The Full Moon Festival Shadow.

"Sorry for not saying it earlier, the men we sent were disguised as rogues. Their scent was hidden away from the reach of the vampires, so they cannot discover their real identity," Beta Mark explained.

He knew how ferocious King Draven could be. The vampire king was a wild beast, fiercely protective of what was his.

"Good, very good. So, we have enough food for the sacrifice to the goddess and the celebration for the full moon," Alpha Rowan said, relieved that the pack was safe from the hands of King Draven.

"Yes, my king. Concerning the coronation of your son to ascend the throne and rule after you... I don't think he will be capable enough to take over. He does not have a strong enough hand to govern the people. He only shows empathy to those he hates and love for those he favors. He will be a partial king," Michael, one of the quiet elders, remarked. He had been observing everything that happened in the Red Moon pack.

A loud growl echoed through the room, drawing everyone's attention to its source: Kael. He had been silent, listening to the boring talks, but now he was seething with anger. He had only seen King Draven once, when the powerful vampire king had severed his father’s left arm. Kael had sworn to exact revenge, to destroy King Draven. Now, one of these elders dared challenge him, questioning his ability to rule.

"Repeat your words, warrior Michael, and consider your head removed from your body," Kael said, standing up. His eyes blazed with fury. Michael, the chief warrior, had just insulted him by questioning his strength and leadership.

"I repeat: Kael, you are weak. You are not fit enough to be king. You are ruthless and arrogant. Pressuring the low-ranking werewolves is not the character of a king..." Michael's words were cut short.

A loud scream erupted from Kael’s lips as he drew the sword from a guard standing nearby. He threw the blade with such force that it lodged deep in Michael's chest, piercing his heart.

"Kael, you are wor—"

Michael’s voice faltered as he fell to his knees. The unexpected attack had caught him off guard. Still, a tiny bit of life lingered in his body.

Kael approached the half-dead warrior. His teeth had sharpened to an animal's fangs, his anger apparent. He yanked the sword from Michael's heart, raised it high in the air, and spoke with unrefined fury.

"I will grant you your wish. Didn’t I warn you beforehand?" Kael snarled.

With one swift motion, he slashed the sword across Michael’s neck, severing his head from his body. Michael’s head flew through the air before landing on the floor with a sickening thud.

A heavy breath escaped Kael’s lips as he stood over the lifeless body, feeling the power surge through him. He raised his hands, turning to face the others. They stood in shock, not daring to challenge him. But Alpha Rowan was proud. Kael was truly his son—ruthless, just like the blood running through their family’s veins.

"Who else wants to follow this man back to the underworld?" Kael shouted. "Who wants to challenge me and tell me how unfit I am to be king?"

The room was eerily silent. No one dared speak, not in the presence of such a vicious alpha’s son.

"Good," Kael said with a dark grin. "Now, I will show you how cruel I am. Beta Mark, take Michael’s body to his family and give him a fitting burial. He fought for the pack and brought victory, but unfortunately, he died a dishonored death."

"Yes, Alpha Kael," Beta Mark responded, bowing low.

Kael nodded and dropped the sword on the ground with a sharp clang. He turned and left the room, ready to prepare for the full moon festival. He couldn’t wait to prove to those foolish fools that he would be a better alpha than his father.

“You damn fool, stop walking like an idiot and go get me the chicken before I use you as meat for the feast!” A harsh voice rang out through the room, making Aurora quicken her pace. The words echoed in her mind, pushing her to move faster.

The full moon festival had begun, but Aurora was not allowed to join in the festivities. She had to finish the endless chores that the pack had loaded on her. The words of her mother, Delilah, rang in her ears, increasing her pace even more.

Entering the storeroom, she was surprised to see it already filled with food. How had that happened? Had the alpha brought in enough supplies to last the pack for a year?

Stepping out with the meat in hand, she found the hall leading to the storeroom dimly lit, obscuring her view of anyone approaching. As she rounded the corner, she bumped into a male figure. His presence was unmistakable.

"Watch where you're going, omega, and stop walking like you're blind. Those eyes were never made for decoration," Kael sneered, throwing her a mocking smirk. Aurora clenched her jaw. Was her day going to get any worse?

"I hope she doesn’t infect you with her bad luck. Good thing you're not entering the throne today when you find your mate. You'll need to go through some rituals. So even if you catch her bad luck, it won’t ruin your coronation day," Simone, the Beta’s son, added, laughing with his friends.

"Ugh, please. I can't bear having her disgusting hands on me during my coronation," Kael scoffed, making his friends laugh even louder.

"Let's go. Let the omega finish her work. The meat smells like her anyway. Can't believe she tried to force herself on you," Elizabeth said with a sneer, her words filled with venom as they walked away, leaving Aurora behind.

Aurora’s eyes were lowered as she held the bowl of meat. She was used to the cruel treatment, but the words still stung. Wiping away a tear, she made her way back to the kitchen.

“You’re late, Aurora. Do you know how long I’ve been waiting for you to arrive?” Delilah snapped, snatching the meat from her hands and ordering the other maids to arrange the food.

Delilah wasn’t the chef, but when it came to preparing special dishes, she was always involved. She was an expert in cooking, knowledgeable about various cuisines.

“Go fry those chickens with the maids, Aurora. The festival has started, and you have to serve the entire pack,” Delilah said, eyeing her with a cold expression.

Aurora, momentarily distracted, forgot the strict rules her mother had drilled into her over the years. She moved quickly, but a sudden knock on her head made her jump. It came from Delilah.

“I won’t tell you again. You’re not my daughter and never will you be,” Delilah said, her eyes wild with fury.

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Delilah,” Aurora whispered, her voice breaking as she bowed her head. Tiny tears escaped her eyes.

"Good. Then I won’t have to repeat myself," Delilah said, walking away without another word.

Aurora stared at her mother, the woman she once believed would support her, the woman who should have held her hand in moments like this. But instead, Delilah added to her misery. She longed for her father to be alive.

"Hey, you don’t have to cry over this. It’s just a phase. You’ll get through it soon enough," Mrs. Flora said, giving her a comforting pat as she continued working.

“And when will this phase end?” Aurora asked bitterly, her voice tinged with hopelessness. “When I start getting gray hair?”

“Aurora, it’s time for the feast. The festival has started. Go serve the pack, girl!” Delilah shouted from the kitchen, her voice ringing through the room.

Aurora quickly grabbed the meat and ran out, almost tripping on the floor. She was supposed to hand the meat over to the Luna’s personal maid, who would deliver it to the Luna for the final ritual.

She saw the maid standing just a few feet away, but unsure how to enter without being caught, she decided to use her mind-link.

“Hello Tanya, could you help me deliver this meat to the Luna? I can’t risk being caught in there,” Aurora messaged.

“Sure, I’ll come to the door to take it,” Tanya replied, looking at the partygoers who seemed lost in their revelry. She left the door and made her way toward Aurora.

As they passed through the hall, Aurora couldn't help but notice the dazzling lights and shiny decorations. She had always wondered what they were for.

“Hey, Aurora, you’re not coming to the festival?” Tanya asked, pulling her back into reality.

Aurora turned to face her. “You of all people know why I can’t join the party. My family will never let me be part of it. I would just bring disgrace upon them.”

Tanya looked at her sympathetically, realizing how cruel the pack had been to Aurora, all because she was wolfless. The pack’s treatment disgusted her. She turned toward the quieted party. Something felt off, and that’s when it clicked.

“Aurora... why is everyone staring at you?” Tanya asked, concern flooding her voice. “They’re all looking at you like you want to weep.”

Aurora's heart skipped a beat. Fear replaced the usual sadness she felt, but something deeper lurked behind the stares. Something more terrifying.