Chapter 2

Steven's POV

"Steven, it's time. The pack has arrived," Liam announced, his voice a mix of urgency and excitement, peeking into my room.

"I'll come," I responded, attempting to conceal the mix of anticipation and anxiety swirling in my stomach.

He nodded and departed, the door clicking closed behind him. I stood in front of the mirror, staring at the Oakwood Moon mark on my shoulder, feeling a mix of pride and pressure. This mark was not just a symbol; it was a reminder of my responsibilities, of who I was meant to be.

"It's time," I muttered, my voice barely above a whisper, as I took a deep breath to steady myself before leaving my room.

As I stepped outside, the sight of the Oakwood Moon pack gathered below the mansion struck me like a wave of energy. The air was thick with their eager chatter, the excitement palpable. 

"Pay your respects to the Alpha of the Oakwood Moon pack!" Liam yelled, and they all bowed, a show of loyalty that warmed my heart. It felt good to know they looked to me for leadership.

"Tonight is the full moon night—the night we reconnect with our inner, stronger selves; a night we summon our natural-born instincts; a night to remind us who we truly are! Tonight is the night of The Hunt!!"

"Yeah!!!!" they screamed in excitement, their voices echoing in the stillness of the evening.

"But as we embark on The Hunt tonight, I want no injured wolves like before. We are not hunting ourselves but anything else out there in the forest. If you come across a human, you do not kill; you bring them to us to see if they are worthy of the werewolf bite. If they are not, we let them go. We do not kill humans. Those are the rules!" I declared, my voice firm, fueled by a fierce protectiveness for both my pack and those outside our world.

"Yeah!!!" They screamed in agreement, their enthusiasm electrifying the atmosphere.

"The wolf with the highest number of prey gets a reward and an increase in rank! So, are we ready?!"

"Yeah!!!" They roared, their voices rising like a crescendo.

"Are we ready?!!" I asked again, the thrill of the moment pushing my adrenaline higher.

"Yeah!!!!"

"Then let's go! We shall all reconvene at the Moon Goddess's shrine in an hour," I commanded, and they murmured their approval, anticipation buzzing in the air.

"We?" Liam asked, arching an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Yes, my mate-to-be and I will be joining you at the shrine today, just for today," I said, a smirk creeping onto my face as the pack erupted in excitement.

"So... let's go!!!" I shouted, and they all transformed into wolves, shredding their clothes into rags and sprinting into the forest on all fours, their joy infectious.

"You aren't going with them?" Maya asked as she emerged from the mansion, walking toward me with an air of confidence. I grabbed her waist, pulling her closer, feeling her warmth against me.

"I’m the Alpha. I don’t participate; I command," I said with a smirk, gazing into her eyes, a mix of affection and mischief swirling within me.

"So we have one hour to ourselves then. How do you suggest we spend that?" she asked, her voice laced with playful temptation. I lifted her effortlessly, her legs wrapping around my waist.

I kissed her passionately, the heat of the moment igniting a spark between us. Pulling back slightly, I smirked, "What do you think?" She nodded, her cheeks flushed with excitement.

In a flash, I supersped us back to the bedroom and dropped her onto the bed, a thrill of exhilaration coursing through me. I climbed on top of her, pressing her down gently as I tore off her clothing, kissing a trail down her neck.

"I love you, Steven. I love everything about you," she breathed, her voice muffled by moans of pleasure.

We dressed in all white and made our way to the Moon Goddess’s shrine, where the pack was already gathered. The sight of the ancient tree bathed in moonlight filled me with a sense of awe and reverence.

"It’s nice seeing you here for the first time," Liam said, a proud smile on his face.

"Don't get used to it," I replied, walking with Maya to the front of the tree, my heart thrumming with anticipation.

I glanced beside the tree where everyone kept their prey, and my lips curled into a smirk. "Someone caught a human. Who?" I called out, scanning the eager faces in the crowd.

A figure stepped forward. "Your name?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.

"Leo," he replied, his voice trembling slightly.

"Is he dead?" I pressed, concern bubbling beneath my bravado.

"No, he ran pretty fast when he saw me, but I caught up and he collapsed," Leo explained, pride lighting up his eyes.

"Is this your only prey?" I inquired, gesturing to the collection behind him.

"No, I caught a boar, a deer, a rabbit, and a snake," he said, pointing at his haul, his confidence growing.

"I guess we have the winner of The Hunt then! Leo!!" I announced, the crowd erupting into applause and cheers, their excitement contagious.

"Meet me at the mansion tomorrow," I instructed Leo, who bowed deeply, gratitude etched on his face.

"Thank you, Alpha," he said, his voice filled with awe.

"So... should we or should we not turn our captured human?" I asked, sensing the tension in the air.

"No!!" some screamed.

"Yes!!" others shouted back, their voices clashing in an energetic debate.

"You should let the Moon Goddess decide if you should turn him or not," Maya suggested, her voice steady amidst the chaos. I sighed, the weight of leadership heavy on my shoulders.

"Fine."

Suddenly, a white wolf emerged from the tree, transforming into an old woman with long, white hair and the mark of the Moon shining brightly on her forehead—the priestess of the Moon Goddess.

Everyone bowed, a ripple of reverence spreading through the crowd, and Maya tugged at my arm, urging me to kneel too. I complied, feeling the weight of tradition and expectation settle around us.

The priestess approached me, her eyes piercing and wise. "It was high time you came. She told me to expect you."

"Yeah, right," I scoffed, my skepticism creeping in. The thought of fate and destiny seemed absurd, yet a part of me was intrigued.

"Priestess of the Moon Goddess, we've come to seek your blessing for..."

"Turn him," the priestess interrupted Maya, her voice commanding.

"Turn the human; you will need him," she declared, and I nearly laughed in disbelief.

"I need no one," I insisted, my tone defiant. "In fact, the only reason you are seeing me is that Maya dragged me here. She wanted to seek your blessing for..."

"She is not your destined mate," the priestess cut in, her words slicing through the air like a cold wind.

"What?!" Maya exclaimed, shock and disbelief flooding her voice.

"Didn’t I tell you this was a bad idea? You know what? I can’t stand this anymore," I said, turning to leave, but suddenly, I felt an invisible force hold me in place.

The priestess's eyes turned white, and a heavy gust of wind swirled around us, making the moon shine even brighter. 

"It's the Moon Goddess; she's possessed the priestess! This rarely happens," Maya whispered in awe, everyone quickly kneeling down, their expressions shifting from excitement to reverence.

"Why... Why can't I move?" I stuttered, panic rising within me as the energy in the air crackled.

"You haven’t heard my message for you yet," the priestess said, her voice a chilling whisper that sent shivers down my spine.

"I don’t need to. You’re trying to separate me from the mate I want! Who gave you that right? It is my life, and I will take whoever I want as my mate!" I shouted, defiance thrumming in my veins.

"You made a promise; you are already betrothed to another," she replied, her voice echoing ominously.

"What promise?" I asked, confusion swirling in my mind as she moved closer, her gaze locking onto the Crescent Moon mark on my shoulder.

As she touched it, an intense heat radiated through me, igniting my skin like fire, and I groaned, overwhelmed. 

Closing my eyes, flashes of different memories flooded my mind:

"Hey! Who are you?!"...

"I don’t know, I can’t remember."

"My name is Ashley," a young girl said with a sweet smile...

"If you are still single by 25, I’ll marry you, I promise," a ten-year-old me declared, innocent and hopeful.

The priestess withdrew her hand, the burning sensation dissipating along with the memories, leaving me panting and disoriented.

"You made a promise, and it must be fulfilled. She is your destined mate, and choosing another will spell doom for you and your entire pack. You are warned," she said, her tone grave and unyielding.

And just like that, the priestess collapsed to the ground, while I gasped for breath, the weight of her words crashing over me like a tidal wave.