AZRAIL

"No... please... don't do it," her little voice still echoed in my ears.

That night has my brothers written all over it. They'd drugged me. Dumped me in the middle of the moons–knows–where like an animal.

And I acted like one.

No name. No Mercy. Just instinct.

I was so intoxicated to fight against the urge, and without an apology dropped some silver coins before vanishing. She was a prostitute, I sang to make myself to feel less guilty.

But still I couldn't get her off my mind.

...

I am Azrial. The curse born of BloodMoon Pack. The youngest of four.

And the heir.

You might be wondering why a cursed born would be an heir? Well it wasn't much for a good reason.

Every century, two packs are chosen by the Moon Goddess for the mating ritual — one provides the Prince, the other a Princess.

It's a sacrifice. Everyone knows that.

The chosen rarely survive past a year.

So naturally, my father picked me.

What better way to get rid of the monster no one wanted?

...

A deep sigh escaped my lips, as I dragged my feets to the training courtyard. I knew they'd be there.

Kael the eldest saw me first. His arrow slammed into the bullseye.

"Guess who's awake?" he smirked, gaining the attention of the rest, Lucas and Zain.

"Dracula your highness," Zain, my immediate elder brother, gave a sarcastic bow at my presence.

I walked right past the pleasantries. "Which one of you did it?"

They shared a knowing look within themselves, before crackling into laughter.

"You should be thanking us," Kael said, not looking away from his next shot. "We helped you get laid, baby beast."

My body tensed, as my muscles tightened, heat crawled to my neck.

"You bastards...." I growled, and before I could stop myself, I grabbed Zain by the throat, his feet off the ground.

He kicked, struggled.

"Go on," Kael drawled, not moving. "kill him. Prove you're everything they say you are."

Lucas chuckled. "Just like you did with Mother, right?"

His words hit harder than my grip.

I dropped Zain.

He fell with a heavy thud, coughing and gasping.

"I...I....I... didn't kill her," I snapped, my voice shaking, "I didn't..."

Kael approach was cold. "Then why isn't she here with us?" he asked, as he dropped the bow noisily on some metals. "Mother's biggest mistake was birthing you, even greater for not killing you when she had the chance."

He spat at my feet, before turning away, his pets behind him.

Lucas, always the snake, added, "We got you drunk. But we didn't pull your pants down. That was all you, little beast. The least you could do is say thank you."

They walked off, leaving me in the courtyard with nothing but the memory of her scream…

Sometimes I wondered if I really deserved my father's and brother's hate.

Was it my fault Mother died a few days after my birth? I mean it could have been sickness or something? But coming out different did me no good also.

They say my brothers all looked like her — golden hair, ocean eyes.

I on the other hand have silvery hair, with dead grey eyes, which most times changes to black or red.

My Father the King was the worst, telling my siblings from an early age not to associate themselves with me, and going as far as saying I wasn't his son, but the paternity tests we took proved otherwise.

He trained me to be a ghost.

A weapon.

And now I was being handed off like a blade to be buried.

"Prince Azrial," Magnus, my Beta and only true friend, bowed as he entered. His long blond hair was neatly tied back, clothes crisp.

"Hey," I said. "Any news?"

He shook his head. "No my Prince. But the King wants to see you."

I nodded, dragging a hand through my braided hair.

Of course he did.

The court chamber was quiet when I arrived. A trail of elders and my brothers at the left, while me and some gammas on the right hand side. They all stood to their feets as I sat, besides the King said he needed no respect from me.

After a long while, the King walked into the chamber eyeing me before taking his seat. The others did the same.

"It is time," he said. "The BloodMoon heir will complete the Ritual Bond in two days, under the full moon."

He stared at me a little longer, "I hope you are ready?"

"What difference would it make," I retorted aloud, not bothering to hide my disdain.

A few elders exchanged looks. I saw some flicker in the eyes of one.

"Very well then, you and a few others would set off to the Pack tonight," he said simply.

Like he was sending a soldier to war.

After he left, the elders also picked to their feets, they could barely stand me.

Kael and his cohort stayed back, meaning they weren't done taunting me for the day.

"So," he said, leaning on a marble column. "Is the beast ready to get married?"

Zain chuckled. "Let's hope she's prettier than your last girl."

I didn't respond.

Lucas stepped closer, "don't worry we will treat her nicely."

I turned, voice low.

"Unlike you guys, I have work to attend to, so get yourself busy until I return," I snapped motioning for them to leave.

Kael leaned in. "I can't wait for your return Azrail. and don't think this earns you Father's love or sympathy," he spat, closing the distance between us.

I smiled but it was far from my eyes.

"You all need my sympathy, not the other way round," I whispered meekly into his ears, "now get lost, we don't want what happened years ago to repeat itself do we?"

His eyes darkened, as he took a few steps back, "let's go," he muttered to the rest.

I just knew saying that had do the trick.

"Magnus," I said, rejoining him in the hall. "Let's get this over with."

"Get some rest Alpha, we would set off in three hours, we don't want to be late."

"We can teleport right into the Pack, so there's no way we would be late." I smiled.

"We certainly don't want to scare our host, my Prince."

"Well that's what I want. To be feared." I said.

He gave me a look. "And your bride?"

I paused.

Bride

"I pity her," I muttered.

"Nevertheless, get some rest," he insisted.

…

The day went in a blur, and now it was evening, we had four horses and another that pulled a black carriage — the one meant for the bride.

But my mind wasn't in the wedding.

It was on her. The girl in the dark. The one I hurt. The one I could forget...

I would get the truth.

Even if I had to rip it out of Zain's throat.