Episode 8: The Invitation (David POV)
1330 Words
It had been three months since my father, the Alpha, passed away.
I sat alone in my office, lost in the precious memories of my childhood with my family and pack. Every corner of the room reminded me of him, and despite the responsibilities that now rested on my shoulders, the emptiness in my heart remained.
A knock on the door pulled me back to reality.
"Come in."
One of the omegas stepped inside and respectfully bowed before handing me an elegant envelope sealed with the crest of the Royal Pack.
"The Royal Pack sent this for you, Alpha."
I nodded, dismissing him after taking the envelope.
As expected, it was an invitation.
In the werewolf kingdom, the Royal Packs were descendants of the first blessed bloodlines chosen by the Moon Goddess herself. They possessed extraordinary gifts far beyond those of ordinary werewolves. Our families have shared a close friendship since my grandparents' time.
Breaking the seal, I unfolded the letter.
Dear Alpha of the Moon Forest Pack,
With great anticipation, I warmly invite you to the grand celebration of my twentieth birthday, marking my official transition into a mature she-wolf.
Every Alpha across the kingdom has been invited, but among them all, I sincerely hope you will honor me with your presence.
With love,
Lauren
A blank expression settled on my face.
Lauren and I had grown up together as childhood friends. It had been nearly a year since we last met.
During our childhood, we had once made an innocent promise that we would marry when we came of age. To me, it had always been nothing more than a childish vow. I had always seen her as a dear friend—almost like a sister.
However, I knew she had always carried feelings for me.
Since leaving for my Alpha training, I had rarely thought of her beyond our friendship.
As I folded the invitation and placed it on my desk, the door opened once again.
"Hey, Boss. Want to go for a jog?"
It was my Beta.
His eyes immediately landed on the invitation in my hand.
"What's that?"
Before I could answer, he snatched it from my hand.
A mischievous grin spread across his face.
"Oh! It's from Lauren—your future wife."
He laughed.
I shot him a warning glare, instantly wiping the smile off his face.
"Ahem... Well," he cleared his throat, "if you ask me, marrying Lauren has plenty of advantages."
I leaned back in my chair, silently waiting for him to continue.
"She belongs to the Royal bloodline. Marrying her would strengthen your position among the Alphas. Our pack would also benefit greatly from an alliance with the Royals. And think about your future pups. They'll inherit royal blood—one of the rarest and most powerful bloodlines in our world."
His eyes sparkled with excitement.
I simply shook my head, took the invitation back, and locked it inside my drawer.
"Then why don't you marry her instead?"
He sighed dramatically.
"I wish I could. I would've accepted the proposal in a heartbeat if only she could take her eyes off you."
A faint smile escaped me before disappearing just as quickly.
"Unless she is my mate, I can't accept her in that way."
He sighed.
"You still believe in the mate bond?"
"I do."
I looked out the window toward the endless forest.
"I've always looked forward to meeting my true mate—the one chosen by the Moon Goddess herself. I'm willing to wait for her."
I looked back at him with a teasing smile.
"Unlike someone I know who doesn't care about his mate and spends his free time chasing every she-wolf in the kingdom."
He burst into laughter.
"Hey! Those she-wolves chase me, not the other way around."
I rolled my eyes.
"My mate hasn't appeared yet. Until then, I'm free to enjoy my life. It's not like I'm betraying her."
He crossed his arms.
"Besides... what if you never find your mate? We're already of age, and neither of us has found ours."
"I have complete faith in the Moon Goddess."
I smiled confidently.
"I'll find her someday."
He smirked.
"Or maybe tomorrow."
I frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"Tomorrow is Lauren's birthday celebration."
He leaned against my desk.
"I heard many powerful families will be attending with their daughters. Who knows? Your mate might be among them."
He paused before adding,
"And tomorrow is also the Night of the Blood Red Moon."
The moment he mentioned it; an uneasy feeling settled deep inside me.
The Blood Red Moon was both sacred and feared by every werewolf.
On that night, our wolf instincts became stronger than ever before.
Those unable to control themselves often lost their sanity, becoming violent beast’s incapable of distinguishing friend from foe.
However, those with unwavering self-control were said to receive the blessing of the Moon Goddess herself. Many believed that if one prayed sincerely in the sacred mountains under the Blood Moon, they might even witness the Moon Goddess's divine presence.
Breaking the silence, I looked at my Beta.
"Ask one of the female omegas to purchase a suitable birthday gift for Lauren."
He saluted playfully.
"Yes, Alpha."
Just as he reached the door, it suddenly burst open.
"Alpha!"
One of the patrol warriors rushed inside, breathing heavily.
His eyes widened upon seeing my Beta.
"Beta... you're here too."
"What happened?" I demanded.
"It's your brother..."
He looked toward my Beta with panic.
"When we were patrolling near the eastern gate, a group of vampires attacked us. Your younger brother was badly injured."
Without wasting another second, we rushed out of the office, followed by several of our strongest warriors.
A few kilometers from the main entrance, near the riverbank marking our territory, we found him.
My Beta froze.
His younger brother lay motionless on the ground; his body soaked in blood.
"No..."
He ran forward and collapsed beside him.
His brother had only recently turned sixteen. His wolf had not fully awakened yet.
As we carefully examined his body, countless bite marks covered his neck, shoulders, and arms.
There was no doubt.
Vampires.
Our oldest and most bloodthirsty enemies.
It had been nearly a decade since they last dared to cross into our territory.
Why now?
Why attack one of my pack members?
We immediately carried him back to the pack clinic.
After a thorough examination, the omega doctor slowly lowered his head.
"I'm sorry, Alpha..."
He hesitated.
"He has lost too much blood. Although he survived, the trauma has left him in a vegetative state."
The room fell silent.
A heartbreaking cry echoed through the clinic.
My Beta clenched his fists before suddenly shifting into his massive black wolf and bolting into the forest.
I immediately shifted and followed him.
Deep within the woods, I found him repeatedly smashing his claws against a large boulder, ignoring the blood pouring from his paws.
I quickly shifted back into my human form and grabbed his shoulders.
"Chris!"
He stopped.
"This isn't the way."
His chest rose and fell rapidly.
"Doing this won't bring your brother back."
Tears streamed down his face.
"He is my little brother..."
His voice broke.
"I still had so much to teach him."
He collapsed to his knees.
"How am I supposed to face our parents when they return from their vacation?"
I placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"It wasn't your fault."
I looked him straight in the eyes.
"He is my brother too."
My voice hardened.
"And I swear... whoever did this will pay."
He finally broke down, sobbing uncontrollably.
After giving him a moment to calm down, I helped him to his feet.
"Come on."
"We'll return to the pack house."
"We'll gather the elders and warriors."
"And together..."
"We'll hunt down every last vampire responsible for this."
Without another word, we returned to the pack house, where an emergency council meeting was immediately called to plan our retaliation against the bloodthirsty vampires.
- Writer
