Alpha Bellona

Prologue

I ran from the pack house, fury boiling inside me. As soon as I reached the forest's edge, I shifted and darted toward my secret hiding place near the riverbeds. My father and I had never seen eye to eye. Since my mother's death, he had grown cold, cruel, and abusive—not just toward me, but toward the entire pack.

When I finally reached the riverbank, I shifted back into my human form. Sobs wracked my body as I collapsed to the ground, a large bruise blooming across the left side of my face—a cruel reminder of his latest outburst. More than anything, I wished my mother were still alive. Or that I wasn't. My father had never hidden his disappointment in me.

"I needed a son, not a weak little girl," he would say.

Desperate for his approval, I had trained in secret with the Beta, hoping that strength would earn his respect. But no matter how hard I pushed myself, I could never become what he wanted. And now, bruised and broken, all I could do was cry. I cried for my mother. I cried from the pain. And I cried for a love I would never receive from him.

A sudden, piercing howl shattered the night, jolting me upright. But it wasn't a summoning—it was a war cry.

My heart pounded. War had just been declared... against the Rogue's . And I was alone in the woods.

Panic surged through me as I sprinted back toward the pack house. Chaos erupted around me—wolves clashed in brutal combat, snarls and growls tearing through the air like thunder. I silently pleaded with the Moon Goddess: Please... don't let anyone die tonight.

When the pack house came into view, my heart dropped. Beta Jackson was fighting off four wolves alone, their claws tearing at him, their jaws snapping at his legs. Without hesitation, I shifted and lunged into the fray, tackling one of the attackers.

He was older, more experienced. He dodged my strikes with ease and quickly pinned me down. I whimpered beneath him, certain I was about to die.

The rogue lunged for my throat. I thrashed and clawed at him, trying to throw him off, but he was bigger, stronger. I closed my eyes, bracing for the end—but it never came.

The weight on my chest vanished.

I opened my eyes to see my father's massive black-and-grey wolf tearing into my attacker, snarling with deadly fury. With one savage bite, he ended the rogue's life and turned to me, his eyes filled with something I hadn't seen in years—concern. Relief.

But the moment was short-lived.

Another rogue—a red wolf—lunged from the shadows, catching my father off guard. The two clashed violently, teeth snapping, blood spraying into the air. I tried to help, but Beta Jackson held me back.

"You'll get yourself killed!" he barked, refusing to let me go.

The red wolf circled my father, who now lay bloodied and barely breathing, his body slumped in the mud. His strength was failing. His heartbeat was fading.

I broke free of Jackson's grip and charged into the fight, sinking my teeth into the red wolf's side. I ripped at him, drawing blood—but he flung me aside like I was nothing.

Dazed, I looked up just in time to see the red wolf staggering back into the forest, bleeding heavily. I dragged myself toward my father.

He had shifted back into human form and was on his knees, covered in blood. His wounds were deep. Fatal.

I collapsed beside him, my tears falling freely onto his chest. He looked up at me and gave a faint smile.

"Don't cry, my Bellona," he rasped. "I'll be joining your mother now. You look just like her, you know... I do love you. I'm sorry... for everything. It was my wolf. I couldn't always control him."

Blood bubbled at his lips as his breath grew shallow. His eyes softened.

"You, Bellona Laymen, will be the next Alpha of the Crimson Rose Pack. Lead them with courage... and make me proud."

A single tear slipped down his cheek. Then his chest stilled. His smile faded. And he was gone.

A strangled sob escaped me as I cradled his lifeless body. Beta Jackson gently took him from my arms.

I don't know how long I sat there, numb with grief, until I finally rose to my feet—and saw the entire pack gathered around me. They stood in silence. Then, one by one, the warriors knelt, heads bowed. A single, haunting howl rose into the night, followed by another... and another.

They weren't just mourning the loss of an Alpha.

They were honoring the rise of a new one.

I stood tall, fighting back tears, even as my knees trembled beneath me. Beta Jackson stepped forward and whispered softly:

"Bellona, your father has joined the Moon. I'm sorry... but your pack kneels before you. You must speak the Alpha's Oath and claim your place."

Swallowing hard, I faced the wolves who now looked to me.

"I, Bellona Laymen, vow—now and until my final breath—to protect and lead this pack with strength and honor. I will respect the elders, guide the young, hunt our enemies, and never back down from any challenge. I dedicate my life to you, my pack, and I will place your needs above my own. With this mark, I accept the title of Alpha of the Crimson Rose Pack."

Beta Jackson bowed before me, showing his loyalty.

He led me to the Alpha's quarters, promising to handle the funeral for my father and the fallen warriors—and to burn the bodies of the invaders.

That night, as I lay in the Alpha's bed, grief finally consumed me. I sobbed into the darkness, my tears soaking the pillow, mourning the only parent I had left... and the child I used to be.

Let me know if you'd like a title for this piece or if you want to continue the story from here.