MOONFALL

Chapter Three: The Lycan’s Arrival

Chapter Three: The Lycan’s Arrival

I laid there motionless, my body broken and bleeding. The tears in my eyes seemed to be the only thing still alive, glistening in the faint moonlight filtering through the trees. I was trapped in a limbo between life and death, unable to move or escape the agony consuming me.

Suddenly, a rustling in the underbrush sent my heart racing. I was barely conscious but I could feel the presence around me. The sound grew louder, and I braced myself for the worst. A wild beast, perhaps, drawn by the scent of blood?

But as the creature emerged from the shadows, I could hear the growl and snare from the creature. I knew it was no ordinary beast, it was a wolf, its fur a shimmering silver-gray, its eyes gleaming with an otherworldly intelligence. This was no ordinary wolf, but a Lycan, a dangerous species of wolves.

The Lycan wolf padded around me, its snout twitching as it sniffed my body. I felt a strange sense of calm wash over me, as if this creature meant no harm. And then, in a blur of motion, it transformed into a human. I couldn’t make out what he looked like as I suddenly felt my entire body give way to darkness completely.

He stood there, his eyes locked on me, his face etched with concern. “Aria,” he whispered, his voice low and urgent. “Can you hear me?”

I could hear him but I couldn’t respond, I just wondered how he knew my name and what he wanted to do with me in this state.

“Oh, perfect. Just what I needed. A half-dead, bleeding alpha female who can’t even muster up a decent response. I mean, I’ve seen more enthusiasm in a corpse. ‘Aria, can you hear me?’ Ha! Don’t bother answering. I’ll just take it as a given that you’re as useless as a wet noodle right now. Great, just great. I risk my neck to save you, and you repay me by being a limp, bloody rag doll. Just peachy. Let’s get out of here before I decide to leave you as a snack for the real predators.” He blurted in one breath.

With that, he scooped me up in his arms, and I felt a surge of strength flow through me. Who was this mysterious Lycan, and how did he know my name? I had no answers, but I knew I had to trust him if I wanted to survive.

As I tried to process everything, it still felt like a nightmare. I remembered the day Kael approached me, his eyes gleaming with ambition. He had always been charismatic, but there was something unsettling about his smile.

“Aria, we need to talk,” he said, his voice low and urgent. “The pack is in shambles. We need a strong leader, and I’m the only one who can provide that.”

I was taken aback. “What are you talking about, Kael? I’m the next alpha, and my ordination will be coming up soon in a few days.”

Kael’s smile grew wider.”Ah, but that’s just it. You are only but a young pretty lady my love, you can’t shoulder the much responsibilities that comes with becoming alpha, but I can do that for you, but I need your title to do it. We can actually rule side by side together, me as the alpha and you my love as my luna.”

I hesitated, unsure of what to do. Kael’s words struck a chord, and I began to doubt my own leadership skill.

And then Eliana appeared, her eyes shining with a false light. “Aria, I’m with Kael on this. I can’t have you leading the warriors of our pack to war, it’s dangerous and he’s the only one who can do that.”

My heart sank. I felt like they were only looking out for me but that was not the case. They were only looking out for the opportunity to take what was mine.

I was trapped in my own hell, unable to escape the memories that haunt me. I can’t believe I was so naive, so trusting. Kael and Eliana, they played me like a fool. And now, I’m here paying the price.

The signs were all there, the constant eye contact between them, the sneaky stunts they pulled right in my presence, the late night conversation between them, all of this and I was blind to see their true intentions towards me. It was now over.

Trapped here in this unending darkness, my mind wandered back to my father. Oh, how I miss him. I remember the promise I made to him, to always protect our pack and our title. But now, I feel like I’ve betrayed that promise. I feel like I’ve betrayed his love and respect.

I remembered the moment we spent together, just before he died. He was so proud of me, so proud of the strong lady I had become. He told me to never give up, to always fight for what’s right. But now, I feel like I’ve failed him.

I thought about how he always believed in me, how he always trusted me to do what’s best for our pack. But now, I’ve let a rogue take over our title. I’ve let our pack fall into chaos. I feel like I’ve broken my promise to him, like I’ve let him down.

I wish he was here with me, I wish I could just see him again for the last time to apologize for betraying him and breaking my promise. I wish he could hold my hands once more and tell me that he would protect me and love me more than any man in this world. But he’s gone, and I’m left with the weight of my failure.

*****

Slowly, I opened my eyes, groggily taking in my surroundings. I felt lost, disoriented. Where am I? How did I get here?

As my eyelids fully open, I’m met with a sight that makes my heart skip a beat. A handsome man, with features that could only be described as otherworldly, sits in the armchair beside my bed. His piercing golden eyes, chiseled jawline, and tousled dark hair make him look like a demi-god. I’m taken aback, unsure of what to say or do.

He smiles warmly, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “Welcome back, Aria,” he said, his deep voice soothing. “Are you done staring?”

“Am I dead?” I asked out of curiosity

He leaned forward, a mischievous glint in his eye. “If you were dead, you wouldn’t be able to gaze upon this handsome face,” he said with a smirk. “You’d be stuck in the Shadowlands, forever cursed to roam the darkest corners of the lunar realm.”

I tried to speak, but my voice was barely above a whisper. “How long I’ve I been out for?”

He chuckled, his eyes sparkling. “You’ve been asleep for three days.”

I took a deep breath, trying to process everything. “Who are you?” I asked.

But before he could respond, our wolves suddenly erupted in unison, their voices echoing through the room.

“MATE!” they screamed, the word reverberating through every cell in my body.