Fallen Moon

Raven sat there on the edge of the bed in her dark prison cell. This place was to be her new home. She knew nothing could save her. She was trapped beneath the castle where her screams could not be heard. Her voice, forever silenced. It was here, Lycan would break her and turn her into his perfect bride. As much as she wished for it, she knew there was no escape. Even someone as strong as Alejandro could not escape his cage. He carried it with him, everywhere he went. So if someone like him couldn't break free of Lycan's grasp. There was no hope for her. So what if she knew the truth about Nightshade. So what if she knew all of Lycan's crimes. She could never condemn him for what he's done. Not from inside this cage.

It was hopeless, all that was left was for her to sit here and wait for them to kill the life that was created by her and Angel's union. A life she'd fight so hard to protect but try as she might. She could not kill a King. She wasn't strong enough. She heard footsteps coming down toward the dungeon. The door opened and with it came a small amount of light provided by the torch in the werewolf's hand. This wolf, the white hair, the navy blue eyes. She knew him, Yule, one of Nikan's sons. He's the one Claire had a huge crush on.

"Here ugh," Yule showed her a plate of food. "I would like to open the cage and give you this. So don't attack me. If you do, I'll have to defend myself and I really don't like hitting women." A werewolf that doesn't hit women. He must not be one of Lord Grimm's werewolves. Last she checked, his werewolves loved putting women in their place.

"Oh really, I find that hard to believe." Raven glared at him. "You're married right? So how many times did you hit your wife before she decided to cater to your every whim?

"Actually," Yule placed the torch on the torch stand behind him. I've never hit my wife." He answered. "Not even when we were dating. I was allowed to if she ever spoke out of term. Werewolf code says I'm supposed to. But, I've never really followed those rules. So, are you going to let me give you this food or not?" She let out a sigh and he unlocked the cage and set the plate beside her. "You know, my father told me you asked him about the Elder."

"What of it, it's not like it helped me any." Raven took the plate from him. "It's not poisoned is it?"

"No, it's my food, Lycan wouldn't dare try to poison me. My father would kill him on the spot. Lycan might be strong but my father becomes insanely strong when it comes to protecting me. I don't know why he's that way he just is." Yule rose to his feet. "Anyway, I was only coming here because I remember a time where I asked my father about the Elder too. It's weird because no other werewolf really cared about Elder's existence. It's like, Lord Grimm just wanted us to forget she ever existed. Now that our Elder wants nothing to do with us. It actually hurts here," He pointed at his heart. "We should always strive to please our Elder, she created us and yet. It's like she doesn't want us anymore. She threw us away like garbage and I'm just supposed to ignore that pain and turn it into anger. But how can I when deep down, I feel like.We deserve to be abandoned by her. Just look at what's become of us." He let out a sigh. "What does it matter, it's not anything I say or do will change anything. I'm no one special."

"You're not like the other werewolves are you?" Raven took a piece of chicken off the plate and took a bite. To her surprise, it was actually pretty good for werewolf cooking. "Did you make this?" He nodded. "Wow, this is really good. No wonder you're married."

"Thanks," Yule smirked. "To answer your question. I'm nothing like the other werewolves. Sometimes, I wish I was." Yule's eyes glanced up at the ceiling. "My life would be a lot easier if I were. But to be honest, a lot of this world doesn't make sense to me. Why are we fighting the vampires? Why are we trying to rule over everything? Why isn't what we have enough? What's the point of it all? It just doesn't make sense and I try to ask these questions but when I do. They look at me like I'm stupid as if we do these things because we're supposed to. Like it's supposed to be wired into our brains but for some reason. I'm the only person who isn't brainwashed. My dad tells me, it's because I'm different that I don't think like they do. Because I don't, I'm seen as an outcast. So I got bullied a lot and because I wasn't like the others. I had to fight twice as hard to be seen." He forced a swallow. "I feel like I don't belong here, Like there's somewhere else I need to be. Some other role I need to fill but I don't know what it is. So I just pretend like I belong because it's better than feeling lost and confused."

"I guess in that regard we're the same." Raven set her empty plate aside. "I've never fit into Nightshade. I don't fit in with the werewolves at all. Their code is stupid and I have no desire to follow it. When I was with them, It was a sad existence. I felt trapped all the time, I felt powerless, that was until the Lunar Ball. Where I met a vampire. That person, the moment we decided to do the unthinkable. I think it was then, I knew where I belonged. I belonged with him, it didn't matter where that place was or what chaos our relationship would bring. I was going to stay with him, to be honest. I'm not even sure where we stand in all this and I don't really care. I just want to be with him and that's all there is to it."

"This vampire means a lot to you." Yule fondled his fingers together. "I guess he'd have to. I mean to even think about sleeping with him is like saying. You'd be willing to die for him and to bear his child knowing it'll kill you. It, it takes a lot." He rose to his feet. "Anyway, I should go, my father says it's in my best interest not to talk to you. But, I just, I feel like out of all the people I've met. You and Alejandro are the only ones I can relate with. It's hard being different, especially when you don't understand why you're different." He shut the cage and started to leave.

"What does your wife think about all this?" Raven asked. "Surely you've talked to her about it."

"My wife says," Yule let out a sigh. "I shouldn't be focused on where I belong or what that role I need to fulfill is. She says that the only role that should matter. Is the role I have as her husband and the father of our child. She says that as long as I focus on those two things. Nothing else should matter. That in the end, I'm me and that's the man she fell in love with." He leaned against the wall. "She also thinks my father knows a lot more than what he's telling me. I know she's right, my father isn't telling me everything. But I know he's just trying to protect me so I can't bring myself to confront my father. I figure he'll tell me everything when I'm ready." He opened the door to the dungeon.

"Hey Yule," Raven gripped the bars to her cell. "You said before, you could relate to me and Alejandro. Well, Alejandro and I both tried to defy Lord Grimm. Both of us paid for it, so my advice to you is. Don't follow in our footsteps, if you do. You'll only be hurting yourself and those around you. Trust me on this." The door to the dungeon shut and darkness once again filled the room. "I hope he listens," She'd be lying if she said there wasn't a part of her hoped for the opposite. A part of her hoping that Yule would come back and free her from her cell. But doing so would put his own life in jeopardy and she didn't want anyone to risk their life for hers. She sat back down on her bed lying in wait for the guards to take her to her next nightmare.

The door to the dungeon opened, carrying the torch was none other than Prince Lycan himself. He walked toward her cell and unlocked it. "It's time," He walked forward. Raven rushed toward him prepared to kick right in the. Before she could, two werewolf guards grabbed her shoulders and pressed her chest against the wall. Lycan brought his lips to her ear. "Still so defiant, oh," He ran his fingers through her hair. "I'm going to enjoy breaking you." He confined her hands in spiked silver cuffs. "Let's go, I'm dying to meet the man who you thought was worth cheating on me for." He pushed her out of her cell.

When Raven arrived at Lord Grimm's throne room. She saw Lord Alexander standing beside Lord Grimm. "So this is the woman who decided to break the contract." Lord Alexander's eyes remained on hers. "I remember you, you're the woman who performed at the Lunar Ball. You put on quite a performance. But we are here for a reason. So, let us proceed." He snapped his fingers. The doors behind her opened, several shirtless vampire men were being brought in front of her. Their hands and feet were confined by diamond chains. The chains were controlling their every move and with a second snap of their king's fingers. The men dropped to their knees. "In front of you are all the men who disappeared during the night of the Lunar Ball. Now if you'd so kindly point to the man who helped you conceive this child. So that we can put this matter behind us." Lycan freed her hands from her cuffs.

"Go ahead," Lycan freed her from her chains. "Point." He encouraged.

Raven eyes wandered the men who were all lined up. Luckily, Angel wasn't in the line up. But, that didn't save him. If she told them the man wasn't in the line up. It would only bring more attention to the fact. Angel disappeared that night. To save him, to protect the man she loves, she had to point at one of them. Knowing that the man she chose whether it was true or not would die. Her hands shook. The thought of killing an innocent man weighing heavy on her shoulders. She couldn't do this but if she didn't. Angel would die. There's a lot of choices she had to make to be with Angel. But this one was the hardest for what she did here would haunt her forever. She forced her hand to move and her finger to point.

"Forgive me," Raven's lips mimed the words as her finger pointed at the man in the center of the line up. The man's jaw dropped as the diamond chain on his wrists broke. He tried to run but was grabbed by two werewolf guards.

"Release me, she's lying, I didn't do it." The man screamed. "She's lying, she's-," Lycan backhanded the man, making him spit out his teeth. The guards helped him to his feet and forced the man to look at Lycan. "I'm telling you, I didn't."

"Enough of the lies, you violated the contract and the punishment for that is death." Lycan smirked. "She was my wife and you defiled her." He jammed his claws into the man's stomach. He ripped his claws out of him. "Now, take him to the sun chamber and I want to stand there and watch as he burns to death. Your ashes will bring me great pleasure." The guards began dragging the man away.

"I swear I didn't fuck her, you bitch, you lying bitch." The man yelled. The doors slammed shut. From inside Raven could hear the man screaming in pain as he was burned alive by the sun. She tried to cover her ears to drown out the noise. But she could hear the screams, tears left her eyes as the screaming ended. The man was dead and she was the one who killed him. The door opened and Lycan walked out of the sun chamber with his two werewolf guards.

"Now that he's been dealt with," Lycan crouched down, getting in her face. "It's your turn," He grabbed her by the hair and brought her to Lord Alexander. "We killed one of your men because of her. So, I'll leave her fate in your hands. All I ask is that you don't kill her. I hope to make a decent bride out of her. Through methods of torture. But as my father put it. It's not up to me, so, if you kill her. I promise to stand by your decision. So what would you have me do with her?" He asked.

"Bring her to the werewolf torture chamber, I'll deal with her there." Lord Alexander answered. The guards grabbed Raven and brought her down to the dungeon. Lycan followed behind them. As they walked past the cells, they arrived at a door. Lycan unlocked the door and they went inside.

"No," Raven's jaw dropped. Her eyes wandered the walls seeing silver weapons lined up along them. There were bladed whips, swords, daggers, knives, and spear. So many weapons geared toward hurting her. Worst of all, was the center of the room. There was a chain hanging in the air. A chain that was strong enough to lift her into the air and hold her in place as Lord Alexander tortured her. She would be completely defenseless. "I won't do this,"

"Oh but you will," Lycan grinned. "Guards, you know what to do." The two werewolf guards brought her to the center of the room, her hands still chained together. Her bare feet skid across the bloodstained concrete as they forced her forward. She kept trying to free herself and escape before they hooked the chain around her bindings.

"Let go of me," Raven shook as they held her shoulders. "I won't do this, I won't, you can't treat me like this. This is wrong, you can't treat people this way." The chain hooked her around her bindings. Her arms lifted up as Lycan pulled at the side across from her, hoisting her into the air. She fought and squirmed trying to wiggle herself free as her feet left the ground. She hung there in the air unable to move. The guards tore the back of her dress exposing her bare back for Lord Alexander. Once she was prepared, the guards left and Lycan stood there, his eyes locked on hers.

"You could have had it all," Lycan shook his head at her. "The royal treatment, the title of Princess, it was all yours. All you had to do was commit yourself to me. Yet, you chose to throw it all away for a vampire. Now here you are hanging in the air helpless. So the question I have for you is, was it worth it? Was one night with a vampire worth the sacrifice?" Raven didn't answer. Instead she spit in Lycan's face. "You know," He wiped the spit off his face. "The only thing I hate about this situation is." He glared into her eyes. "I'm not going to be the one torture you. Nothing would bring me greater amusement than tearing at your flesh, ripping your skin wide open and watching you bleed on the floor. But unfortunately, Lord Alexander gets the pleasure of doing that but if you survive his beating. Maybe," He ran his finger along her cheek. "I'll get my chance, do me a favor and try not to die." He lightly slapped her face and left the room.

Raven hung there in the air. Her wrists up over her head. Her bare feet dangling inches from the concrete floor. A floor that was stained in blood. She struggled with the chains trying to free herself from her bindings. But it was no use, she was stuck here left to wait for her punishment. The doors behind her opened, she stood there frozen as she heard heavy footsteps enter the room. She kept her eyes closed bracing herself for the pain that awaited her. The footsteps continued to move around the room. He was searching for a weapon to use on her flesh. Would it be a silver sword? She gritted her teeth imagining a blade swiping at her exposed flesh and the tip of the sword piercing her chest. Perhaps, a knife? She pictured the small blade running across her flesh and the sharp edge slitting her throat. She began to shake in fear. The footsteps stopped and when they did she got her answer. She heard the loud crack of a silver bladed whip echoing throughout the room. A practice swing that sent chills down her spine.

"This'll do," Lord Alexander's footsteps drew closer and she felt his cold hand touch her cheek forcing her to look into his eyes. "Open your eyes wolf," Raven slowly opened her eyes as a lump in her throat began to form. The king of the vampires stood before her shirtless and wearing black slacks. "The man that was killed, he was a commander, though he was a bachelor and had no children. He was still a great man who fought hard for my cause. He was loyal and he claimed that he never slept with you. So, I find it hard to believe that he did it. Here's what's going to happen. You're going to tell me who the real culprit is or I'll beat you until you do. Look into my eyes and know that I'm not lying. Who was it?" He asked.

"I told you it was him," Raven answered, her eyes remained on his. "Why would I lie about something like this? I know who I slept w-," She gritted her teeth as the sharp edges of the whip cracked against her back. She took deep breaths to fight off the pain. "I already told you who it was," She yelled. She felt the whip strike her once more. "It was him, he's the one who slept with me. I'm not lying." Blades ran across her spine, ripping off her flesh as he hit her once again. Tears built in her eyes as she tried to fight the pain. "I'm telling the truth,"

"The truth, I find it highly doubtful," Lord Alexander struck her again. "You killed an innocent man in order to protect the one who actually did it. Stop lying and tell me the truth," Raven threw her head back as she was hit once more. "Don't insult my intelligence, you think I don't know when I'm being lied to. I have a daughter who lies to me all the time. I know when I'm being lied to."

"Maybe," Raven smirked. "You're so used to being lied to that you can't tell when someone's telling you the truth. Hit me again you bastard," She gritted her teeth together as the whip struck her again. "So this is your idea of peace, this is how you intend to make peace with the werewolves. By beating us and treating us like dogs, you're just like Grimm." She glared deep into his eyes.

"Fifty lashes," Lord Alexander glared at her. "That should be enough to break you," She shut her eyes as the whip cracked on her skin. Each strike tearing into her flesh, she bit hard on her lip as she tried to fight the pain. She wouldn't scream, she'd endure this if only to prove that she can not be broken. As she remained still taking hit after hit, her eyes began to fade in and out. When Raven's eyes opened.

She saw a man with long red hair being whipped by Lycan. Like her, he was chained but bound to his knees as Lycan hit him with a whip. The man looked frail as if he hadn’t eaten in days. It was when the man opened his eyes. Raven knew who he was. That dark red color, this man was Alejandro. This is how Lycan broke him.

"Are you ready to obey me?" Lycan asked. "Or," He placed his hands on his knees, bending down to get eye level with Alejandro. "Do I need to strike you again?" Alejandro glared into his eyes.

"I should have killed you when I had the chance." Alejandro answered. "But you were so pathetically weak, I figured you weren't worth killing. I could have killed you at ten years old, and it's funny." He laughed. "Even now, I could still kill you. That's why you need these chains. You and I both know who the real Alpha is. It damn sure isn't you."

"Oh is that so, so tell me, when Jaycee," The moment Lycan said her name. Alejandro growled at him. "Kissed you, did it make your heart soar, was it everything you dreamed it would be? I bet you believed that you got the last kiss. Let me let you in on a little secret." Lycan smirked. "As my claws pierced her stomach, tearing through her flesh and blood seeped down her lips. As her life was fading right before my eyes. I made sure, that," He chuckled. "I got the last kiss." Alejandro tried to stand up and break the chains that held him. He backed away as Alejandro pulled at the chains trying to rip out his throat with canines. "Is that any way to treat your brother?" He swung the whip striking Alejandro in the face. The sharp silver blades left a scar across Alejandro's right eye. "Now please let the bitch go and let us proceed how we were before. We don't need to be fighting over a corpse."

"I'll never let this go and you are not my brother." Alejandro yelled at the top of his lungs. The room shook as his words echoed throughout the room. Lycan walked around him holding the whip stained by Alejandro's blood. Alejandro's back was covered in deep gashes, his blood draining onto the floor.

"I'm sorry you feel that way, brother," Lycan let out a sigh. "But I have to do what I have to do, Nightshade is my legacy. It is my greatest accomplishment. I will not let it be destroyed. In order to protect and preserve what I created." He dragged the whip across the floor. "I'll have to change your mind. I need you Alejandro, you and I are Nightshade. Unless we get past this, our pack can have no future and we will get past this. Even if I have to make you." He kept striking Alejandro with the whip relentlessly. Raven heard the loud cracking of the whip along with it, her vision faded and she was brought back to the present. She gritted her teeth after being by Lord Alexander once more.

"Forty seven," Raven spoke after she was hit. Lord Alexander stood there holding the whip in his hand. "If you think, three more strikes are going to break me. You're wrong, Lycan's tried to break me. Despite his best efforts, I won't budge. I won't be broken not by you or him. Even if I was lying, even if. I did accuse the wrong person. Do you honestly think any amount of punishment you give me is going to be enough to sell out the man I love?" She asked. "I'm fucked no matter what I do but he still has a chance. I'll be damned if I let you or anyone else take that chance from him. So, hit me as many times as you'd like. It changes nothing."

"I suppose you're right," Lord Alexander gripped the whip tightly. "If your desire is to protect him. There's nothing I can do, you'd die before telling me the truth. But I'm afraid your life holds no value to me and I need to know the truth. So if I must kill you then so be it." The whip cracked against her back leaving gashes. The strikes become more rapid, after each hit. Raven felt her consciousness fading. Her vision began to blur, in that blurry haze. She found peace. Her eyes opened seeing a shadowy figure. The figure had a voice she knew all too well.

"Raven," The figure spoke, his hand reaching out to her. Behind him was a warm light, welcoming her. The shadows began to clear, standing in the light, the hand reaching for her was none other than Angel. His long mocha, his pale hazel eyes, to think. She'd be able to see him one more time. Even if she knew, he wasn't there. This was but her mind showing her what she wanted so when her life finally ended. She'd be at peace. The illusion of his presence was welcome. Her hand started to grab his knowing once he took her hand. She'd be free at last.

"Angel, my love, my everything." Raven's hand trembled as it drew closer to his face. "I tried, I tried to be strong, I fought hoping I'd finally be with you. But my strength is fading, I don't know how much longer I can-." The shadow faded, Angel was gone and standing in his place was Lord Alexander. The chains around her wrists were cut clean by a diamond sword. Once broken, Raven's body collapsed to the floor.

"Angel, he's the father of your-," Lord Alexander dropped the whip on the floor beside her. "Angel you fool, what have you done?" Raven lied there in a pool of her own blood. Her body felt so weak. She couldn't move or speak. Her vision was starting to fade. Lord Alexander descended to knee. "I'm not sparing you because I couldn't bring myself to kill you." He explained. "I'm sparing you because I can not stand the idea of being responsible for creating another Alejandro." He rose to his feet and grabbed his coat. "What was done to that wolf should never be repeated. Now if you'll excuse me," He opened the door. "I must deal with Angel." The doors to the torture chamber slammed shut.

Raven laid there as blood ran down her spine. She felt sharp pieces of silver lodged in her back. These pieces kept her from healing and left an agonizing burn. This pain, this constant pain, it was starting to fade. Her body was growing numb, her eyes were once again fading out. Every time they closed. She saw Angel laying there beside her his hand close to hers. She could still hear his voice.

"Raven, it's okay," Angel assured her. "You don't need to hurt anymore. Take my hand and I'll make it stop. I'll make it all go away. Just take my hand, it's okay. Just let go." Her hand twitched as it reached for his knowing once she took it. She'd die.

"You can't give up yet," That voice somehow, it came from within her mind. But she didn't recognize it. For some reason she didn't need to in order to realize. The voice speaking to her was none other than the Elder of the werewolves herself. Kami was reaching out to her but why? For what purpose could Kami have for wanting to keep her alive? "You can give up and die, that's your choice. Because it's not my job to save you. Don't think for a second I'm going to. I only help those who help themselves. All I'm here to say is that. I need you to survive. I've seen your gift and I know what you can do. You alone have the power to save my people and only you can. You have the power to dig up the past and bring it to the light. In order to save my people and fix all the damage Lord Grimm has done. I need you to do just that. So if you can't survive for yourself, think about all those werewolves who need you to save them."

Raven saw images of Jaycee surfing, Her and Alejandro sharing that last kiss and her lying in the forest. Her eyes open. Lycan standing over her, his claws dressing her blood. Her blood on his lips from kissing her. She saw an image of Jayson and Jay crying over their dead mother. Alejandro on his knees broken beyond repair. She saw an image of Yule, sitting next to her in her prison cell.

"Now that our Elder wants nothing to do with us." Yule spoke. "It actually hurts here," He pointed at his heart.

"So what's it going to be?" Kami asked. "Are you going to lie there and give up or are you going to survive this? You want to fix this right? So get off your ass and fix it. You know what needs to be done, so do it."

"Kami, cares, she hasn't forsaken us." Raven glanced over at Angel as his hand rested next to hers. "I'm sorry but I can't die just yet. There's something I need to do and only I can do it. " The illusion of Angel faded to dust. Raven forced herself to crawl over to the wall. She rested her side against fighting to stay awake. She won't die just yet. She'd survive this and make Lycan pay for all that he's done. He nor his father will be able to bury the past anymore. Instead, it will be them who will be buried by the truth. The entire werewolf kingdom was about to come crumbling down.