CHAPTER 1 - Last Breath

ANASTACIA

I was heaving for breath as one big brown werewolf slashed my neck and almost tore it apart. My blood spurted as my dying body lay on the ground of our small farming land, where our native house stood in its corner. I am about to die, I know it, just like my father and my mother. 

I did not move a bit hinting that if I will, the brown big werewolf will attack me again to give his final blow to kill me completely. I played dead and waited until my attacker including his troop left our land premises. I felt the cold wind caressing my body while I resisted the urge to move.

As I finally heard nothing of them and could not feel their presence anymore, I tried to open my eyes and move my body, but it was like, my mind wanted my body to move but my body would not want to cooperate. My body was like paralysis, I could not move. I was horrified. I tried to find my voice and ask for help but like my body, my voice seemed to have deserted me too. Tears flowed freely from my eyes as my orbs with their almost fading vision looked up, and tried to catch the light of the full moon.

Who would even think that tonight all my hopes and dreams would just disappear together with my whole family?

My father is the illegitimate son of an Alpha King and an Ultima She-wolf. At eight years old, he was deprived of a wealthy life when his father and mother died after being murdered mysteriously while secretly meeting in the woods. He was thrown out of the kingdom by the Luna Queen and the legitimate son of his Alpha King Father. When my father met his mate, my mother, who was the daughter of a Gamma, they immediately got married. Upon my birth, they decided to leave on this small farm, a secluded place, as my father feared that the new Alpha King would take his life, as he was a threat to the throne. Aside from the fact that he was another heir to the throne, he was also more powerful than the present Alpha King because of his combined abilities inherited from his Alpha father and Ultima mother. For eighteen years we live a peaceful and simple life on our mini farm, away from civilization. My father was contented and has no dream of becoming an Alpha King. We thought that life would be like that until the end, however, the Alpha King of the North, my father’s half brother was too afraid that should my father move and snatch the throne from him, he could easily do so.

Without our awareness, the Alpha King has been long planning to kill our whole family. That plan happened now. Our mini farm has been attacked by a battalion of werewolf armies of the Alpha King and no matter how powerful my father could be, it was not enough to win over a battalion of armies. My father and mother were both killed while fighting. I tried to help them using the power I inherited from my father but it was not enough too. 

I feel gasping for my last breath now.

 

In my fading vision, I could see the Moon Goddess standing in the middle of the moon, looking at me with sadness. With the last ounce of hope and breath, I spoke through my mind, hoping that the Moon Goddess would listen.

“I don’t want to leave this world yet, Moon Goddess, let me live more, give me more breath and strength to carry on. I still have so many things to do,” I said while my breathing was slowly debilitating and my wolf’s spirit started to bid goodbye to me. 

I looked at my wolf and tried to murmur but nothing came out of my mouth so I tried to mind linked it begging. “Don’t forsake me, Tacia, stay,” these were the last words that I was able to think of before darkness finally enclosed me.

I know it would be the end of me, but my dying heart still hopes to live, as my breath slowly fades until I took my last breath. 

“I am dead!” I screamed as I saw my spirit leave my body and so did my wolf, but my screams could not escape from my throat. I dreaded and got so furious thereafter as I cursed the Moon Goddess for not letting me live a long life and for taking everything in me.

My spirit soar high as a wind-like hurricane caught me and threw me into the vastness of endless darkness. I could see nothing, I could hear nothing. Everything was silent. It was as if my spirit was floating in a world where only I was present. I wanted to cry out of desperation but tears could not even come out of my eyes. I was afraid, too afraid that my life ended just like that. I still have so many things to do. I still dream of meeting my mate, starting a family, and living a happy and contented life, even away from the city. 

Suddenly, the wind whirled and all I could hear was its loud humming as it caught my spirit again and threw me into the vastness of the sky where I could only see lights and nothing more. A new ray of hope overwhelmed me. Light is hope for me. 

“Where am I now? Would I be going back to the world and this light is my guide?” I thought while letting my eyes wander around. I could not see anyone, all I could see was the eye-hurting light that exploded into me thereafter. 

As the light exploded that blinded me, fear crept through me again. It was the end of my short-lived life, I knew it then. My hope faded and my will surrendered to that dreadful word - death.

But the Moon Goddess seemed to have changed her plan. 

I opened my eyes again and to my complete awe, I found myself lying on a majestic bed and wearing a princess gown!