The Alpha's obsession

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a golden hue across the mountains typifying Silver Ridge but also being witnessed by most of its inhabitants...it was almost safe to say that all this instead made it feel like another potentially ordinary day.

This evening was the Moon Festival, a time for all to come together and honor their Goddess of the moon. She stood in front of her mirror, twisting and braiding her hair carefully. She felt her heart pounding at the anticipation of this very night.

"Elara!" Eira called from the doorway. "Are you ready yet? The whole town's waiting!"

"Nearly," Elara said, flattening her dress. And to think tonight is the night. What if I don't find a mate?"

With a laugh, Eira entered the room. "You worry too much. It is also not only about trying to mate tonight. This is about who we are.

Elara smiled, appreciative of her friend's support. "You're right. Let's go."

The town square had been full of music and laughter as they walked towards it. Lightly colored glow lit up every corner of the camp with lanterns lining trees. Heart pounding, Elara could hardly breathe with the combination of exhilaration and anxiety that rose within her.

In the middle of that rounded square was Eldon, one hand held aloft to mark down when it must begin. His voice carried over the top of a noise face. "Greetings one and all to the Moon Festival, Finally, we pay tribute to the Moon Goddess and her sacred connections.

Her gaze moved over the crowd and stopped on Alpha Group. Kael was there, his eyes on fire as he animatedly talked to Gavin. Rhys, as always so implacable that he was like a solid mass unmoved by anything around him. Outsider leader Lorne hung on the rim of camp, gaze ranging in the dark. Gentle, poised Finn would smile warmly at his neighbors.

Eira nudged her. "There they are. The Alphas. That none of them were trying to rip out each other's throats is beyond belief.

Elara nodded. The Moon Festival, that is the one night they are allies. Defying the Moon Goddess was something no one would dare to do.

Once the crowd was silent, Eldon held his arms up. Tonight, beneath the watchful eye of Luna herself We call.

The ritual started, and Elara felt a thousand-year-old magic tugging the very air. She felt her heart beat against her chest as Eldon walked over, his eyes gentle and understanding.

"Elara," he murmured, "are you ready to fulfill your destiny?"

She swallowed hard, nodding. "I am."

Eldon started the spell, and his voice was lost beneath a wind that rocked through the black. The air shimmered, and a spreading warmth in her gut made Elara feel connected to something far greater than she was.

Suddenly, near the climax of this ritual, Eldon froze his eyes going wide with shock. "It cannot be..."

It started a wave of murmurs throughout the crowd. Elara's pulse quickened. "What is it?"

Eldon looked at her, amazement in his voice. "you are fated to be the mate of not one but all four alphas"-

Gasps erupted from the crowd. The world tilted in Elara, and she was reaching for thoughts. "Perhaps the Moon Goddess got things wrong!

Kael rushed forward, his eyes filled with shock. "All four of us? That's unheard of."

Rhys's brow furrowed. "This is impossible. We can't share a mate."

There has to be a mistake," Lorne said with squinted eyes, mistrust in his tone.

"No," Finn shook his head, tension showing." We respected the truce tonight but this..."

The atmosphere became tauter as every Alpha stole glances at each other suspiciously. Elara felt her heart race while fear engulfed her. She whispered "I need to think", turned away from them and disappeared into the woods.

"Wait, Elara!" called Eira after her but Elara had already left leaving behind the murmurs of the crowd.

Running through the night, cool air hit her cheeks painfully. Confused thoughts swirled in her mind along with fear. How could Moon Goddess tie me up to all four Alphas? What a challenge!

At last she stopped, resting on a tree stump to recover her breath. The forest was quiet except for moonlight reflecting on everything around her with silvery sheen. With closed eyes she sought comfort in silence.

Back at the festival, where Elara stood against a tree trying to compose herself, there was still tension simmering in her mind. In strained silence the Alphas were present without words, just rivalry among them.

When Lorne's voice broke the silence filled with hatred and bitterness he said. "What Eldon said is bullshit". I am not going to be bound by some mistake from now on; I'm going to finish this now!''

He turned, ready to confront Eldon, but Finn blocked him, voice calm but firm. "Lorne, you know we can't kill anyone tonight. We must respect the Moon Goddess."

Lorne's eyes flashed dangerously. "Get out of my way, Finn, or I'll slaughter you first."

Kael and Rhys exchanged glances, their own tempers flaring. Kael's voice was a low growl. "If not for the truce tonight, we'd have already torn each other apart."

Rhys nodded with seriousness in his tone. "But we cannot let it slide without understanding more."

As the crowd sensed the rising hostility, whispers spread and people began to leave, fearing that the festival would turn bloody soon. The atmosphere was charged; the sacred night on the edge of chaos.

Ignoring the tension, Lorne pushed through Finn and came in stormily unto Eldon's inner chambers where he lived his life of holiness with rage and confusion clouding his mind. "This ends now," he murmured under his breath.

Bursting into Eldon's chamber without hesitation, Lorne lunged forward, fangs bared as he sunk them into Eldon's back. The elder gasped; shock was written all across his face.

A menacing wolf howl ripped through the black as everyone jumped in disarray. The sound was not only powerful, it was ethereal and sounded as if some sort of intra-corporeal force were being bounced around the woods. It was the thing of fear and wonder that left Alphas with what little Aussies replenishment made for some gold-star-sticker awes.

Finn looked at Lorne with his eyes wide and mouth opened a little before he whimpered softly, "What are you saying?"

Kael said in hushed tones, "It sounded like... something bad."

"Nightmare, we have invoked the Moon Goddess's ire," Rhys answered to no one in particular as his icy eyes passed over Lorne.