Monica
It was just like every other night, Monica being the youngest wife of the Alpha and leader of the pack had the privilege of sleeping in the Alpha's chambers with her new born son as it was an honor given to anyone that birthed a son for the Alpha.
She laid there terrified rather than excited, fear gripped her for the fate of her newborn terrified her. He was the youngest of all the 7 sons of the alpha but he was the only one born under a full moon and had the mark of the leader on his chest, a mark she had hidden from everyone, or so she thought.
The night was like every other, still, clear air, quiet save from the sound of wolves howling in the distance. She knew her husband loved her and he was going to do anything to protect her and her son but he was old now. He had gone to have an urgent meeting with his other sons in the main house but it was getting late and he had not yet returned intensifying her anxiety. She picked up her baby, his name was Declan -his father had named him after the founder of the clan an action that had irritated his brothers. All Monica wanted was to live a quiet life with her son, fear gripped her as nursed him quietly in her arms, his future uncertain.
Then everything changed..
Aron
Leader of the pack, proud father to 8 sons but now seated at the table with his other 7 sons he could not believe they came from him.
"What do you mean by that?" Aron shouted in anger "rulership among the clans have never been by inheritance, if anything you all should be grateful the next leader appeared amongst one of us" "Beat the drums and send the announcement, tomorrow I will announce my heir." Aron said to the servant and proceeded to stand up
"You will do no such thing father!" Bernard the eldest son shouted, "I deserved to be the heir, you don't have many years to stay with us and the clan needs a strong ruler not a baby"
"That baby is stronger than you will ever be" Aron shouted back at him. "This conversation is over.
"The young man has a point", Mitel Aron's best friend said, You also never had that mark"
"Yes and that was because our brother who bore the mark died and until now no one else had been born under a full moon."
"Our point exactly"
"Are you suggesting I kill my own son?" "How dare all of you"
Aron drew out his claws in anger as he transformed into his beast form but before he could make a move his own son struck him down , "I curse you," Aron said with his last breath, no offspring shall come out of you"
Bernard struck his father again and turned round to look at every other person, they all knew what they had to do, Bernard wasn't the eldest in the clan and for him to rule he had to take out his uncles and cousins that were older than him since his father died without naming him as the air.
"Mitel, get that bastard" Bernard ordered Mitel and they all left to do something that will go down in history as the blood night
Mabel
But in that chaos they had forgotten the midwife whom had told them about the birthmark, she had felt it was her duty to alert the clan but now she regretted her actions and when she saw things were about to get bloody she had sneaked out.
She ran as fast as she could to the Alpha's quarters, "You must run my lady" You must save the child, they are coming to kill you both"
Monica panicked her nightmare coming to pass, "I can't outrun them, if we leave they will chase after us and kill us both"
She carried baby Declan and placed in Mabel's arm, "Please be a good mother to him and tell him nothing of his origin" With tears in her eyes, she lowered her gaze to him and spoke the words she had never spoken out loud.
"My son, Declan. "You must lose your identity tonight, even though you were destined to be a leader.
A bloodied pendant, carved in the shape of a crescent moon, was a symbol of their ancestry and she placed between the folds of his blanket.
"You'll know when the time is right. Your own blood will burn. And don't flee when it does."
The distant cry of a triumphant traitor caused a single tear to fall down her cheek.
She kissed his brow and said, "Pardon me." "Live."
She pushed Mabel out of the door and whispered go, Mabel hesitated for a second as tears streamed down her cheeks, she turned and ran into the night, hoping to cross the magic river in time so that the witches can help hide her scent, the witches were traitors by nature but they owed her a favor and this night she must collect it.
Mitel
He hated Aron and everything he stood for, finally he would be able to rule and control the clan through Bernard who is but a stupid child. But first he needed to take down the love of his life and her illegitimate child, this was his own revenge for her betrayal, she had chosen Aron over him, now she must pay with her life.
He got to the chambers and forced the door open, and saw her standing in front of the locked door leading to the bedroom making him feel the baby was locked inside there, he tied to force her to leave the door but she resisted guarding it with all her might because the life of her new born son depended on it.
Wolves were heard howling from every corner because of the pain , the clear night air reeked of blood and greed of the men who were responsible for it'
"You just had to chose him over me right? an old man who already had sons old enough to be your mate
"He considered you a younger brother and even prioritize you over his own flesh and blood, how could you do this to him?" Monica said through tear filled eye. "You were a nobody in our clan and he brought you to his and gave you a name, and this is how you pay him.
"Shut up you cheap thing, you were only after him because his money and influence, how dare you try to school
"I really pity you, you will never be able to know what real love ever feels like
As soon as the words left Monica's mouth, he struck her with his claws once and she still held her position, protecting the door giving him the false impression that the baby was in there and he was lost in the chaos to realize he could not smell the baby
He struck her the second time
The third time
the fourth time
And she let out a loud howl as she died and he forced the door open, trying to shut out the pain in his chest for killing the only woman he loved, a pain he will never forget and a dying howl that would hunt his dreams for the rest of his life.
***********
Ash settled onto the cloak of a woman who fled as if death were nipping at her heels, floating through the woodland canopy like black snow. With the child snuggled against her bosom and the howling in the distance becoming closer, she continued to breathe in short gasps as she dared not stop
The baby in Mabel's arms must have felt his mother's death as it began to shake and let out a cry, she snuggled him in closer shutting his mouth with her breast as she dared not sooth him with words as sound was dangerous and even the tiniest voice and they would be traced.
The Alpha of the Crescent moon pack had been murdered by sons he birthed and friend he called a brother, the stench of betrayal was strong in the air and now they were coming after his heir.
Her boots caught on a twisted root as she stumbled, but she stayed upright. Not able to fall. Not this evening. Not when his son was alive.
She muttered, more to herself than to the youngster, "Just a little further." "Until dawn, please."
Ahead was the river. The magic woven into the border would conceal their scent if she could get through it before the crimson moon rose.
As the infant waded into the chilly, flowing water, his golden eyes opened. He refrained from crying. He was only a year old, yet for some reason, he understood the seriousness of this situation. It is possible that the wolf within him was already aware of what it meant to be hunted.
Wet and shivering, she arrived at the distant bank and fell behind the roots of an old willow. She heard the familiar footsteps, she covered the baby with her body too weak to move.
The witches surrounded her,
"Wolves have no business here, they said
"I plead with you, give us passage to the human town and you'll never have to hear from us again.
"Mabel! another voice called out, Mabel looked up at her friend and smiled
"Let them pass
and like that, the one true alpha, the rightful heir disappeared into thin air waiting till his awoken.