Chapter 4 A Regretful Alpha

Draven's POV

The great hall was silent, except for the low crackles in the fireplace. Its warmth barely reached where I was sitting. This room, once filled with laughter, council meetings, and the steady rhythm of Crescent Moon Pack's daily life, now felt hollow.

Much like me.

My head rested back, looking up at the ceiling that had witnessed generations of Alphas. My chest was heavy with a weight I hadn't been able to shake since the night under the Blood Moon.

Nyra's face haunted me, her wide, devastated eyes when I rejected her in front of the entire pack. That moment is plastered in my memory. I had told myself that what I did was the best decision because I was protecting the Pack's future. Selene had political connections, influence, and the full backing of the Elders. She was the logical choice for Luna.

But logic didn't ease regret.

Selene and I had never been what the pack expected of an Alpha and Luna. She was cold, power-hungry, and manipulative. The warmth and laughter that Nyra had radiated were absent from my life. The pack had never fully accepted Selene either; they tolerated her out of respect for her position.

And now, everything was falling apart.

Crops were withering, the once fertile lands barren. Wolves were getting sick with a mysterious illness that our healers couldn't cure. Rogue attacks had grown more frequent, more organized. The Crescent Moon was on the brink of collapse, and whispers of a "Blood Moon Curse" were going around in the pack.

I clenched my jaw. Superstitions were nonsense. But the nagging thought that I had somehow brought this downfall upon us gnawed at the edges of my mind.

A knock echoed through the hall, sharp and urgent.

"Come in," I said, my voice hoarse.

Gareth, my Beta, entered, his expression grim. His broad shoulders were tense, and his usually calm demeanor had frayed. "Draven, the Elders are convening. They need you in the council chamber now."

I stood, my spine stiffening. "What's happened?"

"More wolves fell ill last night. And there was another rogue attack on the western border. This one was... coordinated." His voice dropped. "We barely held them off."

Dread settled in my gut. "Let's go."

The Elders had filled up the council chamber by the time we got there. The Elders sat in their highchairs around the large round table with worries etched on their faces. Murmurs filled the room with thick tension in the air.

I took my seat at the head of the table. "Report."

Elder Marcus, his gray hair was visible under the warm light, then leaned forward. "The crops are dying faster than we can plant them again. The sickness is spreading, and our healers are running out of supplies."

"And the rogues?" I asked.

Gareth spoke up. "They're becoming more coordinated. It's like someone is leading them."

The murmurs grew louder. Fear was palpable.

"We need answers," I said, slamming my palm on the table. "Has anyone consulted the seer?"

A hush fell over the room. The seer had not said anything in months because her visions got clouded by whatever darkness was upon us.

But then, the frail figure in the corner stirred. The seer, her eyes clouded with age and wisdom, lifted her head. Her voice was brittle but commanding. "An ancient threat has awakened," she declared. "A darkness that will consume everything unless it is stopped."

The Elders exchanged uneasy glances.

"What is this threat?" I demanded. "How do we stop it?"

The seer's gaze pierced through me. "The solution lies in what was lost and forsaken."

The words hung in the air, heavy with meaning.

My heart clenched. I knew what, who, she was referring to.

Nyra.

Guilt clawed at my insides, but I pushed it aside. I can't afford weakness now. I couldn't let my pack members see such. "There has to be a solution," I said, my voice firm. "I'll do whatever it takes to protect this pack. I will find that solution." I added, determination streaming through my blood vessels.

The Elders gave nods and mumbles of words, but their faces remained unhappy.

As the meeting came to an end , I remained in the chamber for a bit and lost in thought.

"Are you just going to sit here and watch the pack fall apart?" Selene's sharp voice cut through my moment of thinking in the silence...

I turned to see her standing in the doorway, arms crossed. Her expression was cold, condescending.

"What do you want, Selene?" I asked, my voice flat.