The Lycan Queen

Chapter 9: The ceremony

    Rose stretched her stiff muscles; she had been sitting in front of her laptop for hours over the past couple days. She had been taking her meals in her room, while her mother was concerned that she may be depressed. Her father had been to busy with everything going on to show much concern. She looked over the papers of information she had recorded. There were three abandoned buildings within a hundred-mile radius of the pack: A factory, An old warehouse, and an Asylum. The latter of the three looking the most promising, the Asylum sat twenty-seven miles North of the pack, on the other side of the mountain. It had been abandoned for nearly seventy years. According to the information she had found on the web, the establishment was ordered to close its doors in 1952 due to inhumane treatment of its patients.

    It was the night before the ceremony, while Rose was well aware she should be resting for the long day ahead. She wanted to make sure that she had everything she needed, for after the ceremony. She planned to set out to the Asylum the morning after, she prayed that the Moon Goddess would spare her from finding her mate at the ceremony. A mate would just complicate things even more at the moment. She shoved everything into her desk at the sound of a knock on her door. “Come in,” she called. Her mother opened the door, “Can I come in?” “Yeah, I was just about to get ready to call it a night.” “Okay, honey I just wanted to talk to you really quick. Are you ready for tomorrow night?” “As ready as I can be.” Meridah sat on the bed patting it for Rose to sit by her, “Honey, it has torn me to pieces to watch you go through the things you have lately. I was surprised when your father told me that you still wanted to continue on with the ceremony.” Concealing her frustration with how naive her mother could be, “I just didn’t want all the hard work you had put into everything to be thrown away.” “You are so selfless. You have no idea how proud your father and I are of you. Which is why I wanted to give you this,” Meridah spoke as she pulled an Amulet from her the pocket of her robe placing it in Rose’s hand. Rose looked at the Amulet resting in her palm it was a wolf howling at the moon, but the moon was in the shape of a woman. “My father gave me this when I left the pack to be with your father, and while I hope that you will find your mate here. I can not turn a blind eye to the fact that your mate could very well belong to a different pack. Remember no matter where you do, no matter how far you travel a piece of me will forever be with you.” Hugging her mother, “I love you mom.” “I love you too, Roselin. Now get some rest tomorrow is a big day.” Her mother left closing the door behind her. Rose placed the Amulet on her nightstand, climbing into bed.

    Rose found herself standing in the hallway that had become all too familiar in her dreams.  She had no time to waste, tonight her dream would not control her. With mor curiosity than a plan she rushed down the hall towards the sound of dripping water. She pushed open the stainless-steel door that hid away the cell that held Abel prisoner. Stepping inside she found herself engulfed in darkness. She walked forward until Abel laying on the concrete floor behind the cell wall come into sight. She paused willing herself to be not just exist there, but actually be apart of the dream. “Abel,” she whispered. She waited but nothing, not even a stir. “Abel”, she whispered a little louder, but still nothing. “Abel,” she now called a bit loudly. His head jerked towards her, “Rose,” his face twisted in confusion. It had worked she sighed, “It’s me” “How is this even possible?” “I don’t know how to explain it. I don’t fully understand it myself.” “You have to get out of here, before they find you.” “Who are they, Abel. Who is holding you here?” “I don’t know who he is. I haven’t seen him, only his servants but I’ve heard him. He’s a Lycan.” “Was Hannah one of his servants?” “How do you know about Hannah?” Rose was about to explain, but a hand grabbed her a familiar voice growled, “How did you get here?” Rose jerked awake gasping for air. “Damn it,” she punched the bed around her.

    They weren’t dreams. They were a connection, but she had learned how to use it. She laid in bed, that voice she had heard it before, she was sure of it. She knew the Lycan who was holding Abel captive, she was positive. She climbed out of bed pulling out her computer, and papers. The sun was coming up when she was finally satisfied with all the information she had obtained. She neatly packed away everything into her backpack, along with the few things she planned to take with her. One of those things being the Amulet her mother had given her. Stretching her knotted muscles from being hunched in front of a computer all night, she headed into her bathroom to shower.

    She had just stepped out of the shower when there was a knock on the door. “Come in,” she called as she tied a robe around her still soaking body. “Breakfast is being served on the North balcony an Omega spoke through the door. “Thank you, I’ll be right out.” She responded while rubbing a towel through her hair to dry it. She searched through her closet choosing a pair of skinny jeans, black tank top, purple and black plaid flannel, and purple chucks. She pulled her hair up into a messy bun and headed to the balcony. Her parents were already waiting for her when she stepped out the double glass doors. Her nose was attacked with the enticing smells of strawberry pancakes, maple bacon, and scrambled spinach and cheese eggs. “I think this is the best birthday breakfast I have ever received,” she exclaimed as she sat down. “A special day calls for a special breakfast,” her mother smiled.

    After breakfast she headed to pack hospital to spend time with Sara. Sara had not progressed at all; she looked the same today as she had the first day. Doctors were working around the clock to keep her comfortable, but without knowing what kind of magic or potion was used against her there was nothing they could do. She sat beside her listening to the steady beat of the monitor, that had become the only assurance that Sara was still alive. She knew that the same Lycan that had Abel, was the same Lycan that attacked Sara. If she could find Abel, maybe she could save them both. Rose remained with Sara until lunch, her mother had requested that the entire family have lunch together since this could be her last meal with them.

    She walked out on to the Northern balcony where lunch was being served like breakfast had also been. “Her mother was really going a bit overboard” she thought, as the smell of beef wellington penetrated her nostrils. “I guess today we eat like royalty,” she joked as she sat down at the table. Her brothers and their mates joined them a few moments later. “Today is a big day,” her father began. “While we celebrate Roselin turning sixteen, her wolf awakening and finding her mate. We also have news from the Elders to celebrate as well.” Everyone looked at him with curiosity. “What news comes from the Elders?” Rose asked, the others nodding their head in agreement to her question. “As you all are well aware of time the pack has grown quite abundantly, many would even say it is extremely overpopulated. Well, that changes in the next coming month.” The three siblings looked at each other in confusion, Rose looked at her mother for a hint only to find she looked just as confused. “I’m sorry father, but I don’t think any of us follow,” her brother William spoke. “As, you know you are the first Alpha twins to be born.” “We are aware, and as we told you before we respect what ever decision you make.” Daniel spoke addressing the fact that only of them could be Alpha. “It makes me proud, to see the three of you grow into such fine Lycans. Which is why it pleases me to inform you that with the blessing of the Elders I have made my decision.” Rose could feel the air thicken around the table, although her brothers were determined to respect their father’s decision, she knew how much being Alpha meant to both of them. “Daniel, you will take claim to the Alpha title of the Blood Moon Pack.” “Congratulations, brother.” William spoke refusing to allow his disappointment to show. “William you will take the Alpha title of the Blue Moon Pack” “The Blue Moon Pack,” the brothers repeated together confused. “I will be dividing the pack; William will remain here while Daniel will take a group north of here establishing a new pack called The Blue Moon Pack. I will be sending a group to begin construction first thing tomorrow.

    After the very eventful lunch, Rose headed upstairs where a group of Omegas awaited to begin helping her and Elaina prepare for the night. Elaina arrived a few moments after the Omegas had already begun doing her and makeup. Two of them immediately got to work on Elaina. The whole process took roughly four hours for the omegas to complete their hair and makeup. Choosing to build around Rose’s natural beauty a colorless blemish correcting foundation was used as the base. Skipping any contour, the omega in charge of her make up chose a black shadow on the base of eye lid blending it into a red crease cut. She used black eye liner and red shadow blended under the water line on her bottom lids. Since she already had luscious thick eyelashes, the omega opted for a simple black mascara instead of falsies. Pulling it all together she chose a ruby red lipstick. Her red hair had been pulled up into a more elegant form of messy bun, with few curls being allowed to hang from it styled neatly. For Elaina who was your typical barbie girl image: tan, long straight blonde hair, and soft blue eyes they chose to go full contour. For her eyes they chose to do a black base with a glitter dusted purple crease cut. They chose to black eye liner along the edge of both the top and bottom lids, lightly dusting the same shadow they used to cut her crease under her waterline. Her lashes were blonde and fairly thin, so they used false lashes blending them with her real lashes using black mascara. Pulling it all together they decided a gloss would be perfect for her lips. They pulled her hair into a seductive Cinderella styled bun with a purple ribbon fastened around the base.

            The girls looked at themselves in awe in the mirror, both stood equally gorgeous their beauty accented in two vastly different ways. The time had come to step into their gowns. The two girls stepped into their dresses, both holding their breaths as they turned to look into the mirror. “Wow,” the breathed in union. They were absolutely stunning. “Even if we don’t find our mates we’ll have every Male-Lycan present in love with us,” Elaina joked. “That’s not much of a compliment,” Rose laughed. “they’re canines, they’ll practically hump anything.” “True which is why tonight we will meet the wolf who worships us as the gift we are.” Elaina smiled with hope in her eyes. While Rose did hope Elaina found her mate tonight, she said a silent prayer that she herself would not. “The guest are arriving,” Rose spoke, “as she peered out the balcony.” “I better head down there, I’ll see you on the main stage.” Elaina said as she headed downstairs to join the party. Rose would remain in her room, until the speech from her father began.

    Alpha Daniel stood on stage before the thousands of guests in attendance for the ceremony, “Thank you all for coming tonight. While history can not be rewritten, but we can write a brighter future. Since Zar passed the torch to Cain and he to Javar, we have celebrated the sixteenth birthday of the Alpha’s first-born son. We have gathered like we are here today to watch as his wolf awakened and called out to his mate. We have rejoiced with him, when his howl was answered by the one the Moon Goddess created for him. Tonight, is the dawn of a new age, while my two oldest sons have already been celebrated and we have already rejoiced in the finding of their mates tonight we celebrate a different Lycan. Tonight, we celebrate my daughter Roselin of the Blood Moon Pack.” Her father finished his speech gesturing to Rose as she stepped on to the stage. The crowd broke into cheers and howls.

    “Thank you, father, for that wonderful speech. It is an honor to stand here before you all tonight. It is an honor to be called upon by the Goddess and Elders to stand here as the first Female-Lycan to celebrate the coming-of-age.” She spoke to the crowd. The crowd erupted into more cheers and howls. Her father nodded to her signaling her to take her place. She walked to the center of the stage, waiting for the strike of midnight. Five minutes before midnight, a howl pierced the crowd. It wasn’t a howl of recognition or excitement. It was a howl full of sorrow. Rose looked out in the crowd at the faces of pack members, tears filled their eyes. For everyone to feel such an overwhelming emotion it could only mean one thing, the link of a wolf was lost. She scanned the crowd her heart sinking when she could not find Elaina. She could here the warrior wolves howls as they tore through the bordering woods. Her father looked to David, “Get Roselin to safety.” He had spoken too late; Rose was running in the direction of the first howl. David rushed to catch up but failed to keep her from seeing Elaina laying in front of the Northern tree line. She looked nothing like the girl who had been laughing with her just a couple hours ago. Her dress was shredded, her body lay torn with blood trickling down her chin from her mouth. She dropped to down, pulling the girl into her arms. “Please, be okay. Elaina please be okay.” She cried as she held her friend. Chaos erupted around her, as people and wolves ran in all directions. “Rose, she’s gone. We have to go.” David spoke softly pulling her away from Elaina’s lifeless body. She sobbed, as he pulled her to her feet leading her through the crowd. “Give me Rose they think found something at the base of the mountain. Daniel’s already headed there.” Billy spoke taking Rose into his arms. “No,” Rose spoke sharply trying to pull away. Billy tightened his grip. “Get her to the packhouse, kill anyone who comes near her.” David yelled as he back towards the Northern woods shifting mid-stride. Rose felt a sharp pain in her side, the world began to spin. It was too much; she was going to faint. She reached out blindly grabbing for Billy as the world went dark.