The Rise of Lunar's Light (The Story Before Mateless)

Hellena’s Pov:

“You are an Alpha, are you not? You could always choose to end this,” I snapped at him. The irony was, I was mad at the Goddesses for this turn of fate.

They knew, yet they sent me here to be slaughtered. “We both know I can’t do that, Hellena. I wish things were different, perhaps in another life,” he smiled.

“Shall we get this over with, then?” I seethed. “Would you rather die by a sword or by my beast?” he asked, stopping my heart for a moment. “Sword, but that’s only if you can land a blow,” I taunted.

To my shock, he smiled as he pulled a sword out of the hand of a dead Amazon. “As you wish, my love,” he winked. But his hurt flooded to me, this bothered him as much as it did me.

My mind raced as I attempted to steady myself. I needed to make an opportunity for my people to escape from the village. And for Guinevere to take her leave.

I readied myself for battle. We danced around one another, unsure of who would make the first move. My frustration rose as his eyes wandered over every inch of my body.

Unable to take any more, I charged at him. The bastard expected my move. He wrapped his arms around my body, pulling me back hard against his muscular chest. And buried his nose deep into my neck, inhaling my scent deeply.

I gasped from the immense sparks of pleasure which erupted over every inch of my body. I choked down a sob. I hated this was happening.

“Bastard!” I gritted my teeth as I hit him hard. My blow landed on his stomach with the hilt of my sword. His grip loosened as I knocked the wind out of him.

My next move was to slash at his face. Thankfully, my sword made contact, and I managed a deep wound down his right cheek. To my surprised he chuckled as if he enjoyed my attack.

“You are a half wolf and a strong one at that,” he laughed. “Yes, my mother chose an Alpha to father me.” I whispered. He rushed towards me; his sudden swift movements knocked me to the ground. I braced myself for my end.

To my amazement, he drove the sword into the blood-soaked earth next to my head before he pinned my body to the ground with his. Our eyes locked as I attempted to read his next move. He knowingly smirked.

“I want to remember every inch of you,” he whispered, his eyes once again showing his pain. “You, once again, you assume you will beat me.” I grit my teeth, tossing him off, much to his surprise.

I grabbed his sword before he regained his senses. It was my turn to smile. “I love you underestimate me,” I teased as he rushed towards me.

This time, I was ready. By using his momentum against him, I landed a hard kick to his chest, sending him to the ground. I walked over to him grinning as I plunged both swords into his shoulders, causing him to cry out in pain. I put all my strength into pushing the blades deeper into his flesh.

“What is a matter, Love? Can’t handle your mate beating you?” I laughed, batting my eyelashes at him. I twisted the blades into his flesh before I pulled them out.

“Beating me? Think not beautiful, I want to enjoy you for a little while. I want you to cover me with scars. I need them, so I have something to remember you for always,” he admitted, breaking down my guard.

He kicked up before I could react and landed a hard kick to my face. Breaking my nose and cheek. Blood oozed from the contact. My face swelled as I struggled to stay conscious.

He pulled my body close to him. “Sorry, we both know how this will end, sweetheart. I am a pure-blooded wolf. Even with how amazing you are, you are nothing more than a half-breed. You have no chance of beating me. Please know I hate I am going to kill you. Please believe I will never love another. But forgive me for taking another mate. She will only ever be the one to bear my children. I will always wish they were from you,” he whispered, a single tear from him fell on to my cheek.

“I am grateful for the scars you have given me. I will always cherish them. Every time I look at them, I will think of you. I hope you forgive me, and when my time is over, you will welcome me home with open arms.” He struggled to speak as his eyes locked on mine. The sensation of the burning coldness of steel swept through me as he plunged a sword deep into my abdomen.

“It was the will of the Goddesses. My mate, I forgive you. I will wait for you in the ever after,” I squeaked out. He pressed his lips to mine. “Thank you, my love,” he whispered, pulling the blade from my body.

He never let me fall; he placed me softly on to the ground. I struggled to breathe as the cheering and howling started. His warriors understood I couldn’t survive this wound for long. He kneeled next to me, our eyes locked on one another.

“Hellena, your time is done,” the Girl informed me, offering me her hand. With a heavy heart, I accepted it. She pulled me up. Confused, I glanced down at my still body. My mate gently closed my eyes as he whispered his goodbyes. Even from here, his hurt and rage flooded me as he re-entered the battle, killing many of my warriors.

“Goddess, why did it have to be like this?” I asked. She smiled softly at my question. “Because there are some things we can’t undo. Now go to your foremothers,” she whispered as the surrounding battle faded.

Guinevere’s Pov:

I watched in horror as I tried to make it to Hellena. The bastard Alpha delivered a hard kick to her face, shattering her bone. She needed me now more than ever. I ran as fast as possible. He plunged his sword deep into her. My Queen, my love, was done for. She wouldn’t survive for long.

I held back the tears as he kneeled next to her, watching her die. My anger rose in my chest. I wanted to end him. Now was not the time. I needed to do what I promised Hellena and run.

My life would be to kill Silverlight’s Alpha. “I promise you, Hellena, I will kill that bastard, no matter the cost or the time it takes,” I whispered.

As I glanced around, I realized they cut most of my sisters down. I was near the cover of the dense forest. It was now or never. I dropped my swords and ran towards cover.

Cheering erupted all around me. I risked a glance at the battle behind me. None of my sisters remained standing. Anger swelled in my heart. How could the Goddesses abandon us? These actions made my choice to follow my promise to Hellena so much easier.

I turned back, gritting my teeth. My heart felt as if it would explode with rage. “Guinevere, where are you going?” the Girl hissed. A sharp sting erupted across my cheek as her hand came into contact with my skin.

“How dare you!” I hissed. “You betrayed us. You’re chosen. And it was you who offered us to these beasts. How could you send us here to be slaughtered?” I yelled.

“I sent you here to save your kind. Your promise to Hellena will undo everything,” she snapped. The winds picked up as a chill took over my body.

I walked down a hallway in an unfamiliar world. To my amazement, it was the woman, only she had green eyes. She went to hug a girl with shoulder length hair but stopped. I followed her gaze to a tall wolf. They shared a deep connection; I sensed both of their confusion and intrigue.

“Hey, you ok? You look like you have just seen a ghost?” the girl with shoulder length hair asked the Goddess. The confusion rolled off the Woman.

She nodded. She was ok before peering down the hall again. A powerful sense of loss came from her.

“What you witnessed is part of our plan. The child that you are confusing with my counterpart is our daughter, Celeste. This is the moment which will end Silverlight. That wolf is a descendant of that bastard Alpha,” the Girl laughed.

I stared at the girl, unable to process what she was telling me. “The young Alpha is her mate. Celeste is the apple of beauty. This is the moment they see each other for the first time,” the Girl smiled. All I could do was gape at her.

“How could you mate your own child to a monster?” I screamed. “How better to destroy Silverlight than from within?” the Woman replied softly as the world returned to normal.

“Please understand, they must believe that you are all dead. You put everything, including our own child, in danger by doing this. They see you are running; if we allowed you to succeed, they will always search for the last Amazon. This puts everything in jeopardy,” the Woman pleaded.

I sighed heavily. I accepted I needed to turn back. Hate for my Goddesses filled my heart. “You should have killed him and saved us all the trouble of death,” I spat.

The Girl grabbed my arm, pulling my face to hers. “I curse your blood line until Celeste,” she growled. Her words made no sense.

“Go now, Guinevere, we grant you strength,” the Woman said. “At the moment of your death, we have a message for you to deliver,” she informed me.

As I turned back to the battle, I glanced upward, thinking of Hellena. I screamed in frustration, picking up a sword from one of my fallen sisters. To kill every wolf who dared to come near me. I scanned the battlefield. If I was to die here, I would take that bastard of an Alpha with me.

My eyes found their target, the largest blackest wolf I ever seen. My prowess in battle drew his attention as he made his way to me. As I kept killing the wolves, they began to fear me.

Pride swelled in my chest. I lashed out at a wolf who only snapped at me before falling back. “Coward,” I growled, trying to remove his head from his neck.

Finally, he miscalculated. I moved in for my attack. The sounds of splintering of bone and wood broke my concentration. A burning pain erupted from my chest. I glanced down, unable to believe my eyes. I stared at my assailant in utter shock. The coward Alpha plunged a spear deep into my chest.

The pain blinded me as he pulled the spear out of my body. A white light flashed, leaving the young wolf from my vision. His eyes held a look of pity. As I fell, I grabbed hold of him, pulling him to his knees. Fear swept over his features.

“Mathis of the Silverlight Pack, I hereby curse you and your pack. By Your Moon Goddess and the Eternal Artemis and Selene. I swear vengeance by an Amazon’s hand, she will end you all,” I spat without realizing what it was I said. I smiled to myself, laughing at his fear. The boy was nothing more than a coward, just like his ancestor.

A coldness swept over me as the Alpha kneeled next to my broken body. “How is it you know my name?” he growled.