A Tragon's Crown

Today was the Lykaia ceremony. It was a customary celebration meant for the firstborn of the Tragon family, heir to the throne of the Riverdale Pack, but the ironic thing was that I wasn't the one being celebrated; instead, it was my dear brother Trevor, who was the second in line.

I had always known my father disapproved of my birth, and he made no efforts to hide it. He had always wanted a boy to take his place as the alpha to the throne. My mother had died while giving birth to me, which was why I was considered a child of bad luck. To my father, I was responsible for his mate's untimely death; it didn't help that I was her exact replica. He always avoided looking at me, too afraid to see his wife's face on the child he ahorbed.

My father never married again because he felt that if he did so, he would be replacing my mother, but he did have a mistress, Estella, who was Trevor's mother. Estella made it her duty for me to know my place, which she always reminded me was in the gutters. She was like a dark cloud hovering over me, which somehow I couldn't get rid of. Like all cycles of violence, it always starts with a slap,then a punch, and next thing I knew, I was being thrown off the stairs.

I was battered, bruised, and broken; each day was torture, I felt suffocated like I couldn't breathe; Estella's favorite routine was hurling all forms of derogatory names at me.

"You think you are special, you ugly brat," I recalled her saying to me one night.

"You are nothing but trash, and no one likes trash, or isn't that why your father is so disgusted by you?" she crackled mockingly.

"You are useless, useless; that's all you will ever be."

I had promised myself to never give her the satisfaction of seeing me cry, but I couldn't control my tears that day as they spilled down. It felt like she was trying to make me feel as miserable as she was. The beatings only brought me pain, but the words did the most damage. The words were like bells ringing in my head until they got stuck, and I started to believe them. It didn't help that Estella got mad at me for the silliest reasons. I once got slammed into the huge standing mirror, which was usually situated in the hallway. The glass burrowed into my skin, creating a few messy cuts.

Trevor was no better. I was scared out of my wits at the sight of him. He and his friends would come up with nasty pranks to pull on me while they laughed their asses off as if it were the joke of the century as I pleaded for help. Trevor loved to play his own twisted version of hide and seek, where it was a thrill for the hunter but not so much for the prey, and I was often the prey. I always wished he would never catch me because of the terrible things he would do to me afterwards, but somehow he always seemed to know where I had hidden. He would frequently brag to me that I could never hide from him no matter what.

Trevor and his friends once thought it would be fun to dunk my face underwater to see how long I could last. I almost drowned that day. I recalled the water filling my lungs, and I began gasping for air, but Trevor's hand held firm. It was only after I stopped moving that Trevor began to panic. In his frightened state, he rushed to get the pack doctor. I was lucky to be revived immediately. Estella had dismissed it as just a childish prank, stating it was merely an accident, and my father never questioned it. I began to wonder: if I had died that day, would my father even care?

Despite being the illegitimate child, Trevor had warmed his way into my father's favor while I struggled to get even a glimpse of his affection. As a child, I yearned for my father's approval, even if it was just once, but nothing I did was ever good enough, whereas Trevor didn't even have to try hard enough. Father only had eyes for one person, which unfortunately wasn't me. Slowly, I found myself fading into the background.

If Trevor did something bad, I was blamed for it. In my father's eyes, Trevor could do no wrong. While Trevor was lavished with gifts on his birthdays, I always got nothing, and while Trevor was allowed to play with the other pubs, in the pack I wasn't, Estella had made sure I was alienated from the pack,I had no friends nor anyone at all to talk to and even though the pack didn't treat me like dirt the way my family did,I was however avoided like a plague as if I had some form of contagious aliment. Back then we were still kids but even now we were grown nothing has changed it was still the same,as if it wasn't enough validation that I was born a girl,I had no wolf or so I wanted the entire pack to believe, the first time I shifted into my wolf form I had just turned eight, I had gone alone hunting in the woods when my bones began to crack,a brusque bolt of pain shot right through me as fur covered my entire body,razor sharp claws retracted from my fingers,my eyes gleamed the colour of the moon, legends had told of the silver wolf describing it as an abomination,sliver was the only weapon deadly to a wolf and therefore seen as cursed,it is said during the battle of thorns the two celestial sisters the moon goddess Selene and the sun goddess Solei fought each other for the Etheral throne, Solei knowing she was no match for her sister offered to give any one who would help her defeat her sister's army of were creatures a thousand jade crowns.

Circe, who was known as the deceiver, harbored such vile hatred towards the sisters, seeing this as an opportunity. Using her deceptive ways, she promised to make Solei a weapon powerful enough to kill a werewolf, taking a drop of Solei's blood. Circe went on to recreate an imitation of Selene's were-like creature, giving it the power of silver in an attempt to mock her out of spite.

The silver wolf slaughtered hundreds of Selene's beloved were creatures, the deceiver had hoped this action was enough to provoke Selene into killing her sister,Selene outraged went to the temple of Oars to confront her sister, but one look at Solei softened her heart, for the bound they shared prevented her from harming Solei, they talked about their transgressions against each other and resolved to settle for peace but this action did not please the deceiver as she rose from where she hid in the temple silting Solei's throat, just then the silver wolf had returned coming to inform Solei of it's successful mission and had witnessed Selene's hands stained with blood while she held her sister in her arms, thinking Selene responsible for the death of its mistress the silver wolf vowed to avenge her death and have since then continued to hunt werewolves down,I doubted many people believed the legend of the silver wolf,I didn't as well until after my first shift then I realized that I was indeed the silver wolf.

If any one in the pack discovered what I was,I had no doubt I would be executed immediately not even my immunity as the alpha's daughter could save me,so I did the only thing I could to ensure my safety that day I banished my wolf,the pain was beyond anything I had imagined almost bringing me once again to death's doors,in werewolves our souls were tethered together by a linking thread with our wolves, making us one and the same person, the bound of such connection was so powerful that it was almost impossible to severe it,it felt like I had ripped out a part of my own soul,I remembered the whimpered cries of my wolf as she tried to fight back holding on to thread unwilling to let go but my will was stronger,I felt her anger,her desparation and disappointment, but I didn't stop until she was no more, because I was too afraid of my father and the entire pack I had reduced my self approximately to being human,for a were wolf was nothing without her wolf,I avoided the mirrors too scared to see the helplessness and victimisation of my own reflection, I should have been braver, I tried to pep talk myself but it was easier said than done.

Rage built up in me like a tidal wave, as I watched Trevor bask in the adoration and praise of the people. This was supposed to be my Lykaia, I screamed in my head. His mate Maya sat beside him, enjoying the attention a little too much. A proud smile was plastered on her face, but when she glanced my way, she flashed me a predatory smirk.

I had purposely secured a seat close to a corner that was well hidden, but as soon as I stood up, heading for the confetti table, the whispers ignited, and my ears absorbed the words as they stung.

"Isn't that the wolfless daughter of the alpha?" a voice said.

"Such a disgrace; the alpha must be ashamed to have her as his daughter," the other cooed.

"She shouldn't be allowed to attend this prestigious ceremony," another chirped in.

"I heard she hides her face with a veil because she is as hideous as a beast," someone chided, and a roar of laughter rose amongst themselves.

The veil which I wore covered my entire face only stopping mildly few inches before my lips,no one knew the real reason why I wore a veil in the first place and as a result speculations flew, not even my father's threats had gotten me to remove the veil,I had worn it since after my first shift,my wolf might have left me but the flecks of silver in my eyes was a huge giveaway and I couldn't risk being linked with the silver wolf,I was so desperate that I would sneak into the apothecary whenever the pack doctor wasn't around, using his hand book as a guide I mixed healing herbs and elixirs in hopes of changing my eye colour but no matter the blend I concocted nothing seemed to work and after several failed attempts I gave up.

As soon as I got close to gossiping girls, their lips clamped shut. "Cowards," I muttered under my breath. They couldn't even say it to my front. The ceremony was just starting, but I was already worn out from putting up with these people. Initially, I was going for a glass of water, but I changed my mind, deciding I needed something stronger. I gulped five glasses of champagne at a stretch without caring how anyone looked at me.

Few yards away from me stood Klaus,the ladies heartthrob, his father Hunter was my father's closest friend and the beta making him the second highest ranking authority in the pack, Klaus was an epitome of the moon goddess finest work of art,I glared daggers at the blonde vixen who was Maya's younger sister Bethany as clung onto him while batting her eyelashes at him, as she grazed her fingers on his arms making a light strokes in attempt to seduce him,I felt a slight triumph as Klaus barely paid her any attention,if anything he looked slightly bored but the vixen was trying her luck way too much as she bent to whisper something in Klaus ear's, "Seriously couldn't she just give it a rest" I mumbled bringing the wine cup to my lips.

"Wow I didn't know you drink this much" an airy voice purred behind me startling me a bit, turning I came face to face with Krian,Krian was for some inexplicable reason the only one in the pack who bothered to have a conversation with me, he was Klaus younger brother by two seasons moon,Krian was nothing like his brother even in looks,while Klaus exuded Selene's grace and charm as supposed of a gentle man,Krian on the other hand was an unstoppable force of nature that couldn't be contained,he was the wild adventurous type,always doing what he was told not to,Klaus had the striking resemblance of his mother inheriting most of her good features whereas Krian was a chip of the old block identical to his father and even though he wasn't dripping hot like Klaus,he was still good looking in his own right,too bad he wasn't the one I wanted to have a conversation with, I grumbled in my head, glancing in Klaus's direction again. Krian approached my side, chattering away. I figured if I just ignored him, he would eventually consider me a sore bore and leave, but Krian was not one to be deterred easily, so he plainly pretended not to notice my antics and went even further, trying to engage me in a conversation.

The sonorous sound from the violin indicated that it was time for the dance, with a confident smirk, he extended his hand as an invitation. I was slightly tempted to turn him down just so I could wipe that smirk off his face, but then, that meant I would have to stand by the side alone while I watched others paired up, and I doubt anyone else would be willing to consider me as a dance partner.

"So tell me, Krian, are there not any other ladies that you fancy? Why pick me, the girl scorned as a leper? Surely it isn't out of pity, or is it?" I questioned defiantly. The vibration of his soft chuckles made me feel a slight leap in my heart.

"I didn't know you were one to make small talks," he stated, the amusement evident in his eyes.

"I didn't know you were one to evade questions either." I countered that there was a mid pause before he responded.

"You remind me of the Kadupul."

"The what...." I asked, furrowing my brows, confused.

"The kadupul," he repeated again.

"My mother used to have a garden,it was my father's gift to her when she turned thirty, she would stay all day cooped up in there watering the plants while she inhaled their refreshing scents, like my mother I was fascinated by nature's beauty I would go there often with her when I was a kid,in there were so many exotic flowers but my favorite was the kadupul,unlike other flowers she rarely bloomed making it difficult to spot, at first glance she was unremarkable but when she did bloom,no other flowers could rival her beauty, like the queen of the night, she glowed under the moonlight, her petals were shaped like the stars while she emits this soothing fragrance,I see you as the kadupul waiting to bloom and I have always been one who prided myself to go for the rarest of things" he disclosed.

His admission left me speechless. A million butterflies fluttered in my stomach, all clamoring to be set free, and suddenly I was extremely conscious of his hands on my waist, which left mild tingles on my skin. His gaze penetrated the veil like he could see deep into my soul. His eyes held no scorn nor the resentment I was used to; instead, they held something warmer. He spinned me around, pulling me closer to his chest. His breath fanned my neck as he brought his lips so close that it grazed my ear while he whispered in his deep baritone voice, "You intrigue me, Ramona," leaving me completely stunned as the dance came to an end.

Suddenly, a chorus of terrified screams resonated around me like a blaring foghorn snapping me out of my daze. A deep sense of uneasiness held me rigid, and the sharp tang of copper filled my nostrils, indicating imminent danger as shadows crawled into the halls. My thoughts were like needles jabbing over my skin, telling me the worst was yet to come.

A thousand years after Solei the sun goddess's death, an inky dense darkness covered the skies such that even at the afternoon hour it was an unrelenting twilight, then the deviants were released. The deviants were horrifying monsters that preyed on blood and flesh. Solei had trapped them in their cells using her sun power, but with her gone, they were now free to roam around. Circe, still blinded by her hate, began plotting the demise of Selene and all her were-creatures using the forbidden black arts. Circe was able to hypnotize the monsters, gaining them under her control. She went further to launch a sieged attack, but Selene, who foresaw this in a premonition, created the fold. The fold was crafted from the very essence of the arcane forces of the earth, sky, and cosmos, which drew upon the ebb and flow of natural energies. The fold formed an impenetrable barrier, shielding us from the whims of those monsters.

For years, the fold has stood tall despite Circe's attempts to destroy it, but now that the fold has been breached, it only means one thing: Circe was gaining strength while Selene grew weaker, and no one could save us now that the monsters were in, for the only thing they brought in their wake was death.