Chapter one

~JESSICA POV~

Chaos. That's all I see.

One minute I'm smiling, beaming like every werewolf on their eighteenth birthday. The next, my white dress is stained with my older brother's blood. He's been impaled by a sword, his lifeless body sprawled on the floor.

The room is a gruesome scene. Bodies lie motionless in pools of their own blood, screams echoing off the walls. Pleading screams, war cries, angry shouts, and ferocious growls of clashing wolves.

I choke back a sob. "N...no."

Tears stream down my face as my heart races. I'm crying, screaming for help, but it's not enough. I'm holding my brother's lifeless body, and the reality is crushing me!

Suddenly, a glimmer of hope flickers to life within me. "Uncle."

My pack has been under my uncle's leadership since I was 12, after rogues brutally killed my father during a hunt. My uncle is a fair, strong leader who's always prioritized peace. But since this attack began, I haven't seen him anywhere. I must find him.

I can only hope my siblings and mother are hiding safely, escaping the carnage that's destroyed our home.

I gently release my brother's lifeless body and rise to my feet, revealing the full view of my dress drenched in his blood. "I'll go get help, Keith. I'll be right back," I whisper, trying to convince myself that he's still alive.

But my mind is screaming at me. He's gone! You're talking to a corpse!

I push aside the devastating reality and sprint out of the room, weaving through the hall of bloodbath. Bodies lie scattered, some in wolf form, others not. The stench of blood and death fills my nostrils, making my stomach churn.

Fear claws at my heart. No! I can't shake off the image of my older brother's lifeless body. I have to find my family.

I grip my dress tightly and sprint through the hall, weaving past the bodies of familiar faces. So many faces I knew, loved, and grew up with. The sight fills me with dread, my pounding heart racing with every step.

"Blaire! Mom! Ronan! Anyone!" I scream, my voice echoing off the walls, but there's only silence.

I frantically search every room, starting with their bedrooms, then the bathroom, the kitchen – every possible space in this vast castle. Sweat drips down my face, my breath coming in ragged gasps.

Where are they?!

As I emerge from the castle, I'm met with a war-torn landscape. The majority of my pack's wolves lie disembodied, their bodies torn apart.

"N... No!" A terrified scream rips from my throat.

But my cries only attract unwanted attention. The Blood Moon pack's wolves, drawn by my distress, give chase. I'm forced to flee, running and crying through the woods, terrified for my life.

Unfortunately, I'm met with a sight that makes my legs buckle, sending me crashing to my knees.

"Wha.." Shock overwhelms me, rendering me breathless.

My uncle, Alpha Richard of the Blue Moon pack, kneels before a familiar figure I've only seen in pictures. Alpha Tristan's eyes glow bright crimson in his wolf form, his clawed hand lodged in my uncle's chest.

"Goodbye, Richard," he whispers, his voice dripping with pride. "It was about time, don't you think?" With a twisted smile, he rips out my uncle's heart and drops it to the floor.

The other wolves, including those who just arrived behind me, erupt into a victorious howl, their voices echoing to the crescent moon.

"No! No! What have you done?!" I scream, consumed by grief as helpless, indescribable pain crashes over me like a roaring wave.

"Hmm?" Alpha Tristan turns to me, his head cocked with curiosity as he approaches.

My heart leaps to my chest, and I'm frozen in terror. I want to stand up and run, but my legs won't move.

His crimson eyes, flaring through the strands of hair falling on his forehead, soften slightly as they land on me. "You're Richard's niece, aren't you?" he asks, his voice low and rough.

I remain silent, unable to form words.

Alpha Tristan's smirk grows, his angular face illuminated by a dark, cruel light. He doesn't seem to expect a response from me, and his lingering gaze is making my skin crawl.

"And my mate, it seems," He grasps my chin tightly, his fingers digging into my skin, and leans in close. His scent hits me like a tidal wave, and I'm shocked by how intoxicating it is. I try to look away, but my gaze is trapped by his.

'Mate!' my wolf growls in excitement.

Of course, the moon goddess would choose this moment to reveal my mate – the being responsible for destroying my life on the night that was supposed to be the happiest and most unforgettable of my life.

The moment is indeed unforgettable, but for all the wrong reasons. Fear gives way to pure, unadulterated rage, burning within me like a wildfire.

Alpha Tristan and I engage in a fierce stare-down, his eyes flashing with hatred as he tries to dominate the fury coursing through my veins.

"I'll kill you with my bare hands," I snarl, my voice rough with emotion.

Alpha Tristan looks amused, his expression unthreatened by my vow. Why should he be? He just slaughtered my uncle right in front of me and is now tearing my pack apart without remorse.

He releases my chin, stands up straight, and turns his gaze to his assembled wolves. "Kill everyone else," he commands. "Leave no one alive. I'm taking my mate with me."

My body turns icy cold as his words sink in. "Wha...what?"

Tristan doesn't glance my way, and a surge of adrenaline fuels my desire to act. I rise to my feet, but just as I stand, a sharp pain shoots through my neck. Someone is behind me, injecting a sharp needle into the side of my neck.

I yelp, trying to shove the person away, but my body feels heavy, unresponsive. My vision blurs, and the world around me begins to spin.

Tristan finally turns to me, his head cocked to the side as he stares at me with an unnerving intensity. Shivers course through my spine.

"No..." Everything fades to black, and I'm consumed by an eerie stillness...