Chapter 1 Blood Moon's Vengeance

Maya’s POV… My name is Maya. I once dreamed of following in the footsteps of my father and brothers- standing on the battlefield as the Lycan king’s Beta, bringing peace to the entire realm. But now, that dream lies in ruins. I am a hero’s orphan, the only hope of a desperate mother and soon, I will don my wedding dress to marry a man I have known for only three days. *** “NO!!! NOOOOOOOO!!!!!” This couldn’t be happening. This ought to be a terrible dream that I should wake up from anytime soon, but sadly that wasn’t the case. This tragedy was happening in real life, right there in the flesh. Everywhere fell silent as the bodies of my family members were brought into the Lycan King’s court of the Blood Moon Pack. The eyes of every wolves there present witnessed it all. “NO!!!!!” My mother, Lady Elara’s cry pierced through the air again as the bodies were placed before the Lycan king. The cloths were pulled away, revealing the bloodstained remains of Beta Ulric, my father, and my two brothers, Kain and Kenneth. “Oh, dear goddess, why??? Why did this have to happen to me?????” My mother’s heart-wrenching screams could tear through the walls. The sound was raw, a mother’s anguish spilling out without control. She collapsed to her knees, unable to contain her grief any longer. I stood frozen beside her, feeling the weight of the loss all over again. The truth of what I’d feared deep inside- my family was truly gone. I couldn’t look away, even though every part of me wanted to. My breath hitched, and tears filled my eyes, just as they had for my mother. I collapsed to my knees next to her, our cries merging into one painful wail of loss. The Lycan king’s eyes flickered over the bodies, and then he turned towards his soldiers and Gamma, who had followed the bodies into the court. His voice demanded an explanation. “What happened?” He asked. “How did this happen?” The Gamma stepped forward with a heavy voice. “They were betrayed, Your Majesty. One of our own- someone who pretended to be one of us, sneaked into our camps.” He paused, swallowing the bitterness in his throat before continuing. “It was a deep betrayal, and we did not see it coming.” The Lycan king's eyes narrowed. “A traitor?” he growled, his fists tightening at his sides. His voice was calm but dangerous. The Gamma nodded grimly. “Yes. They infiltrated the camps, posed as one of our own, and led them into an ambush. They never stood a chance.” The king’s eyes flashed with fury, but his gaze softened as he turned toward me and my mother, our cries were growing quieter but still filled with unimaginable pain. He nodded to his soldiers, who moved to carry the dead bodies away. The Lycan King, Habi felt great sorrow for his Beta’s wife and daughter, but there was nothing he could do. No one could bring back what had been lost. King Habi got up from his throne, his presence commanding everyone’s attention. He turned back toward the Gamma, with a voice as cold as steel. “Who do you suspect?” He demanded. “We have reason to believe it was one of the Shadowlands wolves. Someone with knowledge of our ways, someone who could blend in unnoticed.” The king’s brow furrowed. “The Shadowlands? That’s a dangerous accusation. How certain are you of this?” “I… I cannot say with absolute certainty, but the timing, the precision of the betrayal—it’s all too clean. Only someone close to us would know the exact path we would take, the places we would pass,” the Gamma responded, his voice tinged with regret. “We lost not only warriors, but our trust. It cuts deeper than any blade.” *** Word of the massacre spread like wildfire the next day, sending shockwaves through the kingdom. Beta Ulric had been a pillar of strength, a trusted right-hand to the Lycan king. His sons were rising warriors, respected among the ranks. Their deaths were not just a tragedy- they were a declaration of war. The grand hall, once a place of regal command, was now a battlefield of its own. Nobles, warriors and council members filled the chamber, their voices raised in heated debate. “We must retaliate immediately!” Barked Lord Voss, a grizzled Beta from the northern province. “This attack was well-calculated. If the rogues dare to strike at our highest ranks, they will not stop until the entire court falls!” “And you would have us charge blindly into the Shadowlands?” Scoffed Lady Inara, a Gamma with a sharp mind and sharper tongue. “A war against ghosts? Against an enemy we cannot see?” Seated at the edge of the hall were my mother and I. We were draped in mourning robes of midnight black. Though we remained outwardly composed, the griefs in our hearts still endured. Watching the elders exchange words was unnerving. The hall fell silent when I finally spoke. “This was not just an attack,” I said. “This was a message. Our enemies no longer fear us. They believe we are vulnerable. They can strip us fo our strongest warriors and leave us exposed.” Lady Inara exhaled, “So what would you have us do, Maya?” I lifted my chin. “I will go after the assassin myself. I will hunt them down and bring us answers.” “And if you fail?” She asked. “I won’t.” I responded. A murmur of uncertainty spread through the council. I was strong- perhaps the strongest of them all- but the Shadowlands swallowed warriors whole. If I disappeared, if I fell to the same fate as my family, it would leave the kingdom reeling. But I didn’t care. The possibility of my death seemed like a small price to pay for the revenge that burned deeply in my heart. As long as I was still standing, I would make sure to hunt those rogues to the ends of the earth.