chapter 7
748 Words
The Alpha Who Rejected His Moon Queen
By MALLO Royale
Chapter Seven
The Letter of the Moon Queen
The forest was silent once again.
Only the crackling of broken branches and the distant hoot of an owl disturbed the stillness.
Seraphina stood motionless, her trembling fingers clutching the old letter.
"To my daughter... trust no one until you find the man with crimson eyes."
She read the sentence again.
And again.
The elegant handwriting was unlike anything she had ever seen, yet something about it felt strangely familiar.
A lump formed in her throat.
"My... mother really wrote this?"
Cassian nodded.
"Queen Selene wrote it on the night your kingdom fell."
Seraphina looked up sharply.
"My kingdom?"
Cassian sighed.
"I know you have countless questions, but this forest is no longer safe. Alpha Lucien's scouts are still searching for you."
He glanced toward the dark trees.
"They won't stop until they know whether you're alive."
Seraphina folded the letter carefully and slipped it inside her satchel.
"I don't even know if I should believe any of this."
"You shouldn't."
His answer surprised her.
She frowned.
"What?"
Cassian smiled faintly.
"Your mother told you to trust no one."
His crimson eyes met hers.
"That includes me."
Seraphina blinked.
For the first time since meeting him, she didn't sense deception.
Only honesty.
It was... unsettling.
A low whistle echoed through the forest.
One of the cloaked guards approached before kneeling.
"Your Highness."
Cassian turned.
"What is it?"
"We've secured the eastern route."
"The horses are ready."
Cassian nodded.
"We leave immediately."
The guard hesitated before speaking again.
"Our scouts have reported another problem."
Cassian's expression hardened.
"What happened?"
"The Blood Hunters have entered Darkwood Forest."
Seraphina looked between them.
"Blood Hunters?"
Cassian's jaw tightened.
"They're mercenaries."
"They don't serve wolves."
"They don't serve vampires."
"They hunt whoever pays the highest price."
"And right now..."
He looked at her.
"...someone has placed a bounty on you."
Her face paled.
"A bounty?"
The guard handed Cassian a rolled parchment.
He opened it.
His eyes darkened.
"One million gold coins."
Seraphina nearly dropped her satchel.
"One million?"
Cassian rolled the parchment closed.
"Dead or alive."
A chill crawled down her spine.
"Who would pay that much?"
Cassian remained silent.
The answer was obvious.
Someone powerful.
Someone desperate.
Someone who feared the truth about her identity.
Without another word, he extended his hand toward her.
"We have to go."
She stared at his outstretched hand.
Only days ago, she had trusted everyone in Blackwood Pack.
Then she had been rejected.
Banished.
Hunted.
Now the only person offering her protection was a vampire prince.
Life truly had a cruel sense of humor.
Slowly, she accepted his hand.
His grip was warm.
Far warmer than she expected.
As they walked through the forest, Seraphina noticed something strange.
None of the animals fled from Cassian.
Instead, deer emerged quietly from the bushes.
Birds perched calmly on nearby branches.
Even a fox crossed the path without fear.
She looked at him curiously.
"I thought vampires frightened every living creature."
Cassian chuckled softly.
"That's what humans tell their children."
"So... it's a lie?"
"Most stories about us are."
Before she could ask another question, a powerful gust of wind swept through the trees.
Every horse suddenly became restless.
The guards reached for their swords.
Cassian stopped walking.
His expression turned deadly serious.
"They're here."
The forest exploded with the sound of snapping branches.
Dozens of masked figures surrounded the group from every direction.
Unlike the Blackwood warriors, these people wore black leather armor marked with a crimson skull.
Each carried silver weapons.
Their leader stepped forward, spinning a long spear.
"So..."
"The famous Prince Cassian."
Cassian's eyes narrowed.
"I expected Blood Hunters."
"I didn't expect your commander."
The masked man laughed.
"I came because the reward is worth the journey."
His gaze settled on Seraphina.
"There she is."
"The Moon Girl."
He slowly removed his mask.
A long scar stretched across his left eye.
His smile was cold.
"I've never failed a hunt."
He pointed his spear toward Seraphina.
"Surrender the girl."
"I might let the rest of you live."
Every vampire guard drew their swords.
Cassian stepped in front of Seraphina.
His crimson eyes began to glow.
"No."
The command echoed through the clearing like thunder.
For a heartbeat, no one moved.
Then the Blood Hunter smiled.
"So be it."
He raised his spear.
"Kill them all."
The forest erupted into chaos as arrows rained from the trees.
- Writer
