Chapter 1

AUTHOR POV

It was past 10 at night. In the dark night with the full moon glowing brightly, deep into the forest was a man, more accurately a werewolf in its human form leaning against a tree, in the scary graveyard. There was a child merely at the young age of two sleeping in his arms, completely wrapped in woolen blankets to escape the freezing cold. The werewolf was broken. He had lost his mate and he couldn't bear the pain. He wanted to die but he had no intention to leave his two-year-old son alone in this selfish world. He knew his wife won't be happier if he dies. His Beta who is none other than his brother-in-law was standing by his side not knowing how to console his broken elder Alpha. He was the Alpha Bastian Astor of 'The Freecrest Howlers' pack who had lost his Luna, Izzy Astor the previous night. He couldn't bear the loss. How he wished to be with his wife at the present moment.

The alpha knew he was crying that made his cheeks wet but something felt odd when he felt a drop of colorless liquid falling from above. The dark sky splashed a bright line of lightning and loud noises of thunder echoed his ears. That was when the alpha realized that it is starting to rain.

'Send the pack members back,' said the alpha through mind link to Beta Calvin.

'Yes, Alpha' came the response.

The other werewolves on hearing the order from Beta Calvin started stirring and soon they started returning to their pack. There was complete silence with only sadness filling the air. All the other werewolves were shedding their tears too. Both in grief and guilt. Grief that their Luna is no more and guilt that they couldn't protect their Luna, who was no one but a kind-hearted soul. The pain was unbearable and every one of the werewolves could feel it moving in the veins throughout their body. But the pain was nothing compared to the Alpha. A mate means one's other half. Losing your mate means losing half of yourself. Being an Alpha, the most powerful person in the group would do no pity in diminishing the pain.

"Alpha Bastian!!" called out a high-pitched voice.

The Alpha turned and his gaze roamed around everywhere to find over the source of the voice. His reddish eyes, which were filled with pain and grief finally fell on one of the Bald Cypresses trees at the corner of the graveyard nearby a lake. There came a creepy woman who shone in the bright full moonlight wearing black dark costumes. She looked elder with wrinkles covering her foreheads and cheekbones but she looked more strong with two swords in either of her hands. She wore a dark black blanket over her head and her hair was tied in numerous tiny braids. Bats were surrounding her and the sight made everyone shiver in fear.

There was always been a rumor that a witch lived near the graveyard. But it was merely a 'rumor'. It was the first time the pack had seen one and the elder werewolves hid the younger ones behind them in an attempt to protect them from the witch. A few werewolves had run back to the packhouse already scared to death.

"You! Alpha Bastian!! Will suffer throughout your life for being irresponsible and losing your mate!! You failed to protect the gift the moon goddess gave you!! Not only you! But your son will suffer for your sins too!! Never will he be able to find his mate and he will suffer his entire life for the sin you committed!!" said the woman before vanishing into the air, leaving tiny golden specks of dust behind.

"No! Please! Please! Don't do this to me! At least not to my son! I can bear his pain together with mine !! He is just-just a kid...!!!" cried the Alpha. Tears flew across his cheeks like an endless waterfall. He could feel his heart shattering into pieces. He could feel the pain creeping in every part of his body and his heart ached when the words reached his ears.

The Alpha knew what he did was wrong. He should have stayed with his pregnant mate bearing his second child rather than going to the nearby pack to sign a treaty. Despite her cries and calls, he went there. He considered work as his priority. He shouldn't have allowed someone to take advantage of his absence. He shouldn't have allowed a fucking male wolf to enter into his Luna's chambers. He shouldn't have allowed that disgusting male wolf to stab his mate with a knife right into her belly button. When he returned, all he saw in the room was blood. More blood than he could ever imagine. Blood from his mate and his child. The words 'I don't feel safe, dear' 'I feel like someone is watching us' 'I dreamt of someone killing our unborn child' 'I feel something odd. Someone wants to kill us', said by his mate were ringing clearly in his ears. He felt like a coward. A coward who failed to protect his mate. He felt ashamed to be her mate. The Luna was more kind-hearted and he knew he don't deserve her. Probably that's the reason the moon goddess took her away from him.

The Alpha wolf howled loudly unable to endure the pain he felt in his chest. All his cries and howls went in vain and the moon goddess stayed silent looking from above.

All the other wolves joined too and the entire wolf pack howled in pain at the full moon calling out the moon goddesses.