Chapter Eight

Serenity's POV 

The air wheezed in and out of my aching lungs as I torturously ran through the unfamiliar forest, trying to escape my pursuers. The misery of my pain consumed my entire body. My vision was blurred in my right eye, where blood spilled from my head, turning my silverish-white hair red. I hugged my left arm close to my chest in hopes that it might eliminate at least some of the pain that coursed through my broken, hanging limb. And yet, with all of this agony, I carried on, for if I stopped, death was the only thing that awaited me.

I raced towards the river, hoping to find anyone to help me. Just as I reached the water bank, more rogues appeared before me. I turned but was met by even more rogues.

I stood in the center of six rogues. They all seemed as if they were awaiting instructions. 

‘But from whom,’ I thought to myself.

When a dark, evil laugh came from the trees, a tall, gangly, pale man with long, pin-straight black hair and ice-blue eyes stepped out from behind them.

"You are a great pain to deal with, little one." His dark voice sent shivers of disgust down my spine. Tears began to flood down my cheeks as he pulled his arm from behind his back, holding a severed head, which he tossed at my feet as he continued  to speak, "Though your mother might have been an even bigger pain to deal with than you, however as you can see she is no longer an issue." An evil, slight smile slithered across his square jaw as he nodded towards the head at my feet. 

I dropped to my knees; the pain, agony, and sorrow rolled over my entire being, and tears completely blurred my vision when there came a soft, soothing voice, "It's okay, Serenity. I will protect us, but it will make my appearance in your life much later than I would like. Is it okay if I intervene?"

The voice sweetly asked when the creepy man's voice came once again, "I am tired of looking at that blemish that has tainted the purity of my family's royal blood," He angrily spit out as he finished wiping my mother’s blood from his thin, long fingers.

I nodded to give the voice the okay to intervene, "As you wish, Serenity. My name is Artemis, and you must prepare yourself for our quite painful transformation."

I nodded my head and tightly clenched my teeth in anticipation for the pain to come, but I still was unprepared. 

Suddenly, there was a significant jolt in my chest. It felt as if my blood was turning into burning acid with each pulse of my heart. The burning acid worked its way through my tiny body. I dropped to all fours, digging my fingers into the rocks beneath my hands, crushing them into dust. My bones began to bend, twist, and elongate as they cracked and bowed. Artemis and I both howled in agony as white fur began to sprout from our bodies.

"She's changing, kill her now!"  The pale man shouted.

Fear completely consumed me, jolting me awake. 

My breathing was heavy and shallow, and my heart felt as if it would burst through my chest. A faint, rapid beeping came from the machine next to the bed I was lying on. 

Quinn rushed to the door, yelled for the nurse, and raced back to my side, grabbing my hand. 

"It's okay, Ren. Just breathe. Everything is going to be fine." He said in a soothing tone.

The doctor placed something directly in the IV that was inserted into the crook of my elbow. The cooling liquid worked its way up my arm and into my crest, where it fanned out, bringing a gentle calm with it. My eyes slowly slid shut, and I slipped into a deep, calming sleep.

Mysterious Vampires POV 

My nose scrunched in disgust as Jullian's werewolf slave entered the throne room. 

I do hate the entire race of those nasty mutts. Whether they be werewolves or lycans, they were all despicable, and I hated them all for killing my family. 

He kneeled before Julian's throne, waiting for permission to speak. The mutt nodded with a flick of Jullian's wrist and began his report, "Your majesty, I come with news of the Biennial Autumn Ball, which took place in the Silver Moon Pack this year."

"Go on, have they got wind of our plans?" Jullian questioned. 

I wasn't sure why, but his voice always gave me the creeps and caused vibrations of repulsion to reverberate over my skin, which has always struck me as odd since I have served him for a good ten years now. I shook my head, returning to what the mutt slave was saying.

"Not from what I can tell. They seemed quite calm even though their informant had gone missing a week ago."

Jullian clicked his long black nails on his throne's arm as if contemplating all the factors, "Very well, is there anything else to report?" 

He was always indifferent to everything said to him and utterly void of all emotions. Which only added further to his commanding, creepy presence.

The mutt swallowed hard and nodded before continuing, "Also, there was a young girl there."

Jullian rolled his eyes, "And what about her?"

The slave let out a shaky breath and lowered his head. "She had silver-white hair and pinkish-purple eyes," his words came out in a whisper.

Fear flashed over Jullian's face before he quickly composed himself, "And what of her? Did you find out where she lives?"

The mutt slave bowed even lower, "I'm sorry, Your Majesty, I lost her."

There came a great gust of wind, causing my white and black hair to blow into my face, and before I realized what had happened, Jullian was holding the mutt in the air by his throat.

"What do you mean you lost her!" Jullian angrily exclaimed in a booming voice that caused the throne room to shake. 

"I…I'm…s-s-s-sor-ry…" The mutt choked on his words as he unconsciously clawed at Jullian's arm, causing blood to spill from it. 

My eyes flashed red with hunger momentarily when the scent bombarded my senses. Shaking off the hunger that had taken centuries to control, I turned my attention back to the situation before me.

Jullian dropped the mutt slave, and he collapsed into a coughing heap, "I…I’m s-sorry, your m-majesty." He stood and humbly bowed before continuing, "I swear on my life as your humble servant it will never happen again."

A wicked, crooked smile rested on Jullian's face, "of course it won't." He flatly said as a warm substance splattered across my face and the servant's head rolled to the ground. 

I pulled out a handkerchief and began to wipe the disgusting mutt's blood from my body, "I wish that you would warn me before you kill your slaves like that. That way, I can at least escape the splash zone."

He chuckled and slithered back into his throne as servants quickly cleaned up his mess. "I have your next assignment, Melean," He said as he licked the blood from his fingers.

Serenity's POV 

A couple of days after the Ball, I realized some of my senses had heightened. I realized this when I overheard Alpha Derrick and Jace talking about how Erica had snuck out, left her confinement, and went to the Biennial Autumn Ball. Even though they were out in the hall waiting for the doctor to release me with some medication that was supposed to suppress my nightmares. 

"I know it is hard for you to punish Erica, especially since Luna Emily is her sister, but you will have to do something. If you let her get away with this, then your authority will begin to be disrespected." Jace said in a hushed tone.

"I know, Jace, but that is much more difficult than you can imagine." I could hear the turmoil in Alpha Derrick’s words as he spoke them. 

Someone let out a frustrated huff before Jace continued, "Would it be alright if I made a suggestion?" Alpha Derrick must have nodded yes because Jace said, "I think that it might do her some good if you send her to our alliance pack in the north, the Alabaster Moon Pack."

"But their pack is completely secluded from…well, everything." Alpha Derrick said with confusion.

"Exactly, she will be completely cut off from everyone." A soft chuckle rang out, and Jace carried on. "She won't even get service on her cell phone. Look, Alpha, you have to punish Erica, and at least if you send her to the Alabaster Moon Pack, she can think about her actions. Most of all, it will reaffirm your strength as a leader and set an example for those who think Luna Emily is in charge."

There was a tongue click, "I think you are right." Alpha Derrick said, and with that, Erica was put on a plane and sent to the Alabaster Moon Pack.