Chapter 3

VANESSA

Natalia had let me into the war chambers. That was what it used to be. I remembered standing here next to Alias, talking about the pack's future. This was the first place he told me he loved me out loud. I think, deep down, I knew he finally did, but no history compared to a mating bond.

“Luna, it's a pleasure to have you here. I’m sure we have much to discuss,” Alec stood tall, still in the formal uniform that he was about to be mated in. But even with his tanned, brown skin and his 5 o'clock shadow, he wasn’t going to just hand me the pack so easily. “I’m hearing the story from my advisor and I know this isn’t going to be easy, but I challenge you for the title of Alpha of the pack.” I walked over, never taking my eyes off him. “This place belonged to me from the beginning, Alpha, as my forced mate tried to kill me. My people trusted my protection over his.”

He had fury in his eyes but obviously didn’t want to say something that would bring out my wild beast.

“You are not fit to run our pack; you were a rejected mate. So, you’re at a loss right now.” I turned to the squeaky voice, which was like nails on wood to me. My red eyes started glowing at the ignorant woman about to marry an alpha who didn’t belong to her. I raised my hand, casting out my energy, taking away her voice box.

“You need to remember who you’re talking to, mutt, I am not the one you want to piss off.” she stayed staring at me, trying to scream. I could be civil, but I wouldn’t take disrespect.

“Luna, as times have changed, your bloodline no longer rules this area. I understand your challenge, but we are no threat to you.” Alec remained calm and nice as he chose his words wisely. I respected his posture and the way he looked me in the eyes as he spoke. But he needed to understand the troubles I faced before I got to where I'm from. I walked closer to Alec, closing in the gap. I could hear his heart racing as I laid my hands on each side of his face, forcing him to make eye contact with me. Sending him back to where we're from.

He knew everything... He saw everything. He felt everything I had felt up until my supposed death. He looked so hurt that when I tried to release my hands, he grasped onto mine. He wanted to see more as if it was the greatest thing in the world. He finally released us from the grasp. He looked at me with pity in his eyes.

“A hybrid,” he let out softly.

“That is correct, and that comes with great power that only I can protect the pack from. You’ll end up dying in a fight, young wolf.”

ALEC

The Queen has gifted me with memories that showed me everything about her and what she’s capable of. The pain that lays in her and the magic that kept her above everyone. There was no doubt that she would kill me if I did challenge her. “Vanessa, this is our pack now, don’t let revenge take it away from us” my mom sounded so genuine.

I feared the backlash and she sure got it. “Like it was taken from me! I have no bloodline, as I’m the only one of my kind. Don’t let our friendship become a weakness. As I passed no one gave a damn about me, especially you as you took my pack!” There was the pain that I felt coming out.

“Why not a shared pack, so no blood needs to be shed. I am still the Alpha until he marries" My parents had always tried to fight my battles, coddling me. I knew they wanted to protect their child for life, but eventually, I had to stand on my own two feet. "Luna, why don't you be my Luna?" I said it. This is what the pack needs, other than two alphas always fighting. She looked at me with that fire in her eyes, the one that has been missing for so long. "The last time I married someone who wasn't my mate, he put a dagger in my heart, then threw me over a balcony"

My heart sank because I forgot to include her feelings when she was betrayed in one of the worst ways.

"Pup, just know I don't want a fight either, I just want what was rightfully mine" For once I saw a frown on her face that meant she was hurt.

"Let's take a walk, this is becoming too much of a crowd?" She stared at me as her red eyes that glowed with anger softened up. I read a lot about the ancient times, to know how to treat a Queen. I offered her my elbow waiting for rejection. Yet to my surprise she laced her arm through mine and allowed me too to lead.

CARMEN (Alec's Mom)

Years, and years my heart ached as I remember the slaughtering of my dearest friend. Regardless of the stories about the Hybrid Queen, nobody really knew the angel that laid within. She hated being called Queen or Luna, yet it was only proper. She was funny, never failed to crack a joke that always seemed dark, but that was her thing. Let's not forget how she owned her wolf. Vanessa was a person like no other, and even I once thought she made my insides hot and heavy.

But when you come from that time, same-sex mating was illegal. There were many secrets we both held that would have gotten us life sentences. The hurt I see now in her red eyes is betrayal. She knew exactly what she wanted because a man merged her Crescent pack to his Creed pack for more of a fighting chance. She was the best Luna you could ask for, who didn't deserve all the bad luck she got. "She isn't someone who will lose a fight you know.

I am looking at my mate who is completely shocked over everything that has come about. "What do you know about her? There is more than you're leading on" He came over to me wrapping myself in his embrace. "Somethings are best as a secret my dear. But I need you to know one thing." He pushed back to look in my purple eyes.

"She has the power to break a mating bond, she has the power to keep anyone’s mate, she has the power to have multiple mates in compliance" I knew what he was thinking, that his trust lessens and he is about to lose a battle that hasn't even begun.

VANESSA

We came upon a peer who said it was. Staring at a city with nonstop lighting. Where woods once laid, now turned into a place of humans. While our kind is forced to stay in the small woods if we knew what was best for us. He mentioned that the treaty became more of a jail cell, as more and more pups were found dead. "Luna." I put my hand on his shoulder.

"Can you call me Vanessa? I am no queen or Luna anymore."

"Vanessa, did King Alias really kill you because he found his mate?" Curiosity rested on his eyes; I knew he had many questions.

"Alias and I were pack neighbors. He was a hothead, and I was just a girl who wanted people to stop calling her weak…"

FLASHBACK

"Alias, can you please slow down. What's gotten you so heated" He finally slowed down on top of the pier. "What if I never find my mate? I couldn't be the Alpha this pack needs" My head had fallen down knowing what he meant.

"She will come, you just need to be patient. And really you need to find your own strength if she rejects you" Alias had rolled his eyes at me knowing I was being real.

"Listen, when I find her there's no way, she will be able to reject me. Look at me" He flexed his pecks at me showing his muscles.

"Hey, I am literally one of a kind, and I am still recovering from my rejection. I will be forever alone always" He was my best friend, and we weren't formal with each other at all.

"You know I can't be a full Alpha until I find her, and she hasn't been there the past 4 festivals. I want to be a leader" He started pacing back and forth. His naked body just going back and forth.

"Being with your mate weakens you, and your judgment. Why would I want that?"

He started questioning himself over and over. The next festival had arrived, and once again he didn't find her. I raced to the pier to find him. "Alias, you need to calm down, please. It just wasn't the right one, she would come" He stopped pacing and went to my face. "I can't keep myself from going feral if I never find her. I am going to find a good loner and make her my queen" At this point, I saw the determination in his eyes. And being his best friend, at one point I developed a hard crush on him. "Pick me, let's combine our packs." He stopped pacing again and stood in front of me contemplating it. "I got rejected, and second chance mates are hard to come by. Be my chosen mate"

Soon in the next few weeks, we were at each other’s side. Sex, sex, sex. While our packs were building. We were strong. But that was when Lilas came along. She went to the next festival and he heard her human voice singing. He had given up any chance of her mating with me. Soon he was sneaking off with her and impregnated her. By law that is treason for her. His only option was to kill me and remarry her.

PRESENT

"But as you know it didn't work in her favor. She remains alive as well as her child. She wasn't loyal to me, so I will kill her. " Silence filled the air, as he was trying to understand everything, I told him. "You don't know what this pack means to me, and to every woman out there who was told only a man can rule a pack"

I don't remember much of what happened, but a burning sensation entered my body. I felt as if I was getting stabbed all over again. "Vanessa, what's wrong?" I grasped my stomach in agony, screaming, turning into howling.

Everything went black.