Chapter 3 3

Alexandra's eighteenth birthday wasn't going as planned. Instead of a surprise party, she found herself staring at a chaotic battleground: her own living room, invaded by werewolves and vampires. Walter, her friend, blocked her entry, the scene unfolding before her eyes like a horrifying movie. Friends were transforming into animals, and her mother was missing. Panic clawed at her throat., and her mother was nowhere to be seen.

"No! Stay back!" she screamed, backing away from a pale figure, her voice trembling.

She grabbed the bedside lamp, ready to defend herself, but before she could throw it, her body began to change. Her skin became startlingly white, her frame slender and elegant, her eyes a vibrant purple. Then, she saw her mother's face in the mirror – her own face.

"This is me," her mother whispered, a faint smile on her lips as she collapsed to the floor.

"Mom!" Alexandra cried, rushing to her side.

"I'm so sorry," her mother whispered, her voice barely audible.

"Sorry for what? What's happening? Who are they? What do they want? Why were you... like that? Please tell me I'm dreaming! This will all disappear when I wake up, right?" Alexandra sobbed, holding her mother close.

"I'm sorry you had to see this. I'm so sorry I couldn't tell you sooner," her mother wept, her apologies heartfelt.

Alexandra was completely lost. She couldn't pretend everything was normal after witnessing a violent attack by vampires and werewolves, an attack that clearly targeted her family.

"You need to get out of here. Go somewhere safe. Run," her mother urged, her voice weak but insistent.

"Yes, your majesty. We're leaving," Alexandra nodded, wiping her tears.

"Alexandra? Are you in there?" a voice called from the doorway.

"Scott?" she breathed, relief washing over her.

He rushed inside. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, but Mom's hurt. We have to get her out of here," she sobbed, pointing to her mother.

Scott assessed the situation quickly, his expression grim. "Don't worry, we have backup. Let's go." He helped her mother and Alexandra to their feet.

Suddenly, vampires attacked. "Not so fast, my dear, betrayed friend," one of them sneered.

"Scotty, get my daughter out of here. I'll handle these," Carmella, the Alpha's wife, appeared, her eyes blazing with fury.

"But-" Scott started to protest, but Carmella's commanding gaze silenced him. He knew better than to disobey the Alpha's wife.

"Yes, ma'am," he said, quickly helping Alexandra, who was struggling to leave her injured mother.

"What do you mean, 'get me out'? I'm not leaving Mom! What if something happens to her while those monsters are here?!" Alexandra protested, her voice filled with panic and desperation.

Carmella didn't respond to her daughter's pleas, focusing on the vampires. "Scotty, hurry!!! Get my daughter our Luna to safety!!"

Scotty scooped Alexandra into his arms. "Don't you dare," Alexandra glared at him, but he ignored her.

"Sorry, spoiled brat," he muttered, leaping out the window with her.

A car pulled up. "Wait, what kind of mess did you get Blite into?" Scott asked Walter angrily.

"I got the car, and this one," Walter gestured to the unconscious Blite. "I have no idea how we're going to explain this to Blite. She's human, remember? No supernatural blood."

"We'll get Luna to the tribe. And hopefully, Blite won't be too freaked out. She's still our friend-and this spoiled brat," he added, indicating Alexandra, who was still struggling in his arms. "Put me down, Scott! I'm not leaving Mom! Let me help her!" she cried, hitting his shoulder.

He sighed and carefully put her down, but she immediately tried to run back inside. Walter intercepted her, his breath coming in ragged gasps. "H-how... you..."

"Because I'm a vampire," Walter smirked, pressing something against her neck. "You should have listened. I wouldn't have had to do this, my dear cousin." He picked up the unconscious Alexa and placed her next to Blite.

"Where's Samantha?" Scott asked.

"She's gone ahead to prepare for the meeting with the Lotus Tribe," Walter replied.

They didn't waste any time, heading straight to the tribe.

Alexandra slowly opened her eyes, her mind still foggy. She heard a door click open. "Mom!" she cried, springing up and running to the door.

"Oh thank god, you're awake!" Samantha stood there, relief etched on her face. "You alright?" she hugged Alexandra tightly.

As Alexandra's memory returned, she pushed Samantha away. The night's events replayed in her mind: the wolves, the vampires, the betrayal of her friends, and the horrifying truth about her mother. Wait... did that mean she is also one of them? No, if that were the case, she would have known. But did that mean her mom wasn't her real mother? The thought was terrifying. "That's impossible!" she shouted, her voice filled with disbelief and denial.

"Alexandra, calm down," Samantha tried to soothe her, but Alexandra recoiled.

"Don't touch me! You're a monster!" she screamed, her voice raw with pain and betrayal.

"Okay, I'm not. Just calm down," Samantha conceded, stepping back.

Blite entered the room.

"Alexandra!" Blite cried, rushing towards her, but Alexandra stopped her.

"Don't!" she glared.

"I'm sorry we had to keep our identities secret. I know you're angry, but Blite is human. You both got a huge shock last night," Samantha explained.

"I'm going to leave you alone. Call me when you're ready to talk," Samantha said sadly, leaving the room.

"Wait! What about Mom?" Alexandra called out, her voice trembling.

"We... we couldn't find her. We're still searching..." Samantha started to approach again, but Alexandra stopped her.

"Please, just go. I need to be alone... please..." Her voice was barely a whisper, and the room seemed to darken, reflecting the despair within her.

~~~~

"Alexandra, stay out of the woods," her mother warned her six-year-old self. They lived on the edge of a vast forest in America.

While her mother prepared dinner, Alexandra ran off to chase some dogs.

She was heading home when she saw a huge, golden-furred dog leaning against a tree. It was much bigger than any forest dog she'd ever seen, and it was injured.

"Doggy!" she called, running towards it. "Are you hurt? Doggie!" she gently shook it.

The dog didn't respond, so she ran home to get a medical kit. When she returned, the dog was awake, but seemed to be crying. "Doggie, you're okay!" she said, concerned. "Do your wounds hurt? That's why you're crying," she asked, applying ointment to its wounds. "Pain, pain, go away," she hummed, blowing on the ointment. The wounds healed instantly.

"How did you do that?" she asked, amazed. The dog was about to touch her face when her mother called.

"Alexandra! You ran off again! You're so stubborn!" her mother sighed, shaking her head.

"I'm here to see you and your mother," the dog said, making Alexandra's eyes widen. She blinked a few times, trying to make sense of what she was hearing. A talking dog?

"Why do you live here? It's dangerous," the dog scolded, looking directly into her eyes.

Alexandra wasn't scared. She just grinned.

"Go home to your mother and don't wander off alone in the forest," the dog warned, starting to leave.

"Where are you going, Doggy? Your wounds might come back," she asked.

"I'm not a dog, and dogs don't talk!" he snapped.

"Doggy!" she giggled.

He rolled his eyes and started to walk away, but stopped when he heard Alexandra crying.

"Oh god! You naughty dog!" he sighed, turning back to her. Alexandra immediately stopped crying. She smiled and wiped her tears.

"Let's go," he said, helping her onto his back.

She rested her cheek against his soft fur, falling asleep on his back. He gently set her down at the front door.

"I miss you and your mother," he said, kissing her forehead before disappearing.

When Alexandra woke up, she was in her room. Her mom was crying, holding her hands. "Thank god you're okay, baby. I was so worried."

She didn't meet the dog again until they moved to the city.

.......

Her eyes opened to an unfamiliar ceiling. She touched the soft blanket, remembering the talking dog. "A talking dog? I was crazy thinking they were real. And now... I'm surrounded by them," she smirked.

She got up and went outside.

A bonfire blazed in the clearing, people milling around. Children played, but then she saw people turning into wolves.

Several golden-haired wolves approached. They bowed. "Now what?" she frowned. A woman appeared before her, "Your Highness!" she knelt. Alexandra was taken aback by her speed. She realized she was the only human there. "ME? You're mistaken. I'm not the daughter of Queen Elizabeth," she said, rolling her eyes.

"No, Your Highness, we've been waiting for you," one of the wolves said, transforming into a woman. Alexandra almost fainted. Okay, animals turning into people again.

"Don't be afraid, we are your family," another wolf said, transforming as well.

"We are the First Lunas. I am your father's sister," the eldest introduced herself as Elias Agon. Werewolves weren't immortal, but they lived for almost a thousand years, except for the Lotus tribe, where the Luna and Alpha ruled, the Luna chosen by the moon goddess. She explained about vampires and werewolves, and their thousand-year-old feud.

"Let's talk about your connection to us-and them," Elias said, gesturing to nearby vampires.

"They're vampires, but friends. From your mother's side," Elias smiled.

"Ready to discover your two worlds?" she asked. Alexandra nodded.

"Your father was the Alpha of the Lotus tribe, a very special one, who controlled dark powers. Your parents fell in love, thinking they could change the world, believing their marriage would solve everything, because of a prophecy."

"What prophecy?"

"Vampires and werewolves were the most powerful beings. They fought endlessly. The prophecy said the first child of my nephew would combine both powers, but the Vampire King and the Great Alpha opposed it."

"We, the werewolves, have chosen you as our leader," Elias said. "You're the true heir, royal bloodline, the next Luna of the Lotus Tribe, with vampire blood. You're the chosen one to unite both clans, ending the hatred. But first, we must defeat King Hades."