Prologue

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐝𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧. 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐝.

     Our history teaches us that love makes monsters out of us.

     They make it sound pretty in the history books.

     In the past, when there were no rules to govern us and we can roam freely, the land of werewolves used to be divided into three powerful nations; Sem, Niju, and Cinco.

     Sem was the land beyond the forests, where the night was shorter and the days were longer. The people who used to live here had dark curly hair and skin that made it look like they were gold crafted directly from the sun. They were tall and muscular, to tend to their powerful herds of cow and sheep. They were a rich land full of the most expensive minerals. Their people can grow crop even in the most barren of lands.

     Niju was the land near the sea, where most of the people knew how to swim days after they were born. The people who used to live here had black hair and had skin that was kissed by the sun itself. They had slender bodies that made it easier to dive the deepest trench in search of treasures beyond what the eyes can see. They were a rich land full of spices and fishery. Their people could make food out of scratch.

     Cinco was the land within the forests, they were the strongest out of the nations. They had experienced hunters who could catch even the smallest of creatures. They didn't need to fish or to mine just to bring food to the table, all they need to do is to hunt. The people who used to live here had light colored hair and fair skin, after all, it's easier to hunt for prey at night when they're vulnerable. They were a rich land full of mercenaries and weapons. Their people can kill anything they set their sight on.

     Their strong military base was what the Alpha of Cinco used to overtake Sem and Niju.

     Of course, werewolves are strong beings that can't be easily defeated. Lorenzo, the Alpha of Cinco, knew this. However, he is as smart as he is strong. He knew that he can achieve every nation and prove that he was the strongest werewolf by doing a tactic that is considered as the most barbaric act within the werewolf community.

     The history books tell us that Lorenzo ordered his men to execute every mate of those with Alpha blood in the lands of Sem and Niju. After all, werewolves have predestined mates with which they are bonded by soul, heart, and spirit. If one of them dies, the other will die of sorrow.

     That wasn't what had happened. The history books never tell you that Lorenzo also ordered this in his own nation, Cinco. The only difference is, he ordered his military men to execute mates of those Alphas who were not his allies. Plenty of women and unborn children died during these times but of course, the history books never tell you this.

     The history book did tell of the story of his Mate who had to die because of his love for his greed and selfishness. She was executed, the history book says. 

     The truth is uglier than that. 

     They didn't just execute her, they made her suffer emotionally, mentally, and physically for months. The day she died was the day the Alpha of Cinco had fallen – but that was before he tried to forcefully sever their mating bond. Urging the speed of her death, while Lorenzo slowly becomes better.

     The remaining Alphas figured out what he was doing so when he was vulnerable they attacked. He was killed by an Alpha from the lesser known region of Cinco, he was killed by Alpha Arman Lacroix.

     Niju and Sem never got their democracy back even after Lorenzo's downfall. Alpha Lacroix was so charismatic to the point where he was able to convince the whole community that a nation ruled by only one Alpha would be better since there would be less wars. Although that made sense, it also welcomed poverty in the areas that isn't near the capital of Cinco.

     He also ordered new rules that he promised would ensure that a war like that would never happen again. He issued a new constitution that separated the whole nation into towns and cities, appointing remaining Alphas and those with Alpha blood as leaders.

     With this change, the Alphas had become a dying breed.

     This constitution also introduced a new set of genetically engineered women that share Alpha blood. Since the remaining Alphas no longer want to find their mates due to what happened during the war, Alpha Lacroix decided that the next thing that can help them with their population is to hybridize. They first tried to mate with Betas, however their genes wasn't compatible to that of the Betas and they cannot form any offspring. With the Omegas, it was much worse, an offspring was formed, however due to the strength of Alpha genes, the baby was always a stillborn. That was until they realized a certain DNA pattern was needed to produce a werewolf that had enough Alpha genes to be considered worthy of being a Luna- the Royal Consorts.

     Being a consort means financial stability, and in a nation where riches and resources are only being used by those in power, everyone wants to be one. But not everyone can. In the land of Cinco, they strive to never again repeat history. No matter what it takes.

     I don't believe love makes monsters out of us.

     Love makes us worse.

     It makes us the weaker versions of ourselves.

     We forget the one thing we should have learned by birth, that we came into this world alone, we will leave it alone.

     Wolves are free creatures that shouldn't be tied down by rules and guidelines. War happens because of greed and selfishness. Why are the Alphas letting other wolves suffer for faults made entirely by their own? 

     Lorenzo was the one who initiated the attacks, and Alpha Lacroix is punishing every werewolf for one Alpha's mistake.

     We cannot shift anymore. It is forbidden.

     They forget one thing; I am a wolf, and I cannot be caged.