Untameable

Trisha POV “No! How could you betray me!?” My voice rang out, but the face before me was unrecognizable. Moving faster than a shimmer of light, the laugh echoed around me. “But you’re mine…you’ve always been…mine.” My breath came in ragged gasps as I ran, but the extra weight around my waist acted as an anchor, attempting to stall my steps and immobilize me. I felt breath on my neck…my assailant was about to grap me. I felt their fingers grasp my wrist, claws ripping into my veins… I gasped, shooting up in my sleep in a cold sweat. A nightmare…that’s all it was. I needed to get a grip. But that laugh lingered in my mind. Why did it seem familiar? I was drawing blanks, but then again dreams fabricate from things you’ve seen in real life so maybe that was it. I took a moment to calm my aching heart and slow my breathing. Though as I lay down, I swore I saw eyes staring at me. But I blinked and they were gone. I was seeing things. Nothing was there, the dream was just getting to me… Elsewhere… Gavin POV A knock resounded on the library doors. It stirred me from my immersion within the covers of an ancient history book. I looked up as my father’s butler entered quietly with a bow. “I’m sorry to disrupt you, My Lord. But the King requires all the Princes’ presence in his conference quarters…immediately.” I raised a brow. What could my father possibly need at this hour? I glanced at the window. Outside, the moon could be seen peaking in the sky, while some clouds gently drifted in the breeze. I closed the thick book I was reading. It had become a common occurrence that I spent the majority of my nights reading within the confines of the library until the wee hours. But, if my father was summoning me to his chambers, the matter had to be dire. Why else involve me in matters I had no desire to attend? I may be the Crown Prince because I bore the mark of the heir, but I refused to take the role of King one day. I would never allow it. I didn’t want it. Today’s politics were full of frivolity and mundane trivialities. Pathetic really. In all my existence, all the wars I’ve seen and the centuries I’ve lived through, none of it seemed worth it. I’d rather be free, to rid myself of this castle and all its egregious responsibilities. But alas, my almost immortal existence prevented such things. I heaved a great sigh and stood, slowly sauntering down the tapestried walls as I made my way up to my father’s quarters. I rather preferred reading the ancient history. Times before kings and queens, civilization, and law. Where supernatural beings were allowed to not only share their world with humans openly-but without restriction. When our powers were strongest, and although some ran rampant, others achieved greater peace and enlightenment than any creature of today. I had no doubt in my mind that whatever my father needed, it had to do with politics once more within the kingdom. I turned the final hall and took a moment to enjoy the stain glass windows with full view of the courtyard villa and forest beyond. I had made it a point to remove myself from as much modern day politics and proceedings as possible. Instead, immersing myself in ancient cultures and runes of magic. I did so in hopes my father may be forced to pass the crown on to one of my other 5 brothers, who at that point would be more suitable candidates. I finally reached the great doors leading into my father’s private conference quarters. I took a moment to compose myself. I hated being dragged into such trivial things, but my father would never let me hear the end of it if I didn’t show. Shaking my head and plastering on a mask of indifference, I turned the knob and entered. As usual, I felt no need to run to these meetings, so my brothers were already there, seated near my father at the head of the table. My father nodded to me, and I returned the nod as I took my seat near Ronan-the eldest of my brothers. The rest of my brothers were younger than I. “Late, per usual,” Zenith, the youngest, snickers. I roll my eyes in disinterest and turn my attention to my father. He clears his throat. “Glad you could finally join us, Gavin.” He greeted with dissatisfaction, then addressed everyone, “Now, I have summoned you all here because an urgent matter has just been brought to my attention.” He paused and looked over each of us, one by one. Kyle, the eldest brother beneath me, yawned. It appeared I wasn’t the only one disinterested in this meeting. “I was just delivered a very disturbing report from one of the passing scouts in the central province of the Western Multus Disctricts.” Aster, twin to Riley-the middle brothers of us all-cut in interestedly. “The district that has that Rogue Human?” To this my brow furrowed in confusion. This was the first I’d heard of this. I looked at Aster with a raised brow. “Rogue Human?” I asked, voicing my confusion. “For someone who drowns himself in textbooks every waking second of his existence, you lack in any knowledge of present day matters.” “That’s the point, imbecile” I retort. “Ah-hem,” my father, clearing his throat, silenced our bickering. “As I was saying,” he continued, “The report delivered explains why that particular province has given the palace sparse reports on the condition of packs therein for the past 2 decades. “According to this report, all the Noble Families within the region have been succumbing to a strange plague. A plague that vanishes as soon as it appears. Sterilizing any survivors, but killing 98% of those who catch it.” The twins and Kyle inhaled collectively in shock. Ronan just stared with narrowed eyes, while Zenith seemed to freeze in place and hold his breath. My father continued, “The plague doesn’t spread to members of the packs beneath a ranking order, and as such we believe this to be a direct threat to the throne. The last wave of this plague completely obliterated the last remaining Nobles in the region last night. Leaving the entire region with no succeeding leadership or eligible wolves to take over. This is where you, my sons, come to play.” My brothers sit taller in their chairs. I roll my eyes and slouch, leaning back. Great, just great. I knew very well what this meant. We were all going to be sent out to govern the packs in the province until new Nobles could be established. Just…great. “Since there are 6 packs in the area, each of you will be taking your brigade and inducting yourselves as the Alphas and Nobility of those packs. You are to conduct internal investigations and report back to me daily on your findings until we find the source of the threat and eliminate them. “Otherwise, the order we have established for the past millennium will be for naught and everything will descend into chaos. Now, onto the Rogue Human,” Father turned his gaze to me, and I huffed. Of course it would be me. It was always me. Always. “Gavin, I want you to govern the Red Lily Acres Pack. The Rogue Human resides there. She is a threat to all things supernatural. She could expose us to the humans and you know how lethal that could be.” I roll my eyes and without pause voiced my echoing thoughts, “If she is such a threat, why not eliminate her? Problem solved.” However, I was met with a shocking display of rage and frustration. My father slammed his fist on the table and rubbed his creased forehead. “We’ve tried!” I blinked. Tried? What was that supposed to mean? And why was my father, a normally quiet man of few words and even less emotions, so worked up over her? “Tried?” I repeated with a question. “Yes tried, you numbnut!” Kyle elbowed me in the side and I elbowed him back. My father cut in then before our quarrel could continue, “Yes Gavin, tried. This human isn’t like any other human known to us, even throughout history. Some have come close, but none like her. “She is unaffected by any creature’s presence or aura, no matter the rank that she’s been exposed to thus far. She lacks basic human self-preservation. She is defiant and rebellious to an entirely extreme extent of the words. She has taken on full grown lycans and vampires, even demons, without hesitation. “And somehow, no matter who has tried to tame her or even slay her, has failed. She somehow always overpowers them or slips away unscathed. The reports I’ve been given all say the same thing: their auras refused to affect her and their own abilities seemed unwilling or unable to come forth to aid them when she struck back. Those that did manage to summon their inner beasts or abilities, quickly became overwhelmed by her sheer will to survive.” My mouth dropped. There’s no way a fickle, feeble human female could achieve such feats. “Then she isn’t human,” I stated, feeling as if I was surrounded by morons and said the obvious. This time, Ronan spoke up. “Your wrong, brother,” he growled, “We’ve already thoroughly investigated that possibility. She remains completely oblivious to supernatural events and creatures, and all blood samples, tests, spells, and enchantments have revealed she is nothing more than a human. An extremely dangerous one.” I contemplated his words as I scoured my mind of all history about any humans who could stand against supernatural auras. Indeed, nowhere in history had humans every gained or retained any ability to defy us, and those that did, were easily wiped out to preserve our own existence. But none matched her description. One that not only somehow can hold her own, and survive, was unheard of. I turned to my father. “What do you expect me to do then, Father, if none of you have succeeded in taming the Human?” I narrowed my eyes in challenge. My father met my gaze steadily. “The Rogue Human has been transferred to an all Supernatural School within the province to protect our identities from other humans. We have yet to expose the human to a Royal aura.” I arched a brow. “That wasn’t the answer to my question Father.” Ronan scoffed. I was the only one who could speak back to my father this way without being reprimanded. “I want you to put that vast historical knowledge of yours to use. As well as you are the only one of my sons who has the patience to handle the human. Perhaps that, mixed with your compassion for their feeble existence, can tame her.” I clenched my jaw in annoyance and shook my head. Of course they would use my own defiance against me. I did tolerate humans, only because I acknowledged their right to exist in this world just as much as our own. But I’d be lying if I said that the challenge laid before me didn’t intrigue me. Because the opposite was true. It fascinated me. This Rogue Human had caught my interest. And if there were 2 things in this world I couldn’t resist, it was the chance to prove myself greater than my brothers and a challenge. Getting to leave the castle for an extended duration was only a bonus. “Fine,” I growled, “Challenge accepted.” My Father smiled. “Excellent. You leave at the next full moon. Now then, Ronan, Kyle, Zenith, Aster, Riley…” my father’s voice faded into the foreground of my mind as I then resigned myself to listen half-heartedly. But I also began plotting my next moves and in a quick mind link, commanded my Beta, ‘Jim, gather the brigade. Pack enough to last a while. We leave at dawn.’ They wanted me to tame the Rogue Human. Then Tame her I shall.