Vyra

What happened the week before truly began to feel like an old nightmare.

The Alpha had not come to collect me the day after the Ritual, like he had promised. Or threatened. Not the day after, and not the next day.

In fact, my life shifted back into blissful boredom. With the exception of the strange stares I received from the other pack members as I went about my day.

I slept in the same run-down shack, on a layer of thick furs only separated by a thin layer of bark on the ground, next to the other Outcasts. I mended clothing in the weaver's cabin by the currently frozen river.

I hadn't been able to turn into a Lycan. Even when I tried the other night, to see if I was just making everything up in my head. But even when I slashed my skin with a dull knife, I remained entirely human.

No one spoke to me. No one touched me. They couldn't without facing severe consequences. I pretended it wasn't because I was the Alpha's fated mate.

I let myself live in grand delusion during this time of peace. I was not sure how long it would last.

With the last of my luck, maybe the Alpha did indeed forget about me. I wasn't remarkable, or interesting in the slightest. It was very well possible he realized that following tradition was not worth it. He would let me fade back into being an Outcast, and I would die soundly within the next few months.

Yet when I woke up today, a full week after the ritual, my stomach was twisted in knots. The feeling never left me, even as I set off throughout the settlement to the cabin to start working.

Our settlement consisted of three definitive layers.

I came from where the lowest of the pack ranks lived. On the edges of the circular settlement, in wooden shacks. The Outcasts, our mistress, and some of the Lycans from previously conquered or dispersed packs all resided here.

It wasn't too frightening, as there was a large wooden wall erected around the entire pack. Still, if anyone breached it, we would be the first to go. That was intentional of course.

Our screams and blood would signal the rest of the pack that they were under attack.

The area where I was headed was where all the workshops, storage, and artillery were kept.

Past the shops is where most of the Lycans lived. Each Clan had their own outcropping of cabins. Umbra to the North, Sol to the East, Caelum to the West, and Stellae to the South.

Then, in the centermost part of the settlement, stood the Alpha's den. It laughed at me from its space in the sky, blocking out some of the white rays of the morning sun. It was half-man made, half natural.

It was beautiful, terrifying even. I was never allowed to get close.

"Vyra!" Sonya the other female Outcast yelled. She was running towards me, her red hair trailing like fire behind her. "Come here!"

She could easily be placed into Clan Sol. That is, if her eyes weren't the striking blue of Clan Stellae.

"What?" I asked, immediately confused.

Even though I was the most hated out of the Outcasts, running past the shops and screaming my name like a madwoman earned us more dirty looks from the other Clan members.

She latched onto my outstretched wrists, "You have to come with me now-"

"Vyra!" Petir, the third outcast in our trio, came barreling through the main path. He pulled more attention to us.

From Clan Caelum and Clan Stellae, the Lycan outcast was more than handsome. Extremely tall, with dark satin-like skin. His features were cut like soft marble, with sage green eyes and coily, golden hair.

"I said to wait!" Petir scolded Sonya.

She remained silent, looking between the two of us. Petir caught the expression of the red-headed woman and stepped closer to her.

"Can one of you please just tell me!"

Sonya's expression returned to its animated form, "The Alpha is making an announcement in the marketplace. He was about to send his guards to get you, but we offered instead."

"Me?" My heart felt like it was being punched with a mallet. "Should I take my chance and run?"

"Yeah, and die trying." Petir laughed, grabbing onto my right arm and gesturing for Sonya to take the other. He did not know how great that option sounded to me at the moment.

"You don't understand." I tried protesting quietly as they dragged me closer to the center of the marketplace. "The Alpha is insane."

"Well, you never told us what happened that night. After the ritual." Sonya offered, her eyes widening with expectation.

Snow began to fall from the sky. I felt them rest on my lashes, wet my lips. Another omen.

I lowered my voice further. "He doesn't want to kill me. Yet. He wants to train me so that I can battle him for the title of Alpha."

"That's fucking crazy," Petir commented. It didn't take away the amusement from his expression. "We may have our first female Alpha."

"Shut up, you both know I will lose."

Sonya nudged me, waving her eyebrows. "I don't know how it could be a loss being mated to Seren. I would let him claw me to ribbons."

Petir shook his head, though I could see the flash of jealousy in his eyes. Our companion was oblivious.

"I am just glad that if he chooses to battle you, we will have more time together."

My frustration quickly melted into affection.

"I am glad you both have hope. I do not think I have ever hoped at all."

Neither of my companions could answer, as I brought a cloud of gloom over the group. They couldn't deny that I was born from ruination and I would leave this world the same way.

"Look!" Sonya exclaimed.

They hadn't been lying. In fact, they may have underestimated.

There the Alpha was, standing in the middle of Holly Square. Right in front of the large bonfire that sat burning in the snow center of the marketplace. He prowled around its edge, gliding over craggy stone like it was glass.

Some of his men were stationed around the sides, peering through the crowd. A large amount of the pack gathered, holding items as they stopped on their way to work.

The Alpha stopped, turning. Looking like a god from the underworld as flame and snow swirled around him. My heart stopped when his silver eyes froze right on me, even as I was situated at the back of the crowd.

I thought he was going to make me come up there with him.

He did not. Instead, he tore his eyes from me. His expression was just as severe as always, even though his face was as structured and pretty as if chipped away from the ice. I took in his massive form, dripping head to toe in dark armor, showing off his muscled arms and thighs.

The snow did not seem to bother him, as it kissed his bronze skin and then disappeared.

I cowered further into myself, knowing that every single person around me wondered how my insignificant form could be matched with his.

"Thank you Pack Rupes, for most of you gathering. I need you to bear witness to this moment, as any sacrifice made to the gods requires."

"What?" Sonya whispered beside me.

I felt a chill race down my spine. No. No. No. No.

"This cannot be happening." I tried to squeeze my eyes shut and open them. But I was awake, already. There was no escaping this nightmare.

"What is happening?" Petir questioned. Outcasts were not invited to witness sacrifices. They usually called for blood, not for a life. They were also rare, as calling upon the god's required spiritual energy, usually generated by Clan ceremonies.

I knew exactly what it was for.

The Priestess from Clan Stellae stepped onto the ledge of the bonfire with the Alpha. She began to chant, lifting her hands towards the sky. The snow clouds completely blocked out the sun, turning the world into shades of blue and gray.

The fire behind the Alpha and the Priestess changed from a warm orange, into a silvery lavender. The crowd began to gasp, pointing at the phenomenon. It meant they were calling upon the moon goddess, Lunae.

And she was listening.

The Alpha turned to see the color of the flame and thanked the Priestess. She stepped to the side, letting him stand directly in the middle of the crowd.

He flickered his gaze over my form, before pulling out a small blade from his belt, lifting its black blade to the fire. He murmured something soft, closing his eyes, before he turned back to the crowd.

The Alpha cocked his head towards the sky, "You challenge me?" In the silence, he sent an arrogant smile at the omnipresent goddess of the moon, "I challenge you back." The man lifted his knife, and cut across the large flat expanse of his open palm. Squeezing and letting the dark red drip into the silver flames, "With my blood, bind Vyra Lupine and I, Seren Umbra to this earth until the next Oak Moon. Let me fight a Lycan worthy of death. You will take neither of us any sooner, in exchange for my sacrifice."

My blood trudged through my veins like snow. Colder and colder, until I was shivering. Waiting for the moon goddess to strike me down.

Instead, the flames disappeared.

The Alpha moved back, inspecting the smoke as the fire snuffed out. Doused within a second, by an unseen force. The winter enveloped us all, leaving the Clan in shadow.

"She's appeased," the Alpha declared.

I am not sure what would have happened if the moon goddess was not willing to take his bargain.

It seemed like the rest of the Clan did. As one by one, heads started to turn to me. Varied expressions of stupefaction and judgment crossing their faces.

"I'm appeased." Sonya said, waving at her heated face despite the fact it had only gotten colder. "Vyra, how are you not dying from that alone?"

I ignored her, commenting to myself. "The goddess is thirsty for blood. And cheap entertainment."

Her accepting his sacrifice meant I would live, until the choice was taken from me. I would be his mate, until I was killed. I would have to fight this great Alpha, and I would lose.

Petir shook his head, stirring on his feet as the crowd of people began to disperse slowly. "I haven't seen the Alpha so...vocal. About anything. He usually just scowls people into submission." The man startled, taking a step back as he stared straight out. "Oh fuck."

I followed Petir's line of sight, to see the Alpha glaring right at them.

"Like that?" I commented dryly. I was already becoming accustomed to the abrupt changes in mood of the Alpha. Like he could not decide whether to be brooding or triumphant.

Sonya laughed nervously, looking between the pair. "I should get going. I will be late, see you both tonight."

We bid our goodbye but stayed behind. Petir could tell when I was on the brink of collapse.

"My point stands, Vyra. He is going out of his way to keep you alive, instead of just killing you like the rest of the pack wants. He must have a reason," Petir commented, growing serious.

"His only purpose is to make me regret ever being born," I grumbled back, crossing my arms over my chest.

Petir put a careful hand on my shoulder and squeezed affectionately. "You'll get through this."

I smiled at him softly, not being able to discourage my friend. We all knew the truth deep down.

By next winter, I would no longer exist.

"Fatis amare." the Alpha called to me, his voice filled with sardonic amusement.

We both turned, and Petir broke our contact. We hadn't noticed the Alpha crept up beside us, a true predator of the woods.

The taller male glared between us, the smile on his lips not matching the intention of his eyes.

"Excuse me?" I asked, finally comprehending what the man just called me, out in the open.

It was a very open taunt, as it was a common phrase used between mated pairs. Its literal meaning was that he was fated to love me.

"Is there a problem?" The Alpha turned his body entirely towards me, cutting Petir out of the space. As if he wasn't there.

Yes, there was a problem, several actually. He did not love me, therefore using the phrase was a sign of disrespect. Used to mock the fact that I was beneath him, and unworthy of the title. He gave less than a damn about the sacredness of that phrase.

And, he wasn't acknowledging Petir. I did not take him for the type to ignore Outcasts, but here he was.

I felt something other than the gnawing numbness in my throat.

My life was protected, and for once I had the power to do and say whatever I wanted. I would use it wisely.

I would make him want to kill me before our battle arrived.

"It seems that I have misjudged you greatly." I hated the way my voice was shaking as I said it. I probably looked silly, attempting to be intimidating.

I no longer cared. I was going to die in a year, so what did it matter?

"Oh? How so?" The Alpha's smile warmed, his silver eyes less icy. He looked intrigued, as he bared more of his teeth. He leaned in, and I refused to step away, though I suddenly felt as if I was making a grave mistake.

Petir tried to warn me, "Vyra don't-"

"Leave us," the Alpha commanded him, without lifting his gaze from me. I made a promise to apologize to Petir later, who was forced to move along to his workshop. Only when the man was completely out of our sight, the Alpha continued, "As you were saying?"

It was much harder now that we were alone.

Heat erupted over my skin, as if the bonfire now proudly burnt from within me. The feeling of anticipation only increased as the Alpha dared to take another step towards me.

Like a willow, my body just barely inched towards his. Pulled by whatever thread of fate wound us together.

I snapped myself out of it, but not before the Alpha noticed the slight lapse in judgment.

It had to be some spiritual sickness from the unfinished mating bond. I would never be crazy enough to want to get closer to the jaws of danger otherwise.

His smirk only fueled my anger. Just enough to be able to speak my mind for the first time in my pathetic life.

"I thought you to be level-headed and just leader. That you were better than your father and the rest of your pack combined. But now I see you are all cut from the same cloth."

Embers erupted from my words, but they barely singed his skin. The dark amusement never left his striking face. Closer and closer he came to me, like he wanted to peer into my soul and find out where my hurtful words were rooted.

My chest tightened painfully. I could see just how many shades of silver painted his irises. Like stars streaking across the sky and over the moon.

So close, his frame towered over me, past my face. I felt the heat of him, burning along the right side of my body. I couldn't help but shiver as his mouth neared my ear, never touching.

I resisted another gut wrenching urge to just give in to the warmth.

"Well then, Vyra." His deep voice raked over my ear, my neck. Anything but cold, as snow fell softly around us. I felt his lips curled in another, secret smile, "You just haven't been paying enough attention."

I was the one who moved away, as I was breathing too quickly. I looked up at him, my heart pounding and my head swimming.

I didn't know what to make of him or his cryptic answers.

The Alpha's straight nose was curled, his body straightened in a defensive stance. Still he was angled towards me. All humor left his expression.

"You smell terrible." His silver eyes shone like the edge of a blade, he spoke in a terrifyingly low voice.

I couldn't help but laugh. It was so blunt and unexpected from a man who was supposedly raised with manners. It shocked me into speaking out.

"I'm sorry, what?" I must have heard him wrong. He did not just say that. I started sniffing around my body, my cheeks flushed.

I had fully washed myself just earlier this morning, using the soap I made from cranberries and winter jasmine. Was it still not good enough for Lycan royalty?

He looked reluctant to answer me, his mind further away from me. I felt his disapproval as his eyes traced over my body with scrutiny.

His eyes darkened, his voice made of stone, "You smell of others."

What?

Of course I smell like others, I wanted to tell him. I sleep next to two full grown adults every night, in a cramped shack.

"Alpha-" I started to explain myself.

"Seren," he corrected me gruffly.

I don't know why, but it seemed like I had finally offended him.

The Alpha walked away from me, his fists tightly held by his side. As if he were holding himself back.

I watched him saunter off into the snowy morning, more conflicted than ever.

It was only then I realized his true plan.

He was going to kill me, slowly and softly. Until there was nothing left to fight.