The Golden One

The Elite

I lay on the table Ayoke has prepared, fear rushing through my body causing a slight shake to run through me.

The Alphas are sitting in rows, ready to watch the spectacle before them. Christopher stands behind the table, scanning for danger, and Carl is slightly off to the side, ready to support if needed.

Ayoke towers over me, making her final adjustments to the set up. Her hand brushes over mine and I take the opportunity to grab on to it and squeeze.

"Don't stop." My voice is strong despite feeling quite the opposite. "No matter what happens, don't stop. We need answers." I plead with her now, this is too important to worry about my pain or suffering. This is for all of werewolf kind.

I turn my head to Christopher, he needs to know the same.

"You can't interfere. My pain could find the answers to save our species. You will not interfere." The last sentence is an order, an order from his Alpha. He presses his lips together and his brow knots in frustration. He knows I'm right; I am only one wolf but one wolf who could save the entirety of our kind. But to him I am the only wolf that matters, his mate, and it will hurt to see me in pain and not be able to help me.

He leans forward and places a soft kiss on my forehead before leaving a more passionate one on my lips.

He pulls back slightly and gazes down at me, eyes scanning over my face and taking me all in. He strokes my hair causing a wave of calm to rush over me.

"Meila, I— I lo—"

"We should start." Before he can finish, Ayoke's firm voice cuts him off and he sighs and stands up. I know what he was going to say, but saying it now feels like goodbye.

Ayoke takes a few deep breaths before placing one hand on my head and one hand over my heart. Her eyes are shut tightly together before she gasps and opens them wide, bright white light glowing from her sockets.

The glowing doesn't stop at her eyes as the markings on her skin illuminate, brighter than I have ever seen before. A dull ache starts in my chest and quickly radiates through my body. It's followed by a stabbing pain in my gut and I squeeze my eyes shut trying to block it out. Christopher whines beside me, clearly feeling my agony, but holds himself back.

Another jab of pain hits and once again I am swallowed by darkness.

"You are so very special Meila." A strong and familiar voice comes from the darkness. I blink repeatedly trying to see clearly where I am and who I am with.

"You will grow up to be the strongest of us all." The voice continues as my eyes start to see blurry shapes and the darkness starts to recede.

"You are one of us, you are part of The Elite and we must keep our species superior." The voice comes from the man now stood right in front of me. Everything about him is familiar, his voice, his scent and the discomfort I feel in his presence.

"H-how d-do we keep it s-superior?" I manage to stammer out. With each passing second my vision is becoming clearer, my senses are less impaired.

"The species needs a cleanse. The weak must be removed in order for the strong to thrive."

"You want to kill people?"  My voice is quiet and high pitched, fear radiating around my whole body.

"We will kill people. You have already helped us greatly. Using your blood will remove the weakest of us, and we will survive. Together we can rule over a stronger species." 

"I don't want to rule. I don't want people to die."  I feel my tiny fists clench, my childlike voice becoming stronger.

"We will rule and they will die." The strong voice becomes louder and angry.

"No." I say still blinking furiously, my vision almost fully restored.

"It's too late. It will happen." The man is right in front of me, standing tall and exuding power.

One last blink returns my vision completely and I tilt my head right back to look up to the powerful man before me. I gasp.

Alpha Damien stands tall in front of my younger self. He himself looks younger, in his early 20's. He looks smaller and less muscular than the man I have met in the present but his strength and power is still clear. His face is filled with frustration and anger.

"No!" This time I scream at him and try to run around him. He catches me and lifts me with ease, one hand around my throat. I gasp and claw at his hand but he only pushes down harder. Tears stream from my eyes as I try to catch my breath, legs kicking furiously through the air under me.

"It has been foreseen!" He roars in my face as I continue to struggle, but slowly my body is giving in to the lack of oxygen.

Let me out. I can save us.

As my eyes start to flutter, a voice echos in my head. My body goes limp for a second before searing hot pain travels around my veins. Loud cracks echo around the room as tortured screams leave my mouth. Damien drops me to the ground and steps back, face filled with confusion.

My body doesn't feel like my own. I don't feel in control. As I look down I notice golden fur covers my body as the voice from before consumes my mind.

Don't worry Meila. I will protect us.

I've shifted. I am my wolf.

I lunge forward and snap at Damien, he is startled and stumbles back. Taking my chance, I run out of the derelict building and into the night.

I run until the sun rises and then I keep running. Exhaustion consumes me after what seems like days and I collapse by a tree and pull myself into a bush, panting heavily. I scan around me, panicking that I will sense Damien coming after me.

It's ok Meila, I am here now. I will protect you. Always.

Hot liquid falls down my cheeks and my body convulses aggressively on the table. The hot liquid I assume is tears has a strong iron smell to it. Blood.

I hear Christopher yelling at Ayoke to stop as it sounds like he is being dragged away from the table. His voice is desperate and pained. I want to reach out for him but I have no control, my body still shakes violently and I can't open my eyes.

Ayoke is muttering under her breath in a language I have never heard before while the pain continues to pulse through my body.

Ayoke stops muttering and presses down hard on my head and heart. The pain stabs in my chest harder than ever before as bright white light explodes around us, burning through my eyelids causing me to sit up and scream.

The scream is louder than anything I have ever heard and it comes from deep within me. It comes from the pain in my body but also the pain of remembering. Images, feelings and experiences flood my mind of what Damien had done to me, of what The Elite had done to me. My scream continues until strong and familiar arms wrap around me.

Christopher whispers in my ear, but I can't hear his words. My senses focus only on the past. The past of torture and pain. I sob heavily on his shoulder as he continues to talk to me, hold me and stroke my hair.

I completely ignore the audience that is muttering in the background and claw at Christopher to hold me closer, pulling his body into mine.

"Is it done?" He growls at Ayoke. I assume she nods as he picks me up and turns towards the house.

I bury my face into his chest, covering him in the blood that has seeped from my eyes. I sob heavily and start to shake uncontrollably in his arms. I feel his sorrow at my hurt and it only increases my pain. Visions of the past still flood my mind causing me to howl and sob.

Once Christopher enters our room, he heads straight for the shower, with me still sobbing and shivering in his arms. He turns on the water and steam fills the room. He walks us in, sits down and cuddles me in close.

We let the scolding hot water flow over our bodies causing the water to run red with the blood from eyes. I continue to cry staring down at the drain, watching it circle then wash away. If only everything could be washed away so easily.

Christopher continues to rock me in his arms and stroke my hair trying to soothe me. He's not concerned with what I saw right now, he only wants to ease my pain.

Once my shivering and sobs ease, he turns the shower off and picks me up once again. After drying me off and changing my clothes, he carries me to the bed and places me down softly before sliding in next to me.

He pulls me into his comforting embrace and I cling to him, scared to let go. Scared of the past and scared for what the future holds.

"D-d-damien." His name stumbles out of my mouth, it hurts to say it, to think it. Christopher squeezes tighter, feeling my struggle.

"W-we n-need to find D-damien. H-he's behind the disease. H-he t-took me—" I stammer out, not able to finish my sentence. My voice is trembling and my body starts to shake again. I feel Christopher tense underneath me, rage radiating from his body.

"We need to get you better first. You are the most important thing right now." His voice is also shaking though his shakes with anger. He nuzzles his nose into the top of my head and inhales deeply, trying to calm himself. We stay in each others embrace until the sun rises, neither of us sleeping but neither of us speaking.

A ruckus comes from down the hall as I hear hurried footsteps approach my door followed by a frantic knock.

Ayoke bursts through the door, eyes wide and filled with fear.

"Damien is here." Her voice is uneven, filled with worry. She will have seen my memories, the three of us in this room are currently the only ones who know what Damien has done and will do.

Christopher and I leap out of bed and run to the front entrance and out onto the grass in front of the pack house.

Damien is walking from the tree line; no fear, no uncertainty, only sheer power and strength.

My whole body is tensed in rage, Christopher is the same and now Carl stands at my other side. Ayoke must have told him. I sense Michael behind us but he has no idea what is going on.

As Damien comes closer, I feel the rage dissipate, replaced by terror and pain. I clench my fists trying to hide the shake I can't control as Damien stops and stands tall with a sickening smirk on his face.

"So you remember me now, Meila?" His voice is deep and threatening. My body trembles as I avoid looking at him.

Alphas and Betas are now coming from the pack house and guest houses after hearing the commotion. They stand around us watching the scene unfold.

"I should kill you right now." Christopher growls from beside me but Damien only laughs in response.

"The weak mate who can't even shift? Good luck with that." His voice is mocking causing Christopher to growl louder.

"I'd happily kill you." Carl joins in, making a step forward before I clutch at his arm and pull him back.

Damien laughs again, it sends a shiver through my body and causes me to feel sick to my stomach.

"Now, now. We're just trying to help this pitiful species rise to the top of the food chain again. Meila has been very helpful for that." His casual demeanour only infuriates Christopher and Carl more as both growl beside me.

Damien clears his throat and scans the crowd around us.

"Our species has become weak. The Elite wish to restore us to our former glory." The crowd whispers between themselves as he speaks.

"A darkness is coming. A disease to rid us of the weakest in our ranks. Join us to avoid the cull, to build a better future for Werewolves everywhere." His finishes with a smirk as there is movement in the crowds.

Alpha Bennett, who had never approved of me, walks to join Damien in front of us.

"It is already in motion and there is only one winning side. The strongest of us. The Elite. Follow me now or die as one of the weak."

More movement comes from the crowd as a couple of Betas move to Damiens side. Angry whispers can be heard from others in the crowd, ordering them not to go.

My chest tightens as I see a familiar figure moving to join Damien out of the corner of my eye. Alpha Caesar avoids eye contact as he moves next to Damien. He has been such a supporter of me and helped me on several occasions. I thought he believed in me.

"You were one of us Meila, you can be again. You will indeed save us by helping us rid the species of watered down vermin. You can stand by my side and watch the masterpiece you helped create to unfold." Damien takes a step forward, hand reaching out for me.

I step forward, rage building in my stomach.

"I was never one of you." I spit at him, rage pulsing through my entire body.

"It has been foreseen Meila, you will lose if you choose to side against us." His hand still reaches for me, clearly hoping I will agree with him this time. I didn't like his plan as a child and I don't like it now.

"You're wrong. The prophecy was never clear, Ayoke can tell us the truth now." I stand tall, faking confidence. I falter as he laughs again.

"Did you ever think about how I found you. Or rather, who found you?" He looks up at Ayoke and winks.

"Or who prevented you from finding your mate until now?" His eyes flick to Christopher and he flashes his teeth at him. Christopher growls next to me, but his sadness is clear. The Elite took Christopher? Because of me?

I turn to look at Ayoke, her eyes are trained on the ground and her body shifts uneasily. She helped them, her response makes it clear. She used her sight to find me and find Christopher.

"You really shouldn't trust blindly, sweetness. People are often not what you expect them to be." He smirks again and turns on his heel. His newly turned followers march behind him as they leave my territory.

Chatter erupts from the crowds, Carl and Christopher exchange heated discussion, but all I can do is stand there in disbelief.

My body is a mix of emotions. I've been betrayed by my closest friend. She has lied to me all this time. She is the reason Damien and The Elite found me. She is the cause of all my pain and suffering in my childhood. She is the reason Christopher suffered at the hands of The Elite. She is a traitor.

The crowds have started to move their conversations inside, Michael is leading the Alphas into the meeting room. Carl stands beside me, staring back at Ayoke and Christopher stands on the other side of me, stroking my shoulders.

I turn to see Ayoke still standing on the steps, shame plastered across her face. Looking at her causes a fire to stir in the pit of my stomach. I am disgusted at the thought of her working her way into my heart. She has been my confidant, my supporter and my best friend for nearly 10 years.

It's all been a lie. A lie to take me down and destroy the Werewolf species.

And I can't hold the rage inside any longer.

I storm up to her, grabbing her by her braids and tug her down the steps to the clearing in front of the house. She fights my grasp but I only growl and pull at her harder.

Throwing her down on the ground in front of me, I stand over her feeling the heat of my anger coursing through my veins. Carl and Christopher watch on, brows furrowed, not sure if they should intervene.

"You betrayed me." I snarl down at her. She shuffles herself back, face filled with fear.

"I-I d-didn't know you. W-when I w-worked for The Elite, I didn't know you." Her voice is pleading and shaking. She tries to kneel up but I kick her back down, my rage in full control of my actions.

"But you still found me, befriended me, guided me! For what? So they could win? So they could kill us all?!" My voice bellows through the air. I hear Carl whine behind me, I can sense his upset at Ayoke's lies and betrayal. But it's nothing compared to mine.

"You felt my pain? In the reading? When all of my memories from my childhood returned, you felt it?" My voice has lowered to a menacing whisper.

"Y-yes. I d-did." Her eyes don't meet mine, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"That was because of you. They found me because of you." I scream this time, unable to control myself.

Christopher moves towards me but I stop him by extending my hand out behind me.

"I'm sorry Meila. I'm so sorry!" Ayoke continues to let the tears fall but I feel nothing but anger and disgust towards her.

"Sorry will never fix this. Never!" I feel the fire behind my eyes as they flash red, and my teeth itch to be set free. All of the hurt builds inside me ready to explode.

"You are a traitor and will be treated as such, friendship or not." I spit down at her.

There are still some onlookers to this scene and I can feel Michael has returned outside to see what is happening.

My breathing is ragged and my rage is fuelling my thoughts and my decisions. And I know what I have to do. Standing tall and puffing my chest out, I snarl down at her.

"I, as Alpha of this pack, sentence you to death."