The Alpha Who Marked Me Before I Was Born

The Twenty-First Night

It was finally the Red Moon Festival. I had prayed and hoped that maybe, just maybe, it was today. Maybe I would shift.

As the time hit midnight, there were the morning rituals to appease the souls of the dead. I couldn’t join. My parents had gone out after coming to kiss me each, a way to tell me they cared. I stayed in, keeping watch all night from my window.

Families were already out, excited about the day.

On each Red Moon Festival, everyone in our pack remained in their wolf form for 24 hours. It was usually a work-free day, and most stayed outside to fight, play, and pray. Children younger than me were out there in wolf form, soon to play games, some discovering their mate bond tonight. But I stayed indoors, because a part of me wasn’t fully like them. I was just existing in their world, or so I felt.

I stayed in and tried multiple times to shift, but every attempt failed. I couldn’t even change.

I got down and cried, cried so much I could feel my heart racing. My head spun, and I started hearing chants in my mind. My head throbbed painfully. I had to cover my ears with both hands, but it was still as loud as ever. I struggled, crawling into my bed, burying my face in my pillow, letting out a muffled scream. After my scream, silence returned…

until the pain started again.

Pain all over me.

Was I shapeshifting?

I anticipated the crack, the fur, my wolf… but instead, I got pain, unexplainable pain in my shoulder. I held it in, as it was aching extra tonight, but I still endured. I anticipated it summoning the strength.

Then a sharp crack shot through my shoulder, as if it were splitting apart. I gasped and grabbed it, but the pain didn’t stop. It spread through my arms and legs, twisting my body painfully. My heart pounded so hard I thought it might burst.

Everything around me blurred. Shadows seemed to move. My bones felt like they were burning. A low growl came from my throat, strange and deep. My fingers twitched, as claws might form, but nothing happened.

I didn’t shift.

So I rolled out of my bed and curled myself by the wall. I hated the Red Moon Festival because I couldn’t participate in any form of it, and it showed me just how different I was because I hadn’t shifted.

And it hit me that Arthur wouldn’t wait any longer. He had been waiting and risking himself for a lone wolf like me.

Maybe I should let him go. But if I did, who would I trust again? Whom would I tell that I had never shifted and still stick around? I stayed in the same position for so long, crying until I fell asleep.

The room was dark. I was in a cage. I could hear footsteps. I was scared; my heart was racing. Once the steps stopped in front of me, I tried to look up, but I couldn’t see the face clearly.

“I will never be your mate. I can never be your mate,” I heard myself say, spitting out the words.

“Cut out her tongue,” was the next command, and then came the rattle of the cage being opened. I staggered back, scared. As a hand caught my leg, I screamed and kicked it off.

“Melissa!” I opened my eyes, scared, trying to retreat. It was my father staring at me in his wolf form, his hand over his face. I had hit him.

“Papa… I’m sorry,” I stuttered, trying to get closer but still scared. “Pa… Pa, I’m sorry.” Tears started flowing again, and before I could stop, I was crying heavily. He pulled me into his arms, and I just cried.

“It’s just a little kick. Why are you crying so much?” he said. I didn’t know. I could hear my heartbeat; my tongue had almost been cut off. I stayed in his chest, weeping, my heart clenching like never before.

-+-

For the days that followed, I was so sad I couldn’t even explain why. Even on my birthday, I felt the sadness.

Perhaps because yet another of my expectations had been cut short. I would never shift, and I would curse Selena daily for making such an unshaped child.

It was finally my 21st birthday. My parents celebrated me nonstop with love, prayers, and gifts.

But I wanted none of it. I just wanted to be left alone in my own pain and agony. I stayed all day indoors.

Until night fell.

The door to my room opened, and my mother came in with a box.

“Guess what I got for my baby?” she said, noticing my mood. “Why are you so sad? Is it because of the Red Moon Festival, my darling? It is nothing,” she added, pulling me closer.

“I got you something to cheer you up.” She smiled boldly, and I had to smile back.

“Close your eyes. It’s a surprise,” she said. I obeyed.

“Now open them,” she said. I opened my eyes, and it was a bracelet holding a glass of white sand. I took it out, studied it, and it looked so pretty.

Then I remembered Arthur had promised me a handmade wool dress. I would go get my dress.

“I got it from the store today. You should’ve seen me fighting for it! Two other women wanted it, but your mother doesn’t back down when it comes to my daughter,” she said dramatically, and I smiled. My mother was stubborn and troublesome.

“I know you. It’s so pretty,” I said. “Can you help me, Mama?” I gave it back to her, and she helped me put it on. I looked at it closely. “It looks so pretty,” I complimented again.

“Yeah, I heard it belonged to an ancient god,” she said.

“Really?”

“Rumor, my pup,” she smiled, then stood up. “Come out for dinner.”

“I don’t want dinner tonight,” I said.

“Why?”

“I just don’t want it tonight,” I repeated.

“Okay, but I will still keep some for you.”

“I’m sleeping early,” I replied.

“Alright, see you tomorrow,” she said, walking out and closing the door.

I locked it after her, put on my coat, and opened my window, carefully jumping out. Maybe if I met him, he would lift my mood.

I walked through the woods, taking a different route this time because I was scared of the strange horseman. At least this way, I’d be at peace. I kept walking, humming softly, when I saw a shadow shift in the distance. I paused and observed, but saw nothing.

Instead, I felt something. I could feel my shoulder opening up. My body started shaking, my heart clenching. I slipped down, hand on my chest, feeling my soul leave my body. My skin burned. I couldn’t feel myself anymore. I opened up, and…

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”

I could hear a different voice thundering in my ears.