By The Light Of The Luna

Episode 1

Lyra was reeling.

No, not reeling, she was loosing consciousness. She was dying. She could vaguely feel her mouth open and closing. Was she speaking? Was someone else speaking? What was going on??

She was melting away into nothing.

Dying was a welcome idea at this point. Anything, anything was better than this.

This shame, this hurt, this... This... What was this?

"... Can you hear me Lyra? You need to say it back. It is important that you say you accept Wren as my concubine now before I tell everyone else in the pack. It shows a united front in our family and our pack in general"

That voice, Alpha Dorian's voice. Her mate.

He was standing in front of her, but protecting another woman, hiding her behind him, like she was the problem. Like she was not the one who had been hurt.

"I... I don't understand you..." Lyra managed to say.

Her mouth felt like it was stuffed with cotton wool, her head was ringing like she had just been hit.

On her birthday, he was announcing Wren as his new concubine, on her birthday. A party he had planned by himself. He couldn't even wait. He didn't even let her understand or get an opinion.

"A concubine? You picked this Omega, as a concubine?! Do you have any idea what you're saying to me? What you're asking me to do? I'm your mate, Dorian!!" Lyra snapped at the alpha.

It was the first time she had ever raised her voice around him.

There were in a one of the grand halls that belonged to the pack where they held many events. he had picked this one out for her birthday party himself and it was a few minutes till she would be called out for the celebration proper and yet he had slid into her dressing room with the snake hiding behind him in tow and informed her that he would be announcing Wren as his concubine. At her birthday celebration.

No wonder he had gone all out with the celebrations. Alpha Dorian had never done anything if he did not stand to gain from it. She had watched him barking out orders at the event organizers to mix in pink colors on the ornaments, plates and towels as they decorated, even though he knew that wasn't her color and she knew it sure as hell wasn't his either.

"This decision... Do I not get a say in it?" Lyra whispered.

The omega who had kept her face to the ground the entire time, poked her head up and stared up at Lyra through her pitch black hair. If Lyra had blinked, she would have missed the sneer that crossed the omega's face.

It was very quick, but it was there.

Lyra's usually silent wolf, stirred to the surface.

Was this what she had to deal with from now on?

Because she had to be frank, there was really no changing his mind. The very fact that she opposed it, would only make him double down on it and make sure it happened. He was always like that, even with her.

In hind sight, this was her fault too. Lyra had seen the signs, she had noticed the way he came home late or barely came home at all. She had brushed it off as his usual alpha business and responsibilities, even though the sinking feeling had been there, brewing all along.

"Dorian, please, don't be like this. Don't hurt me like this" she whispered, hoping that no one walking past the room they currently were would hear her begging.

It hurt her pride to beg, especially in front of an Omega, but that was what she had been reduced to. All had princessly pride had been reduced to nothing.

"Do you even hear yourself, Lyra? Are you trying to go against me? " Alpha Dorian spat.

"You want me to sit still and watch you take a concubine, no questions asked? You're my mate, Dorian" Lyra said, still having to tone down her voice, as it would be perceived as disrespectful to raise her voice on her alpha in front of someone as low in rank as an omega.

That was why it hurt. She would be sharing her mate with an omega, a low ranking woman he had been groveling around with in the mud.

"You're my mate, yes, and then what? Can't I at least have a woman in my life who could actually bear children? Because of your curse, because of my blind loyalty to you, I could die today without my alpha heir!" Alpha Dorian seethed, all the while still hiding Wren behind him.

Blood rushed to Lyra's head, she could not believe her ears.

"My curse? I can bear children, Dorian. You know I can" her heart beat slammed against her ribcage, like it wanted to jump right out of her.

"Have you stayed in the pack house for so long, it dulled your brain? Haven't you looked at your self?

I should have listened. I was warned, I was told to reject you as my mate and pick someone else that would not bring problems to me, but I was young and stupid and I didn't listen" he said and looked at her obvious white hair with disdain.

It was the only thing she received in terms of resemblance from her mother.

And right now, it was her curse.

"This. This is wrong! I am not my mother...I have been nothing but faithful to you and my oath as the luna of this pack." She tried very hard to blink back tears. She would not show him her tears, not now, not in front of the omega. "You cannot take a concubine to replace me because of some stupid folklore!"

Lyra had forgotten her voice could be that loud. It truly had been years since she stood up to him or anyone. Because of her heritage, made very clear and undeniable by the color of her hair, she had stayed silent, stayed humble and meek, not stirring any waters and just hoping everything stayed the way there were.

"I have done my duties to you and to this pack. I have taken everything you have dished out at me. I have been submissive, I have been the perfect Luna, so don't stand there and use something like that as an excuse for your obvious infidelity!!"

Smack!!

The force of Alpha Dorian's slap made her head tilt to the side, wringing her neck in the process.

The slap reverberated throughout Lyra's body. White noise filled her head, meanwhile, all her combat training came up right to the front of her mind, urging her, begging her to retaliate, but she held back, just like she had been doing for the past 5 years since she found out he was her mate.

Lyra squeezed her palm into a tight fist, her blood boiled from the humiliation. It wasn't the first time her mate was hitting her, he always struck her, but never in front of of an audience, in the presence of Wren no less.

Breathing in deeply to tame her wild thoughts, Lyra calmed the urge to take her hand and rub on her cheek, that had to be turning a light shade of red at that point.

"Now look how you're embarrassing yourself and our family in front of dear Wren. I'm pretty sure she is shocked to see us like this. She used to admire you, you know... Didn't you, Wren?" Alpha Dorian turned to ask Wren who still stood behind him, watching.

"Uhm, yes Alpha" the slithering, creature said.

"See? And now you've gone and ruined it! How would you teach her now?" Alpha Dorian said before grabbing his 'dear Wren' and walking out of her dressing room.

Immediately she was alone, Lyra let the emotions she had been keeping at bay and putting a tight leash on to wash over her, but she put her hands to her mouth to keep the sound of her crying from getting too loud and attracting people.

Other than the fact that he was her apha and mate, she knew she could take him. It wasn't a brag, she could take him on in a fight and win. She had been trained and readied on for all kinds of combat her whole life.

But she had always held back, always pushed her wild side away, accepting the role of Dorian's mate, of the doting, soft lily.

She had to be the perfect Luna. She had to be soft, humble and teachable. She had to be...

He was all she had now, she was the Luna. Wren would not throw that away because she had been hit by her mate...

Keeping the peace, that was what a Luna was meant to do.

She could do it. She could do it. She could do it.

Could she do it?

Immediately Alpha Dorian and his new concubine left, Lyra slowly dropped to the ground, hugging her knees. She was not in the mood to party.

If she stepped out of the room, she would be expected to smile, to laugh and be the joy and strength of the pack, she did not have it in her.

Her heart felt like it was being squeezed over and over again. Thoughts of her future kept rolling around in her head. It was too bleak. She was loosing. She was loosing everything.

The first tear dropped on the floor between her feet, then the rest followed. How could she do this? How??

A gloved hand appeared in front of her blurred vision.

Lyra started. Stood quickly and immediately began to wipe her eyes.

The last person she needed to see her crying was the pack's priestess.

Freya. The High Priestess, as well as the mouth of the moon goddess herself.

She had taken it upon herself to teach Lyra her duties as the Luna of the Night Light Pack.

And so far, Lyra has been a great student but not great enough by Freya's standards.

And right now with Lyra's tear streaked face and snotty nose, she was helping herself gain points with the young priestess.

As Lyra righted herself, cleaning her face and clearing her eyes, Freya's dark eyes scrutinized her.

"My Luna, You act like a simpering girl!"

Lyra dragged in mucus in response. She dared not speak when the lady was speaking even though they were almost the same age, and by hierarchy, Lyra was higher than her, as Luna second to the Alpha.

Freya just had a way of commanding attention and respect.

"As much as it hurts any woman to have to share her man with another, you must remember the bigger picture"

"What picture? Freya, I'm loosing my family. I'm loosing everything"

"Forgive me, Luna, but you do sound like a loser. Like puny little girl with no upbringing. Wet behind the ears." Freya said and leveled Lyra with a disapproving look.

"I am doing my best, but Alpha doesn't see that, and now we're going ten steps backward!" Lyra said feeling the anger rise back up within her.

"What about everything I have taught you? You are not just Luna for our Alpha. You are Luna for all of us. The entire pack. And the pack needs our Luna today" Freya said as she walked with calculated steps towards Lyra and stood right in front of her.

"You were born on such a dreadful day in the history of our kind, and you bear the mark right on your head to show for it." Freya lifted her gloved hand to touch Lyra's pure white hair, but quickly dropped her hand.

"It is a pity you were burdened with this predicament, but it is all the more reason you should do your duty. Show the pack that prophecy or not, you are with them. You are on their side. You are their Luna"

Lyra nodded, even though that was the last thing she wanted to do.

When she had first been announced as Luna of the Night Light Pack, Freya had been with her as a companion even though she kept a healthy distance from her so Lyra could not even pretend they were friends.

Lyra did not complain too-not when Freya knew everyone in the pack and outside of it. She would linger by Lyra's side at events and dinners, teaching her how to respond like a Luna, talk like a Luna, walk like a Luna and even going as far as feeding her information and details about those in attendance of those events and was the main reason why Lyra survived the first early years as Luna in the Night Light Pack.

She'd been the one presiding over the various ceremonies, before Lyra showed up-and with Lyra's presence, she had also been relieved of all those duties.

But Lyra was still more than happy to let her choose what manner of wreaths and garlands should adorn the pack house or palace like Alpha Dorian called it.

Before long, she began to choose what dress Lyra could wear, what silverware complemented each meal, even what meal the alpha would prefer at a certain period of time, it was all for her own good, she had told Lyra severally.

She was the heart of her people, ordained by the Hand of the Goddess to lead them from despair and darkness. Especially after the dreadful prophecy hanging on the necks of their kind, Lyra was in no position to doubt.

She hadn't led her astray yet- and Lyra had learned so much from her that made her life easier. Even now, Lyra still got sweaty if she had to face the people of the pack without Freya beside her.

"Today, the pack does not need a jilted bride, we need our Luna. You must remember that as much as it is your birthday, it is also the anniversary of the death of our former Alpha, and the day, the curse came to be"

She walked a steps away from Lyra and turned towards the door before saying

"Remember Luna, you're a reminder of so many bad things. You should try to make us remember the good things too"

And then walked out, her temple cape fluttering behind her.

Lyra recognized that tone of finality. Whenever she began to act 'difficult', She knew that Freya's next point of action would be to subtly remind her of her 'curse'.

As much as Lyra tried not to, she was slowly beginning to believe she was truly the subject of the damned prophecy everyone had been talking about since her birth.

There was no one with pure white hair amongst the werewolf clan. It was always midnight black to dark blonde.

There was a no one else.

With a deep sigh and her still broken heart, Lyra decided to go out there and pretend everything was fine.

************* *************

The party looked like it had been made for Wren.

There was pink everywhere!! The linens and ribbons and towels were all various shades of pink.

Not a hint of the black and white that Lyra preferred.

And yet, Lyra smiled.

When Freya began the prayer of blessing, asking the moon goddess to bless and increase Lyra's years, she nodded in solemnity. Ever the picture of the perfect Luna

When Alpha Dorian stepped up to the raise podium and everyone hushed in respect, Lyra smiled.

"Today, marks the beginning of so many things. The day of the death of our former alpha, my father. The day our very own Luna, Lyra , was born and now, a new addition to our ever-growing family, my new concubine, Wren Danor."

The auditorium first went into a chill silence, everyone's eyes turned towards Lyra's direction, almost like they were asking for her opinion on it.

The silence turned into low murmurs with everyone's eyes and lips moving.

"Do your duty, Luna. Smile" Freya said from behind her through closed teeth, it sounded like she had her own smile on already.

So Lyra smiled.

And then everyone clapped, smiling back at the Alpha while people waved at Wren as she walked up to the Podium to stand behind the smirking Alpha.

Even when Wren moved forward to stand beside him, on her position, Lyra smiled.

Even when the alpha kissed her on the forehead, Lyra smiled.

And when they hugged with broad smiles on their faces, Wren winking subtly at her mate, Lyra smiled even when her heart was breaking inside.

Even when she could feel her wolf howling in pure agony, Lyra smiled.

"You acted like a true Luna today. Even though you delayed and had the entire pack scrambling for hope." Freya said breathlessly.

Lyra had barely walked into her room before Freya was hot on her heels, admonishing her. Correcting her in her usual way. Lyra reminded herself that it was all in love, and it was Freya's duty to do so.

" Did you see? Did you see how they all turned to you? While you were being selfish, your pack needed you" she seethe. Her olive eyes glinting in the light.

"Selfish? I have never been allowed to be selfish my entire life, Freya!! The alpha-"

"-is a hot blooded werewolf! He is alpha and can take whatever he wants and you will do well to remember that!"

Freya stomped, walking deep into Lyra's room and facing her with the same disapproving look as before.

" You will have to stop comparing yourself with the alpha, My Luna. You are but a female, and a carrier of a-"

" - of a what?" Freyas eyes flashed at being interrupted. Even Lyra was shocked that she had been angry enough to cut Freya mid speech, but she went on.

"of a what, Freya? A curse? A prophesy I know nothing about? Is that why I should accept being treated like this? Do I deserve this, Freya?"

Freya looked deep into Lyra's eyes, obviously a bit peeved and annoyed that the other woman had just interjected when she was speaking.

She knew not to push her too far at that point.

" Shower, rest your head, the alpha's banquet is in two days. We are to plan it together." and with that she was gone, walking out while Lyra watched her cape flutter in a phantom wind.

Lyra crashed into bed without bothering to take off any of her clothes.

*************************************************

The moon had never looked so white, so big. It looked like Lyra was standing right in front of it. She pulled her hands forward, reaching out to touch it. "Fireheart"

Lyra snatched her hand back at the sound of ethereal female voice.

"Fireheart"

"Who is that?" Lyra yelled back at the moon in front of her.

"See, Fireheart. See."

"See? See what?" Lyra's heart beat forcefully in her chest. She looked around the darkness around her. She was talking to the moon!! Was the moon talking to her?

The large moon in front of her simmered and turned crystal clear like a mirror.

"See, Fireheart"

Lyra looked into the mirror and her mouth fell open.

She was looking at herself, or more precisely, an image that looked like her. She moved when she moved, turned when she turned, but it's hair, her hair was pitch black.

"Fireheart!!!"

Lyra jolted from her bed, panting heavily like she had just run a marathon.

Immediately, she rushed to the toilet and emptied her stomach.

*******************************************

"Oh no!! we can't let her sit next to him. They'd rip themselves apart, and then we would have to wash off all that blood that would the table linens." Beneath her bright red temple robe with a large hood, Freya furrowed her brow, crinkling the tattoo of a Cresent moon on her forehead.

She looked down at the seating chart in her hand, crossed out a name and scribbled another one down.

Lyra had woken up and rushed to Freya, hoping to throw herself into work, anything to take her mind off of the dream she had.

The day had turned warm, the room a bit stuffy even with the breeze through the open windows. And yet Freya wore her heavy hood. Lyra had to commend her consistency. It wasn't like the robe, could stop people from staring at her body that her black dress put on subtle display.

Freya's slim waist was on display as her dress, was so form fitting, it looked like a glove on her. Hugging her curves in every single way, leaving nothing to a creative imagination.

Whenever she had to pray, she wore a red veil on top of the hood that went all the way to the floor.

The Voice of the moon goddess.

The first time Lyra had seen her in her prayer garb, she had found the image unsettling-that merely shading her face had somehow turned the bright, young female into an effigy, into something Other.

Thankfully, she did most of her prayers at the temple dedicated to the moon goddess, where she had lower priestesses under her that helped with all the pack rituals and prayers.

Occasionally, she even took the hood off entirely to let the sun play in her long, gently curling golden hair.

"Seating people for an event such as this is like a game," she said, sighing through her small nose. "All these pieces, all this werewolves, vying for power or dominance or a little of the alphas favor directed at them , willing to shed blood, if need be"

Werewolves may have evolved from wild men in the wild, but there were still intrinsically savage and bloody. Ready to result to war and force then have talks and agreements.

The werewolves weren't like the small minded, political nobility of the mortal world. No, if they feuded, it would end with someone being ripped to a million tiny pieces. Literally.

"It had hurt me to no end when the alpha had stopped me from practicing my combat skills."Lyra said before she could stop herself.

"Are we still having this conversation? A woman is not needed on the battle front. Most especially The Luna of our pack!!!"

"It does not make any sense. Why can't I fight like everyone is who is trained does? I am trained, you know"

"What if you get hurt? What If you die? Or worse still, what if you win and come out victorious? How would our Alpha keep his face in shame? How would he cope, knowing that a woman saved him and his people."

Lyra stared at Freya like she had two heads.

"Luna, do not try to build your silly prideful portfolio on the grave of our Alpha's manhood and male pride. It is useless. Let it go." Freya said before picking up the chart and walking away.

Lyra knew she could fight alongside them, against them. Not that she had tried, they would not even let her near the training ground.

She was too watched-too monitored and judged.

Why should the mate of the Alpha learn to fight if she was suppose to foster peace?

Why would she practice combat, almost like she was preparing to fight against them, especially since she carried the mark of the prophesy on her head.

That had always been Freya's reasoning every time Lyra had brought it up.

Alpha Dorian too had not seen reason with her when she had mentioned it, so naturally she decided to stop. There was no need kicking dust and causing problems.

Lyra walked away from the meeting room she had been in with Freya.

They had rounded up everything including accommodations for the guest alphas that would be in attendance.

It was a conference of some sort. A gathering of alphas to plan out their usual alpha duties.

Not that Lyra was included in the decision or planning, she was always left out, relegated to pick out the color of flowers for garlands or the spoons that match the tablecloth.

Some of the alphas had already begun to arrive and had been led to their different rooms and quarters by Lyra accompanied by Freya.

As Lyra walked to her quarters, she could not shake the feeling that she was being watched.

As she waled through the corridors overlooking the large courtyard in front of the palace, she looked to the sky, it was still bright afternoon and no one would mug her in her own home, but she continued to throw small glances behind her just in case.

"Your hair"

"Oh by the goddess!!" Lyra screamed, stumbling backwards.

A strong tattooed, muscular hand immediately grabbed her before she could collide with the floor.

As the arms made she she was fine, they withdrew.

Lyra looked up to the owner of the hands, her eyes collided with piercing grey ones.

"Forgive me. I did not mean to scare you" the owner of the hands and eyes said.

"Lyra Martinns, Luna of the night light pack. And you're are?"

"Luna... Interesting. Call me Kai."

"I've never heard of an Alpha Kai before" Lyra said, stepping back from him.

"Really? My name always raises eyebrows and turns heads. You've been very sheltered, my Lady."

Lyra almost blushed at his insinuation. Truly, she had never left the pack grounds in the five years since she came to this pack. She had no connection with the outside world. Lyra's attention snapped back to him when his eyes kept roving around her and settling on her hair.

"Martinns, you said. I have always wondered what happened to Alpha Martinns daughter. And yet, here you were all along, hiding in plain sight. Interesting indeed."

Lyra did not like how he spoke like he knew her. He also spoke in riddles, like some ancient being.

"Is there something you would like to say to me, I don't appreciate the murmuring to yourself while I'm right in front of you" she snapped.

His eyes lit up immediately at the spark and irritation in her voice.

"Feisty too. Wonderful. Well, Lyra Martinns, I believe I would be seeing you at the banquet tomorrow"

Lyra doubted it, but she did not need to tell him that.

"Your eyes say you would not be there... You should find a way, Lyra, if you want to know about your hair"

And with that he was sauntering off, like he had not just tilted Lyra's world.