TWENTY YEARS AGO

TWENTY YEARS AGO

Twenty years ago, in a time when werewolves possessed a threat to the mortals, an Alpha who is known as vile and malevolent spreads malice in the realm of the living. He who eats human flesh painted terror in the hearts of humans and made their lives comparable to a nightmare. The darkness of Death is what they called them, they are truly merciless and do not hesitate to kill anyone no matter what their race is. Bloodshed is what they always crave and no amount of chaos can ever quench their thirst.

The news rapidly spread like a wildfire and it reached the ears of Nevaeh, the King of Heaven, who immediately sought a way to cease the mayhem caused by the said creatures of darkness. The king ordered his men to slaughter the wolves and not leave any single trace of their kind. Alois Devaraux, the first Emperor of Heaven who is known for his excellency in crafting weapons, set his own foot on the land of mortals to bring peace and execute the wolves using his very own hands.

Meanwhile, in a faraway mountain located in the land of mortals’ homes a woman who fell in love with a wolf, Callista Cournellier. Upon searching for a Comfrey amidst the forest, she stumbled upon a man whom she thought of as a hunter, Louis Valentine. Their meetings did not end in this and they eventually got married. The woman soon bore a child in her womb. The gender is still unknown but a decision has been made to call the baby Anastasia if it’s a female, or Gavin if it is of the opposite gender.

Several months after the news of Callista’s pregnancy, the said woman is waiting for her husband to return home from hunting. As Callista is crocheting a sweater for his beloved, a blood-curdling howl echoes from the woods which turned the silent night into an eerie one.

With the immense fret that suddenly covered her heart, she started looking for her husband who is still out in the night while hunting. She ventured through the core of the forest only to get horrified at the nightmarish scene unraveled before her. Around are scattered bodies of dead wolves bizarrely massacred who are bathing in their very own blood.

Despite the terror which enshrouded her entire being, Callista still managed to walk inside the cold forest to seek for his missing husband. The sound of clashing of swords rang in the silent surrounding which made her rush to the area where the noise was coming from. She ran at the top of her lungs, ignoring the wintry breath of air grazing on her skin. She flew past trees and ended with her mouth hanging open upon witnessing the scene before her.

It was her husband, covered with battle wounds he probably acquired during his fight with the mysterious man standing before him. The opponent possesses the aura of a royal knight. The blade of his sword glistened under the celestial luminescence of the full moon. He is wearing a midnight robe which adds to the intensity of his intimidating charm and a grandeur kind of tunic that shouts the glory of his high-ranking status. Callista’s heart pounded against her chest, casually imitating a drum set on the play. A huge lump in her throat is formed upon seeing how the man raised his sword to end the life of her husband who is currently suffering from the injuries granted by the opponent.

Callista is unable to speak, she cannot find her voice while her knees keep on trembling. Suddenly, she found her feet moving toward the scene like it has a mind of their own. As she rushed forward towards her kneeling husband, the time seemed to slow down. With each step, the weight of her feet felt heavier, like a rock was added to each of her ankles. The corner of her eyes is filled with crystalline tears, blurring her sight as she nears her beloved. She opened her arms wide and collided with his body. The freezing cold is abruptly overwhelmed by the warmth offered by her husband’s body. She felt his shoulders stiffen, probably flabbergasted at her startling appearance. She embraced him with all her might, tightening her arms around his beloved’s body. She doesn't mind if his blood will stain her clothes, all she wants is to protect him with all her life.

She felt his right hand on her back, resting on the ridges of her spine. Still amazed at how it fits perfectly on her, how it always gives her electrifying shocks every time his skin meets hers. Tears poured down from her eyes, continuously flowing like a living waterfall. This is a moment she hasn’t even dreamed of, a ghastly storm that will wreck her heart to the extreme.

“Callista? Y-you... What are you doing here? Didn’t I tell you not to leave the house no matter what happens? How—"

Callista roughly shook her head upon hearing her husband speak, tightening her grip to let him feel she will not leave. She bit her plump lower lip to stop her sobbing and swallowed a huge lump in her throat before finding the voice to speak.

“How can I not care about you? You are my husband and I vowed in front of God that I’ll be by your side no matter what the circumstance is. For better or for worse,” her voice is shaking from all the intense emotions flooding her chest. She will never abandon him; may it even be death who’s barricading them.

"You shouldn't be here." It is evident that he is in pain from the severe wound he received from Emperor Alois.

“I almost lost you and I don't want our child to lose its father!” she shouted.

She let out those loud cries escape from her mouth. She couldn’t anymore contain the countless emotions circling in her chest. Her shoulders are shaking because of her crying and grabbed hold of her husband's tunic to trap him in her embrace.

“You have a wife.”

Callista immediately loosened her grip and tilted her body sideward to gaze at the man. His foreign and emotionless voice made the hair on her body rise while her eyes were suddenly filled with horror.

Callista witnessed how the man’s eyebrow knitted like it was suddenly confused at the scene before him.

“And she’s a mortal? How can you mercilessly slaughter those innocent people when your wife belongs to that race?” he asked calmly.

The bemused woman let her eyes fall on her wounded husband. He is intensely watching her like he is afraid she’ll grasp of the truth he’s been hiding for so long.

Callista is about to open her mouth to speak but was interrupted when a growl echoes in the area. Several massive forms of wolves suddenly invaded the area, leaving the pregnant woman breathless. They circled around them as they bare their fangs on the enemy before them.

She still hasn’t recovered from the arrival of these creatures when a shadow enshrouded their form. She inclined her head and gasped out of surprise upon seeing a large gray wolf standing beside them. Her body froze in fright and her heart almost leaped out of her chest.

“You can leave this to us, Alpha. Take your pregnant wife away and stay out of danger.”

Callista kept staring at the gray wolf before her. It looks lethal. A single snap from its teeth can snatch the life away from you instantly.

The woman still hasn't grasped reality when a large hand gripped her arm. It was her husband, dragging her away from the dangerous scenario they are in.

They kept on running, not caring if the sharp grass pricked both of their skin. Several thoughts encircled her mind of Callista. Piece by piece, the puzzle comes out together, as it built itself to show the truth to Callista.

They stopped in a small wooden cabin located at the forest’s heart. Her eyes are fixated on the ground, her lips formed in a thin line. And again, she felt her eyes moist, her tears threatening to flow down.

“I don’t care whatever kind of beast you are. My heart still shouts for your name and it will always be." She found the courage to speak. Her voice is raspy from the emotions building up in her chest.

She will always love him. Her heart will always want him.

She is suddenly enveloped by the warmth offered by the arms of her husband. He encased her in a hug. Callista let herself get lost in the peace his embrace gives, freeing out all the emotions jailed in her chest.

They shared a night full of wonder and untwisted the mysterious knots behind the secrets of Louis’ real identity.

It was also the same night that Callista felt her stomach hurt. The child inside her womb is ready to see the world in a full view. She gave birth to a healthy female wolf. Her round eyes resemble those of her father while her full lips are acquired from the other. Her soft cries provided joy to the couple, letting them forget all the burden put on their shoulders.

Unfortunately, the joyous moment they shared didn’t last that long. The Emperor of Heaven hunted them down and showed them no mercy. The terrified faces of the couple undoubtedly satisfied the enraged man standing meters away from them. Alois draws out his Celestine sword and swings it up in the air, aiming for the chest of the Alpha wolf Louis. Callista tried to save her husband and covered him using her body and ended up getting stabbed by the opponent. She is bathing in her own blood and her body lied lifeless on the cold wooden floor.

Louis’ eyes widened in shock. He felt how his world fell apart upon seeing how the life was taken out of his wife. A burning sensation suddenly filled him as madness overflowed in his chest. He looked at his wife’s murderer and see how emotionless his face is.

He bared his fangs on the enemy and let out a growl. He pounced at the opponent and put all his energy on it, making sure he would land him a fatal blow. Unfortunately, Alois was able to dodge the attack which made the wolf collide against the wall. The attack was able to break several bones in Louis’ body, resulting in him to fall limply on the floor beside his wife. He looked at her face and extended his hand to try caressing her cheeks. He gently smiled at her and murmured his last goodbye.

“I will always love you. ‘til death do us part," he whispered as tears started falling down on his cheeks. He spared a glance at the white bed placed several meters away from him and saw how his wolf child is peacefully sleeping.

Footsteps echoed in the silent area and he tilted his head towards it. The emperor is walking toward him, his massive sword in his right hand. He breathed a sigh. Perhaps it’s really his destiny.

“It is you who brought tragedy in your very own lives.”

The coldness in Alois’ voice seemed to pierce through the wolf’s soul. He is right. It is him who puts their lives in danger.

He watched how the emperor raised his right arm in the open air. It is right at this moment that he knows his life will be put to an end, where his epilogue awaits him. He felt the sharp blade of the emperor’s sword in his chest, directly stabbing in his heart. He coughed blood, the beating of his heart starting to slow down. He tilted his head in the direction of his wife. His sight is getting blurred and the life in his body is drifting away. And again, he smiled at his wife for one last time before surrendering himself to darkness.

Emperor Alois stared at the two corpses lying on the floor. He put back his sword on its scabbard and started to walk towards the exit when suddenly, a loud cry from the newborn child echoed in the small cabin. He looked at it and saw its innocence. She needs to be spared.

He carried the baby in his arms and it immediately stopped from crying. He abruptly left the house and used his teleportation magic. He arrived at a new place, the Raevisia Apples Frost. It is a place where foxes live peacefully. He started pacing towards a house owned by a certain fox called Drunken Master. He put the newborn child at the doorstep and just out of sympathy, the emperor left her a celestial moon necklace with her name engraved on it.

Anastasia.