Rise of the Lycan Queen

New Allegiances

Marcus snarled as he looked at her, and her daring to challenge them in this manner. "Who are you to demand us explain our actions while you were nothing more than a child? We had to ensure our Races survived so that you could have the chance to become what you are. We have done what was needed to survive until now!" he said angrily as Ashley looked at him without reacting at all. His eyes went wide as not one of the Guards made a move to restrain him in any way.

She saw the loom of recognition that he would be able to get to her before any of the other Lycans could get to her before he could. "Go ahead, if you think you have the advantage. I am sure most of the Lycans here would be entertained by the fact you believe you stand a chance." she told him evenly. Daring him to attack her in front of all of them.

"You wouldn't stand a chance if I did." Marcus said as Hammer stepped up next to her and threw a bag at his feet. It contained the heads of the 3 Vampyres she had killed on her first shift. "I would not be so sure of that King Marcus. She was well trained by her father, and she has spent her life training for this in ways you cannot imagine." he said before he stepped back.

Marcus looked at the 3 heads, and it was clear he recognized one of them. "So it is you I have to thank for killing that one? It seems you have already done the Supernatural Races a great service." he said before he grabbed the head of the one he knew was the Prince of the Vampyres. "It seems we now know why they have begun attacking all of us, and that it will not end any time soon."

"Who is he?" Ashley asked him.

"Prince Tiberius of the Vampyres, Heir to their Throne, and General of their Armies." Draycon told her as Marcus held up the head so that all of them could see it. 'Seems you are even better than I thought.' he said in her mindlink making her smile.

'I am full of surprises.' she replied as she looked at Marcus. "So it seems that the very day I gained my Lycan, that I was able to prove myself against our enemy. How many have you killed in 13 years?" she asked him rhetorically as they all knew none of them had. They had mostly sealed their borders and kept their own people safe.

"Your point is well made Queen Ashley." Marcus conceded as he had battled the Prince many times over the years. He felt bittersweet about having been denied the opportunity to kill the Vampyre himself. "We however need to come to a consensus on how we can move forward. In a manner that we are all equals."

Ashley laughed as he said that. "I am simply asking why you have waited 13 years to continue this work if each of you viewed it as being so vital to your own long term survival? Not one of you has been able to give even a crappy answer other than for each of your Races to survive while my people have bore the brunt of their attacks for that entire time. The number of Lycan lives lost over that time can be measured in the thousands, and none of that can be placed at my feet. I had no knowledge or memory of what happened, and was in no position to lead my people. Not one of you can claim any of those reasons, or it seems provide any of us one as to why you each went back on your word." she chastised all of them as she threw the scroll of the Alliance on the table in front of her.

"If we are to come together now, it will not be under the false promises of the past. It will be with the full knowledge that we do so for our survival from this day forward. With spells and enchantments provided by our magic friends that will ensure each of us remains loyal to the alliance, and unable to betray us all." Ashley told them as she lit the scroll on fire. It was only a copy as she wanted to keep the original, however the message she was sending was clear.

"Who will lead this alliance?" Marcus asked.

Ashley looked at him curious. "That would be the White Lycan, would it not?" she asked him seriously.

Most of the other Royals nodded and Marcus was one of them.

"That would be ideal. If the White Lycan even exists. There is only record of one in history, and than it is not complete." King Drake said.

Ashley smiled as she threw the genealogy book on the table, that her mother had created for her. It traced her female lineage over the thousands of years that they had been on this planet. "The last White Lycan was Artemis herself, mother and Goddess to most of the Supernatural Races. Including the Wolves and Lycans. That shows my direct lineage to her blood, and the one and only time I will bend to your desires for undeniable proof." With that Ashley shifted in front of them all, her massive Lycan forming in seconds as her clothing disappeared. "Any questions?" she asked standing there as the White Lycan.

"Holy shit." Gretchen said at the same time most of the others shared similar outbursts as she changed back.

"How in the world? I thought Lycans only gained like 2 feet when they shifted. That was like 4 and a half." Marcus said in shocked disbelief.

Hammer looked at him and smiled. "Still think your odds were very good? Just so you know, she killed those 3 before the Patrols had a chance to intercept them. She was finished within 30 seconds while the Patrol finished the fourth. The fourth that she had severly beaten before they arrived."

The other leaders were a bit surprised by that knowledge, as Vampyres were generally very difficult to kill one on one. It was unheard of for a single person to take on several of them and walk away essentially unscathed.

"How were you able to defeat so many at once?" Gretchen asked.

"I have trained in combat since I joined the Grey Dawn Pack, every day since I detonated the final charge that ended the attack on my parents and made my escape. Not even suspecting that this would happen, I have spent the time training my mind and body to do exactly what must be done now." Ashley told them all.

"Where does the Ancient Pack stand?" Marcus asked Ladron.

"We are Lycan, we stand behind the undisputed Queen of the Lycans."Ladron told him.

"Undisputed, I believe I would like to hear that from your son." Marcus said looking at him.

Prince Hunter stood and walked beside his father, who was standing several paces behind her. "What would you like to know Marcus?" he asked deadpan.

"You do not wish to challenge for the Throne?" he asked simply.

"No, I would not like to challenge her again." Hunter told him with no emotion.

Most of the leaders caught his meaning with again, and Marcus was one of them. "She defeated you?" he asked surprised.

"She toyed with me your Majesty, and broke 5 ribs in the process. Captain Neebar came out of his battle unscathed, but did not prevail either. Another warrior had it far worse, punctured and collapsed Lung, 8 broken ribs, 1 of the shattered into 5 pieces, and a severe concussion he has been healing from for the past 3 days. In fact, I would be getting on her should any of you wish to challenge her. Including you Prince Draycon." he said knowing that was one thing they had done over the past decade. The warriors had trained with each other sporadically, and Draycon was nearly the undisputed Champion of the Races.

Draycon turned to look at him, and could tell the Lycan was hiding a smirk. "What makes you say that?" he asked.

Hunter raised his eyebrows. "When did you last force Neebar to submit before knocking him to the ground?" Hunter asked him pointedly. Draycon had never managed to defeat Neebar, let alone force him to submit.

"I would pay to see that happen." Draycon told him.

"I believe we have footage of the 3 challenges from that night, if you wish to view it." Ladron told them honestly.

Draycon was shocked by that without taking his eyes off of Hunter. "Who managed that feat?" he asked glaring at him as Ashley turned and looked at him.

"You may be a big bad dragon, but I am the White Lycan, blessed by the Moon, and future Goddess if the Moon. The feat that all of you seem to believe is so difficult was achieved by me." she told him before she looked at the other Leaders who were staring at her now. "What?" she asked.

"That is a bold claim to make, especially with no ability to us to verify it." Drake said from his seat.

"Why is it impossible to prove?" a voice asked as a ball of light appeared next to Ashley before Artemis materialized. "Why not simply ask for guidance from the Moon Goddess?" she asked him as all of the people excluding Ashley dropped to a knee before her.

"Moon Goddess, how can what she says be true?" Marcus asked.

"It is the way it is, and long has my journey been with all of you been. It is time for me to rest, which means a new Goddess must take on the mantle of the Moon. That is the true purpose of the White Lycan, and you would all be wise to follow her. Is that all you needed to know, or do you still have doubts?" Artemis asked them. After several moments when none of them said anything, she disappeared in a burst of light.

"You mentioned something about being able to verify it?" Ashley asked him. "Now that we have the bullshit out of the way, can we proceed to determine the world we wish to live in moving forward?"

Each of the leaders knelt before her, and swore they would follow her as she shared the future of their world. She knew it was just the first step in what she knew would be a long journey.