1. CASSIUS

My eyes found her in the sea of people who had gathered in front of us. The entire Blood Moon pack was here. Gathered on the auspicious full moon night to witness the announcement of the new alpha.

Their alpha.

And there she was. Standing as one among the people. She should have been here. Beside me. Like she always did. But today, I did not have the courage to call her here. She smiled at me softly, assuring me with her eyes. Her eyes shone with a sense of pride that made my heart swell and clench my gut. I swallowed. I couldn’t bear to look at her. Yet I continued to keep looking at her as I didn’t know where else to look.

My father rose from his chair after the announcer announced his name.

“Thank you all for joining us. I am extremely grateful to all of you for staying by our side, putting your faith in us and trusting us to be your Alpha and Luna.” He looked at my mom who was seated in a chair beside the one assigned to my dad. She smiled at him. 

My heart flipped. All my life I wished for love for myself. And I had it too. But now….I don’t know.

“With the same promise and determination, I now announce to you the new Alpha and the protector of this pack, Alpha Cassius Knight." Cheers erupted around me as people threw flowers and garlands towards me. I stood up from my chair and walked towards the place where my dad was standing.

My eyes roamed around the happy, waving, cheery mass of people before it rested back in the place it belonged. Locked with hers. 

She smiled, chuckling, wiping her cheeks.

Of course she would be crying with joy. After all, only she knew the hard work I put in to come to this stage. To be worthy of this title. Being the firstborn son of the Alpha meant that the throne was destined to be mine, but another member from the pack challenged my strength and ability. I had to prove myself before I could be the Alpha. I lifted my hand and waved back at the crowd that erupted even louder. Happiness filled my mind at the sight.

This is what I wanted. This is what I had strived so hard for. This was where I belonged. Being the Alpha of my pack.

“Luna.”

“Luna”

“Luna”

The crowd began chanting ‘Luna’ asking me to announce my Luna. My fated partner. My mate. The one who would stand beside me and help me complete my oath.

Taking a deep breath I began. “Thank you everyone for gathering here. As dad said, we are always grateful for the faith and trust you have put in us. And I promise to cherish and respect the love and kindness you have always given us. And with that I swear in as your new Alpha.” Cheers erupted again.

“And as your Alpha, I now introduce you to your new Luna. I now introduce you to Eloise Lockwood, daughter of Dashiell Lockwood, the Beta of the Silver Deity pack.” My eyes automatically found hers even though I tried my best to avoid her gaze.

They were lifeless. As if all the life had been sucked out like a vampire sucks out blood. People cheered celebrating this new beginning but everything inside me was sucked away with the betrayal that hung to her face. I hadn’t chosen her. My Luna, my love and my mate. Instead I chose someone else. Not just anybody, her stepsister. The same vile woman who had hurt my mate on multiple occasions.

As Eloise placed her palm on my bicep, I snapped out of my thoughts and turned to look at her. She smiled at me, victoriously, as if hinting that I had made the right choice. I nodded and removed her palm from my arm, hating the way her skin felt against mine. I hated the ick it gave me. It lacked the warmth Sienna gave me.

My eyes went back to her, but she was nowhere to be found. I wanted to apologize. Apologise for putting her through this. She had to know why I did this. 

The high priest called us for our blood oath, where we swear in as the Alpha and Luna of the pack, sealing our fate until death parts us. It also symbolizes a marriage in the werewolf community.

‘I shall shower you with so much love that you shall never feel left out.’ My own words echo in my head as I close my eyes for the ritual.

Shutting them out, I force my eyes open and slice my palm with the sacrificial knife. Eloise does the same and we join our palms together, letting our blood mix and drip into the water basin below. 

“With the blessings and the power from the Moon Goddess, may you be ever successful and together forever.” The high priest blessed us, sprinkling the holy water on us.

Forever?

‘I was, I am and I will always be yours. Forever.’ That was what I had told her. Not once, not twice but every single time she questioned herself and us.

And now, I was never hers.

I could never be.

With that thought I left the chamber with Eloise and joined the pack for celebrating tonight.

I tried my best in searching for her. She has to be here. As I moved through the crowd of people, Eloise already lost somewhere behind, I headed to the packhouse, where I felt I could find her.

She shall forgive me when she hears my apology.

Little did I know that that would not be true.