The Bloodmoon Pack was a kingdom hidden beneath the shadows of ancient pines, a place where power pulsed through the earth and wolves ruled with the strength of their lineage. Among the five major packs of the werewolf realm, Bloodmoon stood above the rest strongest in wealth, territory, warriors, and influence. Its Alpha bloodline carried a divine blessing from the Moon Goddess herself.
And tonight, that blessing would decide the future.
Dimitri Blackthorn stood at the balcony of the Alpha Temple, overlooking the ceremonial grounds below. His pack gathered in thousands, their silver torches flickering like stars scattered across the forest floor. The sacred Moonstone Shrine glowed at the center ancient, revered, and terrifyingly final.
This was the night of The Lunar Rite of Choosing.
The ritual every Bloodmoon heir must undergo.
Because in this pack, an Alpha could not inherit the throne until the Moon Goddess revealed his fated mate, his Luna, the future queen.
Dimitri exhaled slowly.
He had never feared battle.
He had never feared rivals.
But this ritual… he feared.
Because he already had someone in his heart.
He had spent a year trying to bury the memory of that girl, her soft voice, the way she comforted him on the darkest night of his life, her scent like wild jasmine carried by the wind. A stranger he had met only once.
A girl he had failed to forget.
And if the Moon Goddess mated him to another, he didn't know if he could accept it.
he was sure if he gets me to another person he's going to kill her. he was not going to just sit back and wait for someone else to decide his own destiny.
Dimitri's deep voice broke the silence. "My father expects me to walk into that ritual without hesitation. He thinks I'm ready."
"You are ready," a familiar voice said behind him.
It was Lucien, his Beta tall, sharp-eyed, loyal to the bone. Beside him stood Rylan, the Gamma, more relaxed but no less fierce.
They were his closest friends. In public, they addressed him formally. Here, in private, they spoke freely.
Lucien crossed his arms. "The pack is waiting. Your parents are waiting. The Elders are waiting. All that's missing is you."
Dimitri didn't turn. "You both know I don't want this ritual."
Rylan let out a low whistle. "Yeah, we figured. You've been pacing the entire palace for two days straight. At this point, even the guards are nervous."
Dimitri shot him a look.
Rylan grinned.
Lucien didn't.
Lucien stepped forward. "Just tell us what's really bothering you."
Dimitri hesitated… then spoke quietly.
"I already like someone."
Both friends froze.
Rylan blinked. "Like… like someone? As in physical Attraction?" "if it's that just tell me after the ritual arrange for someone" he winked at him.
Dimitri looked at him this disdainfully"you better stop whoring around who knows if you've contacted some kind of disease"
Rylan try to defend himself but Lucien quickly shot him up with one look.
Lucien frowned. "Since when?"
"Since last year," Dimitri admitted. "I met her in the woods. Only for a moment. She spoke to me when I was… not myself. She didn't even know who I was, but she still stayed." His jaw tightened. "I tried to forget her. I failed."
Lucien exhaled slowly. "Dimitri… if the Moon Goddess chooses someone else..."
"I'll still look for her," Dimitri cut in sharply. "No ritual will change that."
Lucien felt like he should convince his friend not to go down the wrong path because he knows he can do something crazy just to get what you want and if he does something that goes against the will of the Moon goddess it's not going to end well.
Rylan rubbed the back of his neck. "This is complicated."
Dimitri scoffed. "That's an understatement."
A loud ceremonial horn echoed across the forest.
It was time.
Lucien placed a hand on Dimitri's, shoulder he didn't know what to say because he truly cares about him.
" promise me you won't do anything stupid you know going against the moon goddess will not end well for anyone but reguardless of anything I'll still support you."
Rylan nodded. "And no matter what the ritual shows, we're with you."
"but even if you find the girl do you think she will agree to be with you I mean she's going to have her own mate who knows if she's already with her mate now, what,? you're not thinking of separating a couple right?."
Dimitri growl faintly, just the thought alone made his skin crawl
"No!! she can only be mine, mine and mine alone. And if anyone try to call me between us I swear I'll kill him"
He does not know why but he feels she's meant to be his and only he's alone. He had originally thought thet maybe after some time he would have been able to let go of all this feelings but No!!. with every passing day he feels tormented to the Bone. just the thought of her being with someone else made him want to kill anything close to him. He has had countless dream about her the way her voice sound when she was talking to him, though he couldn't see her face he can tell us she was beautiful. He could now feel his adrenaline pumping.
"I must find her. no matter what."
Dimitri stared ahead at the glowing Moonstone, where the prophecy would be revealed.
He didn't fear war.
He didn't fear enemies.
He didn't fear death.
But he feared losing the girl whose name he didn't even know.
He feared a mate bond to someone he didn't love.
He feared destiny itself.
Still, he stepped forward, cloak sweeping behind him, eyes steady as the entire Bloodmoon Pack bowed to their future Alpha.
Tonight, Dimitri Blackthorn's fate would be written.