Selene: the Moon's Reincarnation

ne's

hores in record time, scrubbing every inch of the house to make sure it was spotless. Father was more of a tradition

at the ceremony just in case, my thoughts kept going back

e of sadness. I had always daydreamed of my mate being a prince charming that would rescue me from this pain and suffering and we'd ride off into the sunset together. It still hurt, be

d skin me alive if they knew I even harboured the slightes

shut bringing me back to

e since they preferred not to bump into a 'wolfless misfit', for fear they might

ou guys?" said one of her friends, a young man I recogn

rug I'd just cleaned, "Y'all are really lenient, you know, if it was my dad h

hat happened at the town s

by her mate," Elisa replied, "That must

at poor gir

no way!" R

ever guess who her mate

you serious? The Moon must've been d

o the King of Rogues himself, a Bloodhound too! She even had the gu

's in

han Father's punches and Mother's whips. I blinked rapidly, trying to fight the sting behind my eyes, holding back tears that threatened

existing, Selene?" she said, a cruel lilt in

d I say anyway? That I survive becaus

inued relentlessly, "Even the Moon herself has

odged in my throat, squeezing and squeezing until I could barely breathe. Desperately, I clutched at my chest, t

. Despised by my own family for something I couldn't cont

d. No one asks to be weak. But some of us

in my chest faded, I stared at my reflec

m was worth more th

attend the Dead

rug in sight. The food was neatly packed and placed in a basket for Mother to take with her. Father

no one was coming back home. Once the clock struck 7pm, I g

p her cursed misfit of a daughter inside until

often snuck away in the dead of night to meet her boyfriend, some beta dude whose name I can't remember. There's no way

night it was symbolic. I didn't know much about the Dead Moon; from the few whispers I've heard from townsfolk, it was a time when the Moon's energy was even stronger than usual resultin

less mutt like me could participate in but I could

ally hosted festivals and ceremonies here. I never had the privilege of attending any so I cleared a small path to hide behind trees and watch everyone h

ressed in ceremonial robes-some already half-shifted, their claws and eyes betraying their primal forms. The drumming was loud,

from both excitement and fear. Just seeing it; the beauty, the wildness, the belonging, i

I saw

e. Ex-

andsome as ever with his long hair tied into a high bun. Other wol

d on his lap, rubbing his chest

umb from the constant hurt. What did I expect, that a handsome legible bac

s, quietly watching the pack

ing over her curvy body. I swallowed down the pain in my heart and forced myself to watch. This was what

e a bodyguard or something. There was something so familiar about him but I couldn't put my finger on it. I stared at

ckly hid behind

ere was no wa

pack and they'll dra

d, oh my

ves and grass grew louder and by now I w

ook for me, pl

is

it

you're

still under my cloak not kn

You were watching

my hood and nearly screamed fr

er-yelled. The old folktales d

ough curious green eyes, then he muttered somet

.Selene?"

e? My dignity? Gone. My peace? Never existed. My lif

what I was. The fact that he was still speaking with me here was confusing.

ing to me?" I ask

bare ground, "Let's just say...I know ho

willow trees. Kyrein was surprisingly easy to talk to, funny since I haven't spoken to so

olves that decided to come together under the comman

oll

end." He paused, "I'm

n? It's fine,

ly? It's okay

e angry, Kyrein. Not

to be treated like trash, Selene." He said, his gre

more I saw how kind and thoughtful Kyrein was. He made me laugh, even holding my hand in his as we whispered j

e maybe this night could

, I should've

pped through the silent

?" a sharp v

it was too late. The torchlight found us-me in my cloak, my face half-h

ed. "The wolfless girl!

Kyrein growled and tried to fight them off, but more came

t two strong arms seized me from behi

arls as they dragged

like a rat," spat one of the e

ng with superstition. "Her presence during th

, blood on his lower lip, fury in his eyes as they held him down. Besi

woods with her, Ky?"

Kyrein explained to him. He screamed to the el

lders ign

er ordered. "She has defiled t

!" I begged, but

forcing me to my knees before the altar. Pa

l dagger. "The Moon demands purity. A curse like hers... must be cleanse

orld

rif

death sentence. I met Apollo's eye

" I whisper

with a loud swish