Little Luna: ECLIPSE-BOUND

Chapter 1

The Eclipse Park was situated deep breeding crestfold mountains far from the human domain. The Park was formerly ruled by Alpha Ace, he was a fair Alpha and the packed flourish under his rulership. The park was peaceful and the people were happy not until Thorne murdered him in cold blood and the title of alpha was passed unto him. He ruled the park cruelly with an iron fist and he thrived on the fear of the people.

The Eclipse Pack had not always been a place of cruelty. Liora Voss remembered a time when the Eclipse Park was filled with festivities and laughter instead of fear. She had been six years old when Alpha Thorne Blackwood seized power in a bloody coup. Her mother, a respected healer who served the old Alpha, was murdered while trying to protect her from Thorne's men. Her executions were swift—silver blades across her throats while young Liora watched from behind hidden in the crowd.

That night carved the first scar on her soul.

Now, at seventeen, Liora moved like a ghost through the stone corridors of the pack house basement. Her body a map of survival: thin whip marks across her back, faded bruises on her ribs, and a constant hollow ache in her stomach. She had no wolf. No scent that marked her as anything but defective. The pack called her “Little Luna” in mockery—a tiny, broken thing who would never shine.

She scrubbed blood from the training room floors, her knees raw against the cold stone. Beta Garrick’s mocking laugh still echoed in her ears from earlier. “Clean it properly, defect, or I’ll give you new stains to wipe.”

Her only comfort was the secret pressed against her thigh: a silver dagger, its blade etched with crescent moons and treated with wolfsbane and shadowroot. Her mother had pressed it into her hands the night before the execution. “For when the moon turns dark, my little star. It will drink their strength and give you a chance.”

Liora had kept it hidden for twelve years.

Days blurred into nights of endless labor. She cooked for warriors who spat in her food, mended clothes torn in dominance fights, and endured casual kicks and shoves. At night, locked in her cell, she whispered to the moon through the barred window, begging the goddess for strength. Sometimes, faint shadows danced at the edges of her vision—cool, whispering things that eased her pain for a few moments. She thought it was madness.

But the curse was already stirring.

Liora stood in front of the mirror; her reflection staring back at her. She could barely recognize the girl in the mirror,her silver-blonde hair was dull with no shine to it, her face was swollen with bruises as was her body which ached with every movement she made and her violet eyes were hollow and empty.

Like always she healed slowly distinct to the rest of the park who had super healing abilities. she was the weakest one and a subject to their hatred. After all this was a world where the strong survived and the weak was trampled on.

They were werewolves. But she was the weakest of her kind. Aside from being weak, she was the only one who couldn't feel how wolf. Most wolves had their first shift when they turned thirteen. she hadn't had her first shift and it was safe to say that she had no wolf. She wasn't human, the humans had no idea they existed and her pack was hidden deep within the mountains.

She had been summoned by Luciana the Alpha's mistress to her bed chambers, her heart was filled with dread as she knew what was awaiting her. Encounters with Luciana never ended well for her

"How dare you!". She shouted immediately I entered her chambers. Next thing I know she threw a mug at me, landing on my head it shattered on the floor.

Pain erupted in my skull, blinding me for some minutes, making me fall on my hands and knees. The broken pieces pierced my palms making me wince from the pain.

"You dare defy my orders". She walked towards me with fury.

I dared not look in her eyes. That would mean death. I could only stand there and get punished for something that probably wasn't my fault.

She slapped me hard and flung me hard against the wall. Pain shot through me like a bolt of lightning and I suspected I'd broken some ribs. I lay sprawled on the floor, barely able to move. Tears threatened to fall from the pain but I held it in. Crying would only make it worse.

"Take her to the dungeon!" She ordered.

My eyes widened with horror. Not the dungeon! Anything but the dungeon.

I struggled to my knees. My tears were already pouring down my face, as I begged, my fears increasing at the imminent doom. "Please Mistress! I'm sorry! It was a mistake; I won't do it again!" I begged and cried though I had no idea what I'd done wrong.

My plea fell on deaf ears as I was dragged away to the dungeon. The dungeon was dark and the pungent smell of blood filled the air. Weapons of torture lined the filthy walls; an electric chair was placed in the center.

I was shackled by both hands in the corner of the room.

It didn't take long for Luciana to enter though to my horror she came in with the Alpha, as he would decide my punishment.

My body tensed in fear as he approached and I couldn't help but think of the previous Alpha. Alpha Ace would never hurt his park like this. The dungeons were originally for rogues and trespassers as well as captured enemies.

"Twenty lashes and no food for the next three days". He ordered the executioner before leaving.

Every s***h that came tore through the skin of my back and the pain didn't seem to end. Soon I was nothing more than a misery of broken flesh, blood and pain. What made it hurt most, was the fact that I had no idea what I'd done wrong.

Two days went by in the dungeon where I remained shackled. My whole body was numb, and my wounds were swollen due to infection from the dirty environment and lack of treatment. My body was weak from pain and hunger and i was losing consciousness.

I missed my mom, missed her love, missed her protection and the days I was actually happy. Unfortunately those days were over.

I heard the dungeon door open and footsteps followed after.

"Have you learned your lesson?" The Alpha asked.

I forced myself to speak "ye...... Y.... Yes alpha I have..."

"Take her to the healer' I heard him say before leaving. Surprise filled me. As the defect of the pack, I wasn't allowed to visit the healer for any treatment. I was to carry the bruises as my shame for being different. So why?

A pair of hands lifted me over a shoulder and I was carried to the healer.