Chapter 2 Moonlit Pack

• Damien's POV
• Damien Ravenscroft stood in front of the large windows of the Pack House, the soft glow of the full moon casting shadows on the floor beneath him. The Moonlit Pack had called this place home for generations, and as its Alpha, it was his duty to ensure their legacy continued. But to do that, he needed a mate—a strong Luna, born a wolf, who would stand by his side and lead the pack into the future.
• It had been pressing on him for weeks, and tonight, it all came to an end.
• The Annual Purge was more than just a tradition. It was a rite of passage, a time for the strongest wolves to claim their mates and secure the future of their packs. Damien knew the stakes were high, not just for him but for the entire Moonlit Pack.
• He took a deep breath. It was time.
• Damien made his way through the Pack House, his footsteps echoing in the silent halls. The other pack members had already gathered outside, awaiting his arrival. As he stepped out into the wide clearing, the full moon illuminated the waiting figures of Beta Xavier Caldwell, and his third-in-command, Gamma Magnus Langley. Both men were as muscular and imposing as Damien himself, their eyes gleaming with the anticipation of the hunt.
• This year, they too would join him in the Purge, each seeking a mate to strengthen the pack.
• "Ready?" Damien asked.
• Xavier nodded, a confident grin spreading across his face. "Always, Damien. The pack needs strong blood, and tonight, we’ll find it."
• Magnus clenched his fists, his gaze focused on the horizon. "The Moon Goddess will guide us to our mates. For the pack’s future."
• Damien gave them a curt nod, the fire in his chest mirroring the blaze of the full moon above. "Then let’s not keep them waiting, shall we?"
• Without another word, the three men began to shift, their bodies transforming into their wolf forms. Damien felt the familiar rush of power as his senses sharpened, his muscles expanding beneath his fur. The ground seemed to tremble beneath them as they completed the transformation, three massive wolves standing where men had been only moments before.
• The thrill of the hunt coursed through their veins.
• Damien glanced at Xavier and Magnus, their forms large and undeniably ready. The time had come to claim what was rightfully theirs.
• With a powerful kick, Damien launched himself forward, his paws digging into the earth as he surged ahead. Xavier and Magnus followed close behind, their howls cutting through the night air. The forest blurred around them as they ran, the thrill of the chase igniting their instincts.
• Tonight, Damien would find his Luna, claim her, and mark her as solely his.
• The three massive wolves raced through the dense forest, the rhythm of their powerful strides matching the beating of their hearts. Their minds were linked by the Pack Link, a telepathic connection that allowed them to communicate even in their wolf forms.
• "But what if she isn’t here?" Xavier’s voice echoed in Damien’s mind, tinged with rare doubt. "What if your Luna isn’t among the harvest?"
• Damien pushed himself harder. "She’s out there," he replied. "She has to be."
• Magnus, ever the realist, chimed in. "And if she isn’t? What if she’s dead? Or worse—claimed by someone else?"
• The thought sent a cold chill through Damien. The possibility that his Luna might already be lost, or that she had never existed at all, was one he couldn’t bear to consider. At twenty-five, he knew time was slipping through his fingers. Xavier was only a year younger, and even Magnus, at twenty-two, could feel the weight of it.
• They were strong, but strength meant little without a future.
• “We can’t let that happen," Damien growled through the Pack Link. "I need an heir, and I need one soon. The pack needs a Luna—someone to stand beside me and bear pups who will continue our line."
• Xavier’s voice was quieter now, almost resigned. "But what if none of us find our mates tonight? What then? We’re not getting any younger, Damien."
• The words hung heavy between them. The years had passed quickly, each hunt ending in disappointment, each season slipping away without the promise of a mate. They feared that their pack’s legacy might fade with them.
• "We don’t have a choice," Magnus said firmly. "We have to keep searching. The pack depends on us to find our mates. If we fail…"
• Damien didn’t let him finish. "We won’t fail," he snapped, though doubt still twisted in his gut. "Not tonight. The Moon Goddess has guided us this far—she won’t abandon us now."
• But even as he said it, Damien knew the uncertainty that gripped them all. They had to find their mates, not just for themselves, but for the entire Moonlit Pack. Without a Luna, without heirs, their pack’s future was at risk.
• He couldn’t let his pack down. He wouldn’t.
• "Keep your eyes open," Damien urged, his pace quickening as the scent of something unfamiliar caught his attention. "We won’t return empty-handed. We can’t."
• The forest seemed to close in around them as they ran, the shadows deepening under the full moon’s light. The hunt was on, and failure was not an option.
• “Damien," Xavier’s voice cut through the silence in their minds. "You've always hated these Annual Purges. You refused to participate for years. Why now?"
• Damien’s growl rumbled through the link, a mix of frustration and resignation. "You know why, Xavier. This isn’t just about me anymore. It’s about a legacy that spans centuries, a line of pure-bloods that goes back to the very beginning.”
• Magnus kept silent, but Damien could feel the weight of his younger comrade’s curiosity and concern.
• Xavier, however, was never one to back down from pressing matters, especially when it came to Damien. "You always said you were destined to find your mate," Xavier continued. "That you wouldn’t need to participate in these hunts, wouldn’t need to seek elsewhere or settle for less. Besides, you’re the Alpha. Why should you compromise?"
• Damien pushed harder, the wind whipping through his fur. "Because destiny isn’t something you wait around for, Xavier," he replied. “I was taught to believe that when the time was right, the Moon Goddess would bring my mate to me. But the years have passed, and nothing has changed. I’m tired of waiting."
• There was a brief silence.
• Then Xavier spoke again, softer this time. “You know, Damien, I’ve known you since we were pups. We grew up together. I’ve seen how much this weighs on you, how much you’ve sacrificed for the pack. But I also know you were taught not to settle, to honor the Moon Goddess and wait for the perfect time."
• Damien’s heart clenched at Xavier’s words. "I was taught that," he admitted. “But I was also taught to protect my pack, to ensure its survival at all costs. And every year that goes by without a Luna, without an heir, that survival becomes less certain."
• Magnus, who had been listening intently, finally spoke up. "But Xavier’s right, Alpha. You’ve always been above these hunts, above the need to prove yourself. You’ve said it yourself—our bloodline is pure, strong. Why now?"
• Damien’s eyes narrowed as he considered their words. "Because the pack can’t wait forever," he said. "I’ve always believed in the Moon Goddess, in her timing. But what if her timing is now? What if this is the night where everything changes?"
• Xavier hesitated, then spoke. It was something Damien hadn’t heard from him in a long time—hope. "Or what if you were right all along, Damien? What if your mate is out there, waiting for you? Not in the hunt, but somewhere you’ve never thought to look?"
• Damien sighed, frustration building in his chest. "And what if she isn’t? What if I’ve been wrong all these years, waiting for a sign that will never come? I can’t let the pack suffer for my beliefs. I can’t let them down."
• Xavier was silent for a moment. After all, he was the son of a human-turned-werewolf, a fact that had always set him apart. His mother’s transformation had been a constant reminder that destiny wasn’t always pure, wasn’t always clean.
• "You know," Xavier began. "I’ve never had the luxury of waiting for destiny to come to me. My mother was human before she turned, and because of that, I’ve always known that sometimes you have to make your own path. Maybe that’s what you need to do, Damien."
• "Maybe," Damien admitted. "Maybe it’s time I stop waiting. But I’ll be damned if I settle for less. If I find her, she’ll be everything the Moonlit Pack needs. Strong. Pure. A true Luna."
• Magnus’s voice was firm as he echoed the sentiment. "Then let’s find her, Alpha. Tonight. No more waiting."
• Damien pushed forward once more, leading his pack through the forest. He would honor the Moon Goddess, but he would also honor the Moonlit Pack.
• Tonight would be the night, one way or another.
• ***
• The three wolves finally reached the designated area—a secluded part of the forest surrounded by towering trees that seemed to stretch endlessly into the sky.
• The clearing was already filled with other male wolves, some of whom had already shifted into their wolf forms. The others paced restlessly, their eyes gleaming with the primal need to find their mates. They were waiting for the scent—the otherworldly aroma that would trigger their instincts and lead them to the one meant for them.
• Damien, Xavier, and Magnus slowed their pace as they entered the clearing, their powerful bodies relaxing as they shifted back into human form. Their muscles ached slightly from the run, but they pushed the discomfort aside. This was only the beginning.
• They joined the other men who had gathered around the Head of the Ceremony, a towering figure dressed in dark robes. The man’s eyes were sharp, his gaze sweeping over the participants. He waited until the last few stragglers arrived before raising his hand, commanding silence.
• “Welcome, fellows… Tonight marks the beginning of the Annual Purge, a night where you will not only prove your strength but also seek what the Moon Goddess has destined for you. The human females will soon be released into the forest. They are your prey, but remember—this is no ordinary hunt.”
• Damien’s heart pounded in his chest as he listened.
• “Each of you will be guided by your wolf’s instincts. The otherworldly scent will tell you who is yours. You may mark only those who belong to you. It is a sacred bond, one that cannot be broken. But be warned—the humans have been given a chance to escape. If they reach the Musk River on the other side of the forest, they are free, and you will lose your chance.”
• Xavier exchanged a glance with Damien, his expression serious.
• “The stakes couldn’t be higher,” he muttered, though the Pack Link wasn’t needed for Damien to sense the weight of his words.
• Magnus nodded, his eyes narrowed. “We can’t afford to lose them. Not this time.”
• Damien clenched his fists. “Then we won’t,” he said firmly. “We’ll find our mates tonight, no matter what.”
• The Head of the Ceremony stepped back, his gaze sweeping over the assembled wolves.
• “You have until dawn,” he announced.
• “Why free the human females at all?” one of the wolves, a broad-shouldered man with silver-streaked hair, growled. “If they’re meant to be ours, why let them run?”
• Another wolf, a younger man with fiery eyes, nodded in agreement. “It feels like a cruel game. We could lose them if they reach the river. It doesn’t seem right.”
• Damien, still in his human form, listened but did not speak. He understood their frustration and impatience well. Yet, deep down, he knew the truth.
• The Head of the Ceremony, sensing the unrest, raised his hand to silence them.
• “Newbies, I see.” There was a pause. “This is not just a hunt,” he reminded them. “This is a test of fate, of the Moon Goddess’ will. If a human female reaches the river, it is because she was not meant for you. The bond we seek cannot be forced. It must be destined.”
• The words settled over them. They knew that not all would find their mates tonight. For some, the night would end in disappointment. But for others, for the chosen ones, it would be the beginning of something far greater.
• Xavier turned to Damien, his eyes reflecting the flickering light of the bonfire now being lit in the center of the clearing.
• “It’s fate, Damien. Nothing more, nothing less. Nothing else but the Moon Goddess will decide who is meant to find their mate tonight.”
• Damien nodded. “I know,” he replied. “But that doesn’t make it any easier.”
• Magnus, standing beside them, cracked his knuckles. “We just have to trust that if it’s meant to be, it will be. And if not…” He trailed off, knowing that the words were little comfort.
• The bonfire roared to life, its flames licking the sky. The scent of burning wood filled the clearing.
• “It’s time,” the Head of the Ceremony announced. “Now shift, and let the hunt begin.”
• Without hesitation, the countless men around the fire began to shift, their bodies contorting as their wolves took over. Fur replaced skin, bones cracked and reformed, and soon the clearing was filled with the sounds of growls and howls.
• Damien, Xavier, and Magnus followed suit, all set to hunt.
• As Damien’s wolf senses sharpened, he caught the faintest trace of something in the air—something that sent a shiver down his spine. It was not yet the scent of his mate, but it was close.
• The forest around them came alive with movement as the wolves dispersed into the trees, their noses twitching as they sought out the elusive scent that would lead them to their fated ones.