𝑾𝒊𝒏 𝒐𝒓 𝑫𝒊𝒆 #1

𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 1

The old stone house stood proudly atop the hill, casting a towering shadow over the tranquil forest below. Its weathered walls were adorned with clinging moss, and the once-vibrant windows now lay in shattered fragments, remnants of a forgotten time. Beyond the house, a sprawling garden unfolded in a vibrant cacophony of colors, where overgrown plants and twisting trees created a tangled oasis.

No outsider would dare to approach the house of the Moonshade pack. With the moon shining brightly in the sky, bathing the dense woods in an ethereal glow, it was a perfect night.

Nineteen-year-old Sarah stared into the flickering flames of the fireplace, her almost black eyes reflecting determination and a hint of apprehension. Her long silver hair cascaded down her shoulders, framing a delicate face that concealed the fierce spirit within her. Sarah was a woman of contradictions - a gentle soul burdened with a mind and body molded for battle.

As the eldest daughter of the Moonshade pack's Alpha, Sarah understood the weight of her family's legacy. They were not ordinary werewolves; they were royalty - a proud and powerful force feared by all, except for their sworn enemies, the Shadowlore pack. The Shadowlore pack, who shared the privilege of royal blood, stood against them.

"What is occupying your thoughts so intensely?" a melodic voice, as delicate as roses, inquired from behind.

Sarah turned her gaze in the direction of the voice, a smile spreading across her face as she looked at her younger sister, Rebecca, who was only a year younger than her. Rebecca's enchanting face, adorned with captivating blue eyes and luscious brown hair, stood in stark contrast to Sarah's silver locks and dark, abyssal eyes.

"I cannot get over my excitement for tomorrow's tournament," Sarah confessed, her voice filled with enthusiasm as she sat up straight, exuding confidence.

There was no place for doubts, she had known that from the first second they announced it, what this would mean for her family, for all their pack members. She had a mission. A goal that nobody would stop her from achieving.

Rebecca covered her lips with her hand, laughter bubbling forth freely. "I am not surprised in the least that you would find delight in such a situation," she remarked.

"And what about you?" Sarah asked playfully. "Wouldn't you be even more ecstatic if you were in my position, considering your mischievous nature? The way you revel in darkness, you are the cruelest person I know, second only to our parents. And trust me, I know plenty of them."

This statement held undeniable truth. Behind Rebecca's innocent doe-like eyes and charming appearance, lurked a disturbing nature akin to a carnivorous flower luring unsuspecting prey with its intoxicating scent.

If Sarah knew anything, it was that her sister tended to act quite too disturbingly even for her own taste. But who was she to judge her? She wasn't much better, maybe less brutal, but still equally merciless. A proud daughter who would do anything for her family. The future Luna of the pack.

"Oh, Sarah, you always know just what to say to make someone feel important," Rebecca replied, a mirthless chuckle escaping her lips accompanied by a sly smirk. "You guessed correctly. If given the chance, I would relish every moment in that tournament, plotting a delicious revenge for any scratch they dare to inflict upon us. But I am not. So I can only relish in watching you make it on your own. Hmm, or perhaps we could always just hold some Shadowlore pups hostage amidst all this hustle. A little bit of amusement would be good exercise. The last encounter was such a thrill!"

Sarah shook her head, unfazed by her sister's ideas. She preferred open fights, winning and taking a place that would make them shuffle back to their pack house territory. She wasn't a big fan of torture. "Sometimes I'm genuinely scared of what's going on in your mind, sister."