The Masked Alpha's True Luna

Odette wanted to get a better look of the masked man, but there was a strong gust of cold wind that suddenly caused a suffocating feeling inside her chest, and it made her lightheaded instantly. 

She turned her head to see where they were heading and saw a strange dark cloud hovering just above the trees. The dark cloud started small and gradually expanded until it was just a bit bigger than the masked man, ready to swallow them whole.

Odette started to panic, afraid that she might get hurt when they entered that dark cloud, but the masked man didn't seem to mind. 

He continued to leap forward, heading into the dark cloud. 

Odette closed her eyes out of fear, and as they entered the dark cloud, she found herself struggling to breathe, and wanted to beg the masked man to stop or else she might actually faint. But her body gradually got weaker and weaker until she couldn't even utter a single word. She could only tug his cloak, hoping that he could pay a little attention to her.

The masked man didn't seem to realize her struggle. He continued leaping through the trees that were suddenly withered despite the supposed summer the moment he entered the dark cloud. 

The sky also turned dark purple. It carried an ominous atmosphere that would scare anyone who saw it, but the masked man wasn't phased at all. For him… this was home.

"Home…" he muttered as his red eyes were focusing on a castle on top of a hill. From far away, the castle was surrounded by dark clouds, making it look like a devil's den. The air was stagnant as if nobody who lived in this area needed air to breathe.

As if they were all already dead…

He sprang from one withered tree branch and leaped far until he landed precisely in the middle of the castle ground. 

The moment he landed, many beastmen of various species—from elephants, tigers, rabbits, wolves, and many more, rushed to see the woman their king brought to the domain. 

They were all surprised by this sudden action because their king had been living in isolation for a long time. 

They kneeled in front of him and the first to ask was a wolf beastman with long dark hair and blue eyes, "Your Majesty, may I know who that woman is in your arms?"

The masked man lowered his gaze to check on the woman in his arms. Her face was pale, her humble tunic was tattered, and her breath was no more. She, in any living being term, was dead. 

But there was no worry in the masked man's gaze as if he had expected her death by now, and none of the beastmen around seemed to be worried about her life either. 

"She—" the masked man paused for a while, staring at her with his shining red eyes before muttering, "I don't know who she truly is. But she has to stay."

She had to stay.

All the beastmen in the castle ground already knew the meaning of that sentence. They could only sigh as they knew the terrible fate waiting for this woman. 

They knew how terrible their king could become once he was enraged, and the darkening inside his heart only made it worse. 

The masked man commanded the servants, "Go and prepare a room for her. I need to take her heart."

"Yes, Your Majesty," the servants said in unison before leaving the castle grounds. 

The rest of the beastmen soldiers returned to their training after his order, leaving the masked man with a dark-haired, blue-eyed wolf beastman who was still kneeling in front of him.

"You too, Zircon. Go and return to your post," the masked man commanded his beta. But Zircon, the beta of this mysterious Masked Alpha didn't move an inch from his kneeling position.

"Your Majesty… no—Master. I think… it is time to give up—"

The Masked Alpha didn't say anything, but with a flick of his finger, Zircon's head was suddenly separated from his neck and fell to the ground. 

Such a grotesque way to kill someone should've shocked everyone, but none of the beastmen soldiers were reacting loudly. All they did was stare pitifully at their commander, the Beta of their Beast King. 

Everyone had the same opinion, but nobody dared to say anything, in fear of their King's wrath. 

There was a dark cloud puffing from Zircon's severed head and body, and his head slowly reattached on its own. The torn skin was stitched automatically by the dark cloud around his neck, and Zircon returned to his very much alive self and unharmed.

However, even if he didn't die, he could still feel the pain of getting his head severed by his Alpha. 

Hence, he decided to lower his head deeper and apologized, "My apologies, Master."

"Hrm," the Masked Alpha said coldly. "Go and train your soldiers. I'll have to take her heart."

"Yes, Master…"

Thus, Zircon watched as his master, the Masked Alpha, whose real name was forbidden to mention across the land, leaped onto the third floor of the castle as he wanted to spend the night with his bride.

Zircon muttered sadly, "Thousands of years have passed, and you still refuse to give up. Master, when will your suffering end?"