Zara

This would be the first act that would transform us from simple werewolves into the incredibly complex tribrid Luna.

It was a coveted position, desired by many female wolves. They imagined an idealized version of Luna’s life. A life in which they would watch over the pack’s females and greet their chosen one when he returned from work.

Eighteen years and several children later, they would have a successor who would inherit the pack and take control. This is what my chosen one’s parents did, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

It’s so rare for our species to experience peace, especially in years when petty wars and rogue attacks are at their peak. The problem is that these idealized notions of the housewife cause us to close our eyes and ignore the truth about what’s happening in the world.

This couldn’t go on; this ignorance of the world around us—an arrogance that truly led us to believe we were the most powerful beings on this earth.

Maybe we really were once at the top of the food chain. We lived in this false bubble of peace while vampires and witches hid in the darkness, adapting and changing.

They were all here, all the people most important to me. Beacons of courage that reminded me that I’d been through worse than this—that the people I love had been through worse.

The knot inside me tightened, the blinding truth tore me apart, and streams of tears poured from my eyes.

***

Kane

Zara’s condition not only worried me, but also completely disrupted my peace. I tried to talk to her, but she hid under the blanket. I stood there, staring at her hunched figure. It wasn’t helping; it had to stop. I couldn’t look at her like that anymore.

Hoping she could find peace in solitude, I left her alone to get some rest. After descending the stairs, I sat down with my mother for evening tea. Even the pleasant smell of cinnamon tea didn’t calm me. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

"Did you two fight?" my mother asked casually, her eyes fixed on her tea, trying to make it seem like she was simply asking a casual question. But I knew better.

"Why do you think that?" I picked up my mug and leaned back on the sofa, resting my arm on the armrest and crossing my legs.

My mother’s appraising gaze slid over me as she elegantly set my cup on the saucer.

"I sense tension between the two of you. Though you both try to hide it. Luna seems nervous for some reason. Care to explain?" she asked with deep seriousness, raising her hand and showing me her palm, fingers spread. "Just don’t tell me you’re going to break her heart."

My mother sensed it; she was too cunning for me to hide such a false relationship for so long.

I exhaled and took a sip, giving my brain time to process my answer. The hot drink soothed my throat, but did nothing to soothe my agitated heart.

"You’re overthinking things. She’s just nervous because she couldn’t see her family. I’ll be sending her to his dad’s house soon. It’s all right." I forced a slight smile, and my mother simply looked at me before saying,

"I’m warning you again, Kane." "Don’t break her heart; there will be terrible consequences." She lowered her head and shook it, as if preparing to reveal some secret.

I recognized that look; she always looked like that when she talked about that damned man who got her pregnant with me.

"Your father and her father have a long history. If you treated her badly, and she or her family finds out who your father is, it won’t end well."

WHAT??? I wasn’t prepared for this. The cup almost slipped from my hands, so I set it down and straightened up. My brow furrowed.

"History? What story?" All sorts of terrible scenarios began to form in my head.

What did my father do? Mom lowered her voice, her eyes filled with pain.

"Your father tried to do what he did best, but he got involved with the wrong couple. Although Zara’s parents weren’t a couple at the time, just like you and Zara. But Zara’s father took your father’s actions very seriously and began to persecute him. It was because of him that your father ended up behind bars and didn’t remain as invincible as he thought he was," Ma told this story, which I’d never heard before, at least not in this version.

My ears started ringing, and I blinked, frozen in place. I couldn’t believe my ears. Could that be why Ma softened toward Zara?

Mom and many other women tried to put my father behind bars, but the lack of evidence always prevented them.

My uncle, who was an Alpha at the time, asked my mother if she wanted them to simply take his life. But Ma could never bring herself to do that, after all, her first lover was my dad.

She wasn’t proud of it and always withdrew when it came to him. But Zara’s dad had accomplished the impossible. No wonder Mom was now on Zara’s side.

I turned to face my mother.

"Did Zara’s father put mine behind bars?" I asked again, blinking stupidly.

"Yes! And probably saved countless women from falling victim to his charm and good looks and being raped..." She sighed heavily, her iron will, which she had always maintained unwavering, breaking, and I saw her struggling to maintain her composure.

That changed everything. No matter what happened, I had to keep Zara safe, or Mom would never forgive me. People would believe I inherited my father’s blood and that I simply used women and abandoned them.

"I understand, Mom. Don’t worry, I’ll do everything right for my Luna." I grabbed her trembling hands and squeezed them tightly.

My father was a very painful subject for her, and the only thing that had broken her.

She gave me a broken smile. "You’re nothing like your father, Kane. I believe in you."