Chapter 1
A piercing screamed filled the air and was followed by a deadly silence. The wolves all over the clearing immediately ceased fighting. Wind rustled the autumn leaves on the ground. An anguished howl could be heard from a distance. It was a remorseful sound. A howl so filled with pain that some the wolves in the clearing pulled back their heads and howled in response. Just as suddenly as they stopped they started their war again as now the members of the Blue Moon pack had even more reason to eliminate the threat that had invaded their territory.
There was a shift in the atmosphere once all the rogues had either been captured or killed. One by one the wolves retreated to their pack’s headquarters. Some men already shifted into their very naked human form, dragging their new prisoners behind them. Their heads hung low even after they had won the battle, as they had lost the cornerstone of the pack.
At the packhouse the scent of blood filled the air. The huge three-story building was standing solemnly in the darkness. In an hour the light of dawn would break, but this day would be unimaginably bitter for the pack.
Alpha Jack Havanaugh slammed the rogue against the wall. Consumed by rage, horror but most of all pain, he planned on breaking every single bone in the mans body. The rogue was no match for his strength. He drew a fist and slammed it repeatedly into the rogues face. Ultimately and effectively killing the man after only a few strikes. He wiped the blood and sweat off of his face and walked to the next room where his mate was. Or rather the shell her soul left behind. Blood covered the floor and walls, clear imprints of a struggle. She laid on the floor covered in her own blood, her open eyes cast up in the air, never being able to see the light of day again.
They only found out days prior that she was pregnant with their first. Jack was shattered now that he lost the only person he had ever truly loved along with his unborn child. He slowly dropped to his knees and wept as he pulled her against his chest. It could have been minutes, even hours that passed until He felt the presence of his Beta just outside of the room. “Enter, “ the Alpha all but growled out, wiping the tears from his face.
Beta William Black came in slowly, tentatively. “Alpha I-“ he was suddenly slammed against the wall, hard enough for him to lose his breath. “You had one fucking job. One fucking job and you failed. This mistake cost the life of not only your fellow pack members but your Luna as well,” Jack roared out.
“We captured the killers." William wheezed out, "It was the Blackwood brothers. They sold us out to the rogues. They killed your mate. They already confessed as soon as we caught them, ” He spoke in a frantic tone and cast his eyes down after catching a glimpse of his Luna’s lifeless body.
“Take me to them.” Jack all but growled out venom lacing his voice. He was compelled by his Alpha’s order and started moving as soon as Jack let him go. They hurriedly moved outside and around the building towards the back near the outskirts if the forrest. Dawn was blooming in the sky. The pink and orange colours a contrast to how dark the circumstances were.
The clearing around the house was red with blood but they paid no attention to it as they stalked off towards the secondary yet average building. It was nothing compared to the magnificence of the packhouse. Inside the gray walls was rows upon rows of cells. Most of them empty, as they were one of the more peaceful packs. The few cells that was occupied only recently recieved their captives.
The first cell had two males tied back-to-back to each other. Jack didn’t even bother to question them as he already not only saw the truth in their eyes but his Beta already informed him on the way in that they were thoroughly interrogated. Fear and guilt was written all over the Blackwood brother's faces.
Jack took one of the knives stationed on a table at the entrance door. “I am Alpha Jack Havanaugh from the Blue Moon Pack. You killed not only my mate but also my child growing in her womb” he hissed out, eyes darkening. "I hereby sentence you to death. May you spend your afterlife in the pits of hell," he spat out as His hands gripped the leather handle of the silver dagger tighter. He started circling them, Moving closer with each step.
The look of terror was evident on their faces. “No. No. No," the man's voice was frantic, "I can expla-“ the eldest brother’s sentence was cut off when the Alpha slit his throat. The younger one started to scream and tried to pull away as his brother’s body slumped against him. Blood pouring out of his throat and onto the floor.
"You betrayed me. You ruined the only thing that I actually cared about. You murdered my mate, my child and my fellow pack members. You did not care to spare their lives, why should I spare yours?“ The blade was pressed up against his throat, the silver burning his flesh.
“Please I’ll tell you anything, just spare me!” The man cried out. “Anything you say? Tell me why did you kill her. She was only ever kind to you. You grew up together. She saw you as a brother.” The man whimpered in response, the reality of the situation dawning on him. Jack looked the man in the eyes and felt no remorse as he plunged the knife into his jugular. His scream stilled immediately.
“Clean this up and question the rest of the men. Beta you’re with me.” Jack spun around after ordering his men, his face void of emotion. They left the cells and proceeded back to the nearly empty house. They went to the room where the Luna still laid. Jack carefully picked his mate up and walked towards the door nudging it open with his foot. He indicated with the tilt of his head for his Beta to follow him. Together they walked towards the pack hospital. As they passed pack members, they dropped to one knee and bowed their heads, showing respect to their fallen Luna.
Upon entering the building the chaos ceased to an utter silence as pack members froze. They quietly began to move out of the way as the Alpha silently moved downstairs towards the mortuary not bothering to use the elevator. The two men entered the room without a hassle. A few bodies with white cloths draped over them lined a few of the trollies.
There was doctors attending to them. William cleared his throat and the four quickly turned around. Shock lining their faces, they quietly got down to one knee.
“Alpha.“ they all said in unison, and he motioned for them to get up.
“Doctors, ” He delicately placed Rose on the table. “Please help me to prepare the Luna for her burial. I’ll bring clean clothing for her as soon as I can. She's to be laid to rest two days from now,” pain laced his voice and he motioned towards the other bodies, "along with our other fallen brothers and sisters."
He looked at his mate and brushed the back of his hand across her face. He cupped her cheek and bent down to give her a butterfly kiss on her forehead, not noticing the blood that caked her body.
He closed his eyes for a brief moment and left the room with a single tear sliding down his cheek. He was silent after that, avoiding the gazes from his pack. His Beta followed him silently through all of this.
They went back to the house, hearing the solemn voices of pack members already cleaning the bloody mess. William followed his Alpha to the main office where he shut the door behind them. “Now explain to me what happened. What did those bastards say.” The Alpha was slumped over in his chair, defeat written all over him.
“They were offered three million units. Which they only would’ve received if they successfully killed the Luna with the help of the rogues. The rogues got to the compound and the Blackwoods offered to protect the Luna while we fend them off." William closed his eyes, his eyes cast downwards in remorse, "They belong to one of the oldest families in the pack, so we trusted them. We we’re already through more than half of the rogues when we heard her scream, but by then it was too late. We found them halfway through the forest near the western border. We immediately took them to the cells and interrogated them. The Full Moon Pack was behind this.” His pacing was working on Jack's nerves. “William sit down. We will speak to the High Council about this. They will know the truth. As they always do.” He said, a plan already formulating in his mind.
