LUNA ASTERBELLE’s POV
Jerome’s serene crimson eyes that seemed to be captivating me was paired with his alluring gray hair that was pushed back while some strands were being blown away. I knew that I was going to be in trouble when he started to click his tongue along with the gritting of his teeth.
“I see that you still haven’t changed. Luna Asterbelle.” He placed one of his hands inside his pocket as he slowly walked closer to me. “You’re still the same brat that I left years ago,” he added.
The way that he mentions my name was displeasing. “Why did you return?”
“There’s no way that I will allow you to celebrate your legality at peace,” he scoffed. In a literal blink of an eye, everyone screamed when Jerome went on a rampage without even bothering to change his form. He jumped on their shoulders but he was quite mindful of his own strength, no one was injured because of him. “These people are not precious to you, are they?” he asked.
I frowned as I didn’t understand what he was trying to point out. I am getting this eerie feeling about his presence, which I just can’t shake off. “If you’re going to ruin my party, don’t intend to hurt them. Come at me just like how you usually do,” I answered, knowing that I wouldn’t even stand a chance against him.
I am completely defenseless as of now, I still haven’t even got my wolf form. Jerome took advantage of that fact and he didn’t think twice to strike me at his will. Every single blow created too much impact, I couldn’t stand still on the ground because of it. He stepped on my right leg as he continuously stomped on it, making me wince in pain.
“You’re going to pay for what your parents have done to me, Luna,” Jerome agitated. His aura seemed to be different this time around, as if he was ready to kill me any second now and that I would not be able to escape death.
Without any warning, a glass of wine came flying to the direction of Jerome’s head which he was able to gracefully evade. I glanced over to where it came from and saw that the Asterbelles were making an entrance.
“Luna, dear!” Mrs. Asterbelle called me, a hint of anxiety evident in the tone of her voice. “I just sensed that you were in danger… I wasn’t expecting that you really were,” she added, heading over to where I was lying.
“Mr. Dawson, aren’t you out of our city? Did you really have to come back on the exact day of my daughter’s legality?” Mr. Asterbelle asked Jerome casually, as if they were having close contacts in their previous lives.
I heard Jerome hiss before he removed his foot on my leg as he made his way out of the ballroom. He didn’t even bother to answer Mr. Asterbelle’s query.
This may sound weird but, I can still feel the presence of Jerome around the area. I’m getting a glimpse of the pair of his eyes right inside my mind, at the same time that I am getting chills when I felt that he was staring at me from some distant place.
“Don’t worry, Mr. Dawson is no longer here, dear,” Mrs. Asterbelle told me as she caressed my head.
I couldn’t believe her but if that’s what she wants me to believe, then so be it. “How did…” I cut off myself from interrogating her when my eyes noticed a mark on their forearms. It was undeniably familiar, and yet, it also felt like it was the first time for me to see it.
My vision started to get blurry. My memories began to flash through my mind. My head felt fuzzy.
The symbol that was on my parents’ forearms and the one that I am remembering are the same. It was the mark of some specific gang from a long time ago, and I just can’t recall it clearly.
By the time that they noticed that I was glaring at their forearm, they immediately covered it. “Don’t mind these burn marks, dear. We both got it from a car accident years ago and our regeneration capabilities weren’t enough to make it go away,” Mrs. Asterbelle reasoned. She seemed to be faltering and was trying her best not to jumble out her words for me not to be suspicious of them.
Though, she might be telling the truth and that it might only be a coincidence that there’s a similarity between the two.
A few moments after the commotion, the party resumed. Although it was quite detrimental for me for the reason that my head still hasn't stopped aching. It was rapidly sending shocks through my veins and I felt like I would soon collapse. I gasped for air when something began to rumble on my chest. Only a few milliseconds passed by when a voice entered my mind.
“Luna.” A simple mention of her name was enough to take over her entire conscience. She knew that the wolf was about to take over and she had to submit to it before it got too late.
“M-Mrs. Asterbelle, Mr. Asterbelle… I think that I’ll be transforming soon,” I announced. I only wanted to tell it to my parents but I guess my voice was loud enough for the crowd to hear as they cheered for me and wished me luck.
Instead of replying to what I said, they hurriedly rushed me over to an underground basement that was just located in the same spot of my venue. They made sure that a window was open for the moonlight to enter the room and let me freely transform at will.
I allowed myself to let my wolf take the initiative. I knelt on the ground with both of my knees as I held on my head. “Arghh!” I seemed to appear like a lunatic right as of this moment as I kept on screaming and groaning in pain as I was shaking my head countless times. If only I knew that it would be this painful, then I should have trained myself; I wasn’t physically and mentally prepared for this one.
My sense of hearing increased, I could hear each of my bones that were breaking apart as it grew larger. My consciousness was starting to drift away, as if I was about to get locked up in a cage where I could no longer break free from. It was as if my wolf was restraining me from doing anything unnecessary that would hinder my own transformation. I couldn’t even speak, my voice wouldn’t come out of my mouth.
“Why is she… it’s odd,” I heard Mr. Asterbelle whispered to his wife. Even though he didn’t continue what he said, I could hear what was inside his mind. “Why does it seem like she’s about to grow wings out of her back?” he questioned himself.
My eyes widened in shock. That can’t happen, he might just be mistaken and is basically assuming the impossible.
However, no matter how much I try to neglect his words, I could feel myself bleeding from my back. My bones kept on stretching. I glanced down to the floor and it was the only time that I realized that I was already naked. I literally wasn’t covered with any piece of fabric and it was due to the expansion of my muscles. I also noticed how a claw mark slowly appeared on my inner thigh, indicating that I was someone’s mate.
The claw mark was too deep and is still emitting blood from within, as if it was recently made.
“F-fuck!” I couldn’t control myself from cursing when a pair of wings came out from my back. It felt like all of my organs were torn apart in that very second. I saw black feathers which were filled with the color of my blood, that eventually flew down the ground.
I knew that it was the end of me when my wings came out.
Dad walked in front of me and knelt one of his knees before he tightly held my chin. “Luna Asterbelle, starting from this day onwards, you are no longer a part of the Blood Moon Pack. You have no right to object as you hold no authority within this pack house anymore,” Mr. Asterbelle declared with such a serious facial expression. “From the moment that we adopted you, I should have known that you would forever be a disgrace to our name,” he added.
Tears rushed from my eyes as it raced down my cheeks. I wanted to protest and fight for my title as their daughter, but I knew that it’s all worthless as they wouldn’t listen to anything that I would say. I am now a rogue and is no longer welcomed because I am a half-blooded vampire; a bite from me that contains venom is dangerous and harmful to the life of any living wolf, no matter what their ranking is.
Half an hour later, when I had finally calmed my wolf down and had mastered how to contain it inside my system, I returned to the venue of my party. I was about to call my best friend, Yve, but before I could have done so, she was already moving away from me.
“Don’t come closer, you filthy vampire!” Yve shouted at me, disgust filled her eyes.
My lips parted as my hands trembled as I was about to reach for her shoulder. “H-hey, don’t be like that. We’re best friends, right?” I mumbled in fear of what she would respond.
“After I sensed that you’re a vampire, I despised you to the core of my soul!”
It wasn’t just Yve. Everyone that I invited to my celebration had the same look in their eyes. Due to the fear of being brutally killed by all of them, I rushed outside of the venue and ran through the midst of the woods.
The celebration that was supposed to be the most memorable day of my existence, ended up to be the worst day of my life. I can’t even imagine what would become of me right now. I might turn insane in the next couple of days and cause a lot of trauma for the rest of those who reside in this city.
I had no one to accompany me. I had no one to communicate with. I had no one whom I could trust with everything. I had no one who would accept me for who I am and not hate me for what I have become.