Moonchild

CHAPTER ONE: PENELOPE

I woke up from my dream and discovered I was no longer in my bed. I was in the walls of the pack house, my head in someone's lap. Fingers ran through my dark hair, comforting me.

    "Lo, are you awake?" The figure whispered. It was my adopted brother Malakai. I sat up, answering his question. "Stay quiet." His brown eyes were filled with worry and pain. I looked him up and down.

    "Are you alright?" I asked. He nodded.

    "We're under attack. It's the Blood Moon pack. They've been after us for weeks." He grabbed my hand. "They took the Alpha's son and murdered him on the front yard."

    My heart paused and I bit my lip. The Blood Moon pack was known for having a very harsh Alpha, but no one outside of that pack knew anything about the Alpha's son, Apollo. He was said to be the opposite of his father, but no one knew for sure. Now our Alpha had lost his son and there would be hell to pay.

    The door to the room crashed open, the sound of heavy steps following quickly after. Malakai held his hand over my mouth and wrapped a protective arm around my waist. The thin paneling on the wall did nothing to filter noise, so we couldn't make any sound.

    "This was her room but she isn't here." A soft voice spoke. It was a foreign voice, but it sent chills down my spine.

    "What now?" A second voice, this one much more rough. A figure leaned against the wall in front of us and I squeezed my eyes shut.

    "Hold on. I smell something." The first voice was much closer. The figure in front of us moved and I could see the two men's shadows. "This wall smells odd."

    A growl echoed through the room and a fist smashed through the wood protecting me and Malakai from the two men on the other side. I let out a muffled cry as wood chunks cut my face and arms. I was ripped from Malakai's arms and thrown onto the floor.

    "Here's the girl." The first voice spoke. One of the figures leaned down and looked at me intently. "My father will be very pleased to find you."

    The first voice belonged to a young man with dark hair. His eyes were chocolate brown, so rich I almost believed them to be kind. He tilted his head to the side and his jawline, which was like a sharp curve of marble, clenched. Tears blurred my vision and he turned away, almost looking disgusted.

    "Apollo?" The second boy asked. This boy was taller than Apollo and his hair was blond. "What about the boy?"

    Apollo thought for a moment. "Father said no survivors but her. Kill him."

    "No, please!" I cried out. Apollo turned towards me. "I'll do anything, just don't hurt him."

    Apollo leaned down. "As wonderful as that sounds, I have orders that I'm not to disobey. My father isn't the most agreeable man in the world, so I'm sorry." He snapped his fingers and the other boy snarled, his claws beginning to show. "Leo will make it quick."

    Leo launched himself at Malakai, whose canines had grown. Kai put up a fight for no more than a minute before Leo sliced his throat with his claws. I screamed as my brother collapsed, his blood drained from his throat. Apollo turned back to me.

    "You're coming with me." He reached out and scooped me into his arms.

    The moment his skin touched mine, I gasped and my wolf Nova began to yip happily. Apollo's eyes widened and we both stared at each other.

    Mate

    Apollo's lips parted and he stared at me for a moment longer, then snapped out of his daze. "Leo, deliver the boy's body to the pile in the back. I'm taking her back."