Caged to the Moon King

CAGED TO THE MOON KING

CHAPTER ONE

Heaven's POV:

I ran as fast as my legs would carry me through the woods, the sharp thorns slashing through the air, cutting into my delicate skin. The pain was a distant concern compared to the urgency of escaping the disastrous pack on my heels.

Suddenly, a large hand clamped over my mouth, another arm encircled my waist, and we both tumbled to the forest floor, sending a scream of fear and defeat from my lips.

"Calista!" I gasped in shock, halting in my tracks and scanning the woods to ensure we were alone.

"What are you doing here?" I exclaimed.

"Have you gone completely nuts, Heaven? Why are you running from your destined mate? He's the damn Moon King, you fool!" Calista's voice was thick with emotion, her eyes shimmering with tears.

"He's not my mate! I can't accept that Alpha Ley is meant for me," I retorted, my voice tinged with defiance.

"Stop talking nonsense and come back home. Dad is beside himself, and your mate is growing impatient," she insisted.

"Stop it, Calista! You know Dad is just trying to pawn me off, right? He thinks I'm worthless, and he believes he can scrape up some dignity by selling me to a blind Moon King. I'd rather die than let that happen," I screamed, my voice laced with pain and anger.

Calista's wolf was the fastest in our pack, so it was no surprise she caught up to me in a heartbeat. She was the only sister who didn't view me as worthless and forbidden, as the rest of the pack did.

Since birth, my life has been nothing short of hellish, which made the name 'Heaven' feel like a cruel joke. The Athens pack, my pack, was the most powerful to have ever existed, legendary among our kind. Yet, I gained notoriety for being born without a wolf, without any powers to compensate for the lack.

I was born human.

How could nature be so cruel? My father loathed me, and rumors claimed that my birth had caused my mother's death. I was ostracized and left desolate, deemed useless despite being the one who always took on the chores and tough jobs meant for the men.

I watched the shifters proudly display their wolves and revel under the new moon, while I faced the wrath of my brothers for merely attempting to share in their feasts or join in any event.

For years, life had been merciless, despite Calista's love and encouragement. She would let me accompany her on patrol missions and be there when she shifted. It was always a mesmerizing sight, but those powers were beyond my reach.

Today, on my eighteenth birthday, my father didn't hesitate for a moment before agreeing to trade me to a blind prince.

"He might treat you well; you never know. A prince is still royalty, and he could one day be a king," Calista reasoned.

"Just let me be, Calista. I'm not going back... Tell Alpha Ley he can find me at the White Crystal Pack if he dares," I declared, my resolve hardening.

"Alpha Ley is not your mate!" Calista growled, her eyes flashing with a fierce anger.

Alpha Ley, the leader of the Athens Pack, was the youngest to ascend to the position after his father succumbed to a mysterious disease. He was the forbidden fruit I never dared to taste, yet when he proclaimed me as his mate, I was stunned into silence. The entire Athens Pack was thrown into chaos—their Alpha had chosen a mate who was deemed worthless by the pack’s standards.

I was too young to be anyone's mate, but Alpha Ley didn't seem to care. His summons were frequent, his sinful stares sent shivers down my spine, and his words constantly reminded me of how 'unripe' I was.

Despite everything, I found myself drawn to him, eagerly anticipating his visits. But my father had different intentions.

"Alpha Ley is my—"

"Stop with your fantasies, Heaven. Let's go home. You know how Dad gets when he's angry. He might just whip you by the fire before handing you over to your husband," Calista interjected.

"Calista, please. I can't be chained to a blind prince I don't even know. I won't go back there. End of discussion!" I declared, turning to flee, but Calista materialized in front of me with supernatural speed.

"If I must, I'll call upon the entire Athens Pack right now, summon their wolves, and they will descend upon you before you can even move an inch. They'll devour you," she threatened, her words chilling me to the core as tears blurred my vision.

"I won't let you steal Alpha Ley from me, Heaven. He's mine," she hissed.

Her confession stung, and I let out a bitter laugh. So this was all about Alpha Ley.

"Fine, he's yours," I said, attempting to make a run for it, but I was met with the glowing red eyes of a hundred wolves. Their gazes were so intense that fear crawled over my skin.

"Damn you, Calista!" I cursed, realizing she hadn't come alone.

"Move, Heaven," she ordered, and I found myself wishing for any power that could whisk me away from these demons—or even for a wolf's stamina to run without tiring.

I knew I couldn't outrun the wolves; it would be a death wish. I sobbed as Calista dragged me back to my curse—the pack, the home of my father.

"Well done, Calista," my father's cold voice praised as I was forced to kneel, shackled and bowing low.

The fire in the center crackled, flaring as if it fed on my anguish.

I was hauled across the ground like a discarded doll, coming face to face with the most captivating moonlit eyes that shone with the fire's reflection.

"Princesses don't flee; they walk with pride," he stated.

"I'm not your princess," I retorted, only to receive a sharp slap from one of his men, which made me flinch in agony.

"Then be my slave," he declared, his gaze detached, as if he was looking through everything and nothing.

"You will never be my Alpha," I hissed, and in response, I saw the hint of a grin on his face.

"Copy that, my princess," he said, the cockiness in his tone unmistakable.

"How can someone be so arrogant despite being blind? Is it a family trait, or did you inherit it?" My irritation with his nonchalance was growing.

"One might ask the same of a 'useless' mate whose tongue cuts sharper than thorns," he retorted.

"I am not useless!" I protested, my voice rising, but he only chuckled in response.

"I dislike seeing my princess in tears."

"Don't you dare call me that!" I snapped.

"Manners, Heaven!" my father chided, but I could only offer him a look of utter contempt.

"I may lack the powers of my wolf, but this? Bound to a blind Alpha? Can he even fend for himself? Do you despise me that much?" I cried, the bitterness of my fate overwhelming me.

"You're going to be quite the troublesome mate. My men have zero tolerance for disrespect. I'd advise you to hold your tongue unless you wish to be punished before we even reach our destination."

"You have no right to order me around! Why me? Why?"

"Because someone as delicate as you will prove to be an interesting challenge, especially when they show spirit," he said, his gaze not meeting mine.

"Which backward realm did you come from to be so rude?" I spat.

"I hail from the lineage of kings, you simpleton. You'd do well to remember that," he replied coolly.

"To hell with you as my mate and as a prince. Just leave me be!" My anger was a living thing, clawing its way out.

"Too bad, for I'll be in Heaven with you. Now, be silent, princess."

He rose to his feet, and my father gestured for a handshake, which he ignored, his golden robes trailing behind him as he surveyed the area with an air of ownership.

"Mark this territory," he commanded, his blank stare fixed on the void. "If anyone dares to come looking for my princess, burn this place to the ground."

His men, statuesque until then, bowed and lifted me to my feet. I caught Calista's eye; she gasped, tears streaming down her face. I had no sympathy for her crocodile tears.

She betrayed me for Ley, and now I was shackled to this enigmatic, haughty being.

The men dragged me away, waiting until their prince had departed before trailing behind him.

We walked for hours, my back aching, my feet crying out for rest.

How could a prince travel without a convoy, chariots, or at least a horse? What kind of royalty does that?

"Actually, I do," he said abruptly, halting. His men stopped as well.

I mentally chastised myself for voicing my thoughts out loud.

He took measured steps toward me, stopping just before me, his gaze never quite landing on my face.

"Do you have an issue with that?" he inquired.

His presence was imposing—tall and graceful with a chiseled jaw and a straight nose that gave his face a regal sharpness. His build was strong, concealed only partially by the robes that fell around him.

His voice sent shivers down my spine, and I shrank back as he reached out, tucking a stray lock of my blonde hair behind my ear without truly looking at me.

"A prince shouldn't walk," I blurted out, immediately regretting my impulsive words.

"For someone supposedly without worth, you have quite a sharp tongue. I'll ensure you're kept away from the light of day until you learn to speak with the decorum befitting a princess," he declared, his tone cold and authoritative.