BLOODMOON: THE ALPHA'S FORBIDDEN LUNA

CHAPTER 3. THE ALPHA'S STRATEGY AND SPIES

"Yes, Your Majesty. As your advisor, I would like to say that everything they have spoken of is worthy of our approval and deserves our attention," Ariston replied to the Alpha.

"Then I shall assign half of our soldiers to guard every possible entrance that our enemies might use. In that way, no one among them will be able to sneak inside our palace," the Alpha immediately ordered, and the creatures present quickly followed his command.

After their meeting, the eyes that worked in the shadows—his spies and watchers throughout his entire kingdom—immediately returned to their duties. Meanwhile, he headed back toward the hall where his throne was located.

When Lucian reached the hall, he immediately sat upon his throne, a black seat with golden edges adorning every side. He took several documents, read them carefully, and stamped them after finishing. He also had letters that he intended to send, but after reading them, he burned them without hesitation.

A few moments later, the door suddenly opened, and his advisor, Ariston, entered.

"A message from one of our informants, my Alpha," Ariston said as he looked toward an elf who was kneeling before Lucian.

"My Alpha, we have spotted some of Travis's servants outside your kingdom. They come from a town that has not yet been conquered by our people. We questioned several residents there, and all of them gave the same answer.

According to them, the men who repeatedly return to their village are servants of Travis, waiting for the full moon so they can take the chosen woman who will become an offering to their king during the lunar ceremony.

They claim that this was an agreement made long ago between their ancestors and those aswang creatures so that they would be allowed to continue living. Every ten years, they must offer an eighteen-year-old woman to become Travis's sacrifice. According to the villagers, none of those who were offered ever returned," the elf reported to the Alpha.

"Who is this woman? Where does she live, and what is her background?" Lucian asked the man.

"She is a woman known for her arrogance and pride, someone who looks down on others. However, there is another woman living in their household named Vera. She has no one left in her life and only stays with them so she can have food and a place to sleep.

Despite this, they treat her cruelly. According to the people there, the family constantly abuses and mistreats her. In my opinion, Your Majesty, she is the one they intend to give as the offering, not their own daughter," the informant explained.

"Then we shall play along with them. Ariston, as my right hand and trusted advisor, I want you to bring the woman named Vera here. I am certain that she is the one they will offer to Travis's servants. Immediately," the Alpha ordered.

Ariston immediately followed his command. Using the Alpha's carriage, they traveled to the town where the woman named Vera lived.

Upon arriving, they went directly to the house where the woman stayed. When they reached the place, they knocked on the door. Moments later, it opened, revealing Vera standing before them.

"Who are you?" the young woman asked as she opened the door.

"We are here to take the offering," Ariston said directly.

The entire family immediately came outside and pushed the young woman forward. The force of the shove caused Vera to fall to the ground, but Ariston quickly approached her and helped her stand.

"That is the offering. And do not ever return to this household again," the woman of the house shouted.

Her daughter agreed with her, and they both slammed the door shut.

"I apologize that you had to witness how my family treats me. But it does not matter anymore. This is my last day alive, so there is nothing left for me to worry about. My suffering in this life will finally come to an end," the woman said, as if she had already accepted her fate of death.