Moon's Fury, Mate's Heart- Can be Changed

Alfonso's Point Of View

The heavy oak doors closed with a creak, and I noticed Ursula, the Pack Seer, approaching with a worried expression. She made her way through the group of elders, who respectfully greeted her, and stood nervously in the center of the room. Her typically bright amber eyes were clouded with anxiety, and I couldn't help but think that she had come to disrupt my peace.

"Speak up, woman," I growled with firmness, the sound resonating through the chamber with a sense of urgency. She should know who I am, especially during this important gathering. "What pressing matter requires such a dramatic show?”

“I’ll need a private discussion, Alpha.”

“Return, Ursula. I'm in a very important conversation,” I almost growled but I tried to remain as calm as I could.

Ursula cleared her throat, taking a deep, steadying breath. "Alpha," she began, her voice wavering ever so slightly, "there is a… a prophecy."

A growl came out from my wolf and I turned instantly to my elders. “You all, leave!” Prophecies. Never a good sign. My scowl morphed into a full-blown snarl as I watched my elders stand up one after the other and exited the throne room. Once they were out, I faced her. "Don't waste my time, Seer," I barked.

Undeterred, Ursula pressed on. "This is different, Alpha. This one speaks of you. It speaks of…" she hesitated, her gaze flickering to the ground.

"Speaks of what?" I demanded, my patience wearing thin.

"It speaks of a woman," Ursula blurted out in a rush. "A woman destined to tame you, Alpha."

The room seemed to shrink, the air turning thick. Tamed? Me? The most fearsome Alpha on this side of the Red Mountains? A primal roar erupted from my throat, the sound shaking the massive stone pillars supporting the cavern's roof.

"Preposterous!" I roared, leaping from the throne. "Who, in the nine hells, could pose a Bloodfang Alpha?" My voice echoed off the walls, gaining a manic edge.

Ursula took a step back, her eyes wide with apprehension, but her voice remained steady. "The prophecy doesn't say who, Alpha. But it says she will come, and when she does, an era of peace will follow."

Peace? We, the Bloodfangs, thrived on conflict. Our history was all about battles won and lands conquered. Peace was a foreign concept to us so what was this prophecy of a thing?

"And what does this woman look like?" I inquired, the growl fading from my voice.

Ursula shook her head. "It doesn't say. It just speaks of her strength, her unwavering spirit, and her compassion, a force that will supposedly soothe even the most hardened warrior's heart."

I scoffed. "Compassion taming a Bloodfang? Laughable, wouldn't you say, Ursula?"

But deep down, a seed of doubt had been planted. The image of a woman defying the very nature of who and what I was, ushering in peace like a gentle breeze replacing a raging storm, gnawed at me.

"Leave me, Ursula," I said, exhaustion settling over me like a leaden cloak. "Let me… contemplate this… prophecy."

Ursula nodded curtly, her amber eyes flickering with a mixture of concern and it sent some mighty signal to me. What exactly was this woman talking about?

Ursula's words echoed in the vast throne room and I leaned backward on my throne as she walked out. A woman. The pronouncement hung heavy in the air and it pissed me up just thinking about it. Women. They were whispers from a past I barely remembered, I never fancied them so how could there possibly be a woman who could reprimand me? My fur bristled in agitation.

I raised myself from my throne and dropped down the three steps as my gaze drifted to the massive oak table that dominated the room where we were working. Was this woman a threat? What power did she possess to shake the very foundations of my pack, a pack I had built through years of hardship and countless battles?

The Bloodfang pack was my lifeblood. We were a formidable force. We've hunted for survival, trained for dominance, and lived like the mountains themselves. The idea of someone, let alone a woman, disrupting this balance sent shivers down my spine.

But curiosity gnawed at me. Who was this woman? Why was she here? Fear may have been a stranger to me as Alpha, but this woman, whoever she was, wouldn't be ignored. I would find her. I would understand her purpose. And I would ensure she posed no threat to the Bloodfang pack.

"Jace!" I bellowed, my voice echoing through the throne room, and the door was opened instantly with my guard running in. "Prepare me for a run. Immediately,” I commanded and I saw him nod his head as he returned outside.

I swirled around and took the back door of the throne room back to my chamber to change my clothes. My head was occupied and the only thing I could think of was going for a run. Reaching my quarters, the scent of jasmine, Venessa's signature fragrance hit me first. My frown deepened. I hadn't summoned her.

Pushing through the heavy front door, I found her kneeling by the hearth, a half-empty vial of lavender oil balanced precariously on the stone beside her. She whirled around, her sapphire eyes widening. "My King," she stammered, rushing to her feet.

"Venessa," I said, my voice clipped. "Explain yourself. I did not send it to you."

She bit her lip, the defiance usually present in her gaze replaced by a nervous flutter. "I… I heard the commotion in the throne room. The whispers of a prophecy."

My frown deepened. News traveled fast within the palace walls and I wasn't shocked about it, not even from Venesaa herself. "Venessa," I said, my voice softening, "prophecies are matters of great import. They are not playthings for idle gossip."

She met my gaze, her chin held high. "I understand. It's just… Ursula rarely makes pronouncements. I was worried."

“Leave, I'm not in the mood for any discussion.”

“But_”

“Leave now, Vanessa!” I growled and she was on her feet instantly.

Soon I was out of my chamber again, heading for the forest. At the edge, I met Jace already waiting for me. “Would you love to join me?” I inquired and he shook his head at refusal.

“I’ll be here waiting for you,” he said and I nodded in acknowledgment. I prepared for my run immediately, pulling off my clothes and transforming into my wolf as my bones pierced out of my body with a loud growl escaping from my wolf.

In a minute, I dashed into the dense, my senses heightened by the thrill of the hunt. The earthy scent of pine mingled with the musk of animals, leading me deeper into the heart of the wilderness. As I raced through the forest, the wind blew freshly on my skin, guiding me with its gentle caress. The rhythm of my pawbeats filled the heart of the forest and I surged onward, my senses alive with every landing I made.

Suddenly, a sweet flavoring fragrance rasped through my nose and I was forced to come to an abrupt stop. What the hell did I just perceive?

I remained still. The scent filled my nose as I focused on it and I felt my body vibrating. Who among my pack members was making me feel this way, I couldn't fathom. I began to move, slowly, making sure I was right about what I had just sensed. I traced the fragrance and soon I could feel the vibrating sounds of the person's feet. Just when I lifted my head, I caught the sight of a woman wandering around the woods. She didn't look like someone from my pack, with the way I could picture her, she was looking like a human. Humans!

What was a human looking for in our territory?