The Last Moon Goddess

"We hereby sentence you to death as punishment for violating the sacred bond of fated mates," the voice of all the werewolves under the Thunder Howlers pack boomed, echoing across the mountain peak where deafening howls could be heard. She trembled as she heard the sentence being passed, the weight of it crushing her heart. She looked up at the sky and saw how dark and ominous it was, as if the universe itself was mourning her fate. Thunder rumbled overhead and lightning illuminated the faces of the crowd that had gathered to witness her punishment. Her heart raced and fear coursed through her veins, but she refused to show weakness. She believed falling in love was not a crime, even if it meant sleeping with a werewolf who wasn't her fated mate. "I love him," she pleaded, hoping to appeal to their humanity. The words fell on deaf ears. There was no compassion in their eyes, only fury and disgust. She could feel the intensity of their anger rising, making the air crackle with tension. "Love is not an excuse for breaking our laws," the Beta of the Thunder Howlers sneered. The other werewolves murmured in agreement. As the storm grew stronger, she searched the faces of the crowd, hoping to find an ally, but they all turned away, unwilling to defy their packs. Her best friend, who would have been the first one to protect her, wasn't there because she had died earlier than her. She didn't deserve to be killed, and the memory of it broke her heart. How would she fight for her life alone? Suddenly, a bolt of lightning struck her, and the pain was unbearable. She fell to her knees, screaming in agony, but the punishment was far from over. The Beta ordered her to be stripped of her werewolf abilities, leaving her powerless and alone. She felt a part of her die inside as her once-strong body weakened. The Howling Vortex, a place of torment and suffering, was her punishment. Stripped of her werewolf abilities, she was no longer a creature of power, but a mere human, vulnerable and weak. The lightning strikes continued to rain down on her, each bolt sapping her strength and causing unbearable pain. Her body was battered, broken, and scarred by the constant onslaught of the elements. Every werewolf who had remained on Howling Peak had seen her suffer. It had become a way for the Thunder Howlers to enforce the law and instigate fear in others. "Can we wait for him to return?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. But no one listened, and the lightning struck her again, sending waves of unbearable pain coursing through her body. The moment the moon goddess arrived, everyone knelt before her in reverence. She was the embodiment of beauty and grace, with eyes that seemed to see everything and a heart that overflowed with compassion. For a fleeting moment, she hoped that the goddess might intercede on her behalf, that she might plead with the Thunder Howlers to spare her life until the man she was waiting for returned. But the goddess was not here to save her. "He's not coming," the goddess said, her voice tinged with regret. "It's easier for you to accept your fate." She knew what the goddess meant - the punishment for violating the sacred bond of fated mates was death in the Howling Vortex, and there was no escaping it. She was the first of her kind to ever receive this punishment in centuries. "Accept your fate, child, and this will all be over," the goddess repeated, her voice echoed. She shuddered at the hidden meaning behind the words. She knew that the goddess had an ulterior motive, one that was beyond her comprehension. Their conversation prior to this day had been cryptic, and she had sensed an unspoken truth that lurked beneath the surface. She gritted her teeth, refusing to give the goddess the satisfaction of seeing her break. She knew that her fate was sealed, but she refused to accept it without a fight. "Why must I die?" she finally asked, her voice barely above a whisper. The goddess's eyes gleamed with an otherworldly light as she spoke again. "That, my child, is not for you to know. All you need to do is accept your fate, and the rest will fall into place." She knew that there was no arguing with the goddess, but she couldn't help the feeling that she was being used as a pawn in a larger game. Tears streamed down her face as she cried out for the man she loved. She knew she had lost everything that mattered to her, everything that made life worth living. The most powerful bolt of lightning struck her, taking away the life that was once hers. As she fell to the ground, she felt the rain begin to pour down in sheets, the wind howling like a wounded animal. The lightning continued to strike, illuminating the stark horror of her fate before everything turned black. And without her knowing, the man she called for had arrived, desperate to save her. But it was too late - her fate had already been sealed, and not even the most powerful werewolf could change that.