The Day of the Curse.

After running through the thick and dense forests alike all night, King Damon comes to a stop outside his palace.

The first twinges of sunlight is rising over the horizon,

Night has ended… And with it, a whole pack.

He shifts as he walks and then catches the sleeping baby as she slides down his now smooth back, dropping her on a crate outside the doors leading into the rooms of the palace. He makes his way inside the palace, unconsciously walking to where he had left Dahlia the night before.

But her body is no longer there.

Neither is there blood, the small note nor the silver dagger.

He growls in annoyance. "WHO DARED TO MOVE HER BODY?!" He yells and some mortar fall down from specific parts of the castle but he pays them no mind.

Immediately, some people, as a group file in and then arrange themselves in twos, bowing their heads. 

"Who moved my wife?"

"We did, Your Highness. She is on her bed."

Damon frowns. "Why? What is she doing there?"

The eldest one of the group comes forward. "Your Highness, your subjects are waiting to be addressed by you." He looks at what the King has on, filthy, and then his body is only covered in starting to dry, thick clumps of blood. "They would like to know where you were all night during the Peace week sire."

Damon scoffs. "They want to know? Where are they?"

"Outside the Palace walls, my King."

"Lead the way."

Dahlia, I am coming for you.

He walks proud and tall behind these messengers until they come to the outer walls of the Palace, where true enough, his subjects, werewolves, male and female alike are waiting to hear from their king.

As soon as he shows his face, they all go down on one knee, hailing him.

"King Damon."

"Rise up."

They all rise to their feet, the sound of murmuring, whispering and feet shuffling is loud but no one seems to be saying anything.

"Well, why are you gathered outside my walls so early in the morning?"

"We have questions, King Damon. What happened in the Palace last night?"

Damon sighs, sooner than later anyway.

"Your Queen, My Wife, Queen Dahlia, was stabbed with a silver sword last night."

A ripple goes through the crowd, gasps, shocked looks and more whispers.

"Where were you last night till this morning, King Damon?"

Damon snaps up his head, hoping to catch the wolf who dared ask him such but he did not see who and the members of his community want to hear the answer to their questions.

"Yes King Damon."

Damon scoffs softly, increasing his tempo until it turns into a full blown cruel and coarse laughter that is not reaching his eyes. "Where was I last night? I took revenge for my wife."

"During Peace week, King Damon?"

"Peace week?" Damon sniggers. "Did the murderers keep the tradition? Why should I then? When they did not keep to the tradition to keep the peace and dared…" He roars. "Dared to come into my palace and killed my wife, did they keep the fucking peace? No, they did not and neither did I."

Some people gasp in the crowd.

An elderly woman pushes her way forward, a stick in her hand, her steps surprisingly steady for someone who is blind and she comes to stand in front of everyone, only the whites of her eyes are visible and her lips are contorted in a rage… "DAMON! WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!"

There is a hushed silence, even King Damon is momentarily taken aback.

"She is a seer, my King." The eldest messenger whisper to Damon.

"HOW DARE YOU WIPE OUT A PACK THAT HAS GOT MY PROTECTION? ONE THAT I VOWED TO KEEP SAFE? ONE THAT IS DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO ME?!" Her eyes begin to glow and the sky dims its lights.

Suddenly, the moon comes out in its full circle and bears its harsh light upon the elderly woman and Damon.

"The Moon Goddess!" Someone yells and everyone, excluding Damon and the seer remain standing.

Others fall to their knees, eyes deeply closed.

"BECAUSE OF YOUR WRONGDOING AND BECAUSE YOU HAVE TAKEN THE LIVES THAT YOU CANNOT CREATE, I CURSE YOU TODAY… UNTIL YOU OR YOUR GENERATIONS MAKE AMENDS FOR THE WHITEMOON PACK THAT YOU WIPED OUT, YOU SHALL HAVE NO PEACE! SLEEP WILL ELUDE YOU, WARS WILL KNOCK AT YOUR DOOR EVERY DAY. AND IF, BY THE NEXT GENERATION, THIS AMEND HAS NOT BEEN DONE, IT WILL BE END OF, NOT ONLY THIS KINGDOM BUT THE WHOLE LINEAGE OF KINGS WITH YOUR BLOODLINE. DAMON, I MADE YOU KING OVER THIS KINGDOM BUT UNTIL YOU STEP OFF YOUR HIGH HORSE, YOU WILL DIE."

The seer coughs, her dilated pupils coming back into her eyes and she faints.

Damon, on the other hand, stares into space, the words, or worse, the curse of the Moon Goddess as clear as day.