Chapter 1

Elara 

The fragrance of the herbs, raspberries trees, oak trees, and many more different species of plants and trees soothed me, it calmed me the way nothing or nobody could. 

The orange and pink hues flattered the bluish-white sky making the twilight more beautiful than generally. 

My eyes fell on the ground, oh, I forgot to mention that I, Elara Alinsky, the princess of the Alpha King of the Crimson Moon pack, was laying on a strawberry tree whilst plucking the fruit and shoving it into my mouth. 

"I knew it, you would be here," his comical voice rang out and I rolled my eyes before plucking one last strawberry. 

"And I knew it, you would come here," I retorted, scowling at his chuckling reaction. 

He offered me his hand to come down from the tree and I neglected his help as always. I loved climbing up the trees like monkeys and many more things that a princess is forbidden to do. 

"For God's sake, Elara, you're turning eighteen tonight. You shouldn't worry our old Queen about your still behaving like a kid while your father is planning to arrange your throne ceremony soon," Klaus, our Beta's son, and my childhood friend gave me a piece of his mind. 

Clutching my skinny jeans, I shoved a bunch of strawberries into my pockets before jerking my hands off. "Maybe the Queen deserved an obedient son like you rather than a deviant daughter like me." 

Klaus's face grimaced in awe, making me giggle. I broke a tiny dried knag and strolled towards the mansion, time to go back home, and he followed me.  

This beautiful day shouldn't be wasted in the mansion but spent in the forest. Only if I could explain it to my mother. 

It had been awkward with Klaus for me, and I guess for him, too. Since he was the eligible bachelor and suitor for me from our pack according to the pack members, people were betting on us being mates. Ridiculous. 

And that's why we felt awkward around each other though we were heedless regarding each other's feelings. 

"What makes you think that the Queen doesn't deserve a daughter like you?" He broke the silence, astonishing me. 

Well, I didn't want to hurt anyone but I knew the reality. I wasn't a princess but the Queen and King loved me like their own daughter, even my pack members always treated me like their own family. 

My real parents were killed in rogue's attacks, at least that's what my father guessed and told me. I was grateful to them for not hiding anything from me. They were the best parents I could ever get and I would say that I was lucky in that case. 

I landed my knag on his shoulder and looked him in the eye. "She is a kind, lovely, amazing lady while I'm…" a light chuckle escaped my lips before continuing, "I'm more like a rule-breaker girl who loves playing with weapons rather than attending social gatherings and dolling up." 

He took a step closer, holding the other end of the knag in his hand. "That's good for us, you're our future Alpha Queen," he said, sending a wink my way. 

"Haha...good for you, maybe. But not for my dear mom." I waved him off and continued walking towards the boundaries of our pack. 

I took my first step into the territory but someone pulled me behind, grabbing my hair. Invited trouble for himself or herself. 

But before I could turn to see who this dummy was, Klaus punched him in the guts and the wolf let out a sharp cry of pain. 

Within a second, there were many wolves, the rogues to add more details, they surrounded us and started attacking Klaus first. 

He tore his shirt and shifted into his wolf form, a bluish-black furred lone wolf stood against six rogues. 

I stepped forward to gain everyone's attention and of course, to fight against them. But Klaus growled loudly, giving me the cue to run away from there because I couldn't shift yet. 

'I'm with you, Elara. Go ahead and shock them all or should I say kill them all?' She smirked in the back of my head. 

'Only if I could explain it to the people that I have a stubborn wolf who would come out only when she'll find her mate,' I scoffed at her, making her roll her eyes. 

'We'll soon find him and then, you'll crave for his touch, a single kiss, a-' she continued her fantasy but I stopped her, 'you're eager to meet him, not me. For now, let's focus on these despicable creatures.'

Ignoring Klaus's thunderous warning, I stood straight ahead of a rogue who dared to pull my hair. 

I leaped in the air before landing a kick on his manhood and showering enough punches on his abdomen with my great strength that came from maybe my wolf. 

One by one, I knocked down three rogues and tore them up. Maybe my hatred for them was adding more strength to my body. 

Three rogues were attacking our future Beta together, and I crossed my arms to enjoy the show. We trained hard every day in the morning, it was our routine to get trained hard to protect our people. 

One of them hopped on my shoulder, making me fall to the ground. Before I could punch him in the face, Klaus growled loudly and dug his nails into his skin to rip his body apart. 

His blood splattered on my face, making me scream in fury. I hated seeing blood on my body, and a rogue's blood, I disdained it. 

Klaus killed the other two before shifting into his human form back and cleaning my face with his hands. "I'm sorry, princess…"

I sighed heavily. "We need to tighten our security. How the heck could the rogues enter our territory and attack us? It needs everyone's attention." 

"But Elara, it's your birthday tonight. We can wait until the throne ceremony gets done and you find your mate, it's just about one day and two nights." He tried his best to convince me, but I told you that I was a tough princess. 

Everyone said that the aura of an Alpha oozed from me whenever they saw me. Perhaps my parents would have been Alpha and Luna like Arthur and Harriet.

"My birthday, my mate, my throne ceremony, everything can wait but my pack's safety can't. My pack needs to be safe and I can't enjoy any of the events putting their safety at stake." I didn't even realize that I had raised my voice, I couldn't blame myself for that. 

If it's about the pack's safety, any Alpha or princess's outrage was predictable. 

His shoulders slouched as he sighed defeatedly, Klaus had to agree with me. "Okay, princess. How dare I go against the princess?" 

He played his victim and guilty card whilst I giggled before running back to the mansion where my mother was already pacing around furiously. 

She crossed her arms as soon as her eyes caught me tiptoeing to the back door. I took it as a warning and directly walked to her.

"It's a good day, good weather, and guess what?" I took out the strawberries from my pocket and continued, "raspy strawberries, your favorite, mom." I tried to shove some into her mouth but her narrowed eyes dared me to do so. 

My mother picked one strawberry and tasted it. "Mmm, it's so sweet. But have you forgotten that your father is getting old and tonight is your birthday party, honey?" 

Her eyes quickly softened as if she wasn't reprimanding me but pleading me to be responsible, making me feel utterly guilty. 

"I'm sorry, mom. I won't disappoint you like this in the future," I said, holding my gaze to the ground. 

She took me in a warm embrace, caressing my long blonde hair. "You didn't disappoint me, sweetheart. I was just a little concerned for you since you can't-" She halted, trying her best not to hurt me. 

"Since I can't shift." I rolled my eyes meeting her painful hazel eyes. 

She cupped my cheeks. "You're a lantern, your wolf must be lazy as you," she joked and we laughed at her silly comment and I decided not to worry her more, telling her about the rogue attacks.

Although my birthday wasn't a big day for me, it was for her. She had a few hopes and wishes and I didn't want to hurt her in any way. I looked at Klaus who was standing behind my mum, wearing his best triumphant smirk. 

"Now, hurry up. It's already twilight, soon the full moon will be up in the sky and you will be needed at the party," my mother told me, giving me a short pat on the shoulder to hurry up. "Your dress and all the accessories have been put on your bed and dressing table. Go, wear it. I'll be there soon to get you ready for tonight myself." 

And just like a good girl, I obeyed her, walked to my room, giving short nods and smiles to the pack members who were prepping for tonight's function. 

There was a beautiful cherry red gown with a matching sheer nylon jacket lying on my bed. I grabbed it in my hands and laid down on my bed with the gown for a minute to adore the choice of my mom.

Though I hated that corset, I wore it, I had to - it was an off-shoulder sweetheart-shaped gown, I again glued the gown to my chest. Tonight, my mate will see me in this gown, the mere thought made me feel tingling in my stomach. 

The sound of breaking my window's glass stunned me, there he was, standing like a prince. Bulky and straight shoulders, his muscles threatening to rip the cloth and pop out to make me drool. 

He walked to me and hugged me from behind before nuzzling his nose into my hair. His burning touch awakened the sleeping butterflies in my stomach. I realized that I had worn just a corset yet when his hands reached my shoulder and his tongue licked my shoulder along with my neck.