The Vampire King's Rejected Mate

"To the moonlit festival!!"

"To the moonlit festival!!"

Hundreds of voices chanted in unison as goblets were raised into the air. Laughter followed, blending with the lively music that filled the grand hall. Beneath the silver glow spilling through the towering windows.... thousands of werewolves celebrated the most anticipated event in the century.

THE MOONLIT FESTIVAL.

A sacred celebration held only once every twenty years. Each time it was hosted by a different pack, and tonight, it was the Crescent Moon Pack's turn. So every werewolves from every corner of the Wolf Realm had gathered to witness the rare occasion.

I should be happy... you know

after all, I was the daughter of the strongest Alpha king in the wolf realm, Alpha Ricardo Diavolo

Tonight was to be special but instead, I stood quietly at the edge of the crowd, watching my younger sister receive all the attention as usual.

"Oh mine..... Malicia looks so beautiful tonight."

"She truly resembles her mother, Luna Lupa." another woman gushed.

"I can already see her becoming a powerful Luna, someday."

The compliments went on and on

following her everywhere and my lips curled into a small smile.

I was already used to that though it hurts at times, but there was no denying that Malicia had always been the favorite

The prettier daughter

The more charming daughter

The daughter everyone noticed

And then, there was me..... Alessia

The daughter people often forgot was standing in the room.

"You're staring."

God....!! I flinched and looked behind me to find my best friend, Sophia right beside me with two glasses in her hand. A smile tugged at her lips as she offered me one.

I accepted it with a quiet chuckle.

"Was it that obvious?"

"Very. Very." She nodded and immediately her eyes went cold.

Confused, I followed her gaze toward the center of the hall..... watching as Roberto walked up to stand beside Malicia.

He whispered something to her and they started laughing. And the next thing, Malicia lay her head on his shoulder while causally rubbing his arm.

And my smile dropped instantly.

The sight shouldn't have bothered me if it's someone else

but he's my fiancée.... the future Alpha of the black moon pack.

She knows. She knows he's my financée yet she's touching him like that. I bite my lips fighting hard my emotions as my grip tightens more on the glass on my hand. Yes, recently I have been noticing some tension between Roberto and I but I have no idea what's wrong.

"You noticed too, right?" Sophia's voice cut in my thoughts. And I quickly looked away. "Noticed what?"

She shot me a look.

"Come on, girl... Roberto of course?"

I shrugged and forced out a laugh. "You're starting to imagine things again, Sophia,"

"Alessia–"

"Ahhhhh!!!"

The sudden loud cheer erupted through the hall, cutting her off. And relief flooded me.

I wasn't ready for that conversation.

Together, we turned toward the stage.

My father, Alpha Ricardo, had arrived alongside my mother, the elders, and his brothers.

"The ceremony is about to begin!" Sophia squealed.

But before I could respond, she snatched my empty glass.

"I need to refill these. Don't go anywhere!"

She kissed my cheek and disappeared into the crowd.

I sighed and exhaled tiredly.

The music had grown very loud now

Around me, wolves danced, laughed, and celebrated.

Yet an uncomfortable feeling settled deep inside my chest.

Something felt...

Wrong.

Something I couldn't explain.

I doubt it's just about Roberto or Malicia. Why am I starting to feel so uneasy? Like something is about to happen?

"Get hold of yourself, Alessia," I groaned and ran my hand over my hair. "Roberto loves you. You just need some rest." I kept whispering as I turned to sneak out from there. But just as I was about to take one step forward.....

CRASH!!!

A deafening explosion shattered through the hall, causing the music to die instantly.

Every head snapped toward the towering windows

Silence fell

Not a single person moved.

My fingers tightened around my dress as I stared upward, my heartbeat quickening.

Then a hand appeared on the shattered window, grabbing a piece of the broken glasses.

Seeing the sight had a strange chill crawled down my spine.

Every instinct screamed at me to run.

But curiosity rooted me to the spot.

And suddenly, a man dressed in black vaulted through the broken window.

Then another.

And another.

And another.

Until dozens of dark figures began pouring into the hall.

"Vampires!" Someone screamed, breaking the silence, and the hall erupted into chaos.

As if on cue, more vampires rushed in, their bloodshot eyes glowing coldly as they swept across the hall. Fuck.... my breath hitched as panic surged through me.

"Attack!" My father roared

And our warriors immediately shifted into their wolves, furious growls filling the air as they lunged at the vampires.

But I stood frozen

shaking. Terrified

How had they managed to enter our pack?

How?

This was something I had no answer to right now.

The once vibrant hall snapped into a battlefield in an instant.

Women screamed as they clutched their pups, running for safety while the beautiful decorations were tramped and torn apart. Blood splattered across the floor, bodies flew through the air, and snarls, screams, and the clash of Ganda and claws filled the hall.

Bam!

I screamed as the dead body fell in front of me. With panicked eyes I turned to run when my gaze fell on Roberto. He was looking at me.... For once I thought he was going to come get me but-

"Hhhhhh!!!"

My sister's scream cut through the air

And his head snapped to the direction fast. "Fuck! Malicia!"

Before I could process anything, he rushed toward Malicia, shielding her from the vampires lunging at her.

And again I was left alone.

His behavior broke me, but I was fast to push the feeling aside.

After all, my father had always said that Malicia is young and that she deserves more protection.

So with all my strength, I forced myself to look away and run for my life too. I had turned and was about to run but the terrified cries around me made my stomach twist. I wasn't eighteen yet so I couldn't transform into my wolf so I grabbed a broken leg of a chair and kept charging at any vampires that tried getting to me or the children. My heart was beating faster. This is my first time facing these monsters.

Yet the more we fought, the more vampires kept flooding into the hall. And from the way things were going, I was scared they might actually overthrow us. They were fast. Very fast

And their claws were even sharper.

"Get yourselves to the crypta!" My father's voice thunders again through the mind-link

And immediately, everyone began rushing toward the underground shelter beneath the hall.

He had seen it too

We weren't winning this battle.

Not without losing a lot more people.

"Shit!"

I cursed and pushed the children toward the safety when suddenly I heard someone screamed my name

"Alessia!!!"

My heart skipped.

It was Sophia's voice.

I turned back instantly to see her wave at me. She was already in the crypta. My fearful eyes roamed around the hall to see that there were not many people in there again. I quickly threw off the broken chair leg and started running toward the crypta.

And that's when I saw Roberto carry Malicia to the crypta. Didn't he remember me?

My chest ached but I waved it off and fastened my pace but the more I run.... the more tired I become.

And I could feel the vampires closing in faster.

My heart pounded wildly

but before I could move again.... Someone slammed into me.

I screamed and hit the floor hard.

I was so close

Someone could save me.

But no one did.

Sophia tried to rush out, but my mother held her back.

And terror flashed through me. Beside her, one of the guards pressed the button on the wall.

The door began to close.

"Dad! Help!"

My voice cracked.

My wide frightened gaze flickered to Malicia and she smirked instead.

I didn't have time to ponder on that so I quickly looked up to Roberto for him but he didn't move.

Instead, his expression remained cold and unreadable as our gazes locked.

Why wasn't anyone doing anything?"

Why?!

"Alessia!" Sophia cried out again and using my last strength I shoved the vampire off me and lunged for the entrance.

But it was already too late.

BAM!!!!

The door slammed shut.

And my entire world went numb.