Chapter 2

• He waited until she closed the door and turned to me.
• "When your mother was a young woman, she was heavily bullied in her Nightshade pack because of her social status," Demi whispered.
• I never knew this about my mother because she was highly respected in our Blood Moon pack. My brows furrowed. There is so much I didn't know about my mother's lineage. I should fight to lead the pack, and I don't want anyone to look down on us just because my father died. I clenched my fist. Demi saw that I did not utter a word, and he studied my reaction.
• "You don't have to worry about her; she just needs rest," Demi assured me.
• "By the way, I have something for you," he said, holding out a bracelet adorned with various gems.
• "What is that?" I asked, wondering why this older man was giving me jewelry.
• "This is Nightshade Guardian. You are in a perilous position right now, and this bracelet can protect you from all kinds of poison."
• "I'm just regretful that I haven't given your father this, but you have to understand that this bracelet was handed down from my ancestors from generation to generation. This was given to me by my father, and now I will give it to you."
• "I don't understand; why would you give this to me?" I raised my eyebrow.
• "Because you are just like your father, you treat everyone equally, regardless of social class."
• "I was born physically weak from a lower-class family, but your father saw the greatness in me and made me a respected healer in our pack, and for that, I am truly grateful."
• "Thank you," I said while looking at the bracelet and its stones.
• "Here, I will hook it for you. You must never take it off, even when you take a bath, because anything can be mixed with poison. It will protect you as long as it clings to your skin."
• "Who would even attempt to poison me?" I asked as he clasped the bracelet on my wrist.
• "You don't know what people will do for power and influence," he said, looking straight at me.
• "I know you are young and smart, but you have to be careful," Demi said, and I nodded.
• A moment later, Demi left the house.
• I sat there, looking at my mother's pale face, as tears flowed from my eyes.
• 'Don't be sad, dear,' my wolf Amethyst said, 'I'm still here; you can talk to me.'
• 'Oh, Amethyst, why is this happening to me?' I sobbed.
• 'It's just been two weeks since we buried my father.'
• 'Just cry dear, it's okay, we can do this.'
• I kissed my mother and left her room. Tomorrow, I have to train myself to win. I don't want my mother to suffer, and I will assure her that we will retain our leadership in the pack.
• 'I need a run'
• I stood alone amidst the silent sentinel of trees, their ancient branches reaching toward the moonlit sky like skeletal fingers. The air was thick with the earthy scent of damp soil and pine, carrying whispers of a past I could never forget. My father's grave lay before me, a solemn reminder of the legacy I was born into and the burden I now carried as his only daughter.
• As I gazed upon the headstone, etched with the name of the man who had once been Alpha of the Blood Moon Pack, a wave of emotion washed over me. Memories of his firm, steady presence flooded my mind, mingling with the pain of his untimely death at the hands of a hunter's bullet.
• Closing my eyes, I let the weight of my father's absence settle upon my shoulders, a heavy mantle of responsibility that threatened to crush me beneath its burden. I was no stranger to the expectations placed upon me as his only child, destined to inherit his title and lead our pack into an uncertain future. But with the challenge of succession looming on the horizon, I couldn't help but doubt my ability to fill his formidable shoes.
• In the stillness of the night, I whispered a silent prayer to the moon above, seeking guidance and strength to face the trials that lay ahead. The forest echoed with the mournful howls of distant wolves; their plaintive cries were a haunting reminder of the bond that united us all. And as the moon's pale light bathed the world in its ethereal glow, I knew that my journey was only beginning.
• I was Soraya, daughter of the fallen Alpha, and it was time for me to embrace my destiny and claim the legacy that was rightfully mine.
• "Lady Soraya!" the familiar frantic voice of our servant called to me.
• "What is it?"
• "There is something wrong with Lady Eva. I tried to wake her up for dinner, but she wouldn't open her eyes!" Elise was distraught, so we ran home to check on my mother.
• "Please call Demi again," I said beside my mother's bed. She was very pale.
• A moment later, Demi came. He touched her wrist, and the expression on his face changed. He performed CPR, but my mother was unresponsive. At midnight, I lost her. I felt so alone in this world. I cried heavily while Amethyst whimpered in pain just as much as I did. Demi couldn't explain what happened, but he said that my mother's will to live was no longer present.
• "Your mother doesn't have your strength, Soraya."
• "It's harder to heal a heartbreak than an actual wound; I'm so sorry if I haven't healed her." The sadness and regret were very evident on his face.
• And just like that, I am already an orphan. The pain was excruciating, and there was nothing I could do but cry for days. On her burial, there were no longer tears that fell from my eyes, but only a heart that was heavy and constricted. It's like an overwhelming sadness I have never felt before and never knew existed. My wolf, Amethyst, was silent for days, and I understood her because, just like me, she was processing her grief.
• It was raining heavily, and I watched my uncle Sabas, his mate Mira, and my cousin Mark opposite me as all my pack members gathered. I had a best friend while growing up; her name was Ara, but everything changed when she found her mate. The irony is that she chose my cousin Mark over me, so she stood beside him. The temptation of being called Luna is so enticing for her. They hugged me after the ceremony, and I didn't resist because they are my only blood-related family now. I just couldn't set aside the fact that I felt betrayed. Everyone started to leave after that, but I remained there.
• I watched as my mother's coffin was lowered six feet under until the last soil covered her. She lay there next to my father's fresh grave. My mother, the Luna of the pack, followed her Alpha just two weeks apart to the underworld. This could have been a romantic story to tell to my descendants, but it is a tragedy to me. A tragedy that darkens my heart. Grief turned into rage, and it settled into the depths of my spirit. Demi and my trainer, Tony, stand beside me. They are my allies and my father's trusted friends.
• I tossed and turned in my bed that night, but I just couldn't sleep. Wrath has overcome all my emotions, and in despair, I drink my father's whiskey until I can't feel pain anymore. Still, I sat there with my heavy head and couldn't sleep.
• 'I need a run.' I change into my werewolf form and run as fast as I can until I reach the end of the Lycan Lake. I was heavily intoxicated, but the serene reflection of the full moon over the lake mesmerized me. There, I saw a naked man with the water just above his waist. He was very handsome and toned, and something in him drew me in.
• I turned back into my human form, unaware of my nakedness, as I slowly approached him in the water. There is something about the way he smells that I just can't resist. It's like roasted hazelnuts filling the air, and the pull is much stronger as I draw nearer.
• He stared at me with those silver-gray eyes, while his dark hair shone in the moonlight. There was hunger in his eyes as he came to me.