Loving The Cursed Lycan

Two

That day happened to be today.

"I'll be fine," I told Greg, reaching to mess up his hair before pausing. Blood still dirtied my hand from the deer. Instead, I bumped into him teasingly.

"Come on. If Dad is calling for me, that means the lycans are here."

When I walked into the house, it was into a world of chaos. My mother was hysterical with panic, similar to last year when she had to present Greg to the wolves. I could still hear her cry of sheer relief and terror when he came back untouched but in tears.

"Melissa, where were you?!" She screeched in fear. I dropped the deer in bewilderment. My close family were all buzzing around the room in panic. My aunt immediately began to pull off my clothes while my cousin simultaneously began tugging the presentation dress over my head.

"There's no time for a bath, darling. The other potentials are already there." My aunt cooed to me as soothingly as possible, picking at the remains of the woods in my wild hair. My initial shock was turning into real fear.

"I'm late, am I?" I asked.

"We sent Greg to come get you hours ago." My cousin stressed with anxiety. I stepped into the shoes placed in front of me, but it did me no good.

I looked wrecked. A glance around revealed a guilty-appearing Greg who no doubt had tried to postpone my return to avoid having to present me. My mother was beside herself now that I was here, wailing with fear.

My father was comforting her the best he could, but he looked terrified himself.

"There's just no time, Melissa. Go on. Get there as fast as your feet will take you," My aunt instructed me, her voice strained.

Before I could turn to obey, she grasped my face in her hands quickly. "Step lightly, my child.”

*******

"Remain unseen," I breathed, repeating what had been lectured to me since the requirements had been announced.

She let go of me and I ran back into the cold January morning air. My feet felt less sure as I hurried to the presentation. The sky suddenly grew excessively bright, waking everyone up. As I ran by, I noticed people that I knew and didn't know standing in doors and looking out of windows.

My feet felt weighted rather than light. I felt really vulnerable and like everyone was watching me. I felt my stomach tighten with fear.

I walked up to the Center Hall, the townhouse where the annual presentation was held. Other than my hurried breaths as I grabbed for the door, there was no sound in the area.

I hesitated, taking a moment to collect my breath before straightening my shoulders and opening the door.

"Finally!" The village leader John declared as he saw me enter the lobby. He immediately grasped my arm, tugging me almost roughly towards a side door.

"You're late and they're extremely impatient... people."

"Im sorry," I apologized sincerely, trying not to panic as I was led into the presentation

I looked around and saw people standing, each with an expression of fear as we entered. Most were relieved when they saw it was just me, but many others seemed to be stuck in that constant terrorized state.

"Stand with them. I'l be right back," John announced, leaving me with the rest swiftly. I quickly shuffled to the end of the line, glancing at the others despite not wanting to.

I didn't want to see the face of the one chosen.

I would already be haunted enough. But as I waited, I saw that every female had been thoroughly washed. Their hair was precisely groomed. Their clothing for the presentation were flawless, free of any stains or tears. Even for a brief period, their skin was shielded from the elements.

I paused and cast a downward glance at myself.

My hunt and the woods were still visible in the wild hair on my head. My dress was torn by the sprint here. My hands were covered in the blood of my prey. I was still covered in blood after dragging the corpse along my legs' backs. I smelled like animals, plants, and nature in general. It was painfully clear.

Move slowly. Stay hidden. That sentence wouldn't leave my mind.

When the door swung open loudly once more. The people standing next to me whimpered, as afraid as anyone to be there. I had never seen the divine shapeshifters before, so I glanced at the two forms that followed the village chief. I was overcome with fear, but at the same moment, I felt horribly curious and dazed at being before such creatures.

One remained away, plainly demonstrating respect for him as he let the other take the lead. The dominant lycan was a powerful individual who exuded authority. I thought I would only be able to distinguish a few of his features even if I stared at him for hours. He was hideous in person. He didn't give us a direct gaze, but he was radiating intensity as he moved in front of us. His hair was either light brown or dark blonde, short and unmaintained.

Every portion of him that I could see bared, which wasn't much, was severely scarred. He appeared to have scars from animal bites on his face from both claws and teeth, yet he was actually quite striking and god-like. He resembled some of the gods I had pictured in my head while I was growing up.

"My name is King Alpha Caesar Stone," He announced sharply, his voice a growl of distaste as he addressed us with us as a whole; as though he couldn't actually see the potential victims. I would have been stunned by his introduction, after all the King Alpha was considered the highest on the lycan rulership and in the same way the highest ruler over the human cattle, but my current level of panic was too high to surpass any further.

I felt downright numb.