. Apostasy . A Luna's Struggle

ALTERNATE ENDING

This is the alternate ending I created for a more positive outcome. B knew it was coming, because she had survived it and I wanted to write it. There are two parts. The beginning will seem familiar but it has a slightly different tone.

-^^^^^-

CH KINGDOM - alternate ending part 1

Beta Victor had summoned him back to the castle, his enemies were moving against him. He strode into his chambers annoyed. The air was thick with the smoke and scent of healing incense. Healer Odette was very old and very old ways, her healing relied as much on prayers and candles, as herbals and medical skill. Still, he had watched her heal all but those destined to die. She believed in stupid superstitions but wolves he would have believed dead, revived under her ministrations, including his Luna. So he allowed her foolishness.

Anulla’s face was covered with the mottled greens and purples of healing bruises. He slid the thin blanket from her body to see the damage. There wasn’t a handspan of her flesh that was not discolored. Orion just stared at her for a very long time. He didn’t remember beating her this badly and yet the shapes of his fists and hands were clearly visible. She moved slightly and groaned in pain. His wolf punished him at the sound of the suffering his temper had wrought in their mate.

Her suffering made him feel weak, he hated her and growled aloud, “Why do you have to be so weak?”

He walked out to the balcony to get away from the stench of incense. Looking down, he noticed the flowers below the balcony were still stained with Anulla’s blood. She had ruined his perfect garden with her foolishness.

Suddenly Victor’s wolf spoke to his, ‘Invaders crossed Wheatland and headed to the interior, they will arrive by evening.’

The war was here. He admitted to himself he wanted this war and now his sister and his enemies moved against his kingdom, he would show them who was superior and who was weak. They would be destroyed as those who had moved against his father had been. He was the Monarch, and none would defy him.

-^^^^^-

“Anulla, I have something to show you,” Joel said hesitantly.

She looked at him oddly, “What’s wrong, Joel?”

He held a glossy piece of paper and a letter. The boy in the photograph looked like the images of Orion as a boy she had seen but he had blonde hair. The letter was written in her script, but she didn’t remember writing it. Tears ran down her face as she read it.

“When you were attacked by Henry, your son survived, but you had already agreed to have us hide him, so we did. I’m so sorry we hurt you.”

“No, you did what you had to do save my son. Just don’t let him forget me, don’t let him forget the evil we are fighting today.” Tears ran down her cheeks as her fingers traced her son’s face. “He is safe?”

“He is with Priestess Cathy and Tlingti’s brothers. Even Orion couldn’t get through them to get to him,” Joel assured her.

She smiled wanly, “Can you give him something, and tell him something for me?”

“Anything, sunshine.”

She leaned over and dug through the drawer by the bed, reaching into a space above the drawer, he helped her sit back up. In her hand, the carved hummingbird he had made her. The carving looked as though it had been held many times. Joel swallowed when she held it out to him.

“It helped me remember to have hope, that someone cared. Could... could you give it to him? Tell him ‘Hope is like a prayer carried on hummingbird’s wings, it flits to and fro in a jewel-colored dance, never staying in one place long, but always remembered for the beauty it brought and the promise of its return’.”

Joel reached up an caressed her bruised face, before gently pressing his lips to hers, before he whispered, “Anulla, I have always and will always care for you. I love you.” Tears burned in her eyes at the realization of a love she would never have.

“I love you too. Forgive me for not telling you before I left the west... Please tell me about him.”

-^^^^^-

Nearly 8,000 wolves faced each other, a tenth of the wolf warrior population on the continent. The Monarch growled as he surveyed the battle lines. He had not expected the Western Alliance to come until spring. That they had come in fall meant that they were determined to win or fight to the last wolf before the snow set in. He reached out to his wolf only to have him turn away. He would have to fight this battle using his own mind and instincts, but at least he still had access to his wolf’s strength and speed. As the sun sank into a crimson and fire sky in the west, a bloody moon rose behind him and his army. He could see the giant dark form of Alpha Tlingti standing next to his sister, and on her right Alpha Troy stood tall and proud. His eyes narrowed, if his sister wanted his kingdom she would have to kill him to get it.

Hefner snarled on his right. “It would be my honor to teach that bitch a lesson, my monarch.”

Victor stood on his left, taking in every detail of the approaching enemy. “We are ready, Monarch Balthazar.”

“Let’s end this quickly so we may return to our mates.” Orion dropped into his wolf form and howled in challenge, charging forward.

-^^^^^-

Reclined in her bed, Anulla, waited with the two surviving Floria females and three others. They prayed together with Brenna, Odette, and Amy. The sun was setting; the sky was a thousand shades of amber and scarlet. Anulla knew without seeing that the moon was rising on the other side of the castle, over the water. She wished she could walk through the gardens one last time and look up at the moon through the autumn trees but there was no time for selfish desires. This was the only way out, the only way they would free themselves and the wolf they loved, the only way to free the kingdom for the future. Joel had told them a secret. Her firstborn son, Prince Sovereign Valiant, lived. Raised in the ways of the Goddess by Cathy, and in the honorable warrior traditions of the Pacific Northwest by Androma and Tligti, he would be the next Monarch.

Amy stopped praying and turned her head as if listening. Tears in her eyes, she turned to Anulla and the others, “It’s begun.”

Anulla bowed her head and said one final prayer, “May the Goddess bless and keep us. May her face shine upon us. May she forgive her daughters for what we are about to do.”

Kenetta, Hefner’s mate, held up her cup, “For the Goddess and all who serve her.” The others repeated her words and they all drank. Kenetta reached up and ripped the collar from her throat, gasping in pain, “If we die, my wolf and I will die free as a Floria wolf should.” One of the females began screaming and clawing at her temples, the other two collapsed, convulsing violently. The last simply dropped to the floor without a sound, her eyes glassed over as her wolf left her.

Anulla’s mind writhed as her soul ripped in two, her wolf whimpered in agony inside. They endured the pain together, resolute and sure of their destiny.

Joel clutched her hand desperately, begging,“Stay with us, Anulla. Don’t follow your wolf. Please.”

Her last conscious thought was a prayer for the son she had never met as her golden wolf ran ahead of her into the fields of the Moon.

-^^^^^-

Orion stumbled. Suddenly pain seared his existence, and he had the sensation of being torn in half but his body was untouched. Convulsing in agony, he screamed. His anguish was echoed by three or four others but his mind was in too much pain to process the source. He watched through slit eyes as Victor and his uncle Logan killed Hefner and his other Betas. His army divided into chaos. He saw a wolf who should not be there, leading a group of wolves who should be in his dungeon. They stood shoulder to shoulder with the castle guards.

Walsh snarled. “Serve the Moon or die with Balthazar!”

The battle began but it was not between his subjects and his enemies. It was between those loyal to him and those who hated him.

Orion blacked out as his wolf left him. He dreamed they were standing in a green field.

His wolf looked at him with hate, ‘She has gone to the Moon. I told you I would leave you if she died. The heir shall receive my spirit. Return to your fate, Apostate Balthazar.’

Orion shouted in agony and rage as black nightmare wolves surrounded him, dragging him back to the land of the living. Every cruelty he and his rule had ever inflicted became as though he were suffering them himself over and over. His sanity broke under the weight of the misery he caused.

-^^^^^-

“Joel, mark her,” Brenna ordered as Anulla sank into death.

Tearfully, Joel sunk his teeth into Anulla’s shoulder, he felt her soul ripping apart, twisting and knotting as Anulla’s wolf tried to take her with her to the moon, but instead Joel held onto her with everything in his being. Around them everything was lush and green, like the perfect springtime. Joel’s russet wolf chased her tawny one, as he ran after her toward the moon goddess. He could see their lost loved ones waiting for them.

Far away he heard Brenna’s voice calling, pleading, “Anulla. Sister, come back for your son.”

He shouted her name. Ahead of him, Anulla stopped and looked over her shoulder, then she turned and ran toward him, throwing herself into his arms. Joel lifted her like a bride and turned to walk away from the fields of the moon. He did not look back, he knew if he did he would turn around and stay with their loved ones. His lanky wolf ran ahead of them, carrying Anulla’s wolf like a pup, back to the land of the living. Anulla clutched his shirt as tears ran down her face.

“You came for me,” she whispered.

“I couldn’t let you go. I need you, we all need you.” He breathed in her scent of sunlight and flowers. “Close your eyes and take a deep breath.”

Anulla’s eyes opened, Joel was holding her in his arms, rocking slightly, tears running down as he whispered over and over, “Please live, please live, please Goddess let her live.”

“Joel...” His name was a whispered breath out.

He sobbed in relief. Anulla looked around, only she and Kenetta survived. Dawn was coloring the sky beyond the window, Anulla could see the moon setting like a giant pearl on the violet horizon. This was the first day of her freedom.

-^^^^^-

“Luna Anulla, the battle is won. The apostate Balthazar is captured and less than a third fought for him. The Dungeon Master Walsh is bringing him back to the castle, he has lost his mind with his wolf. Seneschal Matthias has had most of his supporters arrested. What shall be done with them?” Liam asked.

Anulla blinked at him, “What do you mean?”

“You are the Queen Mother, Luna Anulla. The kingdom is yours until the Prince comes of age.”

Anulla gasped, “I... I can’t be queen.” She was shaking so hard she could breathe.

Joel pressed a kiss into her forehead, “You can do this, you have been doing it, Mira and Androma will help you.”

“Ppshush, Luna Anulla doesn’t need their help, she is true queen on her own,” Kenetta said weakly.

Anulla stared at them as they all nodded, frowning, she bowed her head. She thought of all she had been through and knew what would be just. “Very well, I wish to talk to their mates. If they were treated as I was, the males shall be given the wolfkill potion and spend the rest of their days in the deepest dungeon with Sade’s rotting corpse and Orion’s insanity.”

Liam bowed, “It will be done Queen Luna, do you have anything else you require?”

Anulla nodded, “Send word to the Temples of the Moon, and prepare a place to worship the Goddess. Send out the word that all females are released from their time of service and such practices are banned in the kingdom. Any females who do not feel safe or have been abused, may come to the castle for comfort and healing. Anyone caught committing abuse against another shall be imprisoned.”

Liam bowed with a smirk, “It is my honor to obey, Luna.”

Odette smiled at her with tears in her ancient eyes, “I always knew, you will be a great Queen Luna, Anulla.”

CH INSANITY : alternate ending part 2

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A few months later, after Anulla tucked Valiant into bed, she read to him about the great Monarchs of the past.

She was surprised when he yawned, and said, “I know all this, mama. Monarch Valiant drove the rogues who cursed the Moon Goddess’s ways out of the kingdom and united the ten packs under the first kingdom, because the Moon made his wolf special.”

“Oh, has your Aunt Androma already told you this?” Anulla asked amused.

“No, mama. My wolf told me, because my wolf is special too,” he answered nonchalantly, yawning again before snuggling down into his bed and going to sleep.

She just watched him as he slipped off into his dreams and wondered whatelse was special about his wolf that it could already talk to her three-year-old.

Yesterday, Kenetta had returned to Floria pack. Beta Victor’s uncle Logan had gone with her. Before leaving, Logan had confessed that he had taken service from Anulla when she was on the drugged wine, promising that he had not hurt her, it wasn’t his way and apologized if that offended her. Anulla had assured him that she was okay with it. She had done what she had to in order to survive, and appreciated his honesty and gentleness. She tried hard to remember but couldn’t, the only memories that came were of being hurt by Orion when the toxic wine had worn off.

Later that night as she drifted off to sleep, tucked safely in Joel’s arms, she thought about those who had come to the castle for healing and encouragement. So much harm had been done in two decades, so many had died either from abuse or by their own choices. So many mothers had killed their daughters to save them. The total number might never be known. Hours later, she sat up suddenly covered in sweat. Joel was immediately awake.

“I need to do something,” she gasped, breathing rapidly.

“Anything, sunshine, whatever you need,” Joel assured her, holding her tightly against his chest.

“I need to see him.”

-^^^^^-

Walking behind the Dungeon Master and surrounded by the Red Four, the Queen Luna descended into the deepest part of the dungeon. Joel followed silently behind them. Anulla shuddered as she entered the place where Orion had broken her.

“You don’t have to do this, my sunshine,” Joel said softly.

“I do. I have to face what he has become, so I can believe he no longer has the power to hurt me,” she whispered turning toward the secret door into the room of her nightmares.

Walsh held up his hand, “Do not approach the bars, Luna. Do not let him touch you. He is no longer sane.”

“Was he ever sane?” Anulla responded. Carefully she walked through the door into a bar surrounded safe area.

“My lovely golden Luna, have you come to service me?” Orion’s voice came out of the darkness.

Anulla turned looking around the room as torches were lit from behind the walls. In the dim light, she could seen profanity and perversion scrawled on the walls. From the smell, it could only be feces and semen, so she tried not to gag.

Orion emerged from the shadows, naked, covered in sores and scratches, and smeared with the stuff he had used to ‘decorate’ his cell, “Or did you come to beg me to take you back after you destroyed my kingdom and killed my wolf!”

He lunged at the bars and she drew back against the door. He couldn’t reach her by several feet, but her fear won for a moment. She felt Joel’s soothing presence and the strength of Walsh and the brothers behind the wood. She held her head up, he could not hurt her, he would never hurt her again.

“I am not sorry Orion, it had to be done. You had to be punished.” Anulla started but Orion’s laugh cut her off.

“I haven’t been punished!” he scoffed, “No one has touched me. No one has whipped me or hurt me. They don’t know how to punish someone like I do. Like I did you... I feel it you know, every time I sleep. I feel every blow I ever dealt, every bone I ever broke, every pain from screwing you as hard as you deserved.” He rubbed his erection as he gazed at her, “And I would do it all again, it felt so good then. IT could feel good again, just come to me, Anulla.” She stared at him disgusted as he continued to mastu rbate, eyes half-lidded as he stared at her like prey. His wolf may be gone but he was still a predator, he did not even realize the depth of his perversion and wrongness.

“Orion... Orion...” Anulla started shouting, “ORION!”

He released his manhood and screamed at her, “Why do you always have to destroy my pleasure, you pathetic whore!”

“Orion! Shut up!” Anulla shouted at him, years of pain poured out, “Do you even regret anything!?! Goddess, I am so sick of your self-pity shit! You call me weak but you can’t even admit your faults. You DID all of this to YOURSELF. The Monarch Wolf tried to save you, tried to show you the true way. But all you ever cared about was your dick and all that fu ck up pornography and perversion! You deserved to lose your wolf, your kingdom, even your mind. You deserve to rot in this hell forever.”

Orion laughed, it was a bitter, insane sound. “You didn’t come to forgive me, my golden one. Doesn’t your vaulted goddess teach us to love all other wolves. To forgive them...” he taunted.

“Someday I may forgive you, but not today and not tomorrow. I came to tell you I name the pup you murdered, Orion Noble, and to tell you our firstborn lives. The next Monarch will be Sovereign Valiant after your birth father and the first monarch. I also came to say goodbye, I will never see you again. No one will ever see you again. You can spend the rest of your days with the father you chose to follow.”

He stared at her as if he didn’t understand her, his denial of his fault too great to even be conceived. He hissed, “You’ll come back, you need me, we’re mates. Just like my whore of a mother needed to come back down here and to be bred by that weak wolf my father let live. She needed him, you need me. When your heat comes, you’ll come back to me.”

Anulla shook her head, “Your wolf is dead, we are no longer bound. I will never let you touch me again.”

“You are MINE!” He went on a profanity-filled tirade of everything he was going to do to her when she came back, throwing himself against the bars, reaching for her with his filth -covered hand while grabbing his equally disgusting manhood. She just shook her head and turned away tapping on the door. She looked over her shoulder as it opened, Orion didn’t even notice, he was still ranting. His eyes watering with the force of his tirade of hatred and perversion.

“Goodbye, Balthazar Orion.”

Walsh closed the door behind her. She stepped into Joel’s arms, they said nothing as they climbed back up to the main level of the dungeon.

“Are you okay, Luna?” One of the twins asked, she still couldn’t tell Shawn and Shane apart.

“I will be fine in time. I just needed to see for myself that he could never hurt me or anyone in the kingdom again. I just needed to believe it was finally over.”

Walsh rumbled out, “It is over, Luna. You are safe.”

-^^^^^-

Anulla woke to the sun streaming in the window, she had moved to a bedroom on the eastern side of the castle. Every day she watched the dawn, but this morning she slept through it. Her heart stirred and fluttered like the wings of a hummingbird. Hope lived there now, and love, and happiness. Often she sat in with the groups Cathy and the priestesses hosted, encouraging the survivors of the Apostasy to talk of their shared nightmare. It was not only she-wolves who had suffered. Many males had too. Sometimes she spoke, but mostly she listened, offering support and comfort to those who were as broken as she. She enlisted an older she-wolf to record the horrors and evil of that time so they would not be forgotten or dismissed by future generations. The experiences of a generation fallen into darkness because of one wolf’s madness and his declaration that what was evil was proper, and what was good was illegal. The bitter harvest that began with the Blood Moon was at an end, and a new spring of healing was begun.

Anulla curled herself back down into bed, maybe she would go back to sleep. The door opened and the patter of small feet ‘snuck’ up on her bed. She closed her eyes and waited. Soon the bed shifted, and a small finger poked her cheek, she couldn’t keep the corner of her mouth from twitching upward in a smile. She grabbed her son and tickled him before planting kisses all over his face. His golden curls bouncing as he laughed and struggled.

Joel was standing by the bed holding a tray, “Good morning, sunshine. How is our Queen today?”

She smiled her most beautiful at him, “Better, my love, much better.”

The Other End

B’s ex went to jail for seven years for nearly killing her, but was not charged in the death of their unborn child. And yet he still held on to his declaration that none of it was his fault, that she had provoked him/encouraged him to such levels of violence and perversion.

Decent seeming people can be lead away from everything they believe by one wrong influence, like his friend who introduced him to violent pornography at age 11. He went from light into darkness to fulfill his own perverse desire. He was raised in a decent family with no history of abuse, but he CHOSE to become a monster. A fact he denied until his death IRL.

B escaped her abuser but many women do not. She became a counselor for abused women and eventually went on to rescue abused, at risk people (women and gay men) in Turkey and other parts of the middle east. She was the bravest and most amazing person I have ever met. I am so honored that she asked me to write her story and her dislike of the Violent Alpha trope.

The message she wanted to share with all young girls reading Werewolf stores which glorify harming women - Abuse is never romantic. Abusers never fall in love with those they abuse. You are worth more.

Thank you for reading.

Mama Magie