The Awakening: Book 1 of The Bloodmoon Wars (A Paranormal Shifter Series Prequel to Luna Rising)

by Sara Snow

  I ground my teeth as she turned away to walk back to her desk. I suddenly noticed that sitting in front of her desk were two humans—two females who appeared to be twins. My mother reached out to them, and they crawled to her with love in their eyes.

  "Leave us, my pets. Go get something to eat and rest," she told them, and both women, wearing nothing but their bras and underwear, nodded and got to their feet. “Return in three hours. Don’t make me come find you myself.”

  They both kissed my mother before walking towards me to leave the room. They ran their hands down my chest, the heady scent of their arousal hitting me.

  “Valencia, can you please tell me why I was summoned, so I may leave?” I inquired as soon as they left.

  My mother sat down behind her desk, her face becoming serious. “Do not call me Valencia. I’m your mother.” This time when she spoke, her voice wasn’t soft and angelic but deep and contorted. Then she smiled sweetly. “And I missed my son. Is it not okay for me to miss my child?”

  I stared at her blankly, and she soon began to chuckle. From a young age, I figured out how to travel between worlds, and after many failed attempts, I finally got it right. The third night after arriving on Earth, I met Skye and Elinor. They’d been my family ever since, even though I’d had to return home from time to time.

  Valencia wasn’t the motherly type—she never had been and never would be. I had a different father than all my other siblings, which was why I had wings and most of the rest of them didn’t, but he was never around, either. I think I’d met the man twice, and that was it.

  “Your son?” My brother suddenly laughed. “He’s barely one of us and is rarely here. He’s no son of yours, Mother, and you need to accept that.” His eyes drifted to me. “He thinks he’s better than us. He always has.”

  "I don’t just think it—I know it,” I quipped.

  His face twisted with anger. Beside him, Marinka chuckled, entertained by the bickering. She’d always thrived on chaos.

  But this wasn’t the reason I’d come here.

  “So you think that just because you live among mortals, you’re better than us?” Baxton held his head back and laughed. “Being around them has made you weak. How can you call yourself an Incubus? Are you still a virgin, Cyrus? Be honest now.”

  "Virgin or not, I'm still the one who will inherit Mother's throne. What makes you think your words can affect me?"

  Sure, I didn’t want the throne, but the threat was enough to shut up my older brother. He jumped to his feet, obviously itching for a fight. I heard my shirt rip, and scarlet red wings sprouted from my back.

  My eyes changed to black.

  He stopped in his tracks.

  “There they are,” my mother crooned in a low voice as she swung a leg onto her desk. “Sit down, Baxton.”

  His jaws visibly clenched, and as I folded my wings behind me, he walked by me and left the room.

  “Your father is having a ball, and I’d like you to go with me,” my mother explained.

  Finally, here was the real reason I’d been called here.

  I shook my head. “I think I’ll pass, Mother. I’m not interested in attending any parties thrown by the Demon King.” I turned to leave when suddenly, I felt her nails dig into my shoulder. I was spun around.

  Yes, I was the son of the Demon King—one of his many children—which solidified my role as royalty, not just as a child of a Sin.

  Mother’s golden eyes burned bright as she glared at me. “Don’t you dare turn your back to me. This isn’t a request. You will be attending your father’s ball, and that’s final.” She released my shoulder. “Like it or not, you’re the King’s son, and you need to act like it. You need to spend time with your own kind, Cyrus. Though you’ve trained yourself well on your own—your strength can’t be denied—you need to remain here to reach your full potential. There is nothing for you among the mortals.”

  “You speak ill of them, yet you keep two with you here in the Underworld,” I argued.

  She shrugged. "They are pets, Cyrus, nothing more. You know feeding on humans and supernaturals is better than feeding on our own."

  We stood in silence for a moment, and her eyes stopped glowing. I sighed. If I didn’t attend this party, my absence would be seen as an insult to the King, even though he probably didn’t even remember I existed.

  “I’m sorry, Mother. I have things I need to take care of. The King won’t notice my absence, I promise you that.” I turned to leave, but the next words that left her lips stopped me in my tracks and caused my blood to run cold.

  “Fine, Cyrus. Enjoy your time with the werewolves you love so much,” she purred softly. “They won’t be around for much longer.”

  I turned to narrow my eyes at her. I toward her, not believing what I’d heard. I towered over her, trying to intimidate her. Even with her blood and my father’s running through my veins, I knew I was nowhere as strong as she was. “What are you talking about?”

  “What’s so special about them, son? Tell me why you’ve chosen to live among those people instead of your own?”

  I stared at her for a moment. She was a brilliant woman, strong and cunning. So why would she ask me something so foolish?

  “I wasn’t accepted as a child. Even by you,” I admitted. Her eyes darkened for a moment, but I didn’t care, so I continued. “I appeared weak, not enough like an Incubus, and more importantly, not like my father. Those people raised me. A pack of wolves accepted a demon.”

  I made sure to emphasize the word wolves, so she’d understand exactly what I was saying. Leaving the Demon Realm all those years ago, totally unprepared for the human world, had been dangerous. I should have died, and without the Blackmoon Pack, I probably would have. I stayed with them all these years because they were my family—my true family.

  She patted my cheek and turned away, the sheer silver dress she was wearing dragging on the ground behind her. When she returned to her desk, I sighed and turned away. She didn’t understand. Why was I surprised?

  “See you at the ball, Brother. Make sure you feed before you attend. You’re looking a little undernourished,” Marinka shouted after me as I slammed the door shut behind me.

  Elinor

  A mother had stopped by the clinic just as I’d come by to wait on Skye. It was time for Skye to leave, but she’d stayed back an hour to help her mentor look after the little boy. After a little while, she was left alone to care for him.

  The boy had yet to go through his first change, so he didn’t heal as quickly as he would have if he’d already learned to shift. Skye bandaged his leg carefully, talking to him to distract him from the pain.

  Under Nurse Hilary's guidance, Skye had vastly improved in her training to become a pack doctor.

  She glanced my way quickly and winked. I smiled. After returning from the Midnight Crescent Pack an hour ago, I was eager to tell her everything that had happened.

  A door to my right swung open, and a girl with dark blond hair cut just below her ears walked out. She grinned wide as she saw me and came over. Sliding down on the bench I was sitting on, I made room for her.

  “Ione, shouldn’t you be meditating or something?” I teased.

  She threw me an annoyed look.

  Ione was our Enchanted, a werewolf unable to shift into a wolf but capable of seeing into the future and the minds of others. Some Enchanteds were even powerful enough to cast spells similar to the way witches could.

  However, Ione was only fourteen years old, so she was not our official Enchanted just yet. But it wouldn’t be long. Her mother, Nurse Hilary, kept a close watch on Ione to ensure nothing distracted her from her Enchanted studies. Being an Enchanted was a huge responsibility. Almost as huge as being an Alpha.

  “A break won’t hurt,” she sighed. “I’ve been up since before dawn. I’m exhausted.”

  “Why were you up so early?” I inquired.

  She shrugged. “Bad dreams,” she whispered as she brushed her hair from her e
yes. Her brows knitted as she stared at the little boy chatting with Skye. Then my eyes widened in fright as I watched her eyes roll back in her head.

  “Ione?” I called, then turned to Skye. But no one was paying attention. “Ione?”

  “The full moon,” Ione whispered, her head tilting to the side. “Be still on the full moon, or blood will rain onto our land. Be still on the full moon, and death won’t follow . . .”

  She gasped for breath, and finally, Skye looked our way.

  My heart hammered inside my chest—this was the first time I've ever seen Ione use her powers.

  Did she just have a vision? What the hell did any of that mean?

  “What did I just say?”

  I shook my head as I tried to appear calm. “Nothing. Ah, you were telling me you had a nightmare, so you’ve been up since before dawn.”

  “Oh.” She frowned as she placed a finger to her temple. “Right.”

  “Ione!” A woman’s voice echoed through the clinic.

  Ione sighed.

  The door she had come through was thrown open, and her mother walked out, a large book in her hand. “You won’t learn if you don’t study, Ione. Stop bothering Elinor and go.”

  "See you around," she said sadly as she got up, took the book from her mother, and disappeared behind the door.

  I felt terrible for the poor girl. I understand exactly how she felt.

  “Hey, Elinor,” Hilary greeted me, her dark blond hair in a high bun, with not a strand out of place. “So, I’m guessing you didn’t find your mate, huh?”

  I really hate how fast news travels around this place.

  “Um, no, not yet. How’s Ione doing?”

  Hilary sighed. “She’s coming along well with her studies, and she can remember some of her visions now. The only issue we’re having is her nightmares.”

  I nodded. "Yeah, she mentioned that just now."

  "Unfortunately, she can't remember them once she wakes up. She'll scream and cry in her sleep and then forget everything as soon as her eyes open. I hate it. I wish I could make them stop.”

  Hilary’s eyes looked watery for a moment. I stood up and placed my hand on her shoulder. “Ione’s a tough kid.”

  "All done," Skye announced, pulling her hair out of its bun as she approached us. "Ms. Jackson wants to speak with you, though," she alerted Hilary. Then she grinned. "Am I done for the day?"

  “Yup, you did well. I'll see you tomorrow." Hilary waved goodbye to us and went to check on her other patients.

  Skye pinned me with a look. “Let’s go.” She went over to pick up her old wool bag. “Tell me everything!”

  Elinor

  “Annik sounds hot. If you don’t want him, I’ll take him.”

  I shook my head at Skye as we made our way back home through the forest. I hadn’t left out any details as I recounted the hunt I’d had with the guys and the party that had followed later that night.

  During the party, Annik approached me. He told me that he’d been angry at first but soon understood why I’d left the deer for those humans. They were poor and obviously in need. He wanted to let me know he was impressed with the way I’d handled the situation, that I’d stood my ground instead of standing on the sidelines, and he liked that kind of courage. He admitted that it wasn’t something he’d ever seen in other women from noble families. We had talked for a while and flirted a little, but that was as far as it went.

  “On to the next one,” I grumbled.

  Skye pouted. “When are you leaving to visit the next pack?”

  I shrugged. “I’m not sure. Father will let me know.”

  She leaned over to me. “Can I come this time? I mean, maybe I can pitch the idea to your mother that you need a maid or something.” She held her head back as the sun pierced through the roof of trees above us. “I need to get away from this pack, even if it’s just for a day.”

  “When Cyrus gets back, I’ll ask Mother if we can go to that cabin we used to visit when we were kids. If Cyrus is there, she’ll convince Father to let us go.”

  “It’s funny when you think of it, isn’t it? Your father won’t let you join the Guard, but it’s fine for you to go to a cabin alone with a demon.” Skye shook her head.

  I did the same. "Cyrus is a good guy. Everyone knows that. I wonder how he's doing," I said more to myself.

  “I wish I knew,” Skye muttered. As we stepped onto the road to my house, someone yelled my name.

  “Elinor, are you heading home?” Before us, Rin, a member of our pack, was walking briskly toward us, her raven hair blowing in the wind. “You should probably hurry and sneak in through the back. You can’t show up looking like that.”

  I looked at her with confusion, then glanced down at my green dress, which had a few stains on the front. “What are you talking about?”

  As she came to a stop before us, she frowned. “You haven’t heard?”

  I sighed. “No, I haven’t. Please tell us what has you so flustered.”

  “There is an Alpha at your house right now. He has business with your father, but his son came with him. I heard from one of the maids that he’s gorgeous!" She walked around us. "Your father announced we’d be having a pack dinner tonight, so I need to get a new dress. See you there."

  She continued in the direction of the town while I started to back up, turning to walk back into the forest. Skye grabbed my arm.

  “Why are you running?”

  I gave her a dead stare. “Are you kidding? I just met an Alpha-born yesterday, and now I have to meet another one today? I need a minute to breathe, to prepare. What if this one is my mate?”

  “Do you really want your father to send Guards looking for you?”

  Pinching the bridge of my nose, I was about to say yes when her hold on me tightened.

  “Let’s just go, Elinor. There is no point in hiding. You have to go home at some point, and I’m starving.”

  “So, because you’re hungry, you want to put me through possibly meeting my mate and having my life as I know it end?”

  She yanked on my arm, her dark skin glowing in the sunlight. “Yes. I want to see this gorgeous Alpha-born myself.”

  “I swear, Skye, you need to think about other things besides food and men."

  She turned to look at me, and her eyes squinted with confusion. “What else is there?”

  5

  Elinor

  Dinner had been truly a nerve-wracking experience. The Alpha-born to the Fairwater Pack, Nolan, wasn't my mate.

  Thank the Goddess.

  However, even I had to admit, Nolan was as gorgeous as Rin had described. His brown skin gave him the appearance of having the perfect golden tan. And with his light brown hair and piercing hazel eyes . . . Phew! Whispers about his good looks spread quickly, and even before dinner, girls were arriving at the packhouse.

  Tonight, there would be a gathering in the woods. It was just a get-together—not a party—where we could all enjoy the chilly night’s air and the company of our fellow wolves. The packhouse was open so anyone who wanted to could join and feast with us before the gathering.

  Of course, this time around, there were more women present than men.

  “This is unfortunate,” I heard Alpha Eli say to my father as they headed towards the stairs. He had spent a lot of time sizing me up, then eying his son Nolan. Frankly, it was unnerving. “She would have been a strong Luna. I can see that.”

  “Yes, she would have, my friend. You’re right,” my father replied as they made their way to the second floor. “She still will be when she finds her mate and fixes her attitude. Sadly, she gets it from me.”

  “She’s not the first wolf to be terrified of finding their mate. Her feelings will change when she finally finds him or when he finds her,” Alpha Eli had replied.

  I gritted my teeth.

  That’s exactly what I’m afraid of.

  Behind me, Nolan was surrounded by girls, all of whom were questioning him about his pack and what it was
like living by the sea. The Fairwater Pack was the only pack known to live near the ocean, although they had the forest at their backs. They’d made a name for themselves, even among the humans, because of their booming fishing business.

  I turned and went upstairs to my room to freshen up before heading into the forest. I opened my trunk where I stored my cloaks and decided to wear a light brown one my mother had made for me many moons ago. Nolan and I hadn’t spoken to each other just yet, but I was sure we would, eventually. Although, now that I thought about it, even with those girls clinging to him, he barely spoke.

  Man of few words, huh?

  I made my way outside and pulled my cloak closer to my body. The loud chatter of pack members filled the air, and I inhaled the scent of the forest. I could always count on the smell of the trees and the earth to still my troubled mind.

  Alpha Eli's words simply wouldn't stop replaying in my mind. As strong as my love might be for my mate, if or when I ever met him, I refused to allow myself to change. Or maybe he had meant that my outlook on having a mate might change once I experienced what it was like?

  Either way, I was happy with the way things were now.

  The forest was lit up by multiple stick lamps, the light from the flames casting a soft glow throughout the forest. Wolves were all together, some with a drink in hand, chatting amongst themselves.

  It didn't take long for me to spot Nolan—there were girls everywhere. But what did surprise me was who he was talking to. The passive, good-looking young man I'd first seen was now smiling and talking animatedly to Skye. Her head fell back as she laughed, and I stopped where I was.

  A few of the girls nearby definitely weren’t happy, and I decided to hang around to watch. I wasn’t focusing on Nolan and Skye’s conversation—I didn’t want to invade their privacy—but I was sure the rest of those girls were listening to the entire thing.

  As wolves with heightened senses, we all had to practice selective hearing. To give others privacy, we refrained from eavesdropping and tuned others’ conversations out.