Chapter 11 : The Moonblood Heir
838 Words
Rain began to fall over the werewolf village.
The steady rhythm of water against the wooden rooftops was the only sound for several minutes. Inside the cabin, no one spoke. Elena remained frozen, staring at the journal lying open in her lap.
"Your father wasn't an ordinary man... He was the Alpha of the Moonborn Pack..."
She read the sentence again.
And again.
It still didn't feel real.
"I don't understand," she whispered. "If my father was the Alpha of the Moonborn Pack... why didn't he raise me?"
Seraphina lowered herself into an old rocking chair beside the fireplace.
"Because he never had the chance."
Elena looked up.
"What do you mean?"
Kael leaned against one of the wooden pillars.
"My father told me stories about the previous Alpha."
"What was his name?"
Seraphina smiled sadly.
"His name was Rowan Hart."
"Hart?" Elena frowned.
"My mother's surname."
"He took Audrey's surname after they married."
Elena's eyes widened.
"So they really loved each other."
"They loved each other enough to unite two races that had been enemies for centuries."
Mara looked confused.
"Witches and werewolves?"
Seraphina nodded.
"Your parents believed that peace between the supernatural races was possible."
"What happened?"
"The vampires happened."
---
Twenty Years Earlier
Lightning split the night sky.
A younger Rowan stood at the entrance of Raven Hollow Forest, surrounded by dozens of werewolves.
Beside him stood Audrey Hart, her hands glowing with brilliant blue magic.
Across the battlefield stood hundreds of vampires.
Leading them...
Damien.
"Hand over the child," Damien called.
Audrey tightened her grip on the newborn wrapped in her arms.
"Never."
Damien smiled.
"You'd rather let your daughter die than give her to me?"
Rowan transformed instantly into a massive silver wolf.
His roar shook the forest.
The battle began.
Magic exploded through the trees.
Werewolves clashed with vampires beneath the Blood Moon.
Audrey ran deeper into the forest, holding her daughter tightly.
She reached a small cottage.
Margaret opened the door.
"Take her," Audrey cried.
"What?"
"Take Elena!"
Margaret stared at the baby.
"But—"
"No questions."
Audrey kissed her daughter's forehead.
"I love you more than you'll ever know."
Then she placed the silver locket around the baby's neck.
"If she survives..."
"...tell her we never abandoned her."
Audrey turned and ran back toward the battlefield.
It was the last time anyone ever saw Rowan alive.
---
Elena wiped tears from her cheeks.
"They both died protecting me."
Seraphina nodded.
"Your mother escaped the battle."
"What?"
"Everyone believed she died that night."
"So she lived?"
"For several years."
Elena's heart skipped.
"Then why..."
"She spent those years hiding you."
"Changing towns."
"Changing names."
"Running from Damien."
Elena closed the journal.
"I never knew."
"She wanted it that way."
---
Outside the cabin, thunder rolled across the valley.
A young werewolf burst through the front door.
"Alpha!"
Kael immediately stood.
"What is it?"
"The scouts have returned."
"And?"
"They found something."
Everyone followed the young wolf outside.
The village square was crowded.
Several scouts stood around a bloodstained cloak.
Kael knelt beside it.
His face hardened.
"This belongs to a hunter."
Another scout stepped forward.
"Not just any hunter."
He handed Kael a silver pendant shaped like a crimson cross.
Kael's expression darkened.
"Elias."
"What happened?"
The scout swallowed.
"We found an entire Crimson Cross camp."
"There were over thirty hunters."
Elena looked around.
"Where are they now?"
The scout's voice trembled.
"They're all dead."
Silence fell over the village.
"Dead?" Mara repeated.
"What could kill thirty hunters?"
The scout pointed toward the forest.
"We found... footprints."
"Werewolves?"
Kael asked.
The scout slowly shook his head.
"No."
"Vampires?"
Again...
"No."
Everyone stared at him.
"What then?"
The scout took a deep breath.
"The footprints..."
"...were human."
---
Miles away, beneath Raven Hollow...
Elias Cross crawled across the cold stone floor.
His uniform was torn.
His face was covered in blood.
Every breath was agony.
He reached the entrance of an ancient underground chamber.
"Please..." he whispered.
"I've done everything you asked."
Darkness answered him.
Then...
A figure stepped forward.
Tall.
Dressed in a black cloak.
His face hidden beneath a hood.
Only his glowing crimson eyes could be seen.
Elias lowered his head.
"My lord..."
The stranger removed one glove.
His hand looked perfectly human...
Except for the black veins spreading beneath his skin.
"You failed."
Elias trembled.
"I can still bring you the girl."
"You've had twenty years."
"I know."
"Please..."
The stranger smiled.
It wasn't the smile of a vampire.
Or a man.
It was something far older.
"You still don't understand."
"I no longer need you."
Elias' eyes widened.
"W-what?"
The cloaked figure reached forward...
...and touched Elias' forehead.
Instantly, Elias screamed.
His body began turning to ash.
Within seconds...
Nothing remained but his silver cross.
The stranger picked it up.
He looked toward the ceiling, where the distant heartbeat of Raven Hollow echoed through the earth.
"The Moonblood Heir has finally returned."
His crimson eyes glowed brighter.
"And soon..."
"...every kingdom of the night will kneel."
- Writer
