Kane

She is MINE, and she will always be MINE. No one will harm her or take her away from me, even shadows. But it’s strange for me how shadows will take my heir? Was this his father’s interest?

"Thank you, Mom." She nodded and stood up.

"I need to lie down and rest." Mom went to her room, and I, lost in thought, suddenly heard my phone vibrate in my pocket. I will protect them till my last breath. The message from my Beta pack meeting was ready.

*** 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Zara

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 demons, shadows, 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.

Sophia and Govinda stood off to the side, constantly exchanging glances, having their little private conversations, even backstage, where it seemed not only my identity but his was obvious.

Even Marcus came, his sour expression usual, but his presence instilled hope. Dad and Ryan were backstage, talking with Mason and some of the lighting crew members who were putting the finishing touches on the show.

"And how’s M? My beloved Undead Queen?" Zeke’s boastful voice echoed through the room, instantly irritating both Sophia.

Marcus and Govinda growled under their breath. The only thing these two had agreed on lately was that Alpha Zeke was a burden to humanity and shadows..

"Trying not to give up on all this," I groaned uselessly, grumbling as Zeke hugged me. "Can I miss my own pack meeting?"

Zeke had been trying his best to help us both for the past three months. Not only was I adjusting to my new position as Luna, but I was also expected to rule an entire country of demons, half of whom hated me, and the other half who followed me only out of fear and respect for the one who held the crown.

Zeke, despite being single, as he liked to complain from time to time, became like family to Kane and me.

"Henpecked? And you’ll miss out on all the fun?" he snorted, his exaggerated expression of surprise making me raise an eyebrow.

"Is it bad that I’d rather fight in another war than be forced to perform in public?"

"Of course not. Even we Alphas think so," he snorted, flashing the crooked smile that won him most dates. "But the war is over, and that means certain things need to be done to establish lasting peace."

"How wise and fair of you, Alpha Zeke," Sophia cooed, approaching him from behind with a smile. I giggled as Govinda growled under his breath, stifling a laugh as Zeke winked.

Before heading with us to Kane’s hometown, Sphia had cut her hair short again, so it was now about an inch above her shoulders. Even without her shapeshifting ability, after she’d forced me to make a deal with the shadows for her mate’s life, she retained her werewolf abilities: heightened senses and speed.

Constant training, as well as morning and evening runs, kept her and her wolf sane. "Did you read that in a book somewhere?"

"Actually, I Googled it," Zeke chuckled, but quickly changed his expression to one of his rare serious moments. "But seriously. Right now, it’s just rumors; no one’s taking it seriously. When this gets out, the rumors will spread. The whole world will know what happened today, and their future will be forever changed. By the way, you’re doing the right thing. That’s exactly what Luna and the Undead Queen would do."

"That’s not my official title, and you know it, Zeke," I scolded him, holding back my emotions every time he uttered a piece of wisdom.

"Well, your real title is rather cumbersome. Who has time to say, ’Heiress of the Couritis family, companion of shadows, bearer of Renaldi magic...’?" He pouted, jutting out his lower lip. The expression made him look younger, less like the brutal playboy he portrayed himself as. "Besides, ’Queen of the Undead’ sounds good."

"I’m glad you think so, because only you’re allowed to call me that."

"And that makes it even better," he chuckled, giving Sophia and me a small wave. "I think I’ve excited you enough for today; I need to go bother your friend about security. We’ll be right on stage with you."

"That man says he wants a mate, but I don’t think he could slow down even if he tried." She gave a breathless laugh, shaking her head as she watched Zeke walk away. Her gaze met mine, a hint of humor in it, though she, too, was nervous about the coming night. "I think this is the most fun he’s ever had as an Alpha since you became Queen of the Demons."

"Whoever she is, I already know we’ll like her," I chuckled. "Especially if she can tame him."

"So, are you ready for this?" she asked after a few seconds.

"Not at all. Are you?"

"Oh, hell no," she chuckled, her gaze darting to Govinda, who was always watching her. He’d become incredibly caring since her wolf was locked away, a trait I completely understood, even if it was a bit extreme. "I’m already nervous before I even perform."

"I hope I don’t fall off the stage and throw up on anyone."

"I think you’ll surprise yourself, Zara." She smiled softly, genuinely, and it gave me a little courage. "You’ve changed. I always knew that when you finally came home, you’d turn everything upside down. Of course, I didn’t think things would change this much, but I’m ready to help you work towards a better future; we all are."

"Are you sure you don’t want to give that speech?" I giggled softly, holding back a nervous smile.

"And I’ll definitely throw up on everyone." She smirked, and it became almost impossible for me to remain nervous and scared.

"Do you mind if I take our Moon?" Alpha’s husky voice slid down my back, enveloping my neck and penetrating my ears. I turned around and tried not to gasp. His usually tousled hair was styled, perfectly matching the shirt and pants he was wearing.

The dark clothing highlighted the unusual golden hue of his eyes, shimmering and seething with the darkness.

"Not at all, Alpha," Sophia chuckled, mouthing "good luck."

"Zeke told me you were terrified." His laugh was deep and rich, like the smirk on his face.

"He would use that exact phrase, wouldn’t he?" I grumbled, raising an eyebrow at him from across the room. I rolled my eyes at his smirk and turned to Alpha. "I’m not terrified, I’m nervous. It’s different."

"We’re all nervous, Zara." His voice was the courage I needed, the confirmation that there was nothing wrong with it. "Considering all the changes we’ve undergone, I’d be worried if you weren’t."

"I’m afraid not everyone will accept me," I reluctantly admitted, forced to look at the golden swirls in his eyes as he lifted my head. The last sentence was spoken quietly, so quietly that only Alpha could hear it: "That I will tear this pack apart."

The stage manager gestured us forward, signaling our readiness.

"Not everyone will accept me, that’s inevitable," he shook his head, unfazed. "There will be those who will challenge you, but I know my Luna can stand up for herself. Those who matter, whose loyalty spans countless generations, will follow us."

Over and over, I repeated the words I needed to say. I took a deep breath, then two more. There would be no fear, no shame, no hesitation. I was much more than this world knew, but they were about to find out.

I stepped out from behind the billowing curtain before me and found myself face-to-face with a crowd of thousands.

Our world was no longer safe, no longer as protected as we wanted to believe. Demons were no longer content to hide in the shadows, and witches had their own plans.

For years, we turned a blind eye to how demons gathered, developed their race, and accumulated resources. Only when they arrived on our doorstep did we finally see the truth and fight back.

Many of us still refused to believe that demons were even a problem.

Now, something even more serious is drawing our attention. Something that will require the cooperation of both demons and werewolves, something that was once nearly impossible.

Everything has changed since my father’s blood watered the earth, and the power and weight of my new role have fallen upon my shoulders. There’s magic in the world, a magic many of us have forgotten. It disappeared for a time, and no one alive today wants to remember why.

It’s finally awakening, bringing with it who knows what.