Chapter 1

ADIRA'S POV 

“Bam!” The slap came so hard and fast, I didn't see it coming. My head flung to the side from the force.

The sting was sharp, but the shame was even worse as my eyes met with that of my little daughter. 

She whimpered as her eyes began to water. Her little hands wrapped tighter around my legs. “Mum, are you okay?” She asked with tears in her eyes.

I bit back the tears, too embarrassed to cry in front of my daughter. My jaws tightened, the taste of blood rising behind my lips from how hard I was biting down on my own flesh. 

“You whore!” Mrs Willow, the former Luna, snarled at me. Her tone was sharp enough to shred any pride I had left in me.

I quickly placed my hands over my daughter's ears. She was too young to be exposed to all this. I didn't mind going through all of this, but not my daughter.

Mrs Willow was supposed to be a grandmother to her, but she didn't care for either me or my child.

And worse still, her son, the father of my little girl, was indifferent to my suffering.

He stood there, eyes cast away from me, ears shut to my cries for help. He would rather watch the crackling fire than stop his mother from inflicting pain on me.

Who would believe that the Luna of the great Lunar-Guard pack was standing barefoot on the cold marble floor, dripping wet from the dirty water her mother-in-law had just poured on her?

…But that is my life…

“You thought giving birth to that little wimp would give the position of the Luna of this great pack? Well, you are in for a shocker because you will forever be treated like the common one-night stand that you are!” She yelled. Her voice cut sharper than any blade. 

I wasn't physically injured, but I felt pain all over from her harsh words. But why was I to be blamed for something that happened between me and her son? 

And it wasn't even my fault! We were both equally to be blamed!

Granted, it was a one-night stand. But it brought beautiful Lumina to life. 

I had so much to say, but I couldn't speak. Because none of them mattered in this house. Not when I had nowhere to go back to after my parents death. 

Not when the father of my child refused to speak for me.

“You are a whore, and that child of yours is nothing different. I do not see any traits of my son in her! I know she is going to grow up to be exactly like you. I can already see in her eyes that she will end up a whore!” Mrs Willow spat.

“Stop it, please.” I cried. “Insult me all you want, but please leave my daughter out of this. She is young, and none of this is her fault!” I cried.

I could take anything else but not this…not insulting my daughter. 

Mrs Willow scoffed. “You think those crocodile tears will vindicate you?” she yelled, her face scrunched in pure detest.

“Say something, Ryder…” I begged. “Are you just going to stand there and watch your daughter be treated like nothing?” I cried.

But he said nothing. He didn't even turn to look at me. 

His silence was worse than the slap and ill-treatment I had just gotten from his mother.

“Are you trying to instigate my own son against me?!” Mrs Willow snapped. 

And before I knew it, her hand connected to my face again. 

I didn't flinch, I didn't scream; tears just rolled down my face.

“Mum, that's enough.” Ryder finally said, his voice cold with no single warmth. “I told you to keep my daughter out of all of this,” he said with an undertone of warning.

He turned around, his cold eyes meeting mine. “Do what you like to the whore but leave my daughter out of it.” He enunciated each word while his eyes were still locked in mine.

I felt my heart shatter all over again. The words may have been directed to his mother, but they were meant for me. 

Just then an omega rushed in and carried Lumina. 

“Mummyyy,” she cried, stretching her hands for me.

But what could a helpless mother do for her child? 

I felt useless, like a piece of trash that shouldn't exist. I would be better off dead if I can't even protect my own child.

“Take her back to her room.” Ryder ordered.

The omega immediately rushed out of the place with Lumina crying helplessly for me. 

“Bitch!” Mrs Willow spat at me and walked away.

The place fell silent. It was just me and Ryder alone now. For three years I have been begging for his love, but all he looked at me with was hate and anger. 

I swallowed heavily. “Why do you hate me so much?” I asked in a shaky voice. “What did I ever do to you?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, but I knew he could hear.

“The one-night stand might have been a mistake on our part, but Lumina is definitely a gift.” 

I walked closer to him and placed my hand softly on his shoulder. 

He immediately shrugged it away. 

I sighed. “Tell me what I did that is so wrong that you have refused to forgive me.” I begged.

He spun around, eyes filled with venom and sharp like razor beams. “You!” He yelled. 

“You are what's wrong! You are a green snake in green grass. You are nothing but a sly fucking bitch!” he yelled. His eyes were red with fury, his fist clenched tight as he shook from the anger radiating off of him.

My eyes went wide, and I subconsciously moved backwards. 

I opened my mouth to say something, anything at all, but a warrior rushed in.

“Alpha!” He said with clear urgency in his voice.

“What is it?” Ryder yelled.

“We just got a message from Crescent-End pack; Scarlett has been taken by some rogues.” 

“What?” Ryder yelled, his voice filled with worry and alarm. 

“They are asking for reinforcement.” The warrior said.

“Gather all our warriors immediately! We are going to save her.” He ordered.

And there it was, the exact thing I have been begging him for for years now. 

A voice filled with worry when I am in danger, eyes filled with sadness when I am in danger, but instead of me, he was giving them to another girl.

His first love…

He was ready to put his life on the line for her.

“Ryder…” I called out to him, my voice filled with agony. 

He turned around, eyes piercing and devoid of the earlier emotions they had when he received the news about Scarlett.

“What…about me? Will it always be her?” I asked, my pain pouring out of my soul into my voice.

“You never meant anything to me, and you never will.” He gritted out and pushed me out of his way as he rushed out to go save his one and only love.

I crumbled to the ground and sobbed. I felt my heart break into a million pieces like a scattered puzzle. 

“Luna Adira…” a voice called out to me.

I raised my head to find the omega that had earlier taken my daughter.

“Alpha has ordered that all non-combatants be taken to the secret safe house. The rogues might also attack our pack because we are neighbours to the pack being attacked currently,” she said.

My body immediately went rigid. “Where is my daughter?” I asked in panic.

“She is waiting for us.” She replied.

I got up and followed her. I carried Lumina and tucked her head into my shoulder as I ran to the secret safe house. 

The location of the safe house was top secret in the pack. And the pin lock was only known by the alpha and beta with a few other secret warriors.

Once we were in, the door was shut, and we can only come out when either the Alpha or Beta opens it from outside.

My heart pounded in my chest as I held Lumina close to me. And even in that moment I was praying for the safety of Ryder.

Suddenly the door to the secret safe house opened, and we all visibly relaxed, thinking the fight had already ended.

But instead some rogues stormed in, eyes wild and made a beeline for me and Lumina amidst the chaos. 

I held Lumina tightly as they dragged us out. I was weak and helpless but I had to do something…I sank my teeth into the rogue's hand and dashed off as he yelled in agony. 

I couldn't fight but at least I ran.

“What is happening?” I thought to myself in panic as they relentlessly chased me.

My heart pounded in my chest as I sprinted, desperate to protect myself and my daughter. 

But it wasn't until I was falling forward did I realise that I didn't see the stone in front of me. “Oh no…” I muttered as I stumbled forward, crashing hard.

I rolled until my back slammed into a tree. Pain exploded through me and Lumina wailed in my arms.

I groaned in pain as Lumina started to cry. 

The men chuckled as they advanced towards me. My body shook from fear but I was determined not to die. I tried to get up again but collapsed as I cried out in pain.

My ankle was broken… 

“Please, I begged…” But they paid no heed.

“You and stupid child of yours has to die…it is all for a greater cause.” He smirked 

“Please…please. Don't do this please. Just kill me instead, she is just a child” I cried.

They immediately poured fuel on us and threw a lighter on the ground, the fire rushed to us with a hiss. 

“No, no, no…” I screamed trying to run but my legs failed me and the fire engulfed us.

Lumina screamed in agony, and I wrapped my body tightly around her, using my own body as a shield. My skin blistered instantly, but I didn’t let go. I couldn’t.

“I’m sorry”, I cried, “I should have left and saved us both this pain.”

As life gradually left my body, I thought of all the times I begged Ryder for love. Of how I stayed thinking things would change.

But now I was burning, and he was away to save his first love. I felt anger; I felt regret. I wanted revenge.

“Please”, I whispered hoarsely into the smoke as life slowly left my body.

“Moon Goddess... whoever’s listening… Give me another chance. Please… let me live differently. Let me protect her… let me have my revenge!”

“Let me fight back… just once.” I muttered as the last strand of life left my body.

Just then I saw a strange door with a huge clock over it. 

“Rush into it!” A voice ordered.

I got up, my daughter's dead body still in my arms, and I ran. Just as I entered, the clock clocked 12:00.

And then…darkness…

Absolute bliss….