—not yet, at least. And whether you believe it or not, your stepparents do love you as their own. Trust me, I would know." She smiled, and with that, she left.