The Alpha's Cinderella

Venari Lunae

“Wake up!”

Eliza’s eyes shot open as she breathes hard. The first thing she saw was not the warm brown eyes of Keith nor was the woods but a white ceiling. Her fingers clutched onto the thing she was laying on and felt softness instead of wet grass. Then everything came rushing to her and let out a sigh.

After a few moments of her silences, a meek voice spoke up beside her.

“Eliza?”

Eliza turned her head and saw Nathan, now older but his baby look still clung to him, looked at her worriedly.

Eliza smiled at Nathan before she grabbed him, placing him in her lap before she started tickling him.

“Eliza! Eliza stop! Please!” Nathan squealed as he begs Eliza to stop.

After a few more tickles, Eliza finally stopped.

“What’s up little man? Why-,” Eliza yawned. “Why did you wake me up so early?”

“Maria asked me to wake you up, said she had something important to tell you.”

Eliza frowned. “This early in the morning?”

“It’s already twelve at the noon,” Nathan said over his shoulder while he walked out of the door.

Eliza sat up. “What?!”

Nathan pops his head back in. “Oh yeah, happy birthday big sis. Love ya!”

With that, Nathan closed the door with a bang.

Eliza unlocked her phone and checked the date. As Nathan said, it is her birthday today.

Not wanting Maria to wait too long, she did her morning routine and went downstairs.

“Maria?” Eliza called.

“Kitchen!”

Eliza walked to the kitchen and bit into an apple she plucked from the fruit bowl.

“Heya Maria.”

“That’s it? No ‘good morning Maria, how’s your morning?’ Or maybe a ‘Did you sleep well last night?’” Maria said as she worked around the kitchen, her dark curly hair was tied in a bun.

Eliza laughed. “Ok then.” Eliza cleared her throat. “Maria, my savior, my Goddess, my world. Goooood Morning,”

Maria laughed, “Nice try dear, but it’s already noon.”

“Darn it.”

They shared a laughed before Eliza asked. “Oh yeah, Nate told me you have something to tell me, what is it?”

Maria’s back stiffened before she sighed.

“Well Eliza, have you ever heard about the Venari Lunae?” Maria said as she scooped up the eggs she prepared for Eliza.

Eliza took a bite off of her apple. “Vela what now?”

Maria chuckled as she placed Eliza’s late breakfast in front of her. “Not vela, dear but Venari Lunae. It means The Hunt of the Moon.” Maria kissed Eliza’s crown. “And happy birthday.”

Eliza smiled at Maria while picking up a fork. “What’s that?”

“It’s an old tradition held every year to help unmated wolf to find their mate.”

Eliza hummed again but she was focusing on her food instead of Maria.

“Since you’re already 18 and that’s the age you can join,”

“Mmmhmm…”

“You have to join this year.”

“Yeah-What?!?!” Eliza looked up, shock all over her face.

“Did you listened to a word I said?” Maria turned around from the sink with her arms on her hips.

Eliza swallowed down her chewed eggs and nodded. But the truth is that she had just been enjoying her eggs and only listened to the last part.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. I did. Something about old tradition and stuff.”

Maria sighed. “It’s not just that.”

Maria walked over and sat down beside her.

“You can skip all the other events as much as you want but this cannot be overlooked.”

Eliza pouted. “But why?”

Maria sighed. “’ Cause unlike the other events, this one is the most respected one out of all the other events.”

“But what makes it so special?” Eliza whined.

Before Maria could reply, another voice beat her to it. “Because this event is created by the Moon Goddess herself.” 

They turned to the kitchen entrance and saw Keith leaning by the door frame.

“Happy birthday Eliza.”

“Thanks, and what do you mean ‘created by the Moon Goddess herself?”

Keith walked over and gave Maria a sweet peck. “Like what that phrase said, the Moon Goddess created it herself when the werewolves started decreasing because of the Hunt of the Blood. So, she created another hunt to counter the previous hunt. Not only that, on the chosen full moon, every unmated wolf from 18 and above will feel a pull to hunt for their mates.”

Eliza nodded. “Ok, so it’s an event where you find your mate and that’s it? Why are the wolves taking it so seriously?” Eliza crossed her arms. “I don’t even want a mate anyway.”

Keith sighed. “That’s just it, not only it’s created by OUR creator but there’s an old legend that said if you failed to join the Hunt, your whole pack will be cursed and the Hunt of the Blood will return and this time, there is no cure.”

“How do you know it’s real?” Eliza countered.

“Well, we didn’t believe it too but a few hundred years ago, there was one Omega that didn’t want to join the Hunt too, so she ran away andddd you know what happened next.”

Eliza nodded.

“At first there were a few werewolves that died without reason and the whole werewolf committee shrugged it off. But then at one of the conferences, all of the packs reported that it happened to all of them. They didn’t believe it was the curse but when they saw one of the wolves presents died all of a sudden then they concluded it. They hired a witch who was mated to one of the werewolves asked for her help to contact the Moon Goddess. The witch burned a few stuff and when the fire dimmed, there was a bottle of potion with a noted burned on the forest ground. ‘Find the traitor and feed her this and all will be well.’”

Eliza gulped. “What was the potion?”

“No one knows. But when they did track down that Omega, they tied her up and feed her the potion. It was recorded that the Omega didn’t scream or writhed, it was like the potion was painless.”

“Then what happened to the Omega?” Eliza asked.

“It said that the Omega turned into a wolf fully without a human conscious and ran away. The found her body, skinned and left to rot after a successful hunt from a few human hunters.”

Eliza’s mind flashed an image of a white wolf, her wolf’s color, getting hunt down and skinned alive.

Eliza shivered and sighed. “So, if I don’t join, I’ll not only be shunned by the whole pack but also curse the whole werewolf committee and die?”

Maria and Keith exchanged glances. “Pretty much, yeah.”

Eliza sighed. “Fine, I won’t run away. But don’t expect me to come out of the Hunt with an Alpha.”

“With a personality as fierce as yours? I won’t dream of it.” Keith laughed.

Eliza and Maria laughed at him. Then Eliza glanced at the kitchen clock and gasped. “Dang! I have to meet up with Ronny by two and it’s almost two! Gotta go, love ya, miss ya!”

With that Eliza run out of the house.

Right as Eliza’s foot left the door, she shifted into a wolf and ran. (A/N, when they shift, their clothes won’t tear and when they shifted back their clothes stay intact. The reason is because…magic.)

The pack greeted her as she passes by them and she howls in respond. The woods weren’t that far away from her house so she made it to the spot where she’s gonna meet her friend in record time.

“Why are you late?”

But she’s still late. By a minute.

“Chill Ronny, it’s only a minute!” Eliza laughed after she shifted back. She crossed her arm and looked at her friend who snapped the book in his hand close.

“You think the great Ronald Mendes has a minute to spare for you?” Ronny, whose real name is Ronald scoffed and sassed as he flicks his wavy raven fringe.

“Of course!” Eliza plopped down beside Ronald under a shady tree. “I’m your best friend! And best friends have privileges.”

Ronald hummed. “You got a point there.”

They looked at each other for a minute before bursting into laughter.

“So, how’s the birthday girl holding up?”

Eliza groaned and plopped her upper body on Ronald’s lap.

“Oh it was great and all until the topic Vela tuna something was brought up.” Eliza pouted as she looked up at Ronald with puppy eyes. “Why didn’t you warn me about that thing?”

Ronald laughed and tapped Eliza’s forehead. “It’s Venari Lunae, Eliza. Don’t let the elders hear you repeat what you called the most respected event or they’ll skin you and make you into their carpet.”

Eliza scrunched up her nose. “I like to see them try.” Eliza huffed and crossed her arms. “I know it’s special and all, Keith and Maria kinda drilled it into my brain just now but I just don’t get what’s so special about going into a hunt and mate a stranger!?”

Ronald sighed. “It’s tradition, Elly and what’s so bad about mating a total stranger? It’s a person the Moon Goddess destine you with! It probably loves at first sight!”

Eliza looked up at Ronald and sighed. Ronald is a typical hopeless romantic that cries while reading Shakespeare’s books. Every. Single. Time.

Eliza sat up. “But what if the person you destine with is a criminal? Or a meanie or, or a rude ass bastard!”

Ronald shrugged. “But what if the person you destine with is a total sweetheart? Or a brave Alpha? Or a kind person?” Ronald wrapped his arms around Eliza. “Stop being so negative! Well, if you don’t like the person the Moon Goddess destine you with, you could always say no.”

Eliza scoffed. “And have the whole werewolf community hate me? NO thank you.”

“Well, they won’t hate you if you make them hate the other party first right?”

Eliza looked at a smirking Ronald and laughed. “It’s because these sly comments remind me why you’re my best friend.”

Ronald let go of Eliza with a scandalous gasp. “It’s not because of my unrivaled beauty in all the Omegas that you befriended me in the first place? That’s it! Our friendship is ruined.”

Eliza laughed and wrapped her arms around Ronald before Ronald can walk away.

“Yeah, yeah. I befriended you because of your beauty and wanted to know the secret to it and end up falling more for your awesome personality.”

Ronald huffed. “That’s more like it.”

They laughed.

The best friends chatted and catch up with each other’s life until the sun almost set and they separated to get ready for the Venari Lunae.

-Time skip-

“Do I have to wear this?”

Eliza looked at the mirror and pulled at the collar around her neck.

“Yes dear. It’s to protect you.” Maria said.

“From what?”

“From the Alphas. The Hunt enhanced the Alpha’s instinct and they may not be able to control themselves from mating Omegas without their consent.” Keith said. He turned around and was met with a wide-eyed Eliza.

“Okayy, nice pep talk. Now I know not only I have to hide away from Alphas, but I also have to fight them. Good to know.”

Keith sighed and patted Eliza’s shoulder. “Not all Alphas, only the arrogant ones. There are good Alphas Eliza, you don’t have to hide from them.”

Eliza picked up Keith’s hand from her shoulder and drop it. “Yeah, you’re not convincing me.”

Keith huffed. “Well, better try than nothing. Right, dear?”

Maria laughed and kissed Keith’s cheek. “You know nothing will stop her if she’s got her head into something.”

Then they heard a loud bang.

“That’s the signal,” Keith said and then turned to Eliza. He put both his hands on her shoulder and gave her a light squeeze. “Good luck.”

“And kick some arrogant Alphas’ ass.”

The three of them turned around and saw Nathan with his teddy bear.

Eliza laughed and walked over to ruffle Nathan’s hair. “Ay-eye, kiddo!”

After bidding goodbye to the three of them, Eliza was on her way.

-Time skip-

It wasn’t long before Eliza reached a clearing where a bunch of unclaimed wolves gathers around.

Eliza looked around before she saw Ronald waving his hands like crazy.

“Over here! Eli!”

Eliza laughed and jogged towards him.

“What’s up, Ronny.”

Ronald sighed and looked up at the sky dreamily. “Oh, nothing, just the Moon Goddess and her paradise.”

“Real romantic, Ronny.”

“CHILDREN!”

Eliza, Ronald and the other wolves who are gathered here looked towards where the voice boomed from and was met with their Head Alpha standing on a platform.

“Same rules as the Hunt before. Omegas and Sub Betas are not allowed to remove their collar unless they had chosen their Alphas. Alphas and Dom Betas are not allowed to kill one another. Alphas and Dom Betas are not allowed to hurt the Omegas and Sub Betas to submit them to be your mate. AM I CLEAR?!”

“Yes, Head Alpha!”

“Good. LET THE HUNT, BEGIN! Omegas and Sub Betas, please proceed to the front line.”

“See you at sunrise,” Eliza said and fist-bumped with Ronald.

Eliza and Ronald get into their placed and shifted into their wolves.

Eliza shook her pale white fur while the blonde wolf beside her playfully pounced her.

Eliza shook Ronald off and gently snarled at him. Ronald chirrups happily and went back to his place.

“On your mark, get set, GO!” The Head Alpha shouted and banged the drum in front of him.

Eliza kicked her hind legs from the ground and disappeared into the woods.

-Time skip-

Eliza had been running for a long while and that’s when she heard another bang of the drum.

Eliza growled and ran faster. She ran until she reached a stream.

She jumped into the stream to clear her scent and continued running when she got out of the stream. She ran for a few minutes until she certain that no wolf followed her.

Eliza spotted a small pond and jogged over to have a drink. After that, she lay beside the pond, all the running made her tried. Eliza tried staying awake but she was so tired and it was way past her bedtime. So Eliza closed her eyes and took a catnap.

But before she could drift into dreamland, she heard a snap.

‘Well, well. Who do we have here?’ A voice spoke in Eliza’s head.

Eliza stood up and growled.

‘Who’s there? Show yourself.’

The voice chuckled. ‘How bold of you to order me.’

Then a big black wolf with silver eye walked out from the woods. Yes, eye. Only one silver eye shone under the moonlight, the other eye was shut closed.

‘You’re in my property, little girl.’

Eliza huffed and snarled. ‘Who are you calling ‘little girl’ you bastard.’

The black wolf was taken aback. ‘You’re… you’re not afraid?’

Eliza tilted her head. ‘Why would I be? You’re a wolf, I’m a wolf. What’s there to be afraid about?’

The black wolf’s eye shone then it narrowed.

‘I heard it’s the Venari Lunae today. I want to take you as my mate.’

Now it was Eliza’s turn to be taken aback at the wolf’s boldness.

‘Erm, how about, no’

The black wolf snarled. ‘I wasn’t asking.’

Then he pounced.

Eliza yelped and jumped away just in time.

Without looking back, Eliza started running.

‘There’s no use running away little girl. I will catch you.’

‘Go the f**k away, you damn bastard!’

Eliza kept running and when she saw the stream from before, instead of jumping into the stream, she jumped over it and run. But after a minute, she stopped hearing the loud thumping of paws behind her.

She turned around and saw the black wolf stopping at the stream. The black wolf sniffed the stream and growled.

Eliza cheered in victory. There was a border! He doesn’t have permission to cross.

‘Don’t celebrate so early, little girl. I will find you no matter what. Just you see.’

Eliza huffed. ‘I like to see you try.’

The black wolf chuckled. ‘Be careful of what you wish, little girl.’

With that, the black wolf turned and ran back.

Eliza huffed and ran back together with the sun.