“What the hell?!”
I woke up on a stone floor, and my eyes widened in disbelief as I took in the surrounding view. A vast expanse of grass stretched endlessly, under a blue sky dotted with white clouds. Instinctively, I rubbed my eyes, trying to clear my vision.
Pollux woke up next, swearing even more colorfully than I had. He jumped to his feet on the stone slab where we had slept, ruffling his hair in frustration. He growled as he scrambled to gather his scattered clothes.
“Do gods always play tricks on their creations? I only complained to you, Godiva, because she’s your mother. Who else am I supposed to complain to? I hate being dirty like this!”
“Be quiet. What if my mother hears you?”
“Let her hear me. She should know that werewolves don’t always have to…”
Before Pollux could finish his sentence, the stone beneath us trembled. Cracks spread rapidly in the direction of where he stood. I leapt away just in time as the vibrations stopped. It seemed like a warning from my mother, reacting to Pollux’s words.
[I think you should apologize to my mother. The cracks seem to be following you, Alpha.] I used the mind link, smirking as I watched Pollux dodge the unusual fissures.
Pollux must’ve heard me because he quickly apologized for his earlier remarks. Even though my mother is a goddess, she can be quite relatable to her creations. Sometimes, Pollux needs to be reminded by a force greater than us.
“I didn’t expect your mother would do that. I thought she only handled major things. The sun’s rising; we should head back to Trionia.”
Pollux called the warriors to gather, issuing commands. With the guidance I brought back from the Moon Goddess Temple regarding the sacrifice, I steeled myself to dedicate my life to the survival of the werewolf race.
“Luna Godiva, I beg you,” Castor’s voice broke outside the cave entrance. “Don’t do this!”
I looked into his pleading eyes. Castor had always been my protector, but this time, the roles were reversed. It was my turn to protect our kind.
“I have no other choice, Alpha Castor. If I don’t do this, our children won’t survive. Our pack will be annihilated.”
“She’s still Godiva-always so stubborn,” Pollux muttered weakly to his brother. “I told you there must be another way, but it seems she doesn’t listen.”
“There is no other way,” I said firmly, my voice cold though my heart was breaking. “We don’t have time to search for alternatives. We’re fortunate they haven’t attacked yet, so we can still sit here and discuss this. I’m your Luna; this is my duty.”
Castor shook his head violently, his copper-brown hair tousled by the wind. “I don’t care about your duty! I care about you! Don’t you understand? I can’t lose you, Godiva. We can’t lose you.”
I took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm raging inside him. But his words only made the burden heavier. “I know, Alpha Castor. But this isn’t about us. This is about the werewolves who depend on us to protect them.”
He stepped closer, gripping my arm tightly. “We can fight them together. You don’t have to sacrifice yourself for this.”
I lowered my head, avoiding his gaze. “I’ve made up my mind, Alpha. I’m going to do it.”
An oppressive silence fell between us, broken only by the sound of the wind whistling through the stalactites. When I finally looked up at him again, his eyes were filled with anguish. Castor was strong-he was an Alpha-or maybe just too stubborn to show weakness in front of me.
Without another word, we returned to the cave. Our steps were heavy, the air between us thick with tense awkwardness. Inside, Castor waited, his expression more resolute than usual, with deep furrows on his brow.
The tension escalated. Pollux stood in a corner, unmoving, his face unreadable. He seemed calmer in the situation, but I knew he was just as tense as Castor.
“Luna Godiva, I won’t ask again,” Pollux finally said, his voice low but full of emotion. “Are you absolutely certain this is the only way?”
I nodded slowly. “Yes, Alpha Pollux. I’m certain.”
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath as if trying to calm a storm within. When he opened them again, something was broken inside. Something that made my heart waver.
“Alright,” he said finally, his voice barely above a whisper. “If this truly is your decision, I won’t stop you. But don’t stop me from helping you.”
I nodded, though his words felt like a hammer to my chest. I knew this would be hard for everyone, especially Castor, but I had no other choice.
Castor, on the other hand, was less willing to give up. He stepped closer, his face only inches from mine. “If you go, you leave us without a Luna. Without a leader. Do you think we’ll be fine without that?”
“You and Pollux can lead, Alpha Castor, just as you did before me,” I said. “You’re the strongest Alphas. I trust you both.”
I knew nothing would make Castor agree, but I also knew he’d do what was necessary to protect the pack, even if it meant letting me go. He just needed time to accept it.
I turned to Pollux, hoping he’d choose to stand with the wolves on the battlefield. Together with his brother, they could strengthen Moonstone and its alliances rather than accompany me on this dangerous infiltration mission.
As the day progressed, the warriors moved out of sight. Castor had divided them into several waves to fight at the coastline. Occasionally, I saw Pollux communicating with Castor, monitoring the vampires’ movements.
We waited for the right moment. The best hunters from the alliance faced off against the Death Sanguines in their advanced state. This had been Pollux’s plan all along-to distract the Death Sanguines by targeting Kruglov.
With our recent visit to the Moon Goddess Temple, Kruglov had been more cautious, staying out of the front lines. Castor kept Pollux informed, allowing us to adapt our strategy. Now, only Pollux and I remained, awaiting instructions to begin the sacrificial ritual.
“Luna Godiva, it’s time. Remember to stay focused. I’ll stand guard at the front.”
I nodded quickly. The red crystal in my hand glowed like the eyes of starving vampires. I extended my arm, letting the Blood Crystal hover in the air. Closing my eyes, I prayed silently as my lips formed the words my mother had taught me.
“I, Luna Godiva, of the Moonstone Pack. With the power of the Moon Goddess, I will…”
“Luna, don’t mind me! Keep going with the ritual!”
My chant faltered as Pollux, still in his human form, was choked by a vampire twice his size. My hands trembled, my focus shattered by the sight. The protective dome must have been breached because of the ritual.
Damn it! What should I do?