Chapter 5

Evander 

I walk into my room and begin pacing, I should be satisfied but I am nothing close to that. Seven items needed for the ritual and I have only acquired five, one of it isn't even complete.

If only time was on my side, then perhaps I would have counted the arrival of the maiden of the Eclipse, as victory.

And why does she smell so familiar? She smells just like her, the girl from the forest. It just can't be her anyway, I had asked Derek to go after her and kill her, after she refused to accept my rejection.

I couldn't let anyone ruin my plans of winning Seraphina’s heart. I am an Alpha and should be able to choose my mate.

My gaze drifts at the four vials of different labelled alpha blood on my desk and a sealed note beside it. I pause my pace.

One of the ingredients needed for the ritual is the blood of five different Alphas and I currently have only four. Surely, I can't even ask my own brother for help, I wouldn't want to give him an opportunity to think less of me.

“Alpha Evander,” Derek, my beta, calls as he enters.

“Have you gotten a factual summary of what transpired at the Cindersteel Creed?” I ask, not bothering to turn to him. “Perhaps the real reason why the DarkenMoon Pack attacked them.”

“Nothing that makes sense, yet….. just a trivial misunderstanding about territory.”

“The DarkenMoon Pack and I are allies… or so I thought,” I say, finally turning to him. “What if they know about the curse and they tried killing this Kenna to prevent us from uplifting the curse?”

“Permit me to speak freely Alpha,”

“Go on.”

“I think you're being unnecessarily paranoid…. And even if it were true, they failed, Kenna is in our grasp and will be sacrificed as agreed.”

“Yes, except I can't actually send this letter to their alpha…” I say, pointing at the sealed note on my desk. “If… they are a foe in disguise.”

“Alpha Seraphina Moondance is dead…..her funeral is in ten days.”

“And so is the Alpha Transfer Ritual….

 She had a husband, remember…… and I heard she signed the Moonline Matrimonial.”

“Then there is only one way to find out if Raze Duskbane intends to maintain the implied alliance between The DarkenMoon Pack and The Moondrift Pack.” Derek says and takes a step forward.

Surely, I can't seem to trust that beast. I just dislike him for reasons I can not pinpoint. It simply cannot be because Seraphina's father rejected my marriage proposal three years ago, all because he had already betrothed his dear daughter to his steward. His steward! Yes, my ego was crushed but there should be more to this hatred.

To even think I tried to sneak in masked, just have a glimpse of her and tell her, her father's steward isn't the one for her.

“Send the letter to him, hear his reply first before concluding anything.” Derek suggests.

Poor Derek! He wants this to work more than any other person. His mother, sister and brother were all affected.

I pick up the sealed note and extend it to Derek. “Drive to DarkenMoon Pack today.”

“Wouldn't you wait for his wife to be put to rest first?” 

“No… and I expect a reply as soon as possible.”

His reply will determine if I would even show face for the funeral. 

Derek bows and turns to leave.

“Also page the high priestess before leaving. I need her to come examine this…. Kenna Starclaw.”

“Are you having doubts about her?” He asks, spinning back to me.

“Not necessarily doubts…. I need to be certain that it is her that's needed to be sacrificed in the ritual, if there's a mistake then the innocent girl would die for nothing.”

He nods and bows.

“One more thing Derek…”

He raises his head.

“On that night you accompanied me to the DarkenMoon Pack,” I say, walking to him. “When you returned from wherever you even went….. I asked you to go after a girl on a white scarf and kill her. Did you?”

He stares at me, not saying anything.

“Did you?” I ask again, staring into his eyes.

He nods, his eyeballs shifting. “I did and I'm very sure I told you that night that I did.”

I stare at him for a while before saying, “If you say so.. you may leave.”

“Why suddenly bring it up?” He asks.

“You may leave.. Derek.”

He bows again and departs. 

There is something about his reply. Yet I cannot doubt him, he wouldn't lie about this. He has never lied to me before.

I hear a scream coming from the grand hall, I quickly rush out of my room and back to the grand hall.

To my devastating surprise, Sarah lay unconsciously in the arms of Ann, sweating profusely. Tears rush down Ann's face as she stares at me.

I look around as I slowly walk to my both sisters. I see a moon mark glowing on Sarah's neck and my heart stops.

I grit my teeth, clenching my fists.

“Brother, the curse has consumed our sister!!” Ann says. 

“She is the thirtieth person..” Elder Philip blurts out.

Ann exhales, “Oh no!!”

My heart begins to beat fast. I step ahead to my seat, avoiding any show of fear. Everyone in the room already knows what this means. 

If the Eclipse ritual isn't done before thirty days, the thirty people who have been consumed by this curse will die at thirtieth day

The worse part of it all is; if we don't break the curse and they all die, another thirty will fall. It will keep happening until there is nobody left in my pack to be consumed by this Eclipse curse.

I pierce my palms with my fingers, trying to control the anger brimming in me.

Slaughtering the maiden of the Eclipse is a fair price. A death to save everyone. At least, her family has been compensated handsomely, sixty million dollars, two million for each life saved.

“Where is Kenna Starclaw?” I ask, staring at the elders. “Where is the Maiden of the Eclipse?”

“Already escorted to her bed chambers…” Elder Samson replies.

“So she is here already,” Ann says, having a breath of relief.