Blackpine Ridge Alpha: Two Wolf Pups Born from Moonbathing

Chapter 2 The Aftermath of Christmas Eve

I didn’t even realize I’d turned human. All I could think about was how annoyed I was that I’d bitten the wrong spot—was that measly taste of blood even enough to whet my appetite?! But Sebastian’s blood was intoxicating, sharp with the crisp scent of Christmas fir and cedar, so divine it sent shivers down my soul. Without hesitation, I leaned in again, locking onto the vein at his neck, ready to take a proper bite to replenish my strength.

I sank my teeth in hard—but the gush of warm blood I’d expected never came! Not a single drop seeped into my mouth, and my jaws felt weirdly weak. Where were my prized werewolf fangs? The razor-sharp weapons that could tear through animal hide like butter—gone!

I raised a hand to my lips. My fingertips brushed only soft, human teeth, the unfamiliar texture sending a jolt of panic through me. My brain short-circuited, leaving me as stunned as a wolf who’d lost its spirit. I froze rigid in the icy pool, the faint strains of Christmas carols drifting over from Willowbrook in the distance. The gentle melody made my absurd predicament feel even more surreal.

Meanwhile, the dark curse that Sebastian had barely kept in check with the pool’s frigid water erupted completely, triggered by my touch—laced as it was with the aura of the Moon Goddess’s bloodline. His body burned like a red-hot brand, his eyes blazing with a feral crimson light—the telltale sign of an ancient Wolf Spirit’s loss of control. What little sanity he had left shattered into pieces, and even the snowflakes drifting around him melted instantly under the searing heat radiating from his skin.

A low, guttural groan escaped him. In one swift move, he flipped us over, pinning me beneath him. A kiss, rough and wild with the tang of snow and blood, crashed down on my lips, forcing my mouth open before I could resist. I whimpered and struggled instinctively, but without my werewolf agility and strength, I was nothing more than a defenseless human. I stood no chance against his unrestrained power. Bit by bit, I melted into his embrace, trapped in the grip of his Wolf Spirit’s primal rage.

The pool rippled with our movements, the lingering moonlight and Christmas Eve wind wrapping around us, thickening the air with a heady mix of lust and chaos. The icy water seeped to the bone, yet it couldn’t dampen the scorching heat where our bodies met. Only the jingle of bells in the forest echoed intermittently, a reminder that this madness was unfolding on Christmas Eve.

I don’t know how long it lasted. When I finally emerged from my daze, every muscle in my body ached as if I’d been crushed by a boulder from Blackpine Ridge, and my clothes were torn to rags. That man was completely feral—like a rabid wolf out of its mind! Total villain behavior! The silver ornaments on the Christmas tree by the shore glinted in the morning light, a cruel reminder that every bizarre moment of the night had actually happened.

I’d set out to steal a little blood to recharge my strength, only to end up losing more than I gained. No sweet energy boost, just a sudden, inexplicable transformation into a human. Furious and terrified, I scrambled to grab my snow-dusted, tattered clothes and wrap them around myself. I glared down at Sebastian’s still-unconscious, handsome face, then punched him hard twice in the jaw to vent my frustration. My fists could still feel the lingering warmth of his Wolf Spirit power beneath his skin. Once I’d gotten it out of my system, I scrambled to my feet and bolted into the snow-covered forest—he was way too dangerous. I never wanted to lay eyes on him again!

By the time Sebastian woke up, the sky was turning pale with the first light of dawn. The full moon had long since vanished behind the clouds, and the Christmas Eve revelry had faded into silence. He lay naked on the snow beside the pool, his body covered in a thin layer of frost, his expression dazed and confused. All he could remember was being tackled by a half-wolf monster last night, the faint trace of a strange scent lingering on his lips. Everything after that was a blank, leaving him with nothing but a splitting headache, a chaotic mess of curse energy and Wolf Spirit power swirling inside him, and an inexplicable, magnetic bond he couldn’t name.

He’d escaped a werewolf “attack,” only to lose his memory and end up in this humiliating state. His handsome face darkened to the color of storm clouds, the frigid aura he exuded colder than the icy pool itself. He snatched up his bloodstained velvet coat and slipped it on, then leaped lightly onto the snow-covered ground and streaked toward his guards’ temporary outpost.

“Your Lordship.” Kaelen knelt on one knee with the rest of the guard, snow still clinging to their cloaks. He quickly held out a brand-new velvet noble’s coat—custom-made for the Christmas feast, embroidered with delicate silver thread and inlaid with gemstones, designed to accentuate the lord’s regal status. Sebastian ignored the coat entirely. With a single backhanded blow, he sent Kaelen flying, his voice a thunderous roar of rage. “Useless fools! A werewolf breached the barrier, and none of you noticed! I was nearly killed by that monster last night, and my curse flared out of control because of it! What use are you?!”

The entire guard unit froze, their eyes nearly popping out of their heads. No one dared to breathe a word. Kaelen struggled to his feet, clutching his aching chest, and pressed his forehead to the snow in a gesture of abject apology. “We have failed you, my lord! We accept any punishment you deem fit!” The other guards echoed his words in unison, bowing their heads until their foreheads touched the ground. They all knew how volatile the dark curse was in their lord’s veins; its loss of control, triggered by a werewolf’s interference, could spell disaster.

The air turned so cold it might as well have frozen solid. The guards knelt motionless as statues, cold sweat mixing with melted snow and trickling down their backs. After a long, tense silence, Sebastian let out a sharp, bitter laugh, forcing down his seething anger. His position as lord was still fragile, and the court was rife with intrigue during the Christmas holiday. He couldn’t afford to weaken his guard force over a single mistake. “This is your only warning! Every last one of you will report to the guard hall for thirty lashes! And from this moment on, launch a full-scale manhunt for the werewolves of Blackpine Ridge! Find out the identity of that creature from last night—bring it to me alive, or bring me its corpse!” He hesitated for a split second before adding the last part, a vague inkling nagging at him that the werewolf’s aura had been anything but ordinary.

“Yes, my lord!” The guards replied in a single, unified voice. Sebastian finally took the new coat and slipped it on, smoothing the lapels meticulously. He raced back to the castle before the sun rose fully—his political enemies were circling like vultures, and he couldn’t afford to leave the heart of his territory unguarded for a second, lest they seize the opportunity to stage a coup.

As the sun climbed higher, its warm rays spilled over the snow, casting a dazzling glow across the landscape. I squatted by the banks of the Willowbrook River, staring at my reflection in the thin layer of ice, completely absorbed in my own beauty. Slender willow-leaf eyebrows, plump cherry lips, shimmering almond-shaped eyes—with a faint purple tint at the corners, a mark of my Moon Goddess bloodline. My looks were nothing short of legendary! How could I be this gorgeous?!

Even better—now that I was human, I could actually stand in the sun! As a werewolf, I’d spent every daylight hour hiding in the forest, terrified of getting burned by the sunlight. But now, basking in the warm glow, my whole body felt cozy and relaxed. Pure bliss! Once I’d had my fill of admiring myself, I decided to hit up Willowbrook Town—after all, the One-Eyed Elder Werewolf had always said that the town was bustling with activity after Christmas, overflowing with sweet treats and all sorts of fascinating human trinkets.

I remembered that following the river would lead me to the town, but walking on two legs was agonizingly slow. I had zero patience for that. An idea popped into my head. With a splash, I jumped into the river, floating on my back like a corpse, my hands tucked behind my waist. It was the epitome of efficiency—no effort required! Maybe it was the residual effect of my Moon Goddess bloodline and Sebastian’s Wolf Spirit power, but even as the ice shards scraped against my skin, I didn’t feel the slightest bit cold. On the contrary, I felt light and carefree, drifting along with the current.

I was a genius! I drifted downstream, dozing under the sun, and when I woke up, the sky was painted with the golden and crimson hues of sunset, the river water glowing like liquid fire. I’d floated all the way to the outskirts of Willowbrook Town.

Though, my landing spot was a little… unorthodox. I’d washed up right at the back door of the town’s public mortuary. The gloomy courtyard was lined with coffins, icicles hanging from the eaves, and the wind carried a bone-chilling, eerie draft. The post-Christmas warmth was nowhere to be found here, replaced by an atmosphere thick with dread. I stared at the dark, ominous coffins, my skin crawling with goosebumps. I scrambled out of the river, patted the water off my clothes, and backed away quickly. This place was way too creepy! Time to hightail it to the town and find some food—stat!