Moon Blind

Emberlyn's account

"Run, Emberlyn ! Run and don't look back!"

Those were my mother's last words before she was brutally killed by lycan wolves. But foolish as I was, I didn't listen. Her pain-filled cries pierced the air, and despite her warning, I turned to see the horror unfolding.

Biggest mistake of my life.

That image is like a parasite etched into my memory, feeding off me, pulling me into a dark abyss.

I can still see it:

Chaos reigned. Huts were on fire, people screamed, and blood flowed like a river over the rocky path. I froze, unable to move as the world collapsed around me. Not even the people running past could shake me from the nightmare. I stood paralyzed, watching as my mother's golden hair was smashed against a rock with brutal force.

Tears streamed down my face as I screamed her name. My voice echoed, unleashing a surge of energy I never knew I possessed. It was like being inside a storm, with me as the thundercloud.

I kept screaming, even as my eyes ached and blood trickled down my cheeks like tears. Those around me suffered too. The lycans attacking our village fell to the ground, clutching their ears in vain. Their ears bled, and even the fleeing villagers weren't spared. My power affected them all, but it wasn't enough to save my mother.

Then, through the smoke and debris, a figure emerged-no, not a man, but a demon.

I paid him no mind at first, a decision I soon regretted.

If I had looked closer, I would have recognized him as Thane Valtor , the Lycan King and Alpha, the most brutal ruler to ever walk the earth. A god of fear, though few had ever seen him.

He was half-shifted, with a lycan's lower body and a human upper half. His piercing midnight black eyes locked onto mine, trapping me in a trance. I kept screaming, but it felt like my voice was underwater. Thane approached me, standing directly in front of me. He pressed his thumb against my forehead, and everything went black.

After that, it was nothing but darkness.

When I woke up, I was blind and captured, imprisoned in a dungeon owned by the Lycan King. From that day forward, I was made a slave-the most maltreated of all.

That was eight years ago. I was ten then; today, I turn eighteen.

Nothing has changed. I am still blind, still a slave to Thane Valtor .

But now, I know something that could cost me my life.

"He is the one, I'm sure of it," my wolf insists repeatedly.

I swallow hard, trying to push down the rising fear. My wolf came to me when I turned fifteen, and in all these years, she has never been as persistent as she is now.

I've kept her existence a secret from my captors. They believe I am a cursed were-witch, unable to shift or perform magic. To them, I am a useless, disabled slave that their king keeps for reasons only he knows.

But they are wrong. I am not a were-witch-I am a were-dragon. And the only person who knows this is my mate, Alpha King Thane Valtor . Yes, my captor is my mate. The goddess couldn't have been crueler.

I've known for a year, but I've kept it to myself, hoping to avoid the inevitable drama. My wolf, however, won't have it. Like a shameless flirt, she acts irrationally, especially when we're near Thane. I've had to fight her countless times to suppress the primal instinct to claim him as ours. It's the hardest thing I've ever done, especially since I am Thane's royal food taster. I am always by his side during meals.

Today, like every other day, I enter the grand dining area, where lycans of all ages are gathered, laughing and cheering like barbarians. I carry a cane in my hand as a guide, though in truth, I can see them all-well, not their faces, but their heat signatures. I suppose that's a perk of being a breathless dragon.

The crowd parts like the Red Sea as I walk toward the high table, dread settling in my stomach. This has never happened before. My heart pounds as I take slow, calculated steps, each one echoing in the sudden silence that fills the room.

Thane's strong presence filled the room. His bare chest showed scars from battles, revealing his toughness. His dark eyes locked onto me, intense and unsettling. His face was chiseled, with sharp angles that made him look ruggedly handsome. His black hair was long, pulled back into a rough, manly bun, hinting at a rebellious edge.

He sat confidently, his legs apart, exuding power. His broad shoulders and muscular build radiated strength. The scent of wolfsbane, pine, and spices surrounded him, drawing me in. His dark eyes seemed to see right through me, stirring a primal desire. His aura of danger was intense, making my heart race.

My wolf stirs, her primal desire for our mate growing stronger with every passing second. I struggle to keep her under control, but it feels like a losing battle. The scent of wolfsbane, pine, and spices emanating from Thane is intoxicating, pulling me toward him like a moth to a flame.

"Let me out! I want him," my wolf shrieks in our shared mind space.

I grit my teeth, trying to ignore her. "Control yourself! You'll get us killed."

"Mate!" she roars, her voice echoing in my mind.

"MATE!" The word escapes my lips before I can stop it, and the realization hits me like a ton of bricks. I cover my mouth with my hands, head bowed in shame.

"Forgive me, sire," I stammer, my voice barely audible.

Silence reigns, thick and suffocating. Then Thane's voice cuts through the tension, a low growl that sends shivers down my spine. "How long?"

I remain silent, my mind racing, searching for the right words.

"How long have you known?" he repeats, his tone dangerously sharp.

I swallow, my throat dry. "I...I found out a year ago," I mumble, keeping my head bowed, unable to meet his gaze.

He stands abruptly, his chair crashing to the floor. The room erupts in chaos as the other lycans rise to their feet, their faces contorted in anger and confusion.

I dropped to my knees before him, hands clasped in a desperate plea. "Forgive me, sire. It's my fault. I'll reject you right now. I, Emberlyn Nyktoria , slave of Alpha King Thane Valtor , hereby reject you, Supreme Alpha King, as my mate-"

Before I can finish, a forceful hand slams against my cheek, leaving my head spinning, ears ringing, and vision blurred. Thane has struck me.

"How dare you reject me, you foolish creature!" he growls. Another stinging slap lands on my face, forcing me to the hard stone floor. "How does a lowly nobody like you dare to reject me?!"

Everything becomes muffled, and I can't hear or see clearly. The violent assault worsens my blindness. Thane continues his tirade, but his words are lost to me as I writhe on the floor, a wounded animal. I try to crawl away, but my efforts only fuel his fury.

A crushing blow lands against my ribs, and I scream as the sound of snapping bones echoes in the room. Another merciless kick follows, causing blood to gush from my nose and mouth. I struggle to crawl away, but the looming threat remains over me.

Thane isn't finished. He crouches down, grabbing a handful of my hair, twisting and pulling it to force my gaze into his eyes. "Revoke your rejection now, or I will make you beg for death."