Lysander’s POV

I jolted awake with a scream, my body shaking and drenched in sweat; I looked around my room, but no one was present. "It’s just another dream, Lysander," I whispered, trembling.

The same dream again. I’ve had this dream since I clocked 21. Why do I keep having this weird nightmare of a Lupercus wolf? I whispered, running my fingers through my neck area.

They were known to be ruthless wolves, and their Lycan King is also rumoured to be mad. No one wished to meet them because they were all deadly.

-

The soft light spilling through the window told me it was already morning, and I slowly sat up, my body still aching like I had carried the weight of the whole world through the night.

I reached for the small, cracked cup beside my bed, the water inside already warm, but I drank it all in one long swallow, trying to wash down the sour taste of fear still sitting on my tongue.

Yesterday had drained everything from me, and today… I already knew it would be worse. Ryker’s threats still echoed in my mind, and Voras’s words about selling my mother haunted me like a scream I couldn’t silence.

I dragged myself to the corner of the room and got dressed in a rush. I got out of my room in a hurry to check on my mum. But before I reached my mother’s room, one of the maids stepped into my path, her face pale, her eyes darting.

She leaned in and whispered, “Oh Lysander have you heard? Ryker was found by the lake, he’s unconscious. Beaten badly. He hasn’t woken up.”

My heart thudded, but not from worry. I thought he’d gotten up by now. Maybe I hit harder than I meant to. But I didn’t feel guilty. Not even a little. He was out of the way, and for now, that was all that mattered.

Just as I turned to leave, I heard the sound of boots pounding the ground, fast and hard. Two guards appeared from around the corner, faces tight, eyes sharp. Before I could even step back, they were on me, their hands rough as they grabbed me by the arms and yanked me forward.

I stumbled, the breath knocked out of me, my feet dragging along the floor as they pulled me. “Let go of me!” I cried, my voice shaking, but they didn’t stop. And as they pulled me along, I realised where they were going.

The Pack’s Arena was ahead, and my heart sank. Then it all clicked in my mind. Elder Davon had reported me to Alpha Voras. Today was the day of my punishment. Fear gripped me as we got closer to the gathering, but I was ready for anything.

I could see others watching, their eyes filled with curiosity and judgement. I felt small and helpless, my heart pounding as I was dragged toward my fate. I could hear screams and cheers from the crowd, making my stomach twist.

The Alphas’ gathering was a lavish spectacle. Each Alpha was draped in expensive robes, showcasing their wealth and power. I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of punishment Alpha Voras had in mind for me.

Just then, something caught my eye, and my heart stopped beating. There, tied to a pole and almost half naked, was my mother, Luna Vynessa. The crowd shouted and mocked her, calling her “the fallen Luna of the Shadowborn pack.”

Tears filled my eyes as I saw my mother, looking scared and weak. “No!” I screamed, trying to break free from the guards. I struggled hard, wanting to reach my mother and protect her from these evil people.

But then, a heavy blow hit my stomach, and I fell to the ground, helpless. Pain shot through me, and I gasped for breath, feeling lost and scared as I lay there. “Here comes the son of a whore,” Alpha Voras echoed, his voice booming as I was dragged onto the stage.

They tied me to a pole, and I felt the cold metal against my skin. “Now let the bidding begin; this will surely be fun,” Voras announced, and the crowd of evil-looking Alphas and their betas erupted in cheers.

Suddenly, a man dressed in an expensive white robe stood up. His long hair was tied into a bun, and he walked towards Alpha Voras with broad shoulders and a confident stride. The way he moved, the power in his aura, it was clear what he was.

A Lupercus wolf!

These wolves were known to be stunning yet deadly, and I could sense the danger radiating from him. The crowd fell silent, a heavy hush pressing down like the calm before a storm.

Eyes fixed on the wolf as he stepped forward, his sharp gaze cutting through the noise, lips curled in a cold smile. The air felt thick, every second stretching longer as we waited for him to speak.

My heart raced, unsure of what was about to happen next. No one prays to meet a Lupercus wolf face-to-face.

“This was not the deal! There will be no bidding; we are here to take what we bargained for!” The Lupercus wolf shouted, his voice booming through the arena, making everyone fall silent again.

The power in his words hung in the air like a thick fog. “If you want this gathering to be peaceful, then don’t mess with me,” he warned, flashing a mischievous grin before dropping the bag of gold in front of Voras.

Alpha Voras stood frozen, his face pale and eyes wide, clearly shaken. The fear on his face was unmistakable, a stark contrast to the chaos that had filled the arena just moments before.

The crowd watched in silence, sensing the shift in power as the Lupercus wolf asserted his dominance. I stared at my mother’s frail body, feeling a deep ache in my heart.

This punishment was worse than any before. Watching her being offered to a beast right in front of me was unbearable. I tried to hold back my tears, but they flowed down my cheeks anyway.

At 21, I still hadn’t seen my wolf. If I had, I would have broken free from the ropes and saved her from this terrible fate. All I could do was watch, feeling the weight of despair in my chest.

“Well, since the bidding is off and they are willing to offer lots of gold,” Alpha Voras announced, touching the bag of gold. “The fallen Luna Vynessa has been sold to the Lupercus Wolves!”

“No! This can’t be happening. Don’t sell my mom Alpha Voras, not to the Lupercus wolves!” I screamed at the top of my voice, struggling with the ropes tied to my body.

“Well, it’s not in my hands anymore, Lysander.” Voras replied, giving me a stern look. “This is your brother’s wife. How could you do this!?”

I knew what awaited my mom beyond the wall of the Shadowborn pack, and it was obvious she wouldn’t survive it. “You evil bastard!” I voiced out with rage, not minding the consequences.

“You’d surely pay for all this, Alpha Voras!!”

“Well, you have to take me too. Wherever my mum goes, I go," I said with courage, staring into the eyes of the Lupercus wolf. My mum snapped her head toward me, her eyes widened in terror.

"What are you doing, Lysander?"

"I'm going with you, Mum," I replied firmly. The Lupercus wolf arched a perfectly shaped brow, moving towards me.

“We have no need for a weak wolf like you; you’ve clearly not seen your wolf, he said, staring into my eyes. “How did he know my wolf wasn’t out yet?”

“I don't fucking care. There’s no way you’re leaving without me, because I would go to any length to be with my mother.”

"Don’t listen to my son, please. I can’t watch him have the same fate as mine.” My mum interrupted, pleading with the Lupercus wolf.

“Hmmmm... do you know what it means to be bought by a Lupercus wolf? I bet you wouldn’t want to know, he stated. “We do not care if you're a male or female; you’d have to serve however we want you to.”

I felt a shiver run down my spine. I’ve heard stories of how being a slave to the Lupercus wolf is worse than death. “I don’t care; I’m ready for anything.”

The wolf’s eyes flicked to me, a spark of interest shining through his cold stare. “You’ve got fire,” he said slowly.

“Maybe you’ll be useful after all. Double the gold and have him come with us. We will take both." He ordered his guards, who took off the ropes.

The Lupercus wolf was about to leave the arena when my mom's voice made everyone freeze. “For me to be sold alongside my son, I’d rather die!” She shouted, gripping a dagger tightly in her hand as she trembled.

The arena fell silent, every eye fixed on her in shock, including mine. “Mum, please drop the knife! Don’t do this,” I cried, my voice shaking with fear.

Then, the Lupercus wolf approached my mom, a sinister smile creeping across his face. “If you want to kill yourself, I’ll help you,” he said coldly.

“Your dead body would still be useful.” And with that he grabbed her hand, forcing the knife into her belly.

“No! Mum!”