Cassian's POV.
I surprised myself when I declared to the whole pack that Elara was my mate. I just couldn't stand those old mutts treating her like she was weak. Elara wasn't weak—her strength was in her survival. She had kept herself alive long enough to find me.
The pack accepted her as their Luna quicker than I expected. The rumor that she saved me from a rampaging beast certainly helped, though Elara herself wasn't exactly thrilled.
"You think you're so funny, huh?" she jabbed her finger at my chest, trying to spark another argument. To me, she looked like nothing more than an angry pup.
I sighed and leaned back in my chair.
"Is there a problem, sir?" Luke asked.
"Do you think I made the right call?" I shot back, glancing at him.
Luke adjusted his glasses and exhaled. "I believe you have your reasons, sir." He nodded simply.
I smiled faintly and looked down at my report papers.
According to the prophecy, this was inevitable. I never understood why Elara acted like it came as a surprise. As much as I resisted, the declaration was necessary.
Earlier, Leticia came to me—her voice urgent. She said I couldn't delay the announcement any longer. She sensed something coming, though her vision was blurry. She insisted I act fast.
I mulled it over. Despite everything, I had to do it.
I never believed in fate or destined mates before, but the prophecy changed that. Elara had appeared exactly when it said she would.
And then there was the dream. Her death. The memory sent a shudder through me.
I exhaled deeply.
———
Sudden howls tore through the night, dragging me from sleep. My eyes snapped open, vision clouded red—blood red.
I jumped out of bed and rushed to the balcony. My eyes widened. In all my years, I never thought I'd witness this.
A rare blood moon hung in the sky. A crescent blood moon—signifying the goddess's mourning of her first children. It smelt of blood and tears. It made my hair stand on end and my stomach turned.
My mind instantly went to Elara. I shifted and sprinted to her room. She lay on her bed in her white wolf form, completely still. My heart pounded.
I nudged her gently. Her blue eyes fluttered open, distant and blank. Even in her weakened state, she was still fierce.
I knew the blood moon's effect on the messengers of Selene—the white wolves—was severe.
For some reason, it wasn't affecting me. Maybe the curse was protecting me, though I wasn't sure.
I nudged her again, but my wolf whimpered softly. She blinked but didn't move.
She wasn't in danger.
Then a howl shattered the silence.
My ears perked. I sniffed the air and growled. Someone was trespassing in my territory.
I darted out of the main house and ran toward the estate's entrance.
Who dared cross into my land beneath the blood moon's shadow?
Beyond the gate, thick mist curled like smoke. I couldn't see, but I could smell the intruder.
I growled low and prowled like the predator I was, waiting for the threat to reveal itself.
Then I saw them—two eyes glowing through the fog, one red, one blue.
A wolf.
I growled, shifting back into my human form.
"Show yourself, trespasser!" I commanded, voice low and hard.
The eyes didn't move, only watched as if daring me to open the gate.
I couldn't risk it—no outsider entered my estate without permission, especially not under the blood moon.
My gaze narrowed. A shadow flickered in the fog—the shape of a wolf.
Thanks to Leticia's wards, no wolf outside our pack could enter by force. Only a member could allow it.
I scowled. Suddenly, the fog cleared.
"We shall meet soon, Alpha Cassian. And I shall take your life—and the life of your beautiful mate, Elara, the messenger of that damned goddess," a dark male voice hissed, followed by cold laughter.
The mist vanished, leaving no trace of the threat.
My eyes darkened. My wolf growled fiercely, clawing at my control, desperate to hunt down the one who dared threaten us.
But the intruder was gone.
I looked up at the sky—the blood moon had faded. Dawn was breaking.
Shifting back, I returned to the main house. Elara slept soundly in her human form.
I retreated to my room, grabbed a book from my table, and flipped through the pages, searching for answers.
"Red and blue eyes… is that even possible?" I muttered, then stopped at a chapter titled The Corruption.
I hummed, sitting down to read, sleep abandoned.
The hunt has begun. I can feel it—pricking at my skin like the curse of the full moon, setting my wolf on edge.