Heiress of the Moon

Alpha

15 years earlier.

The air still carried the scent of war, or its end.

My feet sank into the rain-soaked ground as I observed the distant mountain. Though the war had ended, the echoes of battle still rang in my ears. My eyes scanned the desolate landscape, strewn with remnants of the fight, silent witnesses to the violence that had ravaged this land.

The nearby river flowed with deceptive calm, as if nature itself mourned the conflict that had left its mark on the world. A lump formed in my throat, remembering friends lost in battle, their lives fading like the water before me.

As dawn painted the sky in golden and pink hues, a mysterious fog hovered over the mountain, adding an aura of mystery. The sadness and helplessness intensified, and I wondered if this land would ever know peace again, or if the scars of war would forever mark its history.

We were grimly accounting for the dead, wounded, and survivors amid the devastation surrounding the hill. The news of the fall of the enemy pack's Alpha had notably shifted the attitude of their men. Many stopped in their tracks, as if a veil had been lifted from their eyes, realizing the senselessness of the fight.

Determinedly, we carried as many wounded as we could to our pack's house and hospital, seeking to heal bodies and souls broken by war. Those who resisted were escorted and confined to the dungeons outside the city, a grim reminder of the horrors unleashed.

The fog, shrouding the mountain like an omen of uncertain times ahead, persisted in the distance as we attempted to forge a path toward reconciliation in a world that had known too much suffering.

As dawn colored the sky and the fog lingered over the mountain, my mind was consumed with unease. I eagerly awaited news from my Beta, who was to confirm the state of our families, the well-being of our loved ones who had borne the weight of war.

My thoughts repeatedly turned to my eldest son and my Beta's firstborn, both destined to become the future Alpha and Beta of our pack. They were hidden in the underground bunker north of the city, a safe haven we had secretly prepared to protect future generations. They were our pack's hope, the legacy we must safeguard at all costs amid the surrounding devastation.

As we faced the aftermath of war, a mix of fear and determination filled my heart. We had to preserve our pack's future, even if it meant facing unimaginable challenges on the path to peace and reconstruction.

Searching among the injured and survivors, news from my Beta brought relief.

"They're safe, Alpha," he informed me, and a sigh of relief escaped my lips. "I'll take them both with Luna and my mate to your house."

"Affirmative, Beta. We'll meet there in a few hours," I replied mentally before continuing with the task of tending to the injured and assessing the extent of the devastation.

I tried to mentally connect with my Luna, but the bond between us remained blocked. I knew she was sheltered in another of our bunkers, protected with silver to weaken any intruder. It was a defense mechanism we had perfected over time, allowing us to fight and survive in human form if necessary.

However, my tranquility was disturbed when Beta's voice resounded in my mind once more.

"Alpha, we have a problem," he announced, and panic began to take hold as I braced for the new threat looming over our pack.

"Speak," I said aloud, turning my head towards the bunker where my Luna was. My heart raced with anxiety as I awaited Beta's response.

"Luna has been attacked, Alpha. She and my mate are injured...", Beta began, his voice laden with anger, and my eyes widened in horror at the news.

"What!? And the children?" I asked, fearing for the safety of our pups with them. Concern overwhelmed me, and I started running towards the bunker. I needed my mate and longed to see my pups. My mind was on the verge of madness.

"Alpha... The girls are missing, they're not there, only your son," Beta announced, his voice carrying a trace of despair that completely shattered me. My steps became more frantic as I ran through the forest towards the southwest bunker, where my Luna, my twin pups, Beta's mate, and her younger pup were.

"I'm on my way, don't let anyone leave that place. I'll call our chief of spies to watch the bunker cameras. We have to find them now," I ordered as I established mental connections with all those I trusted who could help gather the necessary information to locate my pup. My little pup, without her wolf awakened, couldn't contact her, and desperation engulfed me as I neared the bunker.

Arriving there, my mate's soft voice enveloped me with momentary relief.

"You're here..." she whispered, her crying unceasing. My heart clenched with pain, feeling her suffering as deeply as my own. It felt like a part of us had been torn away, and I felt incomplete, unable to think clearly. I looked at Beta, hugging his unconscious mate on the floor, and saw the pool of blood beneath her.

"Is she...? Is she...?" I asked, fearing the answer.

"She's very weak, barely breathing. The doctor will arrive at any moment..." Beta replied, trying to remain calm in front of the others, but I knew his true anguish. I could see the tremors in his body and the small spasms that ran through him, signs of his pain and concern for his missing pup. The future of our pack and our families was in jeopardy.

"We'll get them back, your mate will recover, and we'll get through this, Beta," I linked in his mind. Slowly, he lifted his head and nodded in my direction.

"The doctor's here!" exclaimed one of our soldiers, bursting into the room, followed by the pack's doctor who had arrived in record time.

"They have to take her to the next room, she won't make it alive to the hospital," the doctor urged urgently. Beta growled in disagreement, but had no choice and carried his mate to the designated room, where emergency medical care could mean the difference between life and death.

Minutes passed, and Beta returned to the room. My Luna, who had remained silent until then, was in shock. I quickly approached her side and saw that she was holding our pup, trying to protect and comfort him amid the unfolding tragedy.

My heart pounded with worry and fear for my Beta's mate's life and for the well-being of our missing daughters. We were in the midst of a nightmare, and we had to face it with courage and determination, but the future was uncertain and dark, and uncertainty embraced us like an implacable shadow.

With my gaze fixed on my Luna, I gently stroked our pup's hair, trying to convey a sense of security amid the confusion and despair surrounding us.

"We're together, my love. We'll get through this, we'll find the girls," I whispered in her mind with a calm voice, although my own heart beat with fear and anxiety.

My Luna finally looked up at me, her eyes filled with pain and anguish.

"I can't believe they've taken our daughters..." she whispered tremulously, a lone tear rolling down her cheek.

Beta approached, his gaze full of concern, and nodded silently. He understood the magnitude of the tragedy we were facing. Our thoughts were united in a common goal: to find our daughters and bring them back safely.

"My love... Look at me, my Luna," I murmured tenderly, taking her face in my hands and forcing her to face me. Her gaze was filled with pain and fear, and it broke my heart to see her suffer like that. —What happened, love? —I asked gently, giving her space to share her pain. I knew she needed to talk about what had happened to begin healing.

She struggled to speak through sobs.

"They... They came... Managed to get in... She..." her words faltered as she pointed towards the adjacent room, where her injured friend lay. "She protected us, held them off long enough for us to hide, but the girls, her pup wouldn't let them be hurt... She ran with her mom and..."

My heart clenched hearing the story, and my Luna's pain became mine.

"My love, calm down, I'm here now," I said, stroking her hair and trying to comfort her. "What happened with the pups, love?"

She continued crying, her voice trembling.

"Our pup followed her, you know how protective they are of each other, I just couldn't hold them back in time. A man caught both of them and took them away," she confessed, her breath ragged. "I hid our son and tried to follow them, that's when the attacker managed to hurt her, he hit me leaving me unconscious... I... I'm so sorry, love... It was my fault..."

My heart broke further hearing her blame herself. Holding her tightly, I assured her:

"It's not your fault, my love. You did everything you could to protect our daughters. We will find them, I promise." Our son, who had been listening silently, slid from his mother's arms into mine.

"Daddy... Daddy... I need her back... I can't live without my twin, dad," he sobbed through tears. My heart split seeing the pain in his eyes.

"We'll find her, my pup. We'll find them," I promised while hugging him tightly. The determination to bring our daughters back burned inside me, and I knew we would do everything in our power to reunite our family once more. The pack was united in this search, and we wouldn't rest until they were safe at home.

Alpha

The doctor continued speaking, bringing a ray of hope to the room.

"She’s out of danger, will recover in a few days. She was lucky Luna tended to her wounds in time," he reported, and a sigh of relief swept through the room. Knowing that Beta’s mate would recover was a solace amid the tragedy we had experienced.

After bringing our families home, Beta and I spent hours meticulously reviewing every step of the wolves that had reached the bunker. Gradually, we pieced together what had happened.

We discovered that two men had managed to enter the place. Beta’s brave and determined mate, protecting her Luna and the pups, had attacked and killed the first man who entered. Although the second managed to unbalance her, she was able to distract him long enough for Luna and the pups to hide. Her courage and determination were crucial for our families' survival.

As we analyzed the details of the incident, fury and determination burned in our h