Veil of the Bloodmoon

Seraphine sat on the wooden bench opposite the fountain.

Tear stains marked the path from beneath her eyes, through her cheeks, and down to her chin.

"Mommy, do you think the Luna will be okay?" A Were Pup asked.

His mother squeezed his hand as she looked at Seraphine.

She still wore the dress she had worn for last night's mating ball. Black, with a touch of red, just like Alpha King Alaric loved it.

"I'm sure she'll be fine," The Were Pup's mother said to him as she led him out of the garden.

As the duo left, Seraphine's hand flew to her mouth, trying to muffle her sobs. Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks once more.

She couldn't help but think the mother was wrong. She wasn't sure if she was going to get over his death. How could she?

A week ago, Alpha Alaric had decided to throw a ball in her honor. He wanted to celebrate her being his Luna for a hundred days.

"Don't be silly, Alaric. Who celebrates just a hundred days?" She asked him.

Alaric laughed as he pulled her closer, gently setting her on his thighs.

"It's not just a hundred days, Seraphine. It's a hundred days of love. A hundred days of having you next to me as my Luna and fated mate," he said to her.

Hearing those words, a flush of pink crept onto Seraphine's cheeks.

"Besides, I also want to give other single wolves the opportunity to find their mates, just like I found you," he added.

Seraphine smiled as she leaned in to kiss him.

On the day of the ball, he had sent over a present for her. It was a box that contained a gown, jewelry, and a pair of shoes.

Alpha King Alaric had handpicked everything specially for her.

Seraphine also found a note at the bottom of the box.

"I hope you love what I've picked for you, and I also hope you'll love it when I take them off of you. That's the part I'm looking forward to the most. Love, Your Mate." Alaric had written in the note.

Seraphine couldn't help but smile as she thought about what the night held for her.

When Seraphine finished preparing, she hurried to the ballroom.

As she got to the door, she noticed something out of place. The pack guards weren't at the door, which was weird. They were supposed to be the ones who welcomed everyone to the ball. She pushed the door and walked in.

As she got in, she noticed that the music wasn't playing. The sounds that were heard were gasps and shrieks coming from all over the room as everyone rushed toward the center, forming a large circle.

"Give him space!" Seraphine heard Theon, Alaric's Beta, yell. It seemed like someone had been hurt.

She walked towards the crowd, trying to push through. As people saw who it was, they gave way, staring at her pitifully as they let her through.

Just as the path was completely cleared, her eyes widened, and her mouth went agape as she saw the horror before her.

Alaric was lying in Theon's arms, blood gushing out of his mouth. His skin was pale and as white as snow, his eyes tightly shut.

Seraphine was about to scream when she noticed that his chest was heaving, but slowly. She rushed towards Alaric and Theon. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she dropped to her knees.

"What... What happened to him?" She asked Theon.

"I don't know. He was addressing everyone when all of a sudden he just started coughing," Theon explained.

Seraphine was confused.

Why in the world would he cough up blood?

She touched his cheek. He was as cold as ice, which frightened her.

"Alaric?" She called out to him. But he didn't respond. She turned to the crowd.

"Someone get a doctor!" She yelled, but no one moved.

"We have already sent for one," Theon said, getting her attention.

She reached out for Alaric's hand. It was also cold.

Seraphine panicked.

"You better tell that doctor to get over here quickly or else I'll pull the tail out of his wolf and..."

Before she could complete her threat, Alaric squeezed her arm. She turned to him. He was staring at her.

"Alaric!," She said to him. "Hang in there"

His lips moved, but nothing came out. She leaned in, hoping to hear what he'd say, but no sound left his lips.

As she straightened up, she watched the corner of his lips arch in a smile. She watched as life slowly left him-his eyes shut once more.

Seraphine sat on the hard floor, tears rolling down her eyes.

The man who had promised to spend years with her laid lifeless on the floor. She felt like she was living a nightmare.

"Seraphine! Seraphine! " Someone called out to her, bringing her back to reality.

She turned to find Elara, her step sister running towards her.

Ignoring her, Seraphine turned to the fountain once more.

As Elara got to her, she crouched, hands on thighs as she tried to catch her breath.

"You can't stay here forever, Seraphine. I know it's hard, but you have to get up. You have to bathe, eat, move on, and live your life, Seraphine," Elara said.

Seraphine forced a smile onto her face as she looked at Elara.

"Move on and do what? What important thing do I have to do? Without Alaric, I don't know if I can keep living," she said.

Elara frowned. She sat next to her, pushing some locs of hair that covered Seraphine's face to the back of her ear.

"But you have to, Seraphine. You'll have to get up and lead your people," Elara said.

Seraphine couldn't help but laugh. She stood up, folding her hands beneath her chest.

"Lead my people?! Really? How do you expect me to lead anybody after losing my mate?" She asked, then looked away. "You haven't found your mate, so I don't expect you to understand."

After those words left her lips, Seraphine regretted it. Elara wasn't to blame for her pain, so she had no right to take it out on her.

She turned to Elara and was about to apologize when Elara cut her off.

"That's fine, Seraphine. You can sit here all you want and weep like this is the end of the world," Elara said to her. "But don't say I didn't warn you when someone else takes over what Alaric worked hard for."

Four Months Ago,

"Remember Seraphine, no slouching, no frowning, and no walking around. Keep your shoulders straight, chin up, head held high and."

For goodness's sake! Father! I've heard you for like the tenth time!" Seraphine said, interrupting her father.

Beta Carl raised his hand to his face, stroking his chin with his fingers.

"Oh really? I didn't know it was ten times," he said.

"You're right Dad, it's not ten times. It's been twenty times!" Seraphine added. She sighed as she leaned on her seat in the carriage.

"Also, no sitting like this," Carl said.

Seraphine glared at him, and he chuckled. She folded her arms beneath her chest as she looked away. "I still don't know why you want us to act properly before him when his Dad treated you like you were some traitor."

Carl sighed. "Now I have told you for the thirtieth time that the late Alpha was my best friend and that he never treated me like a traitor," he said to her in a calm and firm tone.

Seraphine turned to him, raising a brow. "Oh really? Then how do you explain him sending you off to another pack to stay, huh?" She questioned.

"Well, my little Seraphine, don't worry; in due time, you'll get to understand everything," he said to her with a smile on his face.

Seraphine rolled her eyes.

"Well, Seraphine, if it pleases you, I heard the Alpha King and his brothers are handsome," Elara said.

Carl laughed. "You see, Seraphine, now that's what a lady is supposed to be thinking about, and not worrying about the past," he said to her.

Seraphine leaned forward. She wasn't going to let her father get a win with that one.

"Well, Dad, just so you know, I am not like other ladies who worry about castles and children and men; I long for adventure and so many other things."

"And what about love?" Maera, Elara's Mom, and Seraphine's stepmother, asked. "Don't you care about finding your mate? Loving him? And settle down with him?".

Seraphine chuckled. "I don't care about things like that, Maera. Hopefully, the moon goddess will spare me the pain of finding one."

Maera and Carl glanced at each other, their lips curving into wry smiles.

Seraphine was twenty-three and hadn't found her mate yet, which was unusual for their kind. They hoped for her to find him so that she would get to know what love truly meant.

Seraphine, on the other hand, didn't care about that. She once did, but not anymore. What bothered her was their trip to the Bloodmoon pack.

The new Alpha King had invited his family over for the celebration of his father's anniversary of death.

She couldn't help but wonder why. His father, Alpha Xavier, had sent her father, his Beta, to a faraway pack to stay after he had served him for years.

A year after his death, his son decides to reverse his orders and have them return to the Bloodmoon pack. Seraphine found it suspicious.

She couldn't wait to meet the so-called new Alpha King.

***

As the carriage stopped, Seraphine and her family got down. The pack was a lot bigger than she thought. They had passed through an uncountable number of different houses. And now that they were in front of the castle, Seraphine's jaw couldn't help but drop in bewilderment.

"Is this where we will be staying now?" Elara asked.

Carl smiled. "Yes, Elara, this will be our new home."

She squealed as she turned around, taking in the beauty that was before her.

Seraphine, on the other hand, tried to remain indifferent.

The pack guard walked them towards the ballroom. When the doors were opened, they were shocked.

The room was packed with so many male and female werewolves. So many people had come to celebrate the late King.

Seraphine glanced around, looking for the man with a crown on his head.

She was still in search of him when a smell hit her. A mix of cinnamon and dry wood. She hated cinnamon, but at that moment, the scent was pleasing.

She walked towards the tables where the snacks were lined up, and none of them smelled like the one that had hit her. All of a sudden, the scent became stronger.

Just then, someone gently pulled Seraphine's arm, making her turn around.

"I've been looking everywhere for you, Seraphine. I want you to meet someone," Carl said to her.

Before Seraphine could say anything, two guys appeared out of nowhere, standing next to her.

One of the guys had neck-long hair and blue eyes. The other had cropped hair with hazel eyes. Both guys looked handsome, but only one of them caught Seraphine's attention.

"This is Seraphine, my daughter," Carl said, gesturing towards her. "And Seraphine, this Alpha Alaric, the new Alpha King," gesturing towards the man with blue eyes.

Her father also introduced the guy next to him as the Alpha's Beta, but Seraphine wasn't paying attention.

Seraphine was shocked. The man in front of her wasn't putting on a crown. Unlike the other guests around, he wore a simpler outfit-one of nobility, but not of royalty.

And the look in his eyes as he stared at Seraphine made her heart beat quicken.

"It's nice to meet you, Seraphine," Alaric said as he offered her his hand. But Seraphine didn't return the gesture. She just stared at him, trying to remain indifferent.

"Seraphine, you can't be rude to the Alpha," Carl said.

"But he is not my, Alpha," Seraphine countered-her eyes still on Alaric.

Carl was furious. "Seraphine!" he yelled. But before he could say anything else, Seraphine turned around and walked away. He called out to her again, but she didn't stop.

Seraphine didn't want to listen to her father. Not because of what they had spoken about in the carriage, but because of something else.

She wasn't sure what was going on. Not only was she smelling something strange, but she was also feeling something strange-something she couldn't understand.

She knew she had to get away from it-from him.

Just as she was about to step out of the door, someone held her hand and spun her, placing her back gently on the wall.

"You can say that I am not your Alpha," he said as his fingers lifted her chin, making her look at his blue eyes. "But can you also say that I am not your mate?".

Back to the Present

"For how long do we have to wait?!" One of the court members yelled. "How long do we have to wait for her to get over his death?!"

He pushed his seat away as he started pacing.

"You have to understand, Elder Derrick," Theon said to the official.

"We have already given her a day. What else do you want from us?" another official countered.

"She just lost her mate. She has just lost the Moon Goddess's gift to her. At least give her time to mourn him," Theon added.

Derrick scuffed.

"Time, Beta? Time?!" He questioned. "May I remind you that time is what we do not have on our side-"

"You speak as though we are at war, Elder Derrick," a voice came from the entrance of the courtroom.

Everyone turned. They were shocked to find Seraphine at the door. She had bathed and changed out of the ball gown.

She walked towards them, keeping her head up as she headed for the Alpha's seat.

Without saying anything to them, or showing any sign of wavering, she sat in Alpha's seat-the place Alaric once occupied.

Gasps and whispers echoed in the room.

"Tell me, Elder Derrick, is there something I do not know about? Maybe a rumor of a hell that is about to be let loose that you have not told us about?" Seraphine asked, silencing the whispers.

The white-haired grumpy man let out a nervous chuckle.

"Are you trying to say that I am planning treason, Luna?".

"I only asked a question. So do tell me, are you?"

"Of course not. I would never do such a-"

"Then, as your Luna, mate of Late Alpha King Alaric, I command you to sit down," Seraphine said, her tone firm but calm.

With a bitter glare in his eyes, Derrick picked up his chair and sat down.

Seraphine glanced through the room. The whispers were now non-existent. She had gotten everyone's attention.

She stood up from the seat and walked towards a portrait of Alaric's father and his brothers.

"Just yesterday my husband, your Alpha, left to meet his father. We were not prepared for it. We do not even know what led to his death," She said, before turning to the men sitting at the counsel's table. "And yet here you people are, thinking of replacing him."

One of the men tried to speak, but Seraphine interrupted him.

"Every Alpha is accorded a week of mourning. Just a week to honor him, before a new Alpha is appointed," Seraphine said as she sat down once more on Alaric's seat. "Please, give me one week to honor my dead mate, your Alpha. And after that, we will choose a new Alpha."

The Court members agreed to Seraphine's proposal. They took their leave, leaving only Seraphine, Theon, and Elara in the room.

"Well, that worked out," Elara said as she leaned back in her seat.

"Yeah, but not for long," Theon said. "That would only buy us time to think of a solution."

After his words, followed a brief silence. Seraphine stood, staring at her mate's portrait.

"So tell us, Seraphine, what are you going to do now?" Elara asked.

Seraphine remained silent.

"Well, maybe you can appoint someone you trust among the officials to-"

"Someone I trust?" Seraphine asked as she turned to them. "You saw what they did and heard what they said, right?"

"Yes I did, but do you have another option?" Theon asked.

Seraphine closed her eyes as she tried to think. After a few seconds, she turned to Elara, her eyes opening.

"I need you to take Maera and leave the pack".

"But I can't leave you all alone here," Elara countered.

"She won't be alone. She'll be with me," Theon said.

"Still, I want to be here. I want to be next to you, as your sister, and as a friend."

Seraphine sighed.

"Fine, but you'll have to send Maera, I mean Mother, away. If the Elders want to pick a new Alpha in the pack, then they'll try to wipe my family out. I've already lost a lot of people. I can't lose you two."

Elara nodded.

"So if you won't pick someone, what would you do?" Theon asked.

Seraphine turned to Alaric's picture once more. A tear rolled down her eyes as she reminisced.

"Right now, I want to mourn the love of my life."

***

A week flew by like wind across the ocean.

Every Elder of the Bloodmoon pack was already seated. Yet the Queen, once more, was nowhere to be found.

"Have you searched all the rooms in the castle?" An Elder asked a pack guard.

"Yes, Sir. I have, but she is nowhere to be found," the guard replied.

The Elders murmured among themselves.

"I think we should hold on a bit; she'll be here," Theon said, but they all ignored him.

"And what about you? Did she tell you she was going anywhere?" Another Elder asked Rose, Seraphine's handmaiden.

"No, Sir, she didn't say anything to me," she replied.

Derrick flared up. He stood up in anger, banging the table with full force.

" I knew she would do that. I knew she would run away like the coward that she is! Just like her father!" He yelled.

"Do not talk about my father like that old man!" Elara yelled.

"And who gave a little girl the right to talk when an Elder is talking?!" Derrick questioned.

"The late King, Elder Derrick. He appointed her as a member of the council," Seraphine said as she walked into the room. "I'm sorry for being late, I just got the result of the autopsy run on the Alpha, and I would love for us to see it together."

She was about to open the letter when an Elder stopped her.

"We are not here for that now. We want to know what you have decided relating to the successor."

"But the Alpha-"

"No buts, Luna. We gave each other our words. You asked for a week, and we gave it to you. Now we want your answer. Who do you plan on picking to be the new Alpha?" An Elder asked.

Seraphine sighed. She dropped the letter on the table.

"If that's what you want to know, then fine. I'll tell you," She said and paused. "I'll invoke Ius Rematrimonii Sanguinis."