Twice Claimed a Luna

The huts and trees burnt in a bright orange flame and cries of the wounded filled the air. Werewolves of all ages and genders ran helter-skelter in search of a safe space. Havoc fell upon the village like a heavy downpour of rain. Selene ran as fast as her legs allowed in search of her parents. She tripped right into a puddle of mud but picked herself up and kept running. Ignoring the thick brown mud that stained her long white dress. Her eyes burnt with tears and her heart raced with fear. “Mother! "Father!” She cried at the top of her lungs as she stopped to look left and then right. A giant wolf pounced on a young boy who ran towards his parents and ripped his head apart from his body. Thick red blood splashed across Selene's dress, but she didn't mind. She avoided the wolf as quickly as she could and dashed towards the next direction, away from the gory scene. Wolves pounced on wolves, killing each other and drenching the earth with red blood. The young pups ran for their lives, but their little legs were far from enough to carry them to safety. The rogues killed both young and old. Infant children and aging adults who can't walk without the aid of a stick. “Mother!” Selene screamed as she stopped in her tracks. A woman in a green dress now stained all over with blood turned around to cry. There were blood stains on her face as well. “Selene!” She bellowed. Selene ran towards the woman and threw her arms around her. “Mother! I was so scared!” A wolf approached them and shifted to his human form. It was her father, “Selene.” He cried as he went to hug his wife and daughter. “Mother, father, we have to leave! "Find refuge in the bushes or something, but we have to get out of here!” Selene hurriedly stated while trying to pull her parents along with her. “My darling,” her mother said softly. “We are the protectors of this village, we cannot abandon our pack and let them die.” “Your mother is right, my love,” her father added. “As alpha and Luna of our pack, we have to stay and fight. But you have to get to safety away from this havoc! "These rogues will not think twice to kill a young wolf like you!” Selene's eyes widened in shock. “What?! No! I am not going anywhere without you two! How can you ask me to leave you? You are my life! My--my reason for breathing and living and–” “Selene.” Her mother cut her off softly. She cupped her sweaty and teary cheeks in her hands. “You are the reason we live, and we would be fools to leave you on a battlefield when you are not ready. These rogues want everything we have, including our lives. They will kill us all and take our land! We will fight till our last breath, but you cannot stay.” Tears poured down Selene's face like a waterfall. “I cannot leave you.” She muttered against her mother's chest as she hugged her. Three wolves suddenly jumped towards them and Selene gasped. “Selene, go!” Her mother yelled and pushed her away. Her parents shifted to their wolf forms and faced the three rogue wolves that had attacked them. As much as Selene wanted to run, her feet remained glued to the ground and tears gushed down her face. Another mighty wolf joined the fight and ripped her mother's wolf front limb away. Selene shuddered, her spine grew cold as warm blood splashed across her face and into her mouth. All four wolves attacked her weak and wounded parents’ wolves right in front of her and all she could do was stand there. A hand suddenly gripped hers and pulled her along. She looked and noticed her best friend, Farah, holding her hand and running. Selene turned around only to see her parents being torn apart by the mighty wolves. Tears poured down her face, yet she didn't make a sound. The world had gone silent in her ears save for the high-pitched ringing in her head and the sound of her heartbeat slowing down. Farah tugged at her arm and she finally looked forward, away from the view of her parents being murdered, and she began to sob. Her chest ached, her wolf howled. Pain filled her body and Lorelei's, her wolf, as well as the loss of the only family they had left. Their lives as much as they knew it was over. Their village had been burnt down, their pack run down and murdered by powerful rogues. Selene ran faster. The faster she ran, the more the world returned to her. She felt water dripping against her body, drenching her clothes. She looked up with a hand over her teary face, it had begun to rain heavily. In an instant, the sound of the pouring rain became audible, as well as the sound of their feet against the muddy floor. Farah's tight grip on her arm felt as real as the pain in her heart. One looked behind her, and she saw a mighty black wolf with blood-red eyes running after them. Their own feet against the muddy floor slipped, and they almost fell severely, but the wolf's giant paws were ever so steady as it kissed the earth. Farah dashed around a corner, his hand still gripping Selene's tightly, and managed to escape from the sight of the giant wolf. They crouched down behind a large stone and hid themselves while holding their breaths. Selene pressed her hands over her mouth tightly to avoid being heard, although she was sure that if any wolf was close to them, the sound of her fast beating heart would give them away. Yet she prayed to the moon goddess to keep them properly hidden from their enemy. She wondered why that wolf that had led the attack on her parents was so fixed on killing her as well. But she shrugged off the thought because rogues had no reason to kill. They just did it for fun, especially the gruesome hoppers. That was what they called themselves. Her ears caught the sound of a wolf chasing off in another direction, and she finally breathed. “Are you okay?” Farah whispered in an out-of-breath manner. Selene managed a nod through the fear and anxiety that rushed through her body. Her eyes had never witnessed so many gory scenes at once! “There is a safe cave your parents built in case something like this ever happens. The only few surviving wolves are there already, and we had better get there before the sun begins to set. Wolves are at their strongest at night, the gruesome hoppers could hear us ten miles away without trying.” Selene nodded and rose to her feet. She remembered the cave, everyone in their pack knew about it. The day her parents built it, they were so anxious that they knew something like that would happen soon. She managed to walk as lightly as she could as she followed Farah to the cave. Other wolves were there indeed, bruised, uninjured, young and old. But Selene could count them all with one glance. That poor number was all that was left of her pack. Her family. The day went by in a flash. Stomachs grumbled angrily and throats ran dry. Neither of them had gotten a chance to eat anything that day and none dared to leave to find food. One step out of that cave could call death towards them and all were afraid. Selene, on the other hand, sat with her back pressed to the wall and eyes empty of tears. She wanted to keep mourning her parents, her friends, her pack, her future mate maybe, but her eyes were empty of tears. Yet her heart weighed with grief. A twig snapped under the light of the moon and all of them propped to their feet. Selene included. Fear filled every single part of them. Neither of them would be able to protect anyone, not even themselves. A few people, men and women, walked into the dark and cold cave and one of them stepped forward. “Please be at ease!” She announced in a loud voice. “I am a gamma from the dark moon pack. "We recently found out about the unfortunate incident that had happened to the silver wood pack," and we wish to help.” The remaining few of the silver wood pack were feeling hesitant. Though they knew or rather had heard of the good deeds of the dark moon pack from their elders and alpha, they were all dead now, so there was no one to ask. “Is this everyone?” a young man asked. One from the dark moon pack. “Are you sure there are no survivors out there hiding somewhere in the woods?” “We do not know.” Selene managed a response while hugging herself. “Do not fear, our scouts will survey the land and bring in anyone still breathing. Our alpha offers you refuge in our land out of his good heart. If you come with us, we will offer you bread, cheese and water on the way.” At the mention of food, the people immediately gave in. Even Selene felt her stomach growl just then and her mouth water. As the daughter of the alpha, the people were hers now. So she had to make the right decision for everyone. She stepped forward. “We will go with you. May the light of the moon shine on your alpha.”