"Ashina, use the ring now!, we have no time. This is your best chance to go into the human globe for safety". Gonzalo, mindlinked his wife in desperation for god knows how long.
"No, I can't go without you. I can't live alone there. Please let's go together". Ashina cried pleadingly.
"Please do it, my love, you have to save our pups. You know how hard it was before you got pregnant. Save our little pups so they can at least live freely over there, should the enemies win over us, please".
The Alpha kept begging Luna Ashina to save herself and their unborn pups but she found it hard to leave the wolf globe without him. It was not that she didn't want to save their pups but it was just that she wanted to leave with him. She was afraid that he would be killed in the war if she left.
The atmosphere was hot and very tense. Fear was the order of the day to the extent that even the chirping of the birds could not be heard. The terrible injustice against the moonstone pack was beginning to tell on them. Many had been wounded and many taken into captives.
Alpha Gonzalo was taken unaware but he had decided that he would never surrender his people to the enemy without a fight. He also had to save his pregnant wife and pups by sending them into the human globe. However, convincing her to do the needful wasn't easy.
The Moonstone Pack was renowned for its lush and bountiful territory, teeming with an abundance of food and resources. Their land was blessed with fertile soil, crystal-clear rivers, and a favorable climate, making them one of the most prosperous packs in the region. Despite their good fortune, the Moonstone Pack was never hesitant to share their wealth with neighboring packs, often providing aid during harsh winters and times of scarcity.
However, their generosity and success only fueled the jealousy and resentment of the surrounding packs. Alpha Dolph, a cunning and power-hungry leader, exploited these feelings to manipulate the Midnight Stalkers Pack, Shadow Runners Pack, and Nightfall Pack into allying against the Moonstone Pack. Driven by greed and a desire for dominance, Alpha Dolph convinced the other Alphas that the Moonstone Pack's wealth and resources were rightfully theirs.
The three packs secretly plotted their attack for months, gathering their forces and waiting for the perfect moment to strike. They planned to launch a surprise assault on the Moonstone Pack, killing most of its members and enslaving the survivors. The war began with a brutal and unexpected attack, catching the Moonstone Pack off guard and leaving them reeling.
As the days passed, the Moonstone Pack found themselves vastly outnumbered and outmatched by the combined forces of their enemies. Alpha Gonzalo, the pack's wise and courageous leader, rallied his warriors and fought bravely, but the odds were stacked against them. The war raged on, leaving destruction and devastation in its wake. The Moonstone Pack's very existence hung in the balance, as they struggled to survive against the treacherous alliance of the three packs.
When Alpha Gonzalo realized that they may not survive the war, even the power of their priestess and his Luna Ashina, who possess a witch power, could not save them. In desperation to ensure the safety of his unborn pups and wife, Alpha Gonzalo begged Luna Ashina to use the magical dimensional travel ring in her possession to escape to the human globe. With the enemy packs closing in, he knew traveling by road or forest would be too perilous for her. Luna, however, was hesitant to leave, despite having the three-dimensional travel rings given to her by her aunt, the former priestess, who had been captured by evil witches.
Alpha Gonzalo understood his responsibility to protect his pack, but he couldn't bear the thought of losing his family. He urged Luna to use the ring, but she refused, blocking their Pack connection and fleeing into the woods to hide. His Beta, Jared, attempted to persuade him to leave with his wife, but Alpha Gonzalo refused, anger flashing in his eyes.
"Never suggest I abandon my people again," he growled.
Gathering his remaining wolves in their hidden abode, Alpha Gonzalo sought to bolster their spirits before the situation worsened. Except for a few guards stationed at the territory boundaries, the pack assembled, eager for their Alpha's words. He praised their bravery in the unexpected war and urged them to continue fighting, trusting in the will of their Moon goddess. He vowed to do everything in his power to protect them. The pack responded with a resounding howl of approval. Just then, his Beta whispered something in his ear, interrupting his speech.
"My Alpha, Luna is not around here and I couldn't connect to her or her maids".
He nodded to him, finished up with the Pack members, and discharged them. Then turned and gave his beta sign to follow him.
"Not to worry Jared, she disconnected me as well but one of the maids had mindlinked me where they were hiding before she ordered them to disconnect from everyone. Ashina could be troublesome sometimes especially since she got pregnant but I need to send her off by force for the sake of our unborn pups" Gonzalo put in authoritatively.
They kept walking into the forest as they searched for her, sniffing everywhere. Then Gonzalo perceived her. His mate's scent could not be mistaken with another. The scent was coming from a small cave nearby. On getting closer, the Alpha called out to her.
"Ashina, I know you are in there so come out. Don't make me come in there by myself".
Without wasting time, they saw her and two of her maids coming out. She was crying, hoping that her tears would soften the Alpha's heart. Unfortunately, it didn't happen because immediately the Alpha growled at her.
"What do you think you are doing? You need to get the heck out of here. You are in your seventh month and the fight is dangerous. You are one of the targets because they didn't want me to have an heir. Use the ring now!"
Meanwhile, as they were at the meeting the enemies were strategizing the best way to attack again. Unknown to them one of the omegas in the palace was sending crucial information to Alpha Dolph of Shadow Runners Pack. She had told him about the plan of Alpha Gonzalo to send Luna away into the human globe for safety.
Instantly, Alpha Dolph gathered some warriors, sending out information that they were attacking the Moonstone Pack. The plan was not to let Luna out of the wolf globe alive. Moonstone Luna must be killed so that Moonstone would not boast of any successor after Gonzalo is defeated.
As Alpha Dolph's only son, Conri heard that they must kill Luna of Moonstone, he felt concerned. He decided it was time he told his father a secret that had been unnerving him for months. He can't let them kill Luna because of her pregnancy.
Initially, he was against the ongoing war against the Moonstone because he liked the Pack a lot. He was among the youngsters who finished part of their education in Moonstone Pack. When he was with them, he enjoyed the Pack's hospitality very well. Alpha Gonzalo treated him as if he was his child while he was in school there.
So he went looking for his father to confront him concerning Moonstone Pack Luna. On seeing his father, he went straight to the point.
"Father, you can't kill the Luna, please call off the attack"
Alpha Dolph growled and nearly smacked him on his face. Conri's father had always called him a weakling because he felt he wasn't as strong as him.
"What is the matter with you, Conri? Sometimes I wonder if you are my blood or someone else's. This is war and in a war, there are no sentiments. Their Luna must be killed. Get out of my sight". His father growled in anger.
"No Father, you can't do that, if you kill her the pups will die as well". Conri disputed.
"What kind of a doctor are you? That is the exact plan, silly you. Talk with your senses. Of course killing the Luna will send the pups straight to heaven, you dumb ass". His father yelled in anger and started walking away.
"Exactly what I don't want Father, I want the pups alive because they are mine!". He yelled after him.
"What! " Escaped the father's lips.
It seemed as if Conri's father didn't hear him well. He paused on his track, turned swiftly, and stared at his son. He knew his son to be soft-hearted but he also knew that he could never joke with such serious matters. However, he took it to be a joke since he knew something concerning the pregnancy.
"Conri, what did you just say?"
Alpha Dolph busted out with laughter as he walked a bit back to his son while staring at him.
"Tse tse tse, this is unbelievable. You have the guts to be messing around with Moonstone Luna while I thought you were a weakling. My son, you are something else. Don't you know you will be killed if that truth materializes, hmm? Just count yourself lucky... ". Conri cut his father short.
"Come on Father stop, I didn't lay the Luna. It was accidental, I didn't plan it. It just happened because I didn't have a choice". Conri tried to explain.
His father laughed, turned to go, and said to him,
"Not to worry son, still count yourself lucky that Luna will die. Oh, I won't tell anyone that you once messed around and somehow I liked what you did. You dared the Alpha".
The father chuckled as he started walking away while Conri followed trying to make him see reason.
"Father, you are getting it wrong, her pups are mine. You can't kill her, please"
"Relax son, the pups are not yours. Let me tell you what happened. Alpha Gonzalo couldn't father a child because his wife, Luna Achina had issues conceiving. So medically, they had to use IVF for her to get pregnant. They have tried several times before at last one worked out". The father laughed.
"Exactly the point Father... "
"Let me finish, son. Do you know the amazing thing, son? As we were planning for the war, we found out about the IVF arrangement, so we used one of our allies to exchange Gonzalo's semen at the semen bank with one of the omegas. So the Pups were not even Gonzalo's and they are not yours either because Luna can never conceive naturally. So come along, they are ready for the attack". He walked on outside while his son followed.
"Father, that was such a disgusting thing to do to a fellow man. I guess you are the reason the moon goddess allowed the accident to happen".
His father turned and stared hard at his son's seriousness. Then started walking again as he asked him.
"What exactly are you saying? What accident?"
"Will you listen to me now? I swear, I'll never forgive you if you harmed my pups. I have a secret to share, and it's been weighing on me for far too long. On the day of the IVF procedure, I was at the hospital on duty. I was the one tasked with bringing the vials containing the semen. It was my final week of internship, and I was eager to prove myself. But fate had other plans. As I was transporting the vials from the semen bank to the IVF section, I missed a step and they fell, shattering on the floor. Everything spilled out, and I was left standing there, frozen in horror."
Conri paused, noticing his father's sudden stop in his tracks. He turned around, his eyes fixed intently on Conri as if urging him to continue.
"Go on, Conri," his father prompted, his voice firm but curious. "So, after you broke the vials, did they obtain another semen sample from Gonzalo?"
Conri took a deep breath before continuing, his words tumbling out in a rush.
"No, Father. I didn't tell the gynecologist about the accident because I was terrified they would be furious with me or might think I did it on purpose. They seemed so desperate to get the procedure done, and I didn't want to crush Luna's hopes. So I kept quiet about the accident instead, I I...". He paused to breathe.
"You what, what did you do about it? Wait, oh my moon goddess, you gave them your semen?" Finished off by the father.
"Yes Father, I gave them mine to cover up the one I broke. I even prayed to the moon goddess not to make it a success but she did the opposite". Conri said helplessly.
"So the pups in Luna's belly are your blood, which means my blood. Damn it, Conri". His father cursed angrily.
He stared at his father hoping he would change his mind. Far from it, he didn't change his mind. Rather he became more eager to kill Luna Ashina. He matched out and joined the people for the attack.
Conri followed him instantly, pleading that they were his grand pups to be. The father didn't yield, rather he told his men that it was time to kill Luna Ashina.
He shifted instantly to wolf form. So everyone including Conri went all on fours immediately.
He led with his son beside him pleading for the father to reconsider his decision but the father growled at him and started running at full speed towards Moonstone Pack. Conri's heart beat faster while his pours pounded on the ground beside his father as the thought within him was to make sure Luna was saved.
Within three hours they had already killed many of the guards before Gonzalo's warriors got the news and mind-linked their pack members and warriors. They all headed out to defend their pack. The fight had already escalated as the enemies kept forging further into Moonstone Pack. They made sure to kill or give serious injury to anyone standing in their way.
At the side of the cave, Alpha Gonzalo was urging his wife, Luna Ashina, to use the magic ring to escape and return when their pups were older, if he didn't survive the impending battle. But Luna was adamant, refusing to leave without him, her tears falling like diamonds in the dim light. Jared tried to reassure her, explaining to her that he had been to the human Globe before and that it was easy to blend in with the humans and other werewolves who lived there. But Luna's fears and doubts lingered, and the couple's distress was palpable.
Just as they were at the spot, a group of enemies, led by the menacing Alpha Dolph, arrived at the cave. Conri, still linked to his father through their mind bond, pleaded with him to let Luna go, but Gonzalo was too focused on the threat before them to listen. His growls and barks ordered Conri to silence, but the werewolf persisted, sensing Luna's desperation.
As the enemies closed in, Gonzalo's instincts screamed at him to protect his mate. He realized that they had come for her, and she had to escape by all means. Luna, sensing her mate's urgency, begged him to come with her, her voice laced with anguish and fear. Gonzalo's frustration and desperation mounted, torn between his desire to keep his pack together and the need to ensure Luna's safety above all else.
"Ashina do it now, I will go with you. No time, you got to save our pups. Do it, I will come with you". He lied to her so she could do the needful since all the pleading was falling on deaf ears.
Instantly, she uttered some strange language, pulled out a ring from her finger, and threw it up. There appeared a huge ring of fire like an open part way to an unknown location which kept rolling in a circle. It was dark and scary for someone to jump into but that was how it worked. Ashina turned to her husband and told him that it was time for them to go as she tried to hold his hand.
As Alpha Dolph saw the fire in motion he forged towards Luna but Jared blocked him by jumping on him on all fours. Two of them kept fighting each other. Other wolves tried going for her but the maids were busy as well protecting their Luna as well. Conri was confused about what to do as his father kept shouting at him to kill her.
Gonzalo shouted at Ashina, to go on that he was behind her as he fought the two wolves that pounced on him. He attacked them back ferociously. He threw one on a coconut tree close by. Then held the second one, snapped his neck, and dropped him dead. He moved towards his wife instantly as another wolf wanted to attack her. He pounced on the wolf and flung her far away. Then instantly pushed Ashina into the open partway.
"Please go now before it closes, I will come for you. I love you ".
"No, please jump in now. Come with me, please". She cried as the partway started reducing in size.
Gonzalo and everyone else continued to defend themselves. To everyone's surprise, as Alpha Dolph got away from Jared, he rushed to his son who was just defending himself from another wolf. Conri didn't want to fight and it was annoying his father. He grabbed the wolf and threw him far away. Then growled at his son.
"You should have killed her when you had the chance, Conri. I don't care if the pups are yours".
Immediately, he flung his son into the part way and it took him in as he shouted after him.
"Make sure that you kill Luna and those pups, don't return until you kill them. Priestess will come for you when you accomplish the mission". Gradually the partway disappeared.
Gonzalo growled in despair and with annoyance, he faced Alpha Dolph, fighting him with all his strength.
As the passageway closed, Ashina found herself alone in a thick forest. She was all alone in her human form on the ground. She looked around her but her Alpha was not there. She cried out,
"No. No.. Nooo"
Ashina sprang up in terror, her body instantly transforming as a growl of rage and fear escaped her lips. Initially, she thought she was still within the familiar boundaries of her pack's territory, but as she sniffed the air, she realized with a jolt of panic that she was far from home. Her howls of anger and desperation echoed through the silence but received no response, only the haunting reverberations of her voice. Enraged and disoriented, she sprinted aimlessly, fueled by her wolf's fury and her sense of betrayal. Gonzalo's deception burned within her like wildfire - he had pushed her into the unknown without following, leaving her alone and vulnerable.
After running to nowhere in particular she became exhausted and weak. So she collapsed to the ground, her body trembling with weak moans. She fell unconscious.
When she finally awoke, she found herself in human form, surrounded by the threatening silence of the woods. Tears streamed down her face as she remembered her predicament. She felt a crushing weight of sorrow and weakness. Her body ached, her mind wobbled, and her heart felt shattered into a million pieces. She stumbled to her feet, her fingers trembling as she gazed at the remaining two magical rings, a bitter reminder of her lost love and her current misery. With a heavy heart, she decided to find solace and guidance in a world that seemed to have abandoned her.
Weakly she spoke the strange language and pulled out one of the rings. Then threw it up in the air but the ring fell without anything happening. Weakly she picked it up and tried again, and again and again yet again with the second ring but the partway didn't open up. In frustration, she screamed with a high-pitched voice. Then she started feeling some discomfort in her protruding belly.
"No no no! Gonzalo, what have you done? Why did you leave me all alone in the middle of nowhere? Why, why, why...? She cried bitterly.
Seeing that she could not go back, she decided to walk around. She guessed that maybe she might see a pack or someone who might give her directions to where werewolves lived. Then the discomfort in her belly started again. She wanted to shift so she could easily heal from whatever that was causing the pain. Or at least would be able to bear the pain but couldn't shift.
"Meeka, I need you to take over"
She called on her wolf but there was no response from her.
"Meeka, wake up and help me, why are you quiet? Please I need your strength". She begged her wolf but she didn't respond.
As the pain in her belly intensified, she felt overwhelmed and uncertain about what to do next. Every step felt like a battle, her legs trembling beneath her as she struggled to walk away from the danger lurking in the shadows. Just then, a gunshot rang out from her left side, sending a chill down her spine and shattering the silence of the forest. Fear gripped her heart, and she swiftly turned in the opposite direction, her eyes scanning the horizon for a glimmer of hope.
With each gunshot, her sense of urgency grew, and she pleaded with her wolf to awaken, praying to the Moon Goddess to protect her and her unborn pups from the unknown threat. The pain in her protruding belly was relentless, making every step an agony, but she dared not pause, driven by the desperation to escape and ensure the safety of her unborn pups. As dusk fell, the darkness seemed to close in faster, and her strength began to weaken, her breath coming in short gasps.
Yet, she pushed on, fueled by her maternal instincts and the determination to survive. After what felt like an eternity, she heard a distant sound - a vehicle horn, growing louder from her right side. Her heart skipped a beat as she wondered if this could be her salvation or if another trap waiting to pop up.
So she turned right and continued. The pain continued but then she felt some wetness in between her legs. She paused and checked, and realized that she was bleeding. She saw blood dripping down her legs. Her anxiety grew enormous as she wept bitterly.
"Oh no, moon goddess, please not my pups, I beg of you. Don't do this to me. Please keep them alive. If you need sacrifice, take my life instead".
As she trudged through the darkness, her legs aching and her belly throbbing with pain. Then she started catching glimpses of light from passing vehicles, a beacon of hope that she was heading towards safety. The lights grew brighter, and she realized she was approaching a road, her heart racing with anticipation. She stumbled forward. Her vision started clouding, but she refused to give up, driven by the determination to protect her unborn pups. But just as she reached the roadside, her legs gave way, and she felt herself falling into darkness, unable to cry out for help. She lost consciousness
Meanwhile, Conri found himself in human form on a roadside flanked by bushes. His mind reeling from the events that had unfolded. Fear and anger coursed through his veins as he recalled his father's actions. In anger he shifted and took off into the forest, his paws pounding the earth. He gave out a mighty howl as if to release the pent-up emotions. He ran deeper into the forest, his paws aching, his heart heavy, until he finally stopped, exhausted. But his reprieve was short-lived, as a gunshot whizzed past his ear, sending him running back towards the road in terror.
The shooter seemed to give chase, as another shot sounded, but Conri's fear fueled his speed, and he outran his pursuer. Breathless and shaken, he emerged back onto the road, only to witness a car out of control as it collided with a tree. The sound of shattering glass and crunching metal filled the air, and Conri's heart raced with a new sense of urgency. He approached the wreckage cautiously, his senses on high alert, as he spotted a figure slumped over the steering wheel.
In an instant, Conri shifted into human form, his chest heaving rapidly as he struggled to catch his breath after the intense run. He approached the wreckage cautiously, his eyes fixed on the vehicle, but the driver didn't emerge. With a sense of trepidation, he moved closer to investigate and found a man and woman slumped inside, their bodies battered and bruised. Though they were still breathing, their injuries were severe, and Conri knew he had to act fast.
With a surge of adrenaline, he carefully extracted them from the wreckage, one by one, his hands and clothes becoming stained with their blood. He worked swiftly, his mind racing with the gravity of the situation, as he tried to stem the flow of blood and keep them stable until help arrived.
His wolf, Zeeb, was still afraid of what happened in the bush. So he told him to stay away from humans but Conri refused.
"Zeeb, I know it's dangerous but I think
outside the forest seems safer for now. Besides, we need to find out where our kind are living and we could only achieve that if we try to mingle with people"
"Alright, I understand but. be careful". Zeeb advised Conri and relaxed while Conri decided to stay around the wounded people.
After a few minutes, the ambulance arrived, and the paramedics quickly loaded the injured couple inside. As they sped towards the hospital, the doctor on board began a more thorough examination. He was perplexed to find that while the others had severe injuries, Conri didn't have a single scratch, though he had an elevated blood pressure reading. The doctor's curiosity was piqued, and he attempted to engage Conri in conversation.
"You're incredibly fortunate, not a single scratch on you. What's your name, son?" he asked, his tone friendly and inquiring.
Conri hesitated, initially willing to respond, but then his mind raced with the realization that he was in an unfamiliar world. He quickly decided discretion was the best course and feigned amnesia.
"I...I don't remember," he stammered, hoping to deflect further questions. The doctor nearly exclaimed his surprise.
"Oh my goodness, your case is extremely complex," the doctor exclaimed, his brow furrowed with concern. "You can't recall your name?" he asked again, his tone laced with empathy. Conri nodded solemnly, his expression mirroring the doctor's seriousness, as the ambulance pulled into the hospital's entrance.
As the doors swung open, Conri hesitated, torn between fleeing the hospital and sticking around. He weighed his options carefully, his mind racing with the potential consequences of each choice. Finally, he decided to remain, hoping to find others like himself, who could understand his predicament and offer guidance.
Just then, the doctor instructed a nurse to escort Conri for a memory test and x-ray, citing his amnesia as the reason. Without hesitation, Conri followed the nurse, his heart pounding in his chest. He knew he had to play along, at least for now, until he could uncover more about this strange new world and find his place within it.