The Future Alpha's Forbidden Love

Chapter 4 : The Last Step

Peering at her glass, he wished he could see what Lysabel was seeing. Perhaps he said it out loud because Lysabel answered him with a shrug, “You see what I see,” She refused to look anywhere else, willing the liquid to change its color. But no matter how hard she glared at it, it stayed the same.

“Something is wrong with your drink,” Archelaus pointed out. She could sense worry emanating from him.

Accepting defeat, she forced herself to look away from the drink and lock her eyes with her best friend. “ Shall I pick another drink, then?” She tested the words in her mouth. They tasted like ash.

As she had already figured, Archelaus shook his head. “If you do that, everyone will notice that something is amiss. If not everyone, then surely Alpha Landon will see you picking up another glass, and as we all know him, he will ask for a council most probably, or something similar to it to find out why your drink didn’t change color.” He rambled on.

“So what should I do?” Lysabel asked, brows creasing. She could hear her heartbeat thrashing in her ears, while black spots dotted her vision. Is she not going to shift? Is her wolf dead? Why is this happening to her? What sin did she commit? Questions swarmed around her, leaving her reeling and breathless.

The future Alpha of the Xandire Kingdom seemed torn as his eyes narrowed on the golden glass of catastrophe in his best friend’s hand. Pursing his lips, he pondered. When the plan he thought of seemed almost convincing, he gave a nod. Focusing on Lysabel, he suggested, “ Let’s continue and pretend that nothing out of the ordinary happened. We’ll figure it out once the ceremony is over.”

“But what about shifting? It will start in a few minutes.” She whispered, eyes darting back and forth between her best friend’s pale face and the drink in her hand.

“I’ll figure it out before then. Just continue with the vows with the rest of us, okay?” He seemed determined and focused. Confidence pressed against her ribs until her taut shoulders slumped ever so slightly.

With a faint nod, Lysabel placed the glass back on the tray as others did. Trays and bowls were taken away, and a leather-bound book was laid on the table in their place. It snapped open to a blank page. One by one, the names of new shifters emerged on the paper, arranging themselves into a defined list while a brunette placed a dagger beside the ancient-looking book.

“I hope all of you are elated, now that you know what color your wolf’s fur will be. We’ll proceed to the last step in the ceremony before it is time for you to shift. According to the names arranged in the book, you must step forward one at a time. Prick your thumb with the dagger and stamp your fingerprint beside your name. After that, stand in a circle, holding hands, to pledge vows. This will record your name in the book and confirm you have taken the vow.” Instructions echoed in the arena, making the crowd alive again.

A girl with short black hair, a hoop nose pin resting on her columella, and a wild tongue painted on her T-shirt, strolled toward the book, chewing gum. She pricked her thumb with the sharp tip of the gold-hilted dagger and pressed her thumbprint next to her name — Vivianna Thoris of Saprale Kingdom. When she was done, she stood back in the line, letting the person alongside her finish the final step. As the line got shorter, Lysabel’s heart thumped in her chest, trying to burst out and run back home without her. Suddenly, she felt her skin start to itch. Scratching her ears, her chin, and her forearms, she waited for her turn. The moment Archelaus squeezed her palm and walked towards the table, her hands began sweating. Rubbing her palms on her pants, she stared at Archelaus’s back. Once he turned around, their eyes locked. Fear was evident in his amber orbs. His gaze was down as he staggered towards the line. Claws of terror gripped her neck from the back as Archelaus stood beside her, and it was her turn to finish the final step.

Lungs aching and jaw clenched, Lysabel Garcia warily approached the table. Her tense shoulders made her unable to look back at her best friend. The air felt thick with silence and unnatural stillness, forcing her to drag each breath agonizingly through her chest. The night sky seemed to press down on her as if intending to squish her like an ant. She feared seeking for her parents. They would certainly know that something was wrong— she could not let that happen. She just needed to trust Archelaus. He will figure it out.

Her eyes examined her name — Lysabel Garcia of Xandire Kingdom. It seemed to shimmer with golden light. As her fingertips grazed over the golden letters, they flinched in a way that said they could feel her fear radiating off her. Holding her breath, she picked up the dagger with trembling fingers. Clenching it, she could hear the dagger as if it was speaking to her, warning her. A sharp sting shot through her thumb when the dagger pierced a needle hole in her skin. With a bead of blood welling, she stamped her thumbprint on the space beside her name. Exhaling a shaky breath, she turned around and walked numbly to stand back in the line.

Holding her hand, Archelaus mumbled his question, “ Anything strange happened there?”

Lysabel shook her head slightly, staring at the shifter next to her, marching towards the table. Archelaus felt his lungs expand, brimming with oxygen--- One less problem to think of.

After the last new shifter in the line was done stamping his fingerprint, the group formed a perfect ring, holding hands with one another. Archelaus and Lysabel scanned the other’s faces — familiar, but somehow they seemed to have transformed spiritually. Their faces shone with serenity, their gazes stuck at the center as if they were in a trance.

Alphas rang the enormous golden bell, prompting the new shifters to start enunciating the vow. And so they did. Words poured from their lips, seamless and graceful, like a gentle waterfall.

Lysabel had learned the words since she had heard Anzer practice them, dreaming of the day she would shift and make their parents proud. Eavesdropping through her brother’s bedroom door, she used to recite every word, skin tingling with euphoria.

However, It didn’t feel right to her this time when she articulated the words, her voice barely over a whisper.

“We wolves pledge an oath to guard and stand by one another with unwavering devotion and loyalty. Henceforth, we will fight our enemies together and die if need be, with our fellow fighters. We will not differ wolves by their kingdoms or their powers. We will keep holding hands, We are united by the Moon, and united we shall be for eternity.” Voices of the new shifters consumed the arena, the ground beneath them pulsing with strength and echoes of the vow.

A chorus of cheers, whistles, and applause surged in unison once the vow ended, and they were out of their stupor. Parents of the new shifters waved flags of their kingdoms to glorify their children, tears of joy gathered in their eyes, pride swelled in their hearts, and faces glowed with wide grins. New shifters broke the circle to embrace and encourage each other with a pat on their backs.

Lysabel could not understand the commotion. They had only taken the vow, they were yet to shift. Scoffing, she rolled her eyes, sourness tightening around her tongue.

Turning towards her, Archelaus said, “ Forget them. So, here’s the plan. I will take you far away from the arena immediately after I shift. That way, no one will get to see if you turn or not. I am the one who will do the work; you just need to stay put. Wait for the sign. Got it?”

Nodding her head, Lysabel offered him a forced smile. Archelaus heaved a sigh and wrapped his arms around her. “We will get through this, Lys. Whatever the drink indicated, we will figure it out.” He whispered. “I am fast, and my wolf will be faster.” He muttered in such a low voice that Lysabel could not tell if he was reassuring her or himself.

“What a wonderful moment in a werewolf’s life. Now, new shifters, please form a line facing us again, except this time, leave space in between. It is time for your wolf to see the light and experience the world for the first time.”

As Alpha Rendell’s voice reached her, taking a sharp breath, Lysabel looked at the audience. This time, she glanced toward her mother before locking eyes with her father. They were smiling. ‘Good.’ She thought. Closing her eyes, she waited for her best friend’s signal. Her heartbeat echoed in her ears. Within a minute, screams erupted in the field— One after the other collided and mingled with each other. Lysabel’s eyes snapped open, her gaze landing on Archelaus, who was staring back at her.

‘Wait for my signal,’ He mouthed. Lysabel bobbed her head up and down. The next instant, Archelaus whimpered, tightening his fists. His back arched, pain searing through his spinal cord. Baring his teeth, he shut his eyes tightly. A scream gurgled in his throat as he refused to show any weakness. After all, An Alpha’s son should always be a glowing beacon of strength— that’s what he learned from his father. Lysabel turned away from her best friend. She couldn’t bear to see him in pure torment. Moreover, the transitioning ceremony seemed rather preposterous to her.

Covering her ears, she waited for the howls of her classmates to stop, even though she knew it would be a while before the agony ended. Someone pushed Lysabel, and she tumbled to the ground face-first, breath ragged and shallow. As her eyes were closed, she couldn't see the person, but she was sure it was unintentional. None of them were in their right mind. Nonetheless, she had to stand up and get out of their way before anyone stamped their footprints on her clean white dress or worse, crushed her precious flower crown. She couldn’t let that happen. Her mother has put a lot of work into making the dress, and gallons of sweat have been poured on the crown. So, pressing her palms into the dirt, she tried to bring herself to her knees. Muscles burning with effort, she dug her knees into the earth, struggling to lift herself off the ground.

“What—is…” Lysabel whimpered. Her breath came in uneven gasps as every vein in her body began to burn. Each inhale scraped against her lungs like shards of glass as her heart hammering against her rib cage rang in her ears. A howl interlaced with agony and horror engulfed the arena, so deafening that it drowned out every other scream. Tears burned at the corners of her eyes, blurring her vision, while her eyes scoured the area for her best friend. Time seemed to have paused, witnessing her wails, even sparing a tear. The empty night sky above tried to push Time to move forward but failed miserably. Ears reverberating with her screams, Lysabel clawed at the ground with her bare fingers; that’s when she felt her bones c***k and twist into shapes that she could never have imagined— it smeared the line between pain and lunacy.