The Forsaken Luna Return

Twenty-Two Years Ago....

It was the third month of the full moon, the night was still young, and the aura moved silently as it covered the entire Dark Moon Pack. It was the night of the blood moon, the sky darkened, as it expected the supernatural to be born anytime soon.

"Push!" The nurse yelled at Marina. Beads of sweat covered her face as she pushed her baby with the last strength she had,

Today marks exactly ten years since she last had a child. In fact, she only bore one but never carried them in her arms.

She paired, breathing heavily, and she bit her lips before giving it one last push. She closed her eyes,

"Now push!!!!' the midwife yelled, as soon as she sighted her baby coming.

"Argh!!!!!" She screamed, with her veins popping out of her neck, her eyes widened as she fell back in her bed, the sweet sound of the baby's cry filled the room.

Tears pricked down Marina's eyes as she looked at the gorgeous cutie she and her husband, Fernandez, created.

"She's pretty, pretty Nuella. I ..." she began to gasp for breath, she was slowly going...

"Marina!" The midwife yelled, hitting her to get up, but she breathed her last, holding her baby's hand.

The door opened. Fernandez barged in after hearing the midwife scream his wife's name. His eyes met with her lifeless body lying on the mat. For a moment, the world stopped. He stared at his wife and daughter, who seemed to be crying for her mother. If only she knew, she had just breathed her last.

A formidable silence fell, as a tear pricked down Fernandez's eyes as he stared at his wife, who lay there not moving.

The midwife looked at him as she broke the saddest news to him. It was a bittersweet moment for him. He had his own daughter, but his wife paid the ultimate price for her birth, and now she is gone.

"She's dead," she announced.

Twenty-two years later, inside a cottage of the Dark Moon Pack...

The sun shone brightly as it cast itself on the small cottage hidden deep in the woods. Today was the day, her birthday...the day she was found by the stream by Agatha.

She walked out of the cottage, her eyes fell on the one person she loved the most, Agatha.

"I told you not to overwork yourself.... "Didn't I?" She began. Agatha turned to her, her hair was a mess, and she was just getting up from sleep.

"Happy birthday Ella, it's another full moon, you should stay home tonight", Agatha added with a bit of concern in her face. She was cooking her favorite meal and wouldn't have to stress herself over anything.

"Mom, c'mon...you and I both know that I can't help it. "The pain that is yet to come is going to be unbearable, and I can't just stick around," Ella said to her as she took the spoon with which she turned.

"Nuella...you never listen, do you?" She asked, sighing as Elle smiled.

Agatha watched her. She had perfect beauty in all the ramifications. Tonight is the night she finally tells her the truth and her attachment with the full moon, which comes only on her birthday to signify something.

Nuella was born with a disorder known as Lunar Absorption Syndrome; she didn't notice this until Nuella turned five. They were playing a game when she suddenly bit her. Agatha felt weak, instantly falling to the ground and was paralyzed for half a day, to say, if that day was the full moon? She'd lose all her werewolf powers.

This was a great tool to settle the ongoing war that had claimed a lot of lives in the past years.

The Dark Moon Pack and the Stone Wood Pack have been mortal enemies for decades, with no plans to stop their rivalry anytime soon. And to make matters worse, they were half-brothers, Alpha Roland and Alpha Luca, who inherited this war from their fathers and continued the fight, but although strangely, no one ever saw Alfa Roland of the Dark Moon Pack, which they often mocked the pack as being weak, but it had fought so hard with the four walls of the Pack territory to keep everyone safe.

Nuella blew the fire with a hand fan, as she tucked her hair behind her ears,

Her skin was soft and silky, like that of a goddess, as if the moon had specifically selected her to cast its light through her. Her rich dark brown hair, which she tucked behind her ears, was shiny and wavy. Her eyes had a beautiful shade of ocean blue and dark blue all together, making her irresistible.

Nuella was the perfect beauty. Her features were delicate but strong, with high cheekbones and her small pointy nose, which Agatha admired.

As the full moon arises, her body begins to transform, her five senses increase to ten, and she becomes even more radiant, but this doesn't last for long, as the excruciating pain that comes afterward breaks her.

Nuella turned to see Agatha looking at her. If there was a solution to this condition of herself, then she'd find a way. Hiding her from the rest of the world was the best thing, as Nuella drew a lot of attention to herself when it came to her beauty.

"You're lost in thoughts again, Mom" She began, then said, "and I'm very sure they are sad thoughts" She stood from the fireplace, approaching her,

"Do I have a choice? "My daughter is too pretty to suffer." She burst into a fake chuckle. She didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable.

"Well, we're out of some baking soda. I want to bake a cake for you, but I'm out of it. I'd run off to the village market to get it. "You stay put here, okay?" She turned to leave when Nuella held her wrist,

"How about I go this time? "C'mon Mom, it's been years. "I've not left the walls of this cottage and, sadly, I think I'm beginning to look like a prisoner in my own house." She added, Agatha sighs, she knows the consequences of her being spotted in the market.

"No! "Nuella.... it's too dangerous!" She says to her, and that is what she's been telling her for two decades now. She was tired of the same old story all over again and again.

"Mom, you keep telling me it's dangerous...I've not had a friend all my life, and I've not seen anyone aside from you. "Just do this one thing for me and this is all I ask from you, Mom." She was pleased holding her hands, hoping this time she would be able to convince her.

Agatha looked at her with pity. She heaved a deep sigh,

"It's just for one night, what could go wrong, right?" She thought deeply, then sighed, still looking at Nuella.

"Alright, fine. "But just come back on time and don't talk to anyone, and don't let anyone see you either." Agatha grabbed a scarf from the door, covering her with it.

"But why am I covering myself, it's not like I stole something?

"Look, there are many things I would love to do and you being in secret is the best move now. "And please, do not ask questions...you know how much I hate it when you ask me a lot," Agatha added, giving her the money. She was skeptical about her leaving, but she just couldn't restrain herself anymore.

She is an adult now and has full right to her freedom, but just that she had to tell her about the dark secrets of the past, so she would be careful when she's among the enemies.

Nuella watched her closely. Agatha was scared of something. Any time she disappeared, she would go into panic mode, like the outside world was a danger to her.

She smiled, then held her hands, "Mom, I'll be fine...okay? "Don't worry about anything. "I'll go and I'll return." She said slowly as she took the money from her and headed for the market.

Agatha watched her go. For some reason she had an odd feeling that she wouldn't return, but she hoped she did.

"Just be fine, Nuella." She said to herself as she looked up at the sky. It was clear as ever,

"It would be a full moon soon, and not just any full moon, it was going to be a Blood Moon. The same moon that appeared in the sky the night she was born. The night the tragedy all happened and then the beginning of the painful life she was living.

"You just have to be fine." She turned to see the frowning face of Marcy,

"Mother," Agatha quickly went down on one knee, bowing to her.

"Why did you let her leave this place?"

Agatha's heart sank immediately. "She was beginning to get suspicious of me, and beside the market is far away from the palace."

"Is that what you are telling yourself?" She asked, but she was not happy at all.

"Pray they don't meet each other." She said, then disappeared. Agatha felt a lump down her throat. She was feeling uneasy.

"Danger is approaching." She muttered to herself.

Walking through the woods as Nuella walked away from the cottage, it'd been ages since she left and the happiness she felt just by coming here was something she never imagined would happen.

Soon she came across a stream. She decided to wash her face as she was beginning to get tired and, yes, they live far off from the Pack. Agatha made sure she was well hidden from everyone.

She sat on the rock next to the water, as she rested for a while. Yes, whenever Agatha left for the market, Nuella just knew she would be back hours later.

Just then she heard a creaking sound, like someone was stepping on dry sticks and leaves. She lifted her face immediately as she sighted an elderly woman. Passing by, she looked keenly at Nuella,

"It can't be ...." She says in shock. Nuella sat there confused as to why the woman stared at her so surprisingly, she was just a normal lady, but her eyes gave her away.

The woman drew close to her to have a better look, but Nuella immediately stood up as she took two steps backwards. Agatha warned her about the dangers outside and this woman could be one of them.

The woman smiled, "I wouldn't hurt you, but I find it strange that you do not know."

A confused Nuella stared at the woman,

"What are you talking about?" Everyone kept saying the same thing, even her mother at home wouldn't stop staring at her at every chance she got.

"It's dangerous for you to be out any other day, but today?" she stated. Nuellat witched her brows in confusion, and she needed more clarity to what the old woman meant.

"What do you mean by that?" She asked, feeling safe around her.

"You meet the danger and your fate cannot avoid that. "But whatever you do, do not bite him, no matter how intense the urge could be." She said, then turned to leave. Nuella sat there trying to hold down the laughter that submerged from within. She was going to meet someone?

What are the odds?

"Very funny" she said to herself as she watched the woman go. She stood up, picked up her scarf, and just then a thought crossed her mind. The woman said she was going to meet someone,

"Hello ma, but what does he look like?" By the time she turned, the old woman was gone, the woods back to their quietness.

Nuella looked around before muttering not herself,

"That's strange...she was just there a while ago." Her eyes scanned the perimeters for a glimpse of her but nothing.

"Oh no! "What if she's a ghost?" Her subconscious mind suddenly told her. She shook her head, maybe she was just imagining the entire conversation.

She scoffed,

"I'll meet someone... Very funny." She laughed, then walked away, towards the market.

The market was noisy; buzzing with different sounds from different aspects, not of the market. The market women's chats, the honking sounds from the wielding stores, the music which Nuella was not sure where it came from,

It was a market combined with people from many different sides of the world. The Dark Moon Pack was the tallest pack, possessed the biggest market, and had the most in terms of pack members. Further, it was housed and occupied by a few refugees and internally displaced people from the war going on, which Nuella was oblivious to.

She differentiated between these classes, from the silk that merchants wore to the rags which traders wore.

She smiled beneath the scarf that wrapped her lips, leaving just her eyes, which she had barely raised as she hung her head low, admiring the dress and jewelry.

"Yes, baking soda... Mom would kill me if I didn't buy those." She said to herself.

The aura of the market was thick as a fresh bread smell wafted through her stomach; her tummy growled to show hunger. She needed to get out of this place as soon as possible before the sun set.

She got to the stall, just as she hollered out at the seller.

"Anyone around?" She called, just then a bubbling-sized woman with fat cheeks turned to her,

"My love, what would you want to purchase?"

"Baking soda, Ma'am." Nuella said to her, extending the money to her. She looked at Nuella, she hung her head so low,

"I don't think I have seen you in this place? "Did you just arrive?" She asked, but Nuella wouldn't raise her head up, so she stretched out her hand for the baking soda.

"Nah.... "I'm a traveler." She added so that the woman would be less suspicious of her.

" A traveler?" She asked, and then Nuell nodded.

"Yes." She hastily took the baking soda as she turned to leave at which she bumped into someone, making her crash onto the ground, at where her scarf immediately went off, revealing her smooth shiny, wavy hair, which bounced rhythmically with her fall.

"Hey, watch it!" She reached out and grabbed his arms, catching him off balance, sending them tumbling onto one another; instantly her eyes locked with his and all she could think about was to sink her fangs into this young man's skin and claim him as her own.

As her gaze locked in, hers, she was struck by striking features-the eyes of green tea two drips locked in hers. She would not deny the instant attraction she felt towards him. His high-contrasting cheekbones and jawlines arched into a deep frown, as if puckered by the fact that some lady, unknown, was on him in the market.

His black hair was messed up, adding to his charm.

"SIR!" she heard someone yell from behind,

"Will you get off me now?" the man said. She was dazzled by his deep voice, which was like a rehearsal wonder. His voice was deep and hostile at the same time, even in his anger, yet soothing to hear.

While the gaze deepened into each other's, Roland could not tell what was in her eyes, but he was for some reason locked into it. A strange ache hit him, felt his head being struck by a rod. The longer the gaze, the more intense the ache.

The pain started with the usual throbbing he had gotten used to-a little humming still buzzing in his head-but it shot into sharp, stabbing pain focused on all points of his head, as though some sort of rod was constantly hitting him.

"Aaahh!

He flung his arms over his head.

Nuella looked up at him in confusion-she was fighting the urge to bite him off, which never happened until the moon was full, and it was a bright, sunny afternoon, yet she wanted to bite him off.

Roland winced in pain, holding his head as his guard yanked her off.

"Get up from him!" he yelled.

Nuella quickly rose, wrapping her hair with the scarf; the market woman beamed at her,

"Impossible" she muttered to herself as she watched Nuella run away, mixing into the crowd.

"Do you just see that?" She turned to him,

Roland stood up. Surprised was feeling lightheaded. As Xander helped him up,

"What's with that weird girl? "Are you okay?" he asked, but Donald's eyes were glued on the crowd as she searched for her, but she was gone.

"Where is she?" he asked, but Xander was more concerned about him,

"Really, now?" He breathes out," it was a bad idea to let you come out."

And the merchant watched the two; both were dressed as officials of the palace-one was said to be the Beta wolf-who carried out the orders of the Alpha whom no one had seen.

While Roland was dressed as a guard in the palace.

Roland turned to her, "How often does she come here?" Xander couldn't believe it, he just had an episode and the only thing he could ask for was the where about of some lady.

The seller shook her head,

"I had never seen her before; I would believe that she was a spy. Though she puts on the same scarf Agatha usually puts on, it's hard to say."

"Agatha? Who is that?

"Oh! She's a well-known customer. She often comes here to buy stuff from the market. No one knows where she is, but it's not far off from here. "She always wears the same scarf she comes in, which is why I would want to believe she is a thief, or she attacked Agatha on her way here" explained the seller.

But the story wasn't adding up. He felt like he knew her from somewhere. She did something to him. He had an episode before and that was it. It was meant to happen until eight hours later.

He then turned to her,

"A word about her mustn't get out. "If it does, you'll be silenced for life." He threatened, then walked away, leaving both Xander and the woman in shock.

"Sorry 'bout that, Ma'am" he told her, before running off to meet with Roland.

Back in the palace ...

Roland banged the door so hard that everyone shuddered in fear. He was his usual self, grumpy and always upset!!

The door kicked open, and his mother walked in,

"Roland!" she called, but he was not in the mood to have any conversation with her, which would lead to another screaming competition.

"Mother, please, not now," he said in clear terms.

"What do you mean by not now?! You left the palace again, knowing full well that you were sick! "You can't just mingle with people, anyway, what if you had an episode?" She nagged as usual. That was his mother; she had another bag of trouble with sleeping well at night because she nagged a lot.

"Xander was there with me when I had an_" he instantly caught himself before the spill.

"When you what?" She asked "Do you have an episode? Goodness! When would you listen! "We hid this perfectly from Luca all these years, and you want to throw all that under the bus just like that!"

He sat on his king-size bed and rubbed his temples, sighing heavily, taking deep breaths to say, "Mom, please can you just stop? "All this nagging is driving me crazy, and you know that I must always be careful with what I am doing." He held her hand.

I'm sorry, I'll let you know if there's a problem, but for now.... There's none. "I just want to be among our pack members to know who is a spy for Luca".

"There's a spy?" She was taken aback as he nodded in confirmation.

Before he could explain it to her, Xander walked in,

Then gave a short bow as soon as he sighted the queen mother.

"Are you done?" he asked. Xander nodded.

Roland then turned to his mother,

"Mom, please would you excuse us for a moment." He asked softly,

"Whatever." She scoffed, then walked out of the room, not minding eavesdropping because even if she did try, his room was well coated.

"Did you find out who this Agatha is?" He walked over to the bed, as he sat down.

"She seems popular among the traders as she comes to buy goods from time to time and leaves the same day," Xander added. He was curious though why Roland was suddenly looking for a strange lady.

"But why? "What happened back there?" he asked.

"She was strange. "I had an episode," he added.

"I saw that. What happened? "You were not supposed to have an episode yet?" Xander was saying, just as perplexed as he was.

"Do you remember what must have provoked it?"

Roland shook his head and then froze before turning to Xander,

"Her eyes. She had this unique pair of eyes. I was drawn to it. "I instantly felt my body aching all over and my head aching two times more." He added, Now Xander was confused.

Doesn't that make any sense? "Her eyes made you do an early episode?" Xander repeated, and this time Roland was clearly confused but intrigued. She was strange but exceptionally beautiful-like a goddess. He had never seen anyone just that pretty as she was. He didn't even get to know her name. Still, if Agatha knew this lady, then this lady had some answers that belonged to him.

Back in the woods....

Nuella ran through the woods, till she was out of sight. She got to a resting place where she breathed heavily after her run.

"What was that all about?" She asked herself, as she held her chest. It was pounding fast, making her pant heavily after her run.