THE FLICKER MOON

My hand flew to my cheek where she’d slapped me. I rubbed at the sting, trying to soothe the pain, my heartbeat pounding harder—this time with hurt, not fear. Then, out of nowhere, a surge of courage flared in me. I actually felt the urge to raise my hand back at her. But before I could even get close, her brother and parents rushed in and stopped everything.

Elizabeth had dragged her nails across her own arm so viciously that it was now bleeding. The moment she saw her family, she collapsed to the floor, clutching the scratched skin. I stood frozen, confused and stunned at whatever performance she was putting on.

“What is going on here?” Mr. Pierce demanded.

“She scratched me, Dad,” Elizabeth lied, her voice trembling. “I was only trying to help her find something decent to wear to the occasion, and she attacked me—”

“That’s… that’s not true,” I stammered, desperate to defend myself.

“How dare you lay your slave hands on my daughter?” Mrs. Pierce snarled, accompanying her words with another thunderous slap across the same cheek.

I crashed to the floor instantly, my head slamming against the hard tiles. Warm blood trickled down my face, but no one even glanced in my direction. Ethan crouched beside me, fingers clamping around my neck with brutal force. Fury blazed in his eyes. His grip tightened and tightened until air barely entered my lungs. I clawed at his hands, but he was far too strong.

“The next time you lay a finger on my sister, I’ll have you thrown into the woods on a full moon. Do you hear me?” he roared.

“Yes! Yes! I’m sorry!” I gasped, choking on the words.

For a moment, I truly believed he would kill me. Then he released me, stood up, and spat on me before walking away. They all did.

I remained on the cold floor, sitting in a pool of my own blood, wondering how my life had fallen apart so completely. Everything changed the day my parents died—accused of treason and executed by the late king. If I ever had the chance, I would take my revenge. I would forgive no one.

Slowly, I pushed myself off the floor, went to my room, and cleaned myself up, only to step out again and continue my chores. It was devastating, especially knowing there were plenty of maids in the house—yet I was always the one burdened with everything.

Around 6:00 p.m., Ethan approached me. There was a strange expression on his face—half-smile, half-rage. But the look in his eyes… that would always be pure resentment whenever they landed on me.

“Come with me,” he said, hands tucked casually in his pockets, his collar slightly loosened. He looked like he was dressed for some important occasion. Even his shoes appeared expensive, polished to perfection.

As I walked past the other maidens, they murmured among themselves. I couldn’t hear everything, but the little I caught was:

“I bet she doesn’t even know what today is,” one whispered.

Their words echoed in my mind as confusion swirled within me. I tried to piece together what they meant, but nothing made sense.

We got into the car and drove off. His so-called fiancée sat in the front seat while I stayed in the back, still clueless about where he was taking me. All I could do was wonder.

After a few minutes of driving, we arrived at a massive palace guarded heavily at the entrance. Inside, crowds of people filled the place—both the poor and the influential. The palace was huge, large enough to hold hundreds.

The entrance hall was wide and open, with a high ceiling and a grand modern chandelier glowing above. The shiny floors reflected the lights beautifully, and the air felt cool and refreshing. Two glass staircases stood on either side, leading to the upper floors.

I followed behind Ethan and his family since I didn’t know anyone else. My eyes scanned the hall for the current king, the man whose father murdered mine. Suddenly, a young man in his early thirties stood up. Fur draped around his neck, and he was tall—massive, actually. His voice was deep, commanding, and carried a hint of arrogance. His muscles and build were breathtaking. I honestly found myself drooling a little, even though his long brown hair covered the tattoos across his back.

“The time has come, my people. The full moon has risen—”

Full moon? I froze.

My chest tightened. Today is the full moon?

“It is time for us to become who we truly are,” the king continued. “Though this is the Flicker Moon— it shines only for a moment before vanishing. That is why I called everyone of age here. As one family, as one pack, we shift together and feast until dawn.”

A chorus of howls echoed through the hall. And deep inside, I knew I was in danger. Ethan had brought me here to die.

King Benjamin had only one rule: every member of the pack must be able to shift. Anyone who cannot will face severe punishment—either death or banishment. And since Ethan knew I still couldn’t shift, he brought me here knowing exactly what my fate would be. Banishment or Death.

I wanted to run away but, the guard had already sealed the door. I looked at every corner but they was no place to hide. People had started shifting into their wild form already. I ran to Ethan to cover me, to help me escape, but he pushed me aside. I stood there, sweat dripping down my skin, as soon as everyone changed, I fell to my knees, crying profusely. Waiting for them to shift back to human while I accept what is going to be my fate.

The moment the Flicker Moon disappeared, everyone around me began shifting back into their human forms. As they did, their eyes fell on me—wide, confused, filled with thoughts I didn’t dare imagine. I stood frozen, wishing the earth would split open and swallow me whole.

King Benjamin was the last to shift. The second he stood upright, the crowd instinctively parted, creating a clear path for him. He walked toward me with a presence that made my heart race. I dropped to my knees, hands covering my head, my voice trembling.

“Please… spare me, my lord,” I cried out.

I couldn’t even bring myself to meet his gaze; fear held me still.

“How dare you step into my palace without the ability to shift?!” King Benjamin thundered.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, forcing myself to glance up at our Alpha King.

Truly, his presence was overwhelming—power wrapped in flesh.