LUNA EMYRALSA

Chaptertwo

Growing up, I had always felt like the ugly duckling compared to my mother's graceful swan-like beauty. She was the type of woman who could walk into a room and immediately command attention, while I was content to blend into the background. But despite our differences, we shared an unbreakable bond, forged through years of laughter, tears, and shared secrets.

And now, as I stood by her hospital bed, holding her frail hand and watching as her chest rose and fell in shallow breaths, I couldn't help but think how unfair it all was. How could someone so full of life and beauty be reduced to this shell of a person? How could I possibly go on without her?

I was different from my mother in more ways than one. While she was a fully realized Luna, one of the most powerful in our entire blood moon pack, I was just a werewolf who had never morphed into her wolf form since birth.

When I was born, everyone had believed I would be just like my mother. But as time went by and I showed no signs of my wolf side, I became an outcast. My step-father and other top members of the pack saw me as a failure and constantly reminded me that I would never amount to anything.

My mother was the only one who believed in me. But as I watched them transform into their wolf forms to defend our pack against the bloodthirsty Lycans that had suddenly appeared, I couldn't help but agree with them. Maybe they were right. Maybe I was a failure after all.

But as the battle raged on and our pack started to lose ground, I realized that I couldn't just stand by and watch my family and friends get hurt. I had to do something. So, with all the courage I could muster, I stepped forward and yelled for everyone to stop fighting.

To my surprise, they all turned to me, including the Lycans. And that's when I felt it - a surge of power unlike anything I had

But that wasn't all that made me different from my mother. She was a fully realized Luna, with powers and strengths that surpassed the rest of the pack. She was fierce and confident, a true leader. And then there was me, the werewolf who had never morphed into her wolf form since she was born.

I had always felt like an outsider amongst my own kind. The other werewolves would tease and taunt me, calling me a "half-breed" or a "weakling." My mother would defend me, but I could see the disappointment in her eyes. She had high hopes for me, to be her successor as the leader of the blood moon pack.

But as I grew older, it became clear that I lacked the same abilities as my mother. I couldn't shift into my wolf form, no matter how hard I tried. It was a constant source of shame and frustration for me.

My mother, knowing how much it pained me, would try to reassure me. "You have your own strengths, my dear," she would say. But deep down, I knew that it wasn't enough. I wanted to be like her, to feel the rush of power and freedom that came with shifting into my wolf form.

But for now, I was stuck in my human form, unable to fully embrace my true identity. And as I made my way towards the pack's meeting hall, I couldn't help but feel like an imposter amongst my own kind. Would they ever accept me for who I truly was? Or would I forever be an outcast?

The only person who believed in me was my mother, but then as I watched them transform into their wolf forms to defend my pack against the bloodthirsty Lycans that had appeared out of nowhere, I couldn’t but agree that they were right.

My mother, the Alpha of our pack, had always been a strong and fierce leader. She had taught me everything I knew about being a werewolf, from controlling my shifting to protecting our pack with all my might. But now, as I watched her and the rest of our pack being slaughtered by the Lycans, I couldn't help but feel helpless and overwhelmed.

"Run away, Lyra," My mother had said as she pushed me into the dark and cold night. "We are all counting on you."

Tears streamed down my face as we bid each other farewell, and when I turned around, I saw the Lycans outnumbering her. With a heavy heart, I had no choice but to run away and leave my pack to die without mercy.

As I ran, my breaths became heavy and my feet grew tired. But I kept pushing forward, praying that the Lycans wouldn't pick up my scent and find me.

Finally, after what seemed like hours of running, I stopped to catch my breath. But then I heard voices in the distance and my heart sank. The Lycans were getting closer.

"Now we've picked all we need to work in the woods," one of them said. "We just need to find this Luna and return to the pack before these Lycans show up and feast on us."

"And then I thought you were the brave one," another chipped in.

"Bravery doesn't mean I'll have to sacrifice myself," a third voice joined in. "If not for this curse that had come upon the werewolf clan, this is just the perfect night to be with a mate in bed. How I wish I could just meet one female in these

I suppressed a sneeze, trying to breathe inside the box as I felt the box she was in being lifted from the floor. My limbs were cramped and my head was pounding from the lack of oxygen, but I kept my eyes closed and remained still, hoping that the Alpha wouldn't notice me.

I could hear muffled voices outside the box, but I couldn't make out what they were saying. I tried to count the minutes – or hours – I spent scrounged up in the box, but in spite of my awkward position, I soon fell asleep.

When I woke up, the box was still and I had a feeling it had been placed on the floor. My heart slammed against my chest for the second time that day as I realized that I was in the presence of none other than Alpha Jared, the leader of the Werewolf pack.

“Alpha Jared, these are the boxes you asked us to get you,” I heard one of the Werewolves say, their voice full of deference.

“And Emyralsa? Did you find her?” Alpha Jared's deep voice boomed through the room, causing me to shiver violently inside the confined space.

I held my breath, praying that the Werewolves wouldn't reveal my presence in the box. My muscles screamed and my lungs burned, but I knew I had to remain still and hope that the Alpha wouldn't request for the boxes to be opened.

The darkness in the box made me feel like I was seeing snow flurries whip around me like needles. Just then, I felt someone opening the box I was in.

I gasped as the light filtered through the box and then a massive figure stepped forward, blocking out the light. Alpha Jared loomed over me, his piercing gaze searching the box.

My heart hammered in my chest as I braced myself for whatever fate awaited me.