The Moon's Betrayal

"Elias! Come on!" A man with blonde hair and green eyes shouted.

Triton White—soon to be beta of the Blood Moon Pack and the most trusted friend of the crown prince of Elysium. He came to the palace as soon as Elias summoned him.

A few hours ago, the current king of Elysium made a proclamation that he would abdicate the throne in two months, and his son, Elias, would ascend. It was already expected to happen, but what everyone didn't foresee was the king's claim of finding the next queen and Luna of the pack.

"Elias! I told you to calm down." He said while catching up his breath.

Elias went toward the woods and had been running for almost three hours. He tried to stop him but to no avail. He finally caught up with him when he stood on a cliff.

He couldn't blame Elias for wanting to run away from the palace. They had been friends since they were just kids. His father was the king's beta so he was also chosen as the next beta to support Elias.

Elias' life was a mixture of joy and sorrow. His mother was murdered twenty years ago, and because of that, his father became a madman.

"I've been following his orders ever since my mother died. But I never even once felt like he cared for me." Elias sighed.

Triton tapped his friend's shoulder. "Well, I'm not really against your father's proclamation. Sooner or later, you will have to find your fated one. And his abdication has been anticipated for a long time. Don't you think this is a great opportunity for you to right the things he had done wrong?"

Elias stayed silent. The reason he was mad was because he knew his father and the elders' scheme. There would be no selection and the grand ball was not for every maiden in the land. The women were preselected and if his mate was not one of them, he would be forced to choose one.

"What if your fated one is really one of those maidens?" Triton asked.

"I have met the maidens who were invited to attend the ball and none of them is my mate. And we both know that father and the elders were eyeing on the princess of Zedora. If I do not find my destined partner on or before my ascension, they will force me to marry her." He commented.

A pure-blooded Lycan like Elias can choose and marry any woman if he could not find his mate by the time of his ascension. It was believed that leading a kingdom without a Luna would weaken its power and could lead to destruction.

Elias was the eldest son of King Eustavo and Queen Meredith. He was born in the immortal realm when the moon was full and bleeding.

Seeing the moon in bloody red that night, it was said that a prophecy had been foretold. The Fates didn't tell what the prophecy was, but the king had been warned about his kingdom's future.

The Crown Prince of Elysium had dark wavy hair that complimented his deep and expressive amber eyes. His thin but full lips would always curl to show his disgust or disapproval toward someone. His pointed nose had a little hump in the mid-part and was just the right size with the rest of his facial features.

His broad shoulders and strong arms would make any woman feel so safe. His masculine and powerful aura was flaming with desire and allure.

As the next alpha and heir to the throne of Elysium, he was always sent into war. He had won every battle against different races who tried to invade their kingdom. He was known as ruthless and savage against his enemies, making them admit defeat with just a mere sight of him.

Even his father and the elders were afraid of him because he was considered more powerful than the first Lycan. Although no one could match his strength and power, he always followed his father's orders out of respect and loyalty for him.

"I know you're not going to allow them to control you. Your father and the elders were just scared of the prophecy. And you know very well that the Fates didn't tell anyone about it. They just warned your father." Triton commented.

Elias sighed. "I just wish that I find my mate in two months. I don't want to marry a woman just because she's from a prominent family."

The two stared at the view from the cliff. From there, a large part of Elysium including the Lagerfeld castle was seen.

Triton patted Elias' back. "If you feel like something heavy is in your back, just come here and look at the kingdom's territory. You have a great responsibility to the citizens of Elysium. I know you will be a great king than your father. And I will be here to help and support you."

Elias smiled. "Thank you, Triton. You've been a great help to me for as long as I can remember. I am lucky to be your friend and I'm sure you will be blessed by an amazing woman."

"Nah. I think having one woman is boring. I love spending my youth with different women." Triton laughed.

Like Elias, Triton had not found his mate yet. And the latter seemed not interested in finding his fated one. He was a womanizer, sleeping with various women, whether it was human or a werewolf, every night.

Elias shook his head. "You'll regret it once you find your mate."

"Yeah, but in the meantime, I will enjoy being single." Triton laughed.

"I hope I can be as carefree as you." The prince commented.

Triton gently slapped Elias' shoulder. "How about spending a night with a woman just for once?"

Elias frowned. "I think I'll pass. I have a lot on my plate and with just two months away from my ascension, you know I will have to prepare myself."

Triton nodded but still didn't give up on his friend.

"How about a drink? Come on, Elias! You have to loosen up a bit. Let's have some fun!"

In the end, Elias agreed with Triton's suggestion. But little did he know that he would be charmed by the beauty of a mysterious woman.