CHAPTER 1

In ancient times, various creatures roamed the earth. They were called supernatural beings with abilities that were way beyond the understanding of mere mortals.

The inception of their creation was to contend with the otherworldly beasts that greatly oppressed humankind; they were literal bloodsuckers; it was an era subjugated by chaos and mayhem.

The battles lasted decades before the Versipellis fully immobilized the Vrykolakas. In modern folklore, the Versipellis were the shapeshifters, otherwise known as werewolves, and the Vrykolakas were the bloodsuckers, now known as vampires.

Their long, hard battle that eventually ended in victory did not come without a cost. The Versipellis lost their Luna. The backbone of not only the Monarch but also his people, it was a bittersweet moment when she sacrificed herself for their victory.

It was a victory that was never celebrated, for the loss of one's mate is like the loss of oneself, a feeling of loss, utter loneliness, and despair, the absence of your other half.

After they eradicated the forces of the Vrykolakas, the Versipellis king withdrew from the world, never to be seen again by mortals or even his kind.

As time passed, the supernatural became a secret known to only a few people. After a few decades, it became a myth.

The Vrykolakas were never mentioned as the evils they perpetrated were not to be spoken of, and the Versipellis were now scary stories told to children to keep them in check.

Before the Monarch disappeared, he had relegated duties to his four most trusted soldiers. He separated the wolves into the four cardinals: East, West, North, and South.

The surviving wolves separated into four groups and went to their allocated regions of the world to begin a new life after the era of the great battle.

***

A forlorn figure sat on the balcony in silence, gazing at the waning moon; Alpha Ryan was stock-still for a few hours as if he was a stationary object sculpted in place and not really a person.

Five more dead. Five more dead wolves.

He lost five men. But this was a good day. Over the month, he had lost dozens of wolves, and even the scouts never returned.

This was the only thing that kept playing in his mind. He had failed to protect his people. The feeling of failure was the worst for an alpha. He knew he had failed his people and needed to get to the bottom of the issue.

It wasn't easy to bring down a werewolf, let alone kill it. They were descendants of the great Versipellis, who took down the strongest beasts known to man. They were by no means weak. They had strength that could be rivaled by none.

The bodies he had examined had claw marks and bite marks. It was strange because only two creatures could leave such marks: the Vrykolakas (who had been eliminated) and their own kind, making it all the more confusing.

They were social animals who lived in packs and were led by the strong wolf, "the Alpha," no one dared defy him. All the neighboring packs had similar encounters. Although the deaths on his end were significantly lower. He could not wrap his head around what was happening.

Who was the mastermind of what was happening? It was harder to fight a battle if you didn't know what you were against. On the other hand, their enemy was adequately informed and kept poaching them strategically.

If this continued, all the packs in the South would be annihilated. How long would he have a pack?. He urgently needed help. He was at his wit's end, and the weight of his failure was too heavy to bear.

His pack was his pride and joy. One of the largest packs in the South, well respected, feared, and prosperous, he had everything going great, and then……

…….. the attacks started

It started out as a minor inconvenience, a small nuisance; what they didn't realize was that it was just the beginning, and the small packs had fallen, they were slaughtered, and the survivors were never found.

Eventually, the larger packs were being targeted. They unified their forces and tried to fight back, but how can you attack a creature you don't know or even understand. They were blindsided, and their forces were wiped out. They walked into a well-laid ambush….. no one returned.

Their alliance swiftly crumbled, and each force withdrew their men. Now, every pack had to fend for themselves and protect their wolves.

Ryan had reached out to the council. The council consisted of the strongest werewolf bloodline, the purebred Versipellis. They were directly related to the four cardinals the "monarch" created before vanishing from the worldview.

The council was formed to keep all the other packs under the southern cardinal in check. They enforced and executed all their laws and represented the Southern region in the World Council. They were the only ones who could interact with the Cardinals.

The council settled disputes and helped packs in need. Ryan thought they would not hesitate to aid them, but his hopes were dashed. They turned him down and ignored all his pleas and calls for help. This was quite contrary to his expectations.

In their words: "This is a small issue, that a strong pack such as the moonshine pack should be more than enough to handle; it is not a serious threat."

Ryan begged to differ; he knew this issue was more than a minor threat. When they were done with this region, they would move.

For Ryan, the response of the council was the straw that broke the camel's back, the survival of his pack was his number one priority, and he'd be damned if he didn't move mountains and try any means at his disposal to ensure his people's survival and safety. Consequences be damned.

Turning around, he picked up his phone and started dialing…… Ring Gg…… Ring Ggg….. he waited patiently to be connected.

The phone rang on the other end and was picked up after a few rings. Before Ryan could organize his thoughts to speak, the person on the other line broke the silence.

Ryan, I am glad you decided to call, he said tenderly. Is there something I can do for you? Ryan took a deep breath and uttered four words softly.

"I need your help."

***

A knock on the door broke his reverie: "Come in," he said, knowing who was at the door.

"Have you done it?" She asked, stepping into the room.

Looking up at his mate, the despair he had moments ago faded away; she could calm him down with her mere presence; she was a beauty, a sight for sore eyes.

"Well?" She inquired, still waiting for a response, snapping him out of his reverie.

"It's done."

"And?"

"He agreed."

"Thank goodness," she whispered with relief.

"He said I have to do something for him when I arrive. After all, what I'm asking for is huge, and he would need to pull a few strings," Ryan added.

There was nothing free in this world if Ryan needed his help after so many years of silence. It would only be natural to want something in return.

Preparations were being made, and they would set out soon.