SHADOWS OF THE MOON (Fate can be cruel, revenge can be sweet)

remember in the kingd

over the town. The air was alive with the howling of wo

town, letting their wild side shine. Lysander sighed sadly, his eyes fixed on the ceiling of his small b

ating." He added. Lysander shrugged. "I am not going. What will I be doing there, Father? You can go and have fun. I'll be okay alone here." He said. His father sighed, his eyes filled with concern. "You're missing out on the pack's traditions, Lysander. It's a time for us to connect with our wolves and with each other. Your brothers are having fun already" He said. Lysander looked away, feeling a pang of sadness. He knew his father was right, but he couldn't bring himself to join the others. Not when he was so different from them. "I won't be going too,

ghteenth birthday, when he was supposed to shift into his wolf form for the very first time. It didn'

find any answers. All he could do was wait and see what the future held. . . . Astra walked through the large temple, her two best friends behind her. The people they passed bowed and waved, and Astra kept a bright smile on her face. She looked stunning, and her friends couldn't help but notice. As they arrived at the altar, Astra bent down to place the contents of her hand on the sculpture of the Moon Goddess. Her friends followed suit, and they all closed their eyes in reverence. After a moment of silence, they stood up and started leaving the temple. "What did you wish for?" one of her friends asked as they walked out. "I know," the other friend chimed in, and Astra faced her with a smile. "What is it?" "Your eighteenth birthday is in two days, which means you'll be having your first transformation and getting your mate soon," her friend said. "I know you wish Kieran will be your mate." She added. Astra's smile grew wider. "Why did you think I'd wish for that?" She asked. "Because he's your boyfriend, you both are in love, and he's the Beta's son," her friend replied. "He's strong and powerful, and the right person to become the future Alpha." The other friend added. Astra nodded, her smile still radiant. "That's exactly what I wish for, and I'll be glad if that works out." She said. As the

AYS L

ned a corner, he was suddenly surrounded by a group of boys. They were tall and muscular, their faces twisted with cruel smiles. "Think we won't recognize you, loser?" one of them sneered, his voice dripping with malice. Lysander tried to step back, but they closed in around him. "Can you please just let me go?" he asked, trying to keep his voi

ful and fluid. She was lost in her own world, oblivious to his presence. Lysander tried to sneak back out, not wanting to disturb her, but her melodious voice stopped him. "Why are you here?" she asked, her voice gentle but curious. Lysander turned to face her, and his breath caught in his throat. She was even more beautiful up close, her features delicate and refined. He felt a flutter in his chest, and his words hung in his throat. "I was lost," he stammered. "I...I didn't mean to intrude." The girl's eyes narrowed slightly, her gaze piercing. "You could get punished if you're seen here," she said. "You should get out." Lysander nodded, feeling a surge of gratitude. "Sure, thanks," he said, turning to leave. But the girl's voice called out to him again. "Hey." He tur

, their faces twisted in cruel smiles. "And when that happens, we'll finally be able to achieve our aim: a pack without the useless omegas," Minister Thorold said, his voice dripping with malice. The group erupted into laughter, their voices echoing off the walls. Lysander's father, Blackwood, stood frozen in the doorway, his eyes wide with shock. He had returned to the store room to retrieve a cleaning bucket he had forgotten earlier. Now, he wished he hadn't overheard the conversation. The Beta's words hung in the air, taunting him: "a pack without the useless omegas." Blackwood felt a cold dread creeping up his spine. He knew he had to get out of there. He slowly backed away, trying not to make a sound. But as he turned to leave, his foot creaked on the floorboards. The Beta's head snapped towards him, his eyes narrowing. "Ah, Blackwood," the Beta said, his voice dripping with false warmth. "What brings you here?" Blackwood bowed low, trying to hide his trembling hands. "I-I was just returning the cleaning equipment, sir. I didn't mean to intrude." The Beta's gaze lingered on him, suspicion etched on his face. "Very well. You may leave." He said. Blackwood beat a hasty retreat, his heart pounding in his chest. The Beta watched Blackwood leave, his eyes narrowing. "Do you think he heard what we said?" Minister Thorold asked, his voice barely above a whisper. The Beta's smile was cold and calculating. "Don't worry, I'll take care of it." He said. As the ministers dispersed, the Beta's mind was already racing with plans to eliminate any potential threats to their scheme. He knew that Blackwood had overheard something, but he wasn't sure how much. Either way, it didn't matter. The Beta had a plan in place to deal with any potential witnesses. Little did he know, Lysander's life was about to take a dramatic turn, one that would change the course of his destiny forever. . . . Lysander lay on his bed, staring blankly at the ceiling as Sage entered the room. "Hey, what's up?" Sage asked, his voice casual. He is Lysander older brother. Lysander shrugged, not looking up. "Nothing." Sage's eyes scanned the room before landing on Lysander's face. His expression turned stern as he took in the bruises. "How long is this going to continue?" he asked, his voice laced with concern. Lysander finally looked up, a hint of bitterness in his eyes. "Forever, probably." Sage scoffed, walking over to Lysander's bed. "You have to hang out with them if you want them to leave you alone. Look at me, I hang out with them, and they respect me." He said. Lysander raised an eyebrow, a sarcastic smile on his face. "More like their slave, they send you around." He said. Sage's expression tightened, but he didn't deny it. "At least it's better than being beaten. Get up and dress; we're going to the Alpha's princess party. You should try to talk to people and make friends there." He said. Lysander groaned, rolling over onto his stomach. "Do you think anyone will want to be friends with me?" He asked. Sage's expression softened slightly. "Yeah, there are people who will. So, let's go." He said. Before Lysander could protest further, Sage dragged him up from the bed. Lysander stumbled, his legs protesting after sitting for so long. Sage pushed him toward the bathroom. "Make yourself look good; I'll be waiting outside," Sage said. Lysander leaned against the sink, staring at his reflection in the mirror. T