Queen Of Darkness

Life as a vampire is supposed to be a blood bath. That’s what the stories say, anyway. That we are monsters who crave the living, who hunt in shadows and leave ruin in our wake. But my life has never been that simple. I press my palm against the cold glass of the blood refrigerator inside the pack hospital, my reflection staring back at me in the faint blue light. Long black curls frame my pale face, my naturally orange eyes glowing softly against my ivory skin. Too warm for a corpse. Too cold to be human. Too different to belong anywhere. I choose a single blood bag, checking the label with the practiced efficiency of a nurse. Donor type. Date. Safe. No one harmed. No one drained beneath my fangs. That is my rule. I am Kali—pureblood vampire—raised by wolves. Adopted as an infant after my biological parents were slaughtered by rogue vampires, I was brought into the Blood Moon pack not as prey… but as family. The wolves who raised me taught me loyalty, honor, and restraint. They taught me how to fight. How to survive. How to love. But they could never teach me where I truly came from. I swallow from the bag slowly, methodically, anchoring myself before the pull of hunger grows too sharp. My body warms slightly as the borrowed life slides through my veins—a reminder that I am not fully dead like the legends claim. When I flush, my cheeks turn the faint pink of a ripe peach. When I bleed, I bleed red. And when I love… I love too deeply. A soft knock at the infirmary door pulls me from my thoughts. “Kali?” Even after all these years, the sound of his voice still sets something primitive ablaze inside my chest. Zane. Future Alpha of the Blood Moon pack. My mate. Unmarked. “Are you ready?” he asks gently, leaning against the doorway. Moonlight spills across his broad frame—dark hair, sharp jaw, golden wolf eyes glowing faintly in the dim hall. Power radiates from him without effort. Every wolf in this pack bows their head to him. Except me. And somehow… he bows only to me. I set the empty bag aside. “Coming,” I say softly, pulling on one boot as I hurry toward him. Tonight matters. Tonight changes everything. I’ve finally traced a real lead about my biological family. Not a rumor. Not a dead end. A living thread. And because of that… I’m ready to stop running. I’m ready to be marked. The pack house hums with life as we walk its halls together. Wolves bow their heads as Zane passes, respect thick in the air. Some offer smiles in my direction. Others look away. They tolerate me. They do not trust me. A vampire as their future Luna is not a dream the pack ever wanted. But Zane never once wavered. His fingers curl around mine as we walk, steady and warm. The bond between us thrums beneath my skin—unsealed, unclaimed, yet unbreakable. Mindlink open, he murmurs into my thoughts. The rush of his emotions crashes into me like wildfire—protectiveness, love, worry, devotion. My chest tightens as warmth floods me. You’re shaking, he notes. I’m not scared, I reply. Not entirely. Not of him. Just of the truth I’m about to uncover. Whatever happens tonight, Zane promises, you don’t face it alone. And just like that, the walls around my heart weaken. We stop beneath the carved archway that leads into the main hall. My pulse stutters. The moonlight pouring through the massive windows bathes the floor in silver. This is where mates are bound. This is where wolves mark what is theirs. And in a few hours… Zane will sink his fangs into my shoulder and claim me before the pack. Forever. “Kali,” he says quietly, turning to face me. “There’s something I need to tell you before tonight.” My breath catches. “What is it?” His jaw tightens. “No matter what you discover about your past… your blood… your family… none of it changes who you are to me.” My vision burns. “You already belong with me.” I reach for him, pressing my forehead to his chest. “Zane… I don’t know what I’d do without you.” “You’ll never have to find out.” We enter the hall together. And that’s when everything shifts. A scent hits me first—foreign, sharp, electric. Alpha. Not Zane’s. Another pack has arrived. The wolves lining the walls part as a tall figure steps forward. Dark hair. Steel-gray eyes. Power that presses heavy in the air. The wolves bow instantly. “Alpha Jason Bowman,” Zane says quietly at my side. “Neighboring pack. Strong. Strategic. Dangerous.” Jason’s gaze locks onto me. And for a split second… Recognition flashes in his eyes. Not curiosity. Not suspicion. Recognition. “Kali,” he says slowly, his voice rough with something unreadable. “So the rumors were true.” My skin prickles. “You know my name.” “I know far more than that.” Zane stiffens beside me. “Explain yourself, Alpha Bowman.” Jason’s lips curve faintly. “In time. But first—let me formally thank you for allowing me into your territory. Our packs’ future depends on what we discuss tonight.” His gaze flicks back to me. “You most of all.” Unsettled, I nod politely. “Welcome, Alpha Bowman.” Something dark glints behind his eyes. “We will speak again soon… Queen.” The word lands like thunder in my chest. Queen? Zane growls low in his throat. Every wolf in the hall stills. Jason only smiles. Later that night, as the pack prepares for the ceremonial marking, my mind spins. Queen. Royal blood. The strange powers I’ve always carried suddenly feel heavier. I can heal with a touch. Read thoughts without effort. Control animals—including wolves—if I ever chose to. The Alpha and Luna know what I am. But even they don’t know what I might become. A soft knock sounds at my chamber door. Zane enters, his gaze dark with hunger and restraint. “The ritual begins soon.” I swallow. “Zane… what if tonight changes everything?” His hand cups my face. “It already has.” I lean into his touch, heart pounding. And deep beneath the pack house… Ancient blood stirs. Waiting. Watching. For me.