Chapter 1 ~Prologue~
Fiona Hepburn
My story starts on the first day I moved to Vermont with my dad and mom. I was eighteen years old.
Well, you see, my dad was, in fact, my stepfather, we shared a tight bond so I called him dad.
My mom could have been the best person to tell me who my real father was, but she was in a coma, had been all my life.
My step father told me that after she gave birth to me, she just went limp, but that was all he told me.
She existed now somewhere between life and death.We bathed her, cleaned her up and fed her through a tube. We never gave up hope, because we believed that one day she'll wake up.
I went out to take a walk in the woods that evening.
“Dad, I want to take a walk around.” That was what I told my stepdad.
“Okay, honey, come in time for dinner.”
I had walked deep into the woods, admiring the greenery when I heard movements from the bushes. Before I could a big black wolf emerged from the woods and bit my neck. I passed out, thinking I wouldn't make it but I did.
I never told my dad about this until I noticed the signs, I began to hear things from a mile away, smell things deeply, my reflexes became so quick.
Even I knew I could no longer hide it, I had become a werewolf.
I confided in my dad one day when I couldn't hide it anymore. “Dad, I was bitten and I think I'm a werewolf now.”
A look flashed in his eyes, I half expected him to laugh, to say ‘are you seriously kidding?’ but he didn't.
“We have to take you to a packhouse, if what you're saying is true, then you need to be somewhere no rogues can find you and you can train.”
It surprised me he knew so much about werewolves. “How do you know all this?”
His eyes darkened. “Never mind. Get dressed, we're leaving now.”
Could it be he knew because he was a comic book writer? I knew it wasn't just that, but I convinced myself that was the reason to kill my curiosity.
My first day in Ashridge packhouse was eventful. They taught me about werewolves and our hierarchy. I saw them shift into wolves and over the course of a few weeks; I met my Alpha. Alpha Beckett.
They all were cold and mean to me, throwing snide remarks and muttering ‘rogue’ anytime I passed by.
But all that changed after Alpha Beckett noticed me one fateful day. We spoke for a long while before he stared at me, his eyes filled with passion.
“You're so beautiful Fiona, your eyes are like the greens of the forest, your hair as red as crimson.” He ran his fingers through my long hair. “Your lips beg me to kiss them. I think I love you.”
That was the day he asked me to be his girlfriend.
Of course I said yes, he was built like a demigod, my Alpha. I was flattered and felt on top of the world.
And then we kissed, a wave of sparks shot through my body, rising from my stomach to my throat, my heart was racing, my body longed for his touch.
His hands cupped my breasts underneath my shirt, his lips crashed mine and our kiss was slow and lingering, like neither of us wanted to pull away.
A small cough from the door broke us apart. It was one omega.
“Alpha Beckett, your meal is served in the dining, and Beta Otto calls for you.” She wore an amused look on her face as she tried to avoid our eyes.
Beckett’s cheeks instantly turned red at being caught, and he muttered something and left.
I stood awkwardly in his room until she cleared her throat and turned to me.
“Hi, I'm Cassia. I'm an omega.” That was the way she introduced herself to me and from there on, we became best friends.
Anytime I was left alone, I went into the library to read. It was on one of these days that I found something interesting.
I had always wondered why I didn't die the day I was bitten by the wolf and a scroll answered this.
I was moon touched, my soul resonated with wolf energy. But how? I knew only time would tell.
I started becoming apprehensive after my sixth month in the packhouse and yet I couldn't turn, I couldn't talk to my wolf.
“Has it happened yet?” Cassia asked, almost every day, and every day- the answer was the same. No.
Cassia promised to keep it a secret.
When any other person, including Beckett, asked, I told them I had begun to mindlink my wolf. Beckett was the Alpha and he couldn't afford to be seen with a weak werewolf as his Luna.
Slowly, I grew deeper in love with Beckett, and our relationship blossomed. We were always seen together, except on weekends when I stayed at my parent's.
Life was almost normal; I went to high school in the human world and trained in the packhouse.
My life was perfect… until everything fell apart.
Like the flip of a switch, one day Beckett decided to completely ignore me, like I didn't exist. I thought ‘Maybe it's just one of those days’, but nothing changed.
Just like that, I had lost the love of my life. Everyone who thought I'd be Luna and envied me for it turned back and mocked me, despised me. I became the laughingstock of the pack.
The worst day of my life was when I walked into Beckett's room, hoping for closure. But I was met instead with loud moans and the sound of skin slapping into skin.
“Beckett!” I screamed, my heart shattering to pieces as I tried to hold back my tears.
My boyfriend was having sex with Isis, a pretty girl in our pack, the sister of Beta Otto.
The words that came out of his mouth next shocked me. “It's Alpha Beckett to you, Omega.”
That night I was heartbroken and slept in a pool of my tears.
That was the first night I had a vision of the moon goddess. She was beautiful in her halo, a moon crest on her porcelain skin, her silver hair flowed framing the perfect face.
I didn't need to be told who it was and so I bowed.
“My child, Fiona, daughter of Arya.” She gave a small smile.
“Moon goddess." I was in awe.
“I've been watching you, right from when you were formed.” She stood up from her throne. “You will be Luna, and your mother will live again.”
My mouth fell open. Stunned.
“But… it all depends on you. If you play your cards right, you will unlock the level of Luna power you need to save your mother. If you don't or you waste time, well, she'll be gone… forever.”
I fell on my knees in tears. I could barely stand seeing my mother in pain, let alone seeing her dead. “Moon goddess, save my mother.”
“A lot of things might confuse you now, but in time, you'll understand.”
Those were the last words I heard before my eyes snapped awake.
Her words lingered in my mind.
The next morning, when I saw Beckett and Isis together, I smiled to myself.
‘I will be with Beckett, I will be Luna and nobody, not even Isis, will stop me from saving my mother.’