Fractured Resolve.

Running to her room felt like running straight into hell. From the moment Aurora stepped out of the kitchen, laughter followed her, echoing in her ears like the sound of her misery.

Finally reaching the small, cold confines of her room, she quickly locked the door behind her. She stumbled toward her bed, collapsing onto it like a broken doll. A soft whimper escaped her lips, but soon it grew into heavy sobs, loud and raw, breaking the eerie silence of the room.

She was utterly alone. The only person who had ever loved her was her father, and he had been taken from her when she was just a child—killed by vampires during one of their brutal raids.

“God, I’m so tired... I’m so tired of living,” she whispered hoarsely, sliding to her knees. Her sobs grew heavier, racking her small frame as the weight of Kael’s lies pressed down on her. Why had he done this? Why hadn’t he just killed her outright? Keeping her alive seemed to be nothing but a cruel game to torment her.

A dangerous thought crept into her mind like a serpent: Wouldn’t death be better than this?

Her shaking hands gripped the edge of her bed as her resolve solidified. Death might be her only escape—her only chance for peace.

Aurora rose unsteadily to her feet and grabbed a chair from the corner of the room. She dragged it into the bathroom, her movements robotic, numb from the storm of emotions inside her. The weight of her decision bore down heavily on her shoulders.

She picked up a discarded rope from the floor and fashioned it into a makeshift noose. Tying one end securely to the rusted hook embedded in the ceiling—where she usually hung her clothes to dry—she stepped up onto the chair.

Her breathing was shallow as she slipped the noose around her neck. A tear slid down her cheek, but her heart was resolute. Without a second thought, she pushed the chair away.

The next moments were a blur of chaos.

The rope snapped under her weight, and Aurora fell to the ground with a loud thud. The jagged hook clattered to the floor beside her, narrowly missing her throat. Pain shot through her body as she realized she had cracked something—maybe a rib. She screamed in agony, clutching her side.

Looking up through tear-streaked eyes, she saw the ceiling where the hook had hung. A large, gaping hole stared back at her, its edges crumbling. The ceiling had been too weak to hold her weight.

Aurora lay there for a moment, staring at the hook that had nearly ended her life. The sharp metal glinted ominously in the dim light. She shuddered, realizing just how close she had come to succeeding.

But then a thought struck her: Someone out there doesn’t want me dead.

Wiping her tears, Aurora staggered to her feet and dusted off her clothes. Suicide wasn’t the answer. She wouldn’t give Kael or anyone else the satisfaction of breaking her spirit. She would endure—if only to prove them wrong. And someday, she would escape this hell. She would keep that dream alive, hidden deep in her heart.

---

In the Council Hall

The Red Moon pack’s council hall was an imposing room, filled with six of the pack’s most powerful men. At the head of the hall sat Alpha Rowan on his grand throne, his presence commanding respect. Beside him was a smaller throne occupied by his son, Kael.

The pack council, consisting of chief warriors and ministers, sat in a semicircle around them, their faces serious.

“I’ve summoned you all here today because tomorrow marks the Full Moon Festival,” Alpha Rowan announced, his deep voice echoing in the room. “It is the day the goddess reveals our mates to us—a sacred day for all wolves of age. It is also the day my son, Kael, will assume leadership of this pack as the new alpha. A new Luna will also be chosen, as decreed by the goddess.”

The men nodded solemnly, murmuring their agreement.

Rowan continued, his tone growing grave. “With the ongoing war against the vampires, our pack faces grave challenges. Food supplies are dwindling, and the goddess has withheld her rain from us. We need strong, decisive leadership now more than ever. As such, the Beta’s son will assume his father’s position, and new warriors will be chosen to replace those we’ve lost in battle.”

Beta Mark leaned forward, his expression grim. “My Alpha, the men sent to gather supplies encountered heavy resistance from the vampires. The land we seek to harvest rightfully belongs to us, but King Draven and his forces have claimed it.”

Rowan’s jaw tightened, his golden hair falling over his face as he absorbed the news. His expression was as sharp and dangerous as a blade.

“And what action has been taken?” Rowan asked, his voice laced with restrained anger.

Mark hesitated before answering. “I sent another group of men to raid the land. They attacked the weaker vampires stationed there and managed to harvest some crops. They’ll return shortly with the supplies.”

The room fell silent. Rowan’s eyes darkened as he processed Mark’s words.

“You what?” he roared, rising from his throne. His aura was suffocating, his anger palpable. “You sent our men to attack vampires on Draven’s land? Without my consent?”

Mark bowed his head in shame. “My Alpha, I believed it necessary—”

“You’ve put the entire pack in danger!” Rowan bellowed. “Draven will not let this go unanswered. You know what he is capable of—what he has already done to us! The Red Moon pack cannot afford another war!”

Kael, who had been quietly observing, leaned forward. His voice was cold and calculated. “We cannot cower in fear forever, Father. Draven and his bloodthirsty savages have taken enough from us. It’s time we strike back.”

Rowan turned to his son, his eyes blazing. “And at what cost, Kael? How many more lives must we sacrifice?”

Kael’s lips curled into a smirk. “As many as it takes."