Yvonne’s POV- Full moon

Father Bosco was the reverend at the church located in the heart of our small city, and he harbored a deep hatred for witches. This posed a significant threat to all witch covens in Latan City.

As we continued walking deeper into the forest, the moon shone brightly in the sky, casting its ethereal light upon us. Everyone began to shape-shift into their wolf forms, and I was not exempt. It was an awkward feeling for me to change into an animal in the blink of an eye.

I grew fangs, feeling funny and somewhat ugly in my new form. My eyes widened with fear, flashing with grey rays. I struggled to get used to walking on four legs. Since it was my first time in my wolf form, no one dared to mock me.

Feeling weird and scared, I wasn’t sure if I was proud of this transformation. Despite my parents’ lectures near the chimney, the reality felt entirely different from what they described. They spoke of how fulfilling it would be, but now, fear gripped me, and my feet grew cold.

I shivered as everyone around me began to howl. “What the hell?” I muttered to myself, noticing my mother watching me. Quickly, I joined the rest of the pack in howling, although I knew I was merely barking because I caught many of them peering at me.

I closed my eyes, refusing to feel embarrassed, and took a glance at my father, whose brown wolf form glowed through its fur like never before. I had always wished I took after his form, but instead, I resembled my mother, white as the moon.

We sprinted into a race, running into the forest as if it had no end. “Is this really it?” I thought, feeling increasingly nervous.

I just wanted everything to end at once. I needed to sleep and rest, but then I felt a pang of hunger in my wolf belly, a soft grumble that echoed through the forest. Taking a deep breath, my heart grew cold as I remembered I had a test to write tomorrow. “I didn’t even get to study,” I thought, looking away.

Everyone seemed to be watching me, and that wasn’t something I enjoyed. Another grumble from my stomach, and I forgot completely about the test, squeezing my face into an awkward frown.

I had always watched my pack kill and feed on dead animals. I would run into my bedroom at the sight of it, feeling nauseous. I wondered if I would finally be made to eat a dead animal today. My father once told me that I needed to feed to activate my wolf form, or else I wouldn’t be as strong as the rest, nor would I heal quickly, making me unfit for the position ahead of me. But that was one thing I loved about being a wolf; we were very strong and healed quickly from our wounds.

At least we weren’t like vampires, who fed on human blood to get stronger. They called us beasts, but that’s not who we were. We valued peace, unity, and togetherness. We understood the importance of family and held onto our traditions dearly.

As we arrived at a clearing and formed a large circle, a fresh carcass lay in the middle. I had seen my father kill it earlier; he was the strongest in our pack, though not in the Boldclaw pack, where Kayne held that title. It was tradition for the male Alphas of both packs to feed first on the full moon.

I shrugged at the sight of the animal, its intestines ripped out of its belly. “I’m never going to eat that,” I thought, raising my claw to stare at it. Everything was beginning to dawn on me. Did I actually turn into a wolf?

I noticed the drool dripping from their mouths; the wolves looked hungry, eager to fill their bellies with the flesh of the dead animal. My mother and Kayne’s mother, Emelia, stepped forward. She had a dark wolf form like her son, but my mother was radiant, the most charming she-wolf my father had ever met.

Even in her wolf form, she looked beautiful. It was my turn, and fear filled my eyes as my four legs trembled under the heavy stares from both packs. I kept my chin up, ensuring I didn’t let my guard down. It was time to prove that I was truly an alpha and a wolf.

My parents stared at me, and I swallowed hard, leaning forward like a lost cat. I couldn’t say no to my parents, or else my father might not take it lightly, and my pack would consider me weak and unfit to be their next leader.

With a heavy heart, I plunged my muzzle into the lifeless flesh of the fallen animal, my eyes tightly shut in a futile attempt to shield myself from the pity I felt for the poor creature, now a victim to the voracity of my pack. Taking a sizable bite, a surge of unexpected flavor flooded my senses, eliciting a quiet murmur of “delicious” from my lips.

As I consumed the meat, a peculiar sensation washed over me, infusing my being with newfound strength. It was as if my wolf form possessed an innate understanding of my needs, fortifying me with each mouthful. Despite the chorus of laughter that seemed to emanate from the very depths of their growls, I pressed on, undeterred.

And then he appeared—my betrothed mate, the one deemed suitable by my father, oblivious to the tumult of emotions raging within me. In his dark, lupine form, he joined me in feasting upon the carcass, a gesture that initially struck me as greedy, until I realized it was yet another tradition. The pack erupted into a symphony of howls, celebrating the unity of our two packs.

As the rest of the pack indulged in the feast, Kayne and I stepped back, observing the ritual with a mixture of resignation and detachment. Our packs were small, not exceeding twenty members each, remnants of a once-thriving population decimated by the atrocities of the great war.

“It was never like this,” my mother had confided to me one evening in the garden, her voice heavy with sorrow. We had once been numerous, until a blaze, ignited by the vampires, razed our village to the ground, claiming countless lives and leaving us homeless and bereft.

I shook my head sadly, pondering the cruel hand fate had dealt us. What would have become of me if I had been born amidst the chaos and devastation of those dark times?

As the full moon gradually disappeared behind dark clouds, we unleashed a chorus of howls, our voices melding with the night as we raced back to our starting point. This time, fueled by the energy of the hunt, we were faster, our strides swift and purposeful.

Returning to our human forms, I couldn’t help but smile as I gazed down at my body. “I’ve missed you,” I murmured to myself, reveling in the familiarity of my own skin.

“You mean me?” Kayne’s voice sounded behind me, causing me to startle slightly. I breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that I was now clothed, sparing myself the discomfort of his unwavering gaze.

We had emerged naked from the forest, but we had all managed to find a secluded spot to redress ourselves. “How did you find me here?” I inquired, turning to face him.

“Have you forgotten that wolves can pick scents?” he replied with a smirk.

I shrugged, conceding his point. “I guess that’s how you found me, then?”

He nodded, his expression softening. “By the way, you did remarkably well back there.”

I couldn’t help but scoff incredulously. “Tell me you’re just mocking me, Kayne, because I know full well that I was dreadful.”

A genuine smile graced his lips as he shook his head. “I thought you would be, but you proved me wrong. At least you didn’t let your guard down.”

I regarded him with a mixture of confusion and curiosity, uncertain of his intentions. “As an alpha and my mate-to-be, you need to be strong and brave for the challenges that lie ahead,” he explained, stepping closer and taking my hand in his.

I gazed up at his face, noting the warmth in his brown eyes that lent him an air of gentleness. Kayne was undeniably handsome, but his demeanor often left much to be desired.

“Soon, both packs will be joined together, and our union will make that possible, Yvonne. Our union will unite us as one,” he stated, his tone laced with conviction.

“Is that truly why I must marry you? To unite our packs?” I questioned, feeling a sense of disillusionment creeping in. This rationale failed to capture my interest, and I doubted he was aware of that.

Releasing my hand, he locked eyes with me. “I’m surprised your father hasn’t told you.”

“Told me what?” I inquired, my curiosity tinged with apprehension.

“Our union is an apology and a reconciliation,” he revealed, his lips curling into a smile. “You see, your dear father inadvertently caused the death of my father, the leader of my pack, many years ago. Although it was a mistake, to prevent further conflict, we turned to our tradition.”

“And what tradition is that?” I pressed, my impatience growing.

“Your mother was pregnant with you at the time, and it was prophesied that you would be my mate after your first full moon transformation. Together, we would lead our packs to greatness,” he explained, his pride evident.

I averted my gaze, absorbing the weight of this revelation. It seemed I was about to be swept up in a destiny crafted by the sins of my parents, a fate I had no say in. Closing my eyes, I drew a deep breath, grappling with the enormity of it all.

“Our wedding has been arranged, Yvonne, yet I can’t comprehend why you always remain so distant,” he remarked, cupping my face tenderly and planting a kiss on my forehead.

I remained silent, feeling like a lamb being led to slaughter, resigned to a fate beyond my control.

“Are you pleased to marry me, or are you merely content that our marriage will bring unity between our packs?” I ventured, hoping for a response that might sway me or at least satisfy my parents’ wishes.

“Both bring me joy, Yvonne, my beautiful bride,” he replied, a smirk playing on his lips.

“Beautiful bride indeed,” I muttered under my breath, my heart heavy with resignation.