Chapter Two
1097 Words
Chapter Two
The Sacrifice
The northern mountains howled that night.
A terrifying roar shook the entire Silver Crest Pack, rattling windows and sending fear through every home. Birds burst from the trees in frightened swarms while warriors rushed toward the borders with pale faces.
Aurora froze beside the kitchen well, the bucket slipping slightly from her trembling fingers.
Another roar echoed.
Closer this time.
The sound was inhuman.
Painful.
Furious.
Every werewolf in the pack immediately recognized it.
The cursed Alpha King.
“The monster is awake again,” one omega whispered fearfully.
“He killed twelve warriors last winter,” another muttered. “The northern border still reeks of blood.”
Aurora lowered her eyes and continued drawing water.
She had heard the stories her entire life.
The Alpha King who lost his humanity.
The beast who could no longer transform into a man.
The cursed ruler abandoned in the northern mountains because even his own pack feared him.
Some claimed his body had become permanently monstrous.
Others whispered that madness had consumed him completely.
But one thing remained true.
Whenever the cursed Alpha became enraged… people died.
Another roar thundered through the air.
This time, screams followed.
Panic erupted instantly.
“Close the gates!”
“Get the children inside!”
“Warriors to the northern border!”
Aurora stepped back as pack members ran past her in terror.
Then the pack alarm bell rang.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Emergency council meeting.
Her stomach tightened painfully.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
—
The council hall buzzed with fear and heated voices.
Aurora stood quietly near the back wall, clutching her old shawl tightly around herself while elders argued loudly.
“We cannot survive another attack!”
“He slaughtered half our patrol last month!”
“The cursed king is losing control!”
“He is demanding another offering!”
Aurora frowned slightly.
Offering?
At the center of the room, Alpha Raymond slammed his fist onto the table.
“Enough!” he barked. “Panic will solve nothing.”
Kai stood beside him, jaw tense.
Even Iris looked frightened.
One elder spoke carefully. “The northern pack messenger delivered the warning this morning.”
The room fell silent.
Aurora noticed several people avoid eye contact.
Unease crept into her chest.
The elder continued grimly, “The cursed Alpha’s pain grows worse every year. His beast has become unstable. If we do not appease him… he may descend upon every neighboring pack.”
Murmurs spread.
“He already destroyed the Black Moon Pack.”
“My cousin saw the bodies himself.”
“They said he tore through iron chains—”
“Silence!” Alpha Raymond roared again.
Aurora swallowed nervously.
Then another elder slowly stood.
“There is… one possible solution.”
The room became deathly quiet.
The old man’s eyes shifted toward Aurora.
And suddenly everyone else looked at her too.
Cold dread crawled down her spine.
“No…” she whispered instinctively.
“The prophecy girl,” the elder said carefully. “The cursed Alpha has reacted strangely to her scent before.”
Aurora’s breath caught.
Years ago, during a border gathering, the monstrous Alpha had briefly appeared from the forest.
Even from a distance, his terrifying growl had shaken everyone.
But when his glowing red eyes landed on Aurora…
He had gone silent.
The memory still haunted her.
“He did not attack her,” another elder murmured. “Perhaps the Moon Goddess intended this.”
Aurora stepped backward. “No…”
Her mother suddenly spoke.
“It makes sense.”
Aurora stared at her in disbelief.
“M-Mother?”
Her mother would not even look at her.
“She has no wolf,” she said coldly. “No purpose within this pack. If her existence can save Silver Crest, then she should be honored.”
Aurora felt as if someone had stabbed her chest.
Her father nodded slowly.
“The pack must come first.”
The betrayal hit harder than Kai’s rejection.
“You want to send me to that monster?” Aurora whispered shakily.
Nobody answered immediately.
That silence told her everything.
Fear rose violently inside her.
“They say he eats people,” she breathed. “They say he tears wolves apart with his bare teeth—”
“He only kills when enraged,” an elder corrected.
“That does not make it better!” Aurora cried.
A few pack members scoffed.
One woman rolled her eyes. “Why are you acting like your life matters more than the rest of ours?”
“Exactly.”
“You should be grateful the pack finally found a use for you.”
Aurora stared around the room in horror.
Not one person pitied her.
Not one.
Kai finally spoke.
“You should do this willingly.”
Aurora looked at him like she no longer recognized him.
“You cannot be serious.”
Kai’s face remained emotionless.
“If one life can save hundreds, then this is the logical choice.”
“One life?” Aurora laughed bitterly, tears filling her eyes. “You mean my life.”
Kai’s jaw tightened impatiently.
“You are being selfish.”
The words stole the air from her lungs.
Selfish?
After years of humiliation?
Years of slavery?
Years of being treated less than human?
Now they wanted her to walk willingly toward death.
Iris stepped forward gently, pretending concern.
“Aurora…” she said softly. “We’re all scared. But maybe this is why the Moon Goddess kept you alive.”
Aurora turned toward her slowly.
“You want me dead too?”
Iris flinched dramatically. “How can you say that?”
“Because you’re standing there watching them sacrifice me!”
Tears finally spilled down Aurora’s face.
Still, nobody moved toward her.
Nobody defended her.
Alpha Raymond exhaled heavily.
“The decision has been made.”
Aurora’s knees weakened.
“No…”
“You will be sent to the northern mountains at dawn.”
Her breathing became uneven.
“No, please…”
Her mother’s voice turned sharp. “Stop embarrassing yourself.”
Aurora stared at her own parents in devastation.
“You’re my family…”
Her father finally looked at her.
But there was no warmth in his eyes.
“Silver Crest must survive.”
That was all he said.
Aurora felt something inside her break completely.
Not anger.
Not sadness.
Something deeper.
The painful realization that nobody had ever truly loved her.
She had only ever been useful.
And now that she wasn’t…
They were feeding her to a monster.
- Writer
