The Lycan King’s Tribute

“All my life, I’ve been a runt, a virgin with no wings to fly. I’ve always wondered what it’s like, giving myself to someone.” - Enoma Pearl [Prologue] I screamed at the nightmare that came again. It was the same man with a dark mask coming to whisk me away. It was so vivid, people watched him as he took me and didn’t stop him. “The Reaper is coming.” Last words I heard before I woke up. “The time is near.” I muttered. The signs were more prevalent. The cold, sickly feel. It was the same feeling I got when Mira died. She was my cat, and it started with nightmares of her being pulled into a whirlpool. Her name was carved on her epitaph a few days later, and I cried my guts out. “Mom?” I said. No candle burned, the room was pitch black. “Is anyone there?!” I tried again but the same cold silence welcomed me. I moved to stand up only for something to hold my gown hems. “No, no…!” Trying to run off, a ripping sound resonated in the room. I sighed realizing it was a splinter of wood in the bed. My throat burned, and I was thirsty. I scratched my hands, holding myself from sobbing. We barely ate anything yesterday. Our gold coins were a meagre number. The candles lit, Elena positioned them on the table. At 19, my sister was seven years older. With long white hair, the plaited silk dropped down her back. I came in first to rest. Trying to hunt for food all day, I was drained. Mom was probably in the main room. As I thought of these Elena walked up kindly hugging me. “There, dear. It’s fine, you’re safe now. No harm will come to you.” Soothing. Very relaxing. “T-They chose me… the Reaper came for me, he-“ “Nothing of such will happen,” she said with a trustworthy look. I suggested we run sometimes but she said, we won’t make it. Mom was sick, she was right. We’d probably die off from the cold. It was better to stay, with the last inheritance Dad left us. “Come here,” she said making me snuggle in her bosom. “C-Can I sleep in your arms?” “Yes,” she said kissing my head softly. … The sound of pounding on the door woke me up. “s**t!” Rolling off Elena’s arms, I dabbed my face with water. How could I have slept off? “I would surely be whipped,” I muttered. Rinsing my mouth, I hurriedly opened the door. The dark expression of the pack soldiers was prevalent. As an anomaly, I had to do the pack chores. “Enoma Pearl.” I batted my eyes shut knowing what was coming. Two of the three men held me in place. We were still at the entrance when Elena ran out. “No!” she yelled stepping in front of the whip which hit her back slashing through. The silver made her skin burn, making me narrow my eyes. “Elena don’t. I’m not a wolf you are.” I didn’t want her to get hurt on my behalf. The silver affected her not me. My anomaly blood was still something questionable. One of the reasons dad ran off, it made me rejected in the pack. “It was all my fault, she slept so long because of me!” she screamed in tears. “Lass get out of the way or we’ll whip you to death.” the leader scoffed making my eyes widen. “Elena please don’t interfere,” I said, knowing there was a high chance he meant what he was saying. “Okay…” she trailed. “I’m sorry!” They dragged me off afterwards. Anomalies weren’t taken seriously, and people did all sorts of things to them. “Don’t look her in the eye,” “You might get your share of misfortune.” People whispered all sorts of things. Right now, they are watching me being dragged by the soldiers to the punishment arena. “Whoops,” I said as they dumped me on the ground. “Can you be gentle at least?” My humor was the last thing I needed now, but this was the way I coped with pain. “Shut up lass. Pray you’re going to survive what’s coming.” “I don’t understand. What’s coming?” I asked. The leader seemed like he was in a mind link. Minutes after the pack elders showed up. “Did anyone see you?” “Trust they won’t notice one anomaly went missing.” “Okay, we can proceed then.” My face went pale. What was going on? “P-Please, I have a family,” I said through gritted teeth. “Use that tree. The legend says that is where he picks them up.” Were they trying to use me as tribute? I knew it. None was normal anymore. Plants died. Strong men mysteriously went missing. The elders said it was a magician. They knew what it was. It was no magician. The pact was back and they wanted me to volunteer. They didn’t even give me a choice. This can’t happen. I had many mouths to worry about. Mom and Elena. I had to hunt so they ate. I couldn’t be absent. “P-Please spare me. I won’t be late anymore!” I envisioned myself yelling. But it was all in my head, I didn’t let it out. They punished me more when I made myself a victim, whipping me more. I didn’t want to take the risk. I should try something different. Perhaps a mind game. Bracing myself up I said, “If I leave, who will do the chores?” “The Omegas.” The elder’s words came in boldly.“You are not needed here anyway, just filling up space, no skill, no sign of wolf. This is the least you can do.” “Please…” I trailed. “They all depend on me to survive.” “Knock her out so this isn’t too problematic.” “No!” The last thing I saw was black. The minute I woke up, I was met with a stormy night with wind whooshing crackling thunder making me shiver. Elena would be so worried. The elders and soldiers weren’t in sight. A whistling sound made me stare at the nearest shelter, only to see a girl who looked about seven. She pointed below making my brow arch. Next, she directed her fingers to the sky’s outpour, her wrists next. I noticed she referred to my ropes, they were indeed loose from the excess rainwater. As fast as I could, I untied the ropes. I looked up each time and on the third look, I saw a shadow of a man. He was clothed in pure black, black gloves, black mask, it was similar to what I saw in my nightmares The Reaper. I had to escape. I couldn’t let him take me to the Kingdom. If that happened, escaping the King would be impossible. There were legends of the taken never returning. I couldn’t be that experiment. Wondering how to escape, some black dust whooshed the air pulling me out of my thoughts only for a haunting whisper to resonate. “Sleep.”