The Alpha's Bald Luna

~ KELANI ~

"Fix your face, Kelani," my mother ordered in a whisper, "The pack members are watching."

I sighed. It wasn't my fault I had a face that always showed exactly how I was feeling and right now, I felt horrible. Who cared what the pack members thought? They weren't the ones who had to live everyday as the child of disappointment to a powerful Alpha.

Tonight was a festive night for Left Stone pack. We were celebrating the success of yet another harvest season. Our land was so rich and fertile, it had earned the tagline, "If it dies on Left Stone, it cannot be grown."

Our wolves were mainly farmers and tonight, they littered the pack square presenting a portion of their harvest to their Alpha and my father, Alpha Trojan Hulker. I sat by the left side of his magnificent seat while my mother sat by his right, all three of us getting the clearest view of the ceremony from the raised platform.

The pack square was bustling with excitement - the wolves of Left Stone worked hard and partied even harder. Drummers beat their drums like it was a thief caught in the market, caterers stirred large cauldrons of assorted food, members of the pack danced like it was their last night on earth.

It was a big party, yet like every other celebration that has ever been held in Left Stone, it paled in comparison to the celebration of my birth. That was a week-long celebration and nearly all the packs in the north were represented. My parents had narrated the event to me so many times that it now felt like I could remember parts of the celebration even though I was just a few days old at the time.

My arrival was an answered prayer after years of painful waiting by my parents. With every year that my mother's belly stayed flat, tongues wagged and eyes rolled. An Alpha without an heir? Unheard of!

Other she-wolves in the pack began subtly presenting themselves to my father. He was afterall the richest and most powerful wolf in Left Stone pack. He could get any she-wolf he wanted so why did he have to wait with a barren one? But my father stayed by my mother. Their bond was unbreakable.

Finally, the Moon Goddess showed her heart of mercy and my mother conceived me. My parents were overjoyed when I was born but their joy was short-lived.

I didn't talk when pups my age talked or walk when pups my age walked. I was constantly falling ill and the pack healer became a regular in our home. As I grew, it became more and more obvious that I was a sickly wolf. The most notable sign was that my wounds took ages to heal, unlike the quick healing trait werewolves were known for. And I would easily pass out from any strenuous exercise.

So I was gradually exempted from any activities that might cause injuries or stress - which were pretty much all werewolf activities. I sat on the sidelines and watched while other wolves trained and played. I even had to be homeschooled as the pack school proved impossible for me to manage. I was the definition of weak yet I was supposed to be the heir to my parents' position in the pack. How pathetic.

"Kelani, you heard your mother. If you're feeling miserable, the pack doesn't need to see it." my father growled at me, loud enough to rattle my bones but low enough for no one else to hear.

My face stayed as it was - sour as rotten lemons. My parents were kind and supportive to my plight but even they were just werewolves not gods; the side remarks got to them sometimes.

"How is she supposed to lead us as Luna if she is so frail and fragile?"

"I am scared that the wind will one day blow her away. We should put some stones in her dress pockets."

"She has no wolf, no mate, no strength. Surely, she is cursed by the Moon Goddess herself."

I remember how I cried when I overheard my parents talking about me after I still didn't get my wolf on my 18th birthday last year, their hushed tones giving away the distress in their hearts. Most werewolves had their first shift anywhere from age 14 to 18 so it was kind of settled that I would never get my wolf.

"It is better to have no child than to have one as unfortunate as this. She is a burden and a source of ridicule to us." my father had lamented.

And tonight, the ridicule was clear as day. While other wolves my age proudly displayed their harvest at the ceremony, I was sitting beside my parents like a life sized doll.

"Kelani?" The growl from my father was deadly now.

"Actually, I think I'd just leave." I snapped and jolted up from my chair. I could feel my parent's eyes boring holes into my back as I stormed off the platform and out of the pack square.

The full moon lit my path as I walked the long distance to the village lake and sat by it, hugging my knees to my chin. Voices and music from the ceremony still reached my ears although barely discernible.

I picked a pebble and threw it into the lake, watching it ripple twice across the surface before disappearing into the shimmery blue water. Another pebble followed, the splosh in the silence a strangely comforting sound to my ears. And another. Then ten more.

"Panda!" The unmistakable voice of my best friend called, "You left the ceremony."

I turned to look at him. Normally, calling me the annoying nickname 'Panda' would earn him a playful (or not) jab to his side but not tonight. "Go away, Nikolas. I want to be alone."

He took a closer look at me and his voice shifted from playful to concerned. "Kay, are you... alright?"

"I am."

"You're not-"

"Just! Go!! Away!!!" I yelled in frustration.

Nikolas's shoulders fell as he turned away and I immediately felt bad about taking out my foul mood on him but I didn't call him back. There would always be time to apologize to him, and to my parents.

I returned my attention to the lake, resuming my game of pebbles and thoughts of self pity. From here, I could see the gigantic mountain that separated us from Right Stone, our neighboring pack and ally. For centuries, Left Stone and Right Stone have lived in harmony, each using their strengths to support the other.

Right Stone provided us with every tool that could be made by hand; homeware, timber, even weapons. While my beloved pack, Left Stone, supplied them with all the crops and spices they could ever need. Since we shared a common boundary, we also looked out for each other's territory, fighting off rogues and intruders.

I threw the last pebble in and watched as the ripples distorted my reflection in the water. I loved seeing my reflection as my beauty was nearly the only good thing I had going for me. The pack members could call me whatever they liked but they could never call me ugly.

My cat eyes which were nearly identical with my mother's, were the lightest shade of blue. My silky straight hair reached my waist, their silver colour a wonder to the entire pack. My pearly skin shone from the care of the best ointments and eating the finest foods the forest had to offer.

Unfortunately, these perfect features were fixed on a faulty frame and they weren't enough to be a deserving Luna.

Lost in my thoughts, it took a while for me to realize that the shouts I was hearing were no longer shouts of joy but of panic, and the music had stopped. I immediately jumped on my feet, my heart rate doubling in seconds.

I heard movement coming in my direction, fast and precise. Too late to run, I held my breath and stood as still as a statue. When the approaching figure came into view, I heaved a sigh of relief. It was our pack healer, Bostin, an old chubby wolf skilled in potions and medicine.

My relief didn't last for long because the words that breathlessly left his mouth drove a jagged dagger through my heart.

"Kelani! Our pack is under attack! Your father and mother have been killed!"

~ KELANI ~

"W...what?" I choked.

Suddenly, my head was banging and the tranquility I was enjoying just seconds ago felt like it was centuries away. Tears began to flow without warning, stinging my eyes.

Bostin grabbed my hand and ran to the nearest shrubbery where he crouched low. I joined him. He was out of breath, his hands rubbing his chest as struggled to regulate his breathing.

"I'm sorry but it's true. The celebration was going on peacefully when suddenly we were ambushed by attackers - the people of Shanakoi. I think they want to kill us all and take over our fertile lands."

Shanas of Shanakoi. They weren't werewolves or vampires. But they weren't ordinary humans either. They were masters of magic from faraway lands who the history books said could control the four elements; fire, water, earth and air.

They had tried before to invade our pack and failed horribly. Infact, their king lost a hand in the fight. How could it be that they were so successful this time? How did they know we would be celebrating tonight and have our guards down? Why didn't we get a warning from our neighboring pack?

As if reading my mind, Bostin voiced out. "They had help," A pause. A long pause before he rasped the last part of his sentence out, "From Right Stone."

I felt the air knocked out of my lungs. Right Stone was supposed to be our trusted ally - our ancestors had peacefully coexisted for centuries. My father took the Alpha of Right Stone as a brother and I knew this betrayal would have killed him even faster than a silver blade.

My stomach churned violently. If I had gotten my wolf, her deafening growls would have been reverberating through the forest. But all I could do right now was cry.

I remembered my best - and only - friend, Nikolas. He was one of the few wolves in our pack who didn't ridicule me and we had been friends since I could remember. He was super intelligent and wanted to become a pack doctor.

My parents often worried that we were more than friends because he was male. Sickly as I may be, I was still an Alpha blood, the future Luna. And he was just an Omega, the lowest ranking in our pack. It would be a sacrilege for us to choose ourselves as mates.

So I assured them that we were just friends even though I secretly fantasized about him being my mate. Not because I was attracted to him, but I couldn't imagine anyone else accepting a liability like me as their mate. And definitely not an Alpha as my parents hoped.

"Did you manage to see my friend Nikolas? Did he survive the attack?"

"Probably not. The Shanas have wiped the entire pack. The people who managed to escape were the lucky few who were able to shift into their wolf form. The Shanas used wolfbane to weaken our pack so most could not shift quickly."

My heart sank to the pit of my stomach. Like me, Nikolas had not gotten his wolf yet. He was probably at worst, dead or at best, dying. Guilt gripped me at the thought that he would also have escaped the attack if I hadn't sent him away earlier. Dear Goddess, I have killed my best friend.

"But I know for certain that your parent's heads are no longer connected to their bodies. King Aries made sure they were the first victims of the sword he carried in his only hand." Bostin concluded, his eyes avoiding mine.

A loud cry tore through my lips. The Alpha and Luna of Left Stone pack dying in such a gruesome and dishonorable manner.

What was even worse? They were survived by me, a sickly child who was only a wolf in breed but not in deed. I could barely run a meter, let alone lead an army into battle. And with the rest of our pack slaughtered, who was even left to be led? Alpha Trojan and Luna Misella would never get revenge. Left Stone would never get justice.

My cry became even louder before Bostin placed a strong hand over my mouth.

"This is not the time to cry as we are still in danger. You especially."

My eyes widened.

"It is a tradition for Shanas to take captives after a successful attack. Especially the ones in high positions like yours. I know they must be searching for you. Your likes are the spoils of war."

It took a few minutes for my wails to become quiet sobs.

"What do I do now? I don't want to be taken away from Left Stone." I sniffled.

"You will not, if you do as I say," he assured solemnly, "I know I said your sickness can only be managed but not cured. But I believe the Moon Goddess has seen the betrayal meted to us tonight by our trusted ally. Tonight is coincidentally a full moon. You could summon her. Now that your parents are dead, you are the Luna of Left Stone pack. Appear in that capacity and cry to her for revenge."

Summon the Moon Goddess? Is Bostin asking me to do what I think he is asking me to do?

I caught a tear in the old wolf's eyes but it was wiped as quickly as it appeared. He reached into his leather sling bag, adorned with cowries, shells and skulls of small rodents, and produced a potion.

"Drink it and say the Saturni El-Ron chant while looking up to the moon." he instructed.

"Saturni El-Ron? Are you sure, Bostin?"

In these climes, every werewolf got the opportunity to summon the Moon Goddess just once in their lifetime when they recited this sacred chant. When you appeared in her presence, you could make any request and it was very likely to be granted.

Wolves used this chant to pray for their biggest heart desire - just one request. But the Goddess would only appear if you had gotten your wolf and I hadn't gotten mine.

Again, as if my thoughts were being transcribed on my forehead, Bostin muttered, "That is what the potion is for. It is called peakwort. It would heighten your wolf spirit so the Moon Goddess can sense you."

Too befuddled to articulate any more questions, I collected the small bottle from him and emptied its content into my mouth. The sharp bitter taste made me nauseous but I pinched my nose to hold it in until the feeling subsided.

Then I started the chant, lips quivering, my hands hugging my frail body.

"Wait. She's going to appear with a lot of wind. You know you are prone to cold. Wear this."

Bostin was right. All my memories of winter consisted of being swaddled in heavy garments and sitting close to a fire, eating a medicinal soup because 'prevention is better than cure'.

He handed me a dark grey tunic from his bag. "It's a bit dirty and... masculine. But I suppose you don't mind for now."

"No, I don't. You are far too kind." I thanked him as I received the tunic and struggled into it, hiding the scrunch of my nose at its mouldy smell.

I was already wearing two layers of clothes - as I always did whenever I was spending time outdoors - and the tunic made it three. Feeling a lot warmer, I resumed the chant.

"No, start over."

I took a deep breath and allowed myself feel all the raw emotions surging through my body. Shock. Fear. Betrayal. Confusion. Anger. Anger. ANGER!

With that, I began. Saturni El-Ron, a sacred chant in our native language - werewolf Latin. My voice raged, the highest decibel I had ever heard it. I chanted until I lost track of time, fully consumed by the words tumbling out of my mouth.

A mighty wind enveloped me, bringing goosebumps to my skin. Dead leaves began to twirl and trees swayed left and right. The lake in front of us started to rage vigorously. I shut my eyes tight to prevent the sand that pricked my skin from getting into them as I continued my chant.

Then like a dream, my feet began to lift off the ground until I was floating. If the circumstances were any different, I would have been intrigued but I was too angry to feel anything else.

Suddenly, my environment became peaceful and quiet. An unfamiliar voice called my name.

"Kelani Hulker."

I slowly forced my eyes open and the image before me sent me to my knees. I was in the presence of the Moon Goddess, the supreme Goddess of all werewolves.

~ KELANI ~

For a while, my anger dissipated and I stared in awe, my mouth wide open. Nothing I had dreamt or imagined could compare to the glorious view in front of me.

The Moon Goddess was draped in a flowing, diaphanous gown that shimmered like a million stars. Her raven hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall, the fine strands writhing like they were alive. Her skin radiated as if the very essence of the moon had been distilled within her.

She looked at me with bright eyes were impossibly fierce and yet shone with compassion.

I bowed my head in complete reverence. "Moon Goddess."

"Child, what brings you to my presence tonight?" she asked calmly.

I swallowed hard. Surely the Moon Goddess must know the fate that had just befallen my pack.

"My Goddess. I am Kelani and I have just become the Luna of Left Stone pack because my parents have been killed. We suffered an attack tonight and were betrayed by our trusted ally pack, Right Stone. They helped the enemy invade us."

"Betrayals are one of the many evils of life, child. Expect them. That is the first lesson you would learn on your journey," she paused, "What would you like from me?"

"Revenge," I stated simply, almost cutting her off, my anger back in full force, "I want revenge on Shanakoi and Right Stone."

"Revenge is not given, child. Revenge is taken by the ones who are hungry enough to chase it."

"I am hungry enough, Goddess. But not strong enough. I am a sickly wolf, been one since I was born."

"And do you know why?"

My head snapped up to look at her. There was a reason? I thought I was just terribly unlucky.

"No." I muttered, scared of what I might hear next.

"It is for the same thing you seek: revenge. You see, your parents were not fated mates but they were in love and wanted to be together. Except there was a problem - your father's fated mate. She didn't want to let him go. So your parents set her up to be banished from the pack. The poor she-wolf came crying to me for revenge and cursed your parents with a childless union."

My brows connected in a small frown. My parents never told me any of this.

"Your mother used her Saturni El-Ron chant to ask for a child but it wasn't granted," the Moon Goddess continued, "When Alpha Trojan himself appeared in my presence and his only request was a child, not prosperity for his pack, not long life or wisdom for himself as Alpha. Just one child. Any child. I lifted the curse and granted his prayer."

'Any' child. Fresh tears began to well in my eyes.

"My parents never told me any of this." I sobbed.

"Of course. Many people don't tell their sins. That is the second lesson you will need to learn on your journey to revenge. Do not tell your sins."

I nodded even though I didn't quite understand.

"I need strength to avenge my parent's death and the annihilation of my pack, Goddess. I pray to you to take away my ailment and transform me into a strong wolf."

"Your sickness is a curse; a punishment for an offense so it cannot be healed without a reparation. It wasn't the betrayal that broke your father's mate. Or the banishment. Or the beatings. It was the shaving of her head that broke her. She had never cut her hair and never intended to but the pack members cut it all off to humiliate her. If I must lift the curse, you must lose what she lost. You must give up your hair."

My hair?! I frantically ran my hands through my long silvery hair, my heart pounding in my chest.

"No, no, no! Not my hair, Goddess. I can give anything else."

"I don't bargain with wolves," she said curtly, a hint of annoyance in her tone, "In any case, your hair can grow back. On the condition that your first s*xual intercourse is with your fated mate. Since your parents disregarded the mate bond so viciously, it is only fair that their only child - who was not meant to be born in the first place - fulfills it."

"Please, Goddess," I cried desperately, "Anything else. You can give me bad skin, crooked teeth, poor vision. Anything but my hair."

"You are free to refuse my terms and continue to live as you have. But you have to make your choice fast; you have limited time to be here. Do not waste your sacred chant. You only get to use it once in a lifetime."

I slowly began to dry my tears. Truly, it was a miracle that the Moon Goddess answered my summon even when I hadn't gotten my wolf yet. I would not waste this opportunity.

Besides, I barely survived even with the support of my pack. If I had to fend for myself as a sickly wolf, I would be dead before the next full moon and the slain wolves of Left Stone would never get their revenge. Surely, I can give up my hair for a greater good.

Rising to my feet, I looked boldly into the Moon Goddess's eyes. "I would do it. I would give up my hair to lift the curse."

"In that case, your third lesson is that fated mates are not always as they appear. Do well to remember this." she said pointedly.

I am not sure what I expected to happen next but it wasn't the deep feeling of drowsiness that overcame me. In seconds, I lost consciousness and was staring into pitch blackness. I didn't know how long that lasted before I regained consciousness and fell to the ground with a loud thud.

The first thing that hit me was a strange coolness on my scalp. I brought a hand to the top of my head and immediately started crying. My head was now bald and smooth. The long silvery hair that used to grace it sat beside me, tied into a neat knot.

Bostin looked at me wide eyed. "What... what... what happened?"

I gave him the shortest summary of my encounter with the Moon Goddess, conveniently leaving out the part about my father's fated mate being set up by my parents.

By the time I finished, he was looking at me with weak eyes. "It is good that you have gained strength. Now I can die peacefully knowing that you will get revenge for Left Stone."

Die??? I followed his eyes to see a wide patch of blood on his left lumbar region. Lifting his shirt, I gasped at the sight of a deep ugly gash.

"Dear Goddess! Did they attack you when I was away?"

"No, I came here with the wound. It has been getting worse and I am losing blood. Sadly, I didn't leave home with any potion that would be helpful and the cut is too deep for my old wolf to heal naturally."

I felt so guilty and stupid for not noticing Bostin's wound earlier.

"I'm so sorry, Bostin. Let me help you dress it."

No sooner had I said that than loud swishes of arrows reverberated through the forest, the mere sound of them enough to kill.

"They are looking for you, Kelani. To kill or to capture. Run to the tunnel and hide there."

"But you... your wound-"

Another swish. Then the sound of footsteps approaching.

"Run, Kelani! Don't worry about me. You are our only hope for revenge. Run! Run! Run!"

In seconds, I had stuffed my lock of hair into Bostin's bag and set off like my legs were on fire.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I ran. Oh, I ran. Faster than I had ever done in my life. But I was no match for seven Shana warriors who looked like they lived on a diet of liver.

They caught me before I could make it to the tunnel, tied my hands behind me like a criminal and forced me to walk ahead of them back to their ship at the harbour.

On the way, we passed through the pack square and I saw with my own eyes the evil that the Shanas had done to Left Stone. The pack square was unrecognizable and held no mark of the ceremony that was holding in it just hours ago. Most structures were burnt or broken. Bodies were scattered on the floor, some bloodied beyond recognition. I noticed some were still writhing as they battled with death. The metallic tang of fresh blood was thick in the air.

My eyes scanned the bodies for my parents, yearning to see them one last time, but when they landed on two heads displayed on a makeshift table, I wished they didn't. The heads of Alpha Trojan and Luna Misella - my parents who had loved me beyond my imperfections.

I was now in a cubicle aboard a ship I believed was heading to Shanakoi, my eyes dry because I had no tears left but my clothes soaked with my own urine.

The leader of the group of warriors was a man I learnt was called Lord Yuso and he had already slapped me at least thrice and called me a swine more times than that.

The journey was long and tumultuous. By morning when we finally reached our destination, I was half dead, but alive enough to admire the beauty of Shanakoi kingdom. Even my hate for Shanas - one that had been born and reached full maturity in the last few hours - was not enough to deny the sheer geographical perfection.

Most of the territory was a savannah and the grasses sprawled for acres with short trees sparsely scattered along the way.

Beyond the landscape were the architectural structures. One look in any direction and you could tell that the Shanas loved art - and they were wealthy! There were golden statues, magnificent buildings and intimidating murals everywhere.

One of the warriors untied my hands before clamping a black cuff around my left ankle. Then I was thrown into a large prison cell that held about a score of other captives who looked just as dejected as me.

Minutes turned into hours as I counted all the cracks in the high walls over and over again, ignoring the stares of the other men in the cell.

By evening, I had concluded they actually brought me all the way just to let me die of hunger when the door slammed open and a guard barged in.

"You!" he pointed a finger at me, "The king wants to see you."

I rolled my eyes so hard, I feared they would fall off. The king. You mean the man who beheaded my parents? I want to see him too.