THE ETERNAL HOWL

The pack grounds were alive with celebration, the air thick with the scent of freshly grilled meat and the sweetness of wildflower mead. The arena was beautifully decorated with flowers and lanterns, and the rhythmic beat of ceremonial drums echoed across the grounds, mingling with the excited chatter and laughter of wolves who had shifted into their human forms for the event.

Today was no ordinary day. It was the day Alpha Kael Wynther of the Silverclaw Pack was to announce his Luna-to-be, Selene Thornfell. It was a momentous occasion, a symbol of unity and hope for the pack. For some years, the pack had looked to Kael for strength, and now they eagerly anticipated the Luna who would stand beside him, guiding their future.

Kael stood at the centre of the gathering, towering over the others with his broad shoulders and commanding presence. His dark hair was neatly combed back, but a rebellious strand had fallen over his forehead, softening the sharp angles of his face. His stormy grey eyes scanned through the crowd, filled with pride as he took in the smiling faces of his pack.

Selene was radiant as ever, she stood a few steps behind him. Her golden hair cascaded in soft waves down her back, catching the reflection of lantern light. She wore a flowing ivory gown that clung to her slender frame, embroidered with silver threads that seemed to s

glow with each step she took. Her emerald eyes darted nervously around the crowd, but when they landed on Kael, they softened with affection.

The pack playground was a perfect picture of joy and harmony. Pups ran around chasing each other, their giggles blending with the music. Elders sat in clusters, exchanging stories of the past, while young warriors filled their cups and laughed boisterously.

Kael raised a hand to silence the crowd. Instantly, the music stopped, and all eyes turned to him. The air grew thick with anticipation. Selene felt her heart flutter as she stepped closer to Kael, ready to hear the words she had dreamed of for so long.

"My pack," Kael began, his deep voice resonating across the grounds, "today marks the beginning of a new chapter for us all. Tonight, I-"

He stopped mid-sentence, his hand flying to his throat. A sharp, searing pain had struck him as if invisible claws were raking against his windpipe. His eyes widened, and he stumbled back coughing violently.

Gasps rippled through the crowd as Kael fell to his knees. Selene rushed to his side, her voice began trembling with panic. "Kael! What's wrong?"

Kael tried to speak, but no sound came out. His lips moved, forming silent words, but his voice had vanished. He clutched his throat, his chest heaving as if the very act of breathing had become a battle.

"Someone help him!" Selene cried, her eyes darting to the Beta, Dren Aveline, who immediately stepped forward.

The crowd descended into chaos. Warriors pushed through to reach their Alpha, while the pack's healer, an elderly man named Garrick, knelt beside Kael, inspecting him with furrowed brows.

"Move back, give him space!" Garrick commanded his voice firm but tinged with worry.

Speculations buzzed among the crowd.

"What's happening to him?" one pack member whispered, their voice trembling.

"Is it a rogue attack?" another asked.

"No, it's a bad omen," an elder muttered, shaking her head. "The Luna is a curse."

Selene froze at those words, her heart sinking. She clutched Kael's hand tightly, her voice soft but desperate. "Kael, look at me. You'll be okay. You'll be okay."

Kael's eyes, filled with pain and confusion, locked onto hers. Then, slowly, his body went limp in her arms.

As the crowd quieted, an elderly woman stepped forward. She was hunched over, and her silver hair was tied in a loose braid. Her eyes clouded with age, held a strange understanding as they surveyed the scene. She was known as Aeliana, the oldest living member of the pack and a keeper of its history.

"It has begun," Aeliana said, her voice low but carrying an ominous weight.

The crowd turned to her, their faces were filled with both fear and curiosity.

"What do you mean?" Dren asked, his voice sharp. "What's happening to Kael?"

Aeliana's gaze shifted to Kael's unconscious form. "Two centuries ago, one of our Alphas broke a sacred law. A law that was meant to protect the balance of power in the packs."

The pack members murmured among themselves, confused.

"What law?" Selene demanded, her voice shaking.

Aeliana sighed deeply and began to tell the tale.

"Two hundred years ago, our pack was led by Alpha Toren Wynther. He was ambitious, proud, and willing to do whatever it took to expand our territory. One night, during a council with the neighbouring packs, he did something unthinkable, he spilt the blood of an unarmed emissary within the sacred circle of the moon.

"That circle was blessed by the Moon Goddess herself, it was a place of peace where no wolf could shed blood. But Toren's greed blinded him. He killed the emissary to intimidate the others and to force them into submission. And for that, he was cursed."

Aeliana's eyes became red as she continued. "The Moon Goddess decreed that his line would suffer the curse, that one of his descendants would bear the weight of his sin. That descendant is Kael."

The crowd erupted in whispers, their fear was plainly seen.

"How can a curse last two hundred years?" one warrior asked with a pale face.

"It was no ordinary curse," Aeliana replied. "It was bound to the bloodline. And now, it has awakened."

Selene's heart pounded as she listened, her mind racing. "But why now? Why Kael? He hasn't done anything wrong!"

"The Goddess works in mysterious ways," Aeliana said. "The answers are not mine to give. They lie in your heart, child."

Selene shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "M..me? What does that even mean? How am I supposed to help him?"

Aeliana placed a gnarled hand on Selene's shoulder. "You must stay pure, child. Do not let your bond with Kael falter, and do not defile yourself with another. Only then will the truth reveal itself."

Selene felt a wave of helplessness wash over her. Kael was the strongest man she had ever known, but here he was lying motionless at her feet, his life now tied to a curse she barely understood.

And as the night deepened, the once-lively celebration ground was silent, overshadowed by fear and uncertainty.