Theodore P.O.V.
(Fifteen years old Theodore)
I stood in front of my full-length mirror, adjusting the lapels of my three-piece suit. The deep navy fabric was crisp and tailored to perfection, the silver cufflinks gleaming under the chandelier's glow. My hair was neatly styled, my tie was straight, and my shoes polished to a mirror shine. Everything had to be flawless tonight. After all, it was not just any night, it was my and Juliana's birthday celebration, a grand event marking our transition into adulthood, into our roles as future leaders of the pack.
The door burst open without warning, and my twin sister, Juliana, strode in with a teasing smirk playing on her lips. "Damn, brother, who are you dressing up for? Rebecca?" she teased, folding her arms as she leaned against the doorway.
I rolled my eyes at her antics. Juliana had long been on a mission to pair me up with Rebecca, a girl from one of the allied packs, but she could not be more wrong. I had no interest in Rebecca or anyone else, for that matter. I only wanted my mate. The one meant for me, chosen by the Moon Goddess.
"Let's go, baby sister. We are already late for our own party," I said, offering her my arm.
She scrunched her nose in distaste, just as I expected. It was adorable how much she hated that nickname.
"You know I am only two minutes younger than you," she reminded me, holding up two fingers in front of my face.
Smirking, I playfully leaned forward and pretended to bite her fingers.
"Ugh, gross!" she squealed, yanking her hand back before wiping it dramatically against my jacket.
Before I could retaliate, our mother's voice carried through the open door.
"Where are you both? Ah, there you are," Luna Elizabeth said, appearing in the doorway with an exasperated expression. "Come downstairs. The guests are about to arrive. Hurry up."
"We are coming," I called out, rolling my eyes at Juliana as she groaned dramatically. She stomped ahead of me out of the room, but I followed at a leisurely pace, silently chuckling at her dramatics.
As we reached the grand staircase, I linked my arm with hers, and together we descended into the hall where our pack had gathered. The announcer's voice echoed through the air, starting with our parents' introduction.
"Alpha Julius and Luna Elizabeth."
Mom and Dad entered the hall with the grace and authority befitting their rank. Applause rippled through the crowd as they stepped forward, acknowledging the guests with polite nods.
"And now, the future Alpha, Theodore, and his sister, Juliana."
As we stepped onto the polished marble floor, the room fell silent. Heads bowed in respect, a sea of pack members and allied leaders showing their deference.
"Rise," my father commanded in his deep, authoritative voice. "Everyone, please enjoy yourselves."
With that, the celebration resumed. Guests mingled, laughter and conversations filling the grand hall. Alphas and Lunas from neighboring packs approached us to offer their congratulations. Everything seemed perfect. But perfect things never lasted.
The moment came for the cake-cutting ceremony, and Juliana and I stood at the center of the hall, poised to cut into the towering confection when a sharp, deafening sound shattered the joyous atmosphere.
Gunfire.
Screams erupted as chaos spread through the crowd. A moment ago, the room had been filled with laughter and celebration. Now, it was drowned in panic.
Beta James stormed into the hall, his face pale but determined. "Sir! We have a problem. We are under attack by the hunters! The hunters have surrounded the packhouse!"
A collective gasp spread through the room. My father's and mother's expressions shifted from joy to tension and fear.
I barely had time to process his words before my father sprang into action. His usual composed demeanor was replaced with a fierce urgency.
"Warriors, ready for attack!" he commanded, his voice cutting through the panic. "Fifty warriors, take the back entrance. Thirty, move through the east wing. Forty through the west. The rest, follow Beta James's lead!"
Immediately, the warriors organized themselves, forming defensive lines according to my father's orders.
Then my father turned to my mother. His gaze softened for a fraction of a second before he issued the hardest command of all.
"Elizabeth, take the children to the safe room."
My mother nodded without hesitation. She turned to us, her eyes filled with urgency. "Theodore, Juliana come with me. Now."But I stepped forward, shaking my head furiously.
"No, Dad! I can fight. I'm not a child!" I argued, my fists clenching at my sides.
His eyes hardened. "You cannot. They will not hesitate to kill you. To them, it does not matter whether you are a child or an adult," he said firmly, his voice leaving no room for argument. "Now go with your mother."His tone left no room for arguments . My father never spoke to me like that, and for the first time, a chill of fear crept down my spine.
My mother grabbed my wrist before I could protest further, pulling both Juliana and me away from the battle unfolding in the hall.
"Leave me, Mom! Dad needs us! We can protect ourselves!" I struggled against her grip, but she was relentless.
"You will do no such thing, young man," she snapped, her grip like iron.
She led us to a concealed door beneath the staircase, opening it to reveal a hidden passage that led to the safe room though, in reality, it was more of an armory.
"You will stay here and look after your sister," she ordered, pushing us inside before slamming the door shut and locking it from the outside.
For a moment, silence hung in the air.
Juliana turned to me, eyes wide with panic. "What do we do now, brother?"
I clenched my fists, already forming a plan. "I do not know what you will do, but I am not staying here."
She grabbed my arm. "No, Theodore! You will risk your life. Mom and Dad don't want that!"
"And what? Leave them to die?" My voice rose, thick with frustration. That shut her up.
I stormed toward the weapon cabinet, my hands running over the arsenal of weapons. I pulled out a sword, its weight familiar in my grip.
"If you're not coming, fine. But don't expect me to stay here."
She hesitated, then let out a resigned sigh. "Fine. I'm coming."
A smirk tugged at my lips as I tossed her another sword. She caught it effortlessly. Our father had trained us from a young age; we knew how to fight.We had been warriors since birth. We were not meant to hide.
"How are we getting out?" she asked.
"There has to be a keypad somewhere hidden in the wall somewhere," I muttered, running my fingers along the cold stone surface. When my knuckles rapped against a hollow section, I pressed against the hollow section, and a small portion of the wall slid open, revealing a keypad. I quickly entered the password. With a soft beep, the door unlocked.
We slipped out, our swords gripped tightly in our hands. The hallway was a battlefield. Bodies littered the marble floors, pack members, guests, hunters. Blood stained the once-pristine tiles. The air reeked of death.
Without hesitation, Juliana and I didn't hesitate. Swords in hand, we charged into the fight, cutting down every hunter that crossed our path. They had invaded our home, slaughtered our people. They deserved no mercy.We fought like the predators we were born to be. The first hunter I encountered barely had time to react before my blade sliced through his chest. Beside me, Juliana moved with lethal precision, cutting down every enemy in her path.
Dad was wrong. They couldn't kill us. We were born survivors. We killed to survive.
Amid the chaos, I scanned the battlefield for my parents. There was no sign of them. A sick feeling twisted in my gut.
Then, a heart-wrenching scream pierced the air. It was my mother's scream.
Juliana and I exchanged a look, then took off toward the source of the sound. We stormed up the grand staircase, blood and sweat dripping from our bodies.
When we reached the hallway, we saw her.
Our mother was on the floor, sobbing uncontrollably. My father lay in her arms, his body limp. A silver sword protruded from his chest, his lifeless eyes staring into nothingness.
Beside them lay the corpse of a hunter, his throat ripped open, but it didn't matter. The damage had been done.
I felt my knees buckle. My hands trembled as I reached for him, pressing my palm against his cooling skin.
"Dad," I whispered,but he didn't respond. My legs gave out beneath me. I crawled forward, grabbing his hand. It was cold. Too cold.
"No… no, no, no. This can't be happening," I choked out.
Juliana collapsed beside me, sobs wracking her body.
"Dad, wake up!" she pleaded. "Please!"
My mother held his lifeless body, her cries breaking the silence.
I shook his hand desperately. "You can't leave us! Who will train us? Who will look after us? Dad, Mom needs you ,we need you! Your pack needs you!"
But he did not move.
Slowly, I released his hand, standing up on shaking legs.
A fire burned in my chest, rage overwhelming the grief. I clenched my fists, staring at the blood-stained bodies of the hunters.
"I will kill every last hunter until none remain," I vowed, my voice steady despite the storm inside me. "You killed my family. You killed my father. I will erase your existence from this earth. I will make you suffer a fate worse th
an death."
With that final promise, my body gave out, and I collapsed beside my father, staring blankly at the destruction around me.