Moonbound Tyrant

The Moon Blood Celebration

The day began with music and laughter. Children ran through the pack grounds with ribbons tied to their wrists, and the scent of roasted meat filled the air. It should have been a happy day. It was my twentieth birthday and the night of the Moon Blood Celebration, the one day of the year when every pack member danced under the full moon to thank the goddess for another year of peace.

But peace felt fragile that morning.

“Abigail, stop standing there and help with the garlands,” my best friend Rebecca said, her arms full of white flowers. “You look like someone who just saw a ghost.”

“I am fine,” I said quietly. “Just… tired.”

“Tired? You slept all morning.” She dropped the flowers on the long table. “You are supposed to be happy. You are twenty now. The goddess might bless you tonight.”

I smiled weakly. “You mean she might curse me with a mate.”

Rebecca gasped. “Abigail!”

“What? You know it is true. I do not want a mate. I am fine the way I am.”

She crossed her arms. “You are the only wolf I know who prays not to find one.”

“I do not want to be bound to someone I barely know,” I said, keeping my voice low. “What if he is cruel or cold? What if he is nothing like what I dream of?”

Rebecca tilted her head. “You dream too much.”

“Better than regretting too much,” I replied.

She laughed and shook her head. “You always have something to say.”

The sun was high when my father came out of the pack house. He looked serious, his gray hair shining under the light. Everyone respected Alpha Thomas Reed. He was a kind leader, but the wrinkles near his eyes had deepened over the past few years. I noticed the way he held his hands behind his back, like he was hiding something heavy.

“Father,” I said, walking toward him. “You look worried.”

He glanced around before speaking. “Abby, stay close to the house tonight.”

I frowned. “Why? It is the Moon Blood Celebration.”

He lowered his voice. “There are rumors.”

“What kind?”

He hesitated. “The Lycan King is traveling through the region.”

I froze. The laughter and chatter around us faded in my ears. “The Lycan King? Raze Donalds?”

“Yes,” he said. “He is meeting with the nearby councils. Some say he is searching for something… or someone.”

“Someone?” Rebecca asked, stepping closer. “Do you mean his mate?”

Father gave her a sharp look. “Do not spread it around. It is just a rumor.”

My heart beat faster. Everyone in the realm knew stories about the Lycan King. Raze Donalds was feared by packs and alphas alike. They said he once burned an entire rogue camp to the ground without blinking. They said his wolf had eyes of silver and could crush bones with his roar. No one had seen him smile.

“Why would he come here?” I asked softly.

Father sighed. “Our pack borders his northern territory. He may pass through on his way to the next council. But if he is searching for his mate, he will inspect every pack he visits.”

I swallowed hard. “Then I hope the goddess hides me.”

Rebecca snorted. “Abby, he will not pick you. You are too sweet for a king like that.”

“Good,” I said quickly.

“Still,” Father said, looking distant, “we will show respect if he comes. No one speaks unless spoken to. No one looks at him for too long. Understood?”

We both nodded. The warning in his tone made my stomach twist.

By sunset, the pack grounds glowed with lanterns. The moon rose bright and full, bathing everything in silver light. Drums echoed through the air as wolves danced and howled in rhythm. The festival was beautiful, but my joy felt thin.

Rebecca twirled beside me, her brown curls bouncing. “Come on, dance with me.”

I smiled faintly and joined her. “Only for a while.”

As we danced, I noticed my father speaking with some of the elders near the edge of the field. His brows were furrowed again. When I caught his eye, he motioned for me to stay close. That uneasy feeling returned.

After a while, Rebecca and I sat on the grass near the fire pit. She leaned toward me. “Do you think the rumor is true? That the Lycan King is looking for his mate?”

“I do not know,” I said. “But I hope he finds her somewhere far away.”

Rebecca laughed softly. “Imagine being mated to a king. You would be rich. You could wear silk every day.”

“I would rather be free,” I said.

She looked at me and sighed. “You really are hopeless.”

I smiled. “Maybe.”

We were quiet for a moment, watching sparks rise into the night sky. The moon seemed bigger than usual, glowing with a faint reddish hue. The elders said it meant the goddess was watching closely.

Rebecca nudged me. “Make a wish.”

I closed my eyes. Please, Luna Goddess, I thought. Let my life stay simple. Let me live quietly. Do not tie my fate to anyone cruel.

When I opened my eyes again, I saw my father walking toward me. His expression made my chest tighten.

“What is it?” I asked.

“Abby,” he said, voice low. “Inside. Now.”

“What happened?”

He looked around before answering. “A messenger arrived. The Lycan King’s convoy was seen an hour away.”

Rebecca’s mouth fell open. “Here? Tonight?”

“Yes,” Father said. “He sent word that he will rest at our pack house before dawn. The council meeting will be held here tomorrow.”

My heart dropped. “Why us?”

He shook his head. “It seems fate has chosen us.”

I stood up quickly. “Maybe he will not come inside. Maybe he will camp outside the borders.”

Father gave me a small, sad smile. “We can only hope.”

The rest of the night passed in a blur. The celebration continued, but no one was laughing anymore. The drums grew quieter. Conversations turned into whispers. Mothers pulled their children closer. The name Raze Donalds was enough to steal all joy from the air.

Rebecca walked beside me as we returned to the house. “What if he really is looking for his mate?”

“Then the goddess should hide me under the earth,” I said, half-joking.

She frowned. “You are not serious.”

“I am,” I whispered. “I have heard what kind of man he is. He does not want love. He wants control.”

Rebecca touched my arm. “You are overthinking it. Maybe he just wants peace between packs.”

I looked at her. “Do tyrants ever want peace?”

She had no answer.

When I entered my room, I sat by the window and stared at the moon. Its red tint seemed stronger now. I remembered what the elders said about the Blood Moon. It was a time when fated bonds revealed themselves. Wolves who had never met could feel their souls connect. Sometimes it was beautiful. Sometimes it was tragic.

I whispered softly, “Please, goddess, do not let it be me.”

The night air was cool. The wind carried the faint sound of hooves in the distance. It grew louder, mixed with the rhythm of marching feet. I peeked out the window and saw lights moving along the far road. Torches. Soldiers. A long convoy of dark vehicles shining under the moonlight.

Rebecca’s voice came from the doorway. “They are here.”

I turned to her. “Already?”

She nodded, eyes wide. “Alpha Thomas said everyone must stay inside until morning. He will meet the king alone.”

I nodded and shut the curtains. My hands were shaking.

Rebecca sat on the edge of my bed. “You are pale.”

“I am fine,” I said again, though my heart was racing. “Maybe he will not even notice us.”

She looked doubtful. “He is a Lycan. He can sense everything.”

We sat in silence for a while. The sound of the convoy drew closer, then stopped. The air felt heavier. My wolf stirred inside me, uneasy and alert.

Rebecca whispered, “Do you feel that?”

I nodded. “Power.”

It pressed against my skin like heat. Even from far away, it was strong. My pulse quickened. The whole house seemed to vibrate.

Rebecca shivered. “It is him.”

I gripped the window frame tightly. I could not see him, but I felt him. The presence was sharp and commanding, like a storm trapped in a man’s body. My wolf whimpered inside me, torn between fear and recognition.

Rebecca touched my shoulder. “Abby… your eyes.”

I blinked and looked at her. “What about them?”

“They are glowing.”

I stumbled back. “No. That cannot be.”

She nodded, her voice trembling. “They are. You are reacting to him.”

I shook my head in disbelief. “No. The goddess would not be that cruel.”

Outside, a deep growl echoed through the night. It was not near, but it reached us all the same. It was the kind of sound that silenced everything. My heart pounded so hard I thought it might break.

Rebecca whispered, “That was him, wasn’t it?”

I could not speak. I could only nod.

She stood up quickly. “I will tell your father.”

I grabbed her arm. “No. Do not. Not yet.”

“Abby, if the king is your mate—”

“He is not,” I said, almost shouting. “He cannot be.”

Rebecca stared at me for a long time, then sighed. “Pray you are right.”

When she left, I sat on the bed, shaking. I pressed my hands over my chest, trying to calm my racing heart. My wolf kept whispering one word in my mind.

Mate.

I bit my lip until it hurt. “No,” I whi

spered. “Please, no.”

Outside, the howling of the guards echoed through the forest. The Lycan King had arrived, and something deep inside me already knew. My life would never be the same again.