The Lycan's Curse

Rude Awakening

“Ash! Ash! ASH! WAKE UP!” roared my mother.

This was her third time coming up to attempt to drag me out of bed. I was definitely not a morning person by any means, becoming the Alpha of my dad’s pack did not change that in the slightest.

“Young lady, you are an Alpha! I know your father taught you better now, GET UP!”

With an over exaggerated sigh, I resigned myself to my fate of early morning training. “Geez, Ma, it’s not even 5, yet.”

“You know as well as I do that that has nothing to do with anything.”

My face darkened. I knew what my mother meant. Ever since Dad gave me the reins to Silver Paradise, some of the members of our pack showed their true colors. Every day was another day of having Dad’s old friends curse me out and challenge me for leadership. And every day, I would smash their faces into the ground. They would try to pit my brothers against me, saying that this pack was their birthright. My brother Vincent, he was the oldest at 16, would always say, “I’m literally a child.” I shook the negative thoughts from my head. Maybe today I wouldn’t have to kick somebody’s ass. The Moon God knows I’ve been begging for release from Selene’s curse. But, that’s for another time. I headed down to the training grounds that my dad had built on the edge of the forest. The sun was barely peeking over the snow peaked mountain; it was a beautiful sight. Spring flowers had begun to bloom and I couldn’t help but reach out to touch them. The petals danced off the stem of the flowers, almost as if carried by a breeze that swirled around me. I smiled and the magic dancing from my fingers. Was I a hybrid? A witch? That’s what some of the pack members referred to me as, at least the ones that didn’t like me. Nah, it was nothing like that. It was my wolf. The wolf that ignored all of us and never spoke a damn word. I couldn’t speak to her, shift into her, absolutely nothing. The Moon God took pity on me and with help from my mom and dad, we found a way to draw energy from my wolf to use as I see fit, also a story for another time.

“You get magic powers and here you are, playing with flowers instead of making something cool,” a male voice teased behind me.

 “Uncle Fernie! When did you get back??”

My uncle, Fernando was the best. No, literally, he was the best assassin in our pack and ran that part of our business. He was one of the greatest mentors I had and was my acting Beta. He returned the hug that I gave him and plopped down on the ground next to me.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been gone, mija. Have you picked your Beta yet? I’m getting too old for this.”

“Tio, you’re barely pushing fifty and in werewolf years, that’s like you becoming an adulty adult.”

My uncle snorted with laughter, “Adulty adult?? What does that make you, young punk?”

My face fell into a concerned and thoughtful look and my uncle hastily apologized, “I didn’t mean it like that, Ashari.”

“No, I know. I’m just thinking. It’s been almost three years since I’ve gotten my wolf and she hasn’t said a word to me. I can’t shift, I haven’t found my mate. What’s wrong with me?”

“Mijita, I haven’t been on an assignment this whole time. More so, a favor for your dad.I went to do some research about our lycan legend and well, I’m pretty sure your wolf will speak to you some time around your 21st birthday.”

My mouth fell open and I stared openly at my uncle. Thinking back on it, I probably looked like an i***t standing there with my mouth agape. I couldn’t ask my uncle to elaborate though, our pack members were starting to show up as the sun began to fully rise.

"We'll have this conversation later, Tio."

As they began to form ranks, I lifted myself onto a low hanging branch on a nearby tree, in order to see everyone. Oh, did I forget to mention how unbelievably short I was? I stood at a glorious, and I mean this with all the sarcasm in the world, five feet tall. Long black hair, brown eyes, round face, skin the color of bronze with the reddish undertone, the usual stuff that comes from indigenous folk from the Americas. Made it really annoying when all the fighters in your pack were mostly men that were at least six and a half feet. It also made intimidation about three times as hard.The sun was fully risen now, you could see it from behind Mt. Hood. I motioned for my uncle to announce his return when I heard the inevitable sound of a disgruntled pack member. I tried to ignore it and took a deep breath. “Men, you all remember my uncle Fern. As my standing Beta-”.

“No, f**k that! You mean ME! I’m the REAL Beta!”