by Winter Rose
The tray clanged against the stone floor loudly as I snatched the goblet. Once I reached the tunnel, fire hair was leaning against the wall, looking a little worse for wear. When she saw me, her eyes filled with pure terror—drama queen. I did the only thing that I could do to get past her; I punched her—hard. Rather ungracefully, she hit the floor, and I tried not to enjoy it too much.
I ran; I ran like my life depended on it, which it did, to the open balcony doors—my clouded thoughts were stung into action by the frigid air. Heart pounding, I held onto the railing as I glanced down at the sheer drop. Shouts and scuffling behind me gave me the last push I needed to snatch the medallion and throw myself off the balcony.
“Luna!” My name tore into the air as I crashed into the flower beds below, rolling to soften my fall.
Once at ground level, the maze that led to the castle’s portal looked impossible. Giving in to my ability to sense magic, something I have had since birth, I felt for the usual pull, and I ran.
The gods themselves created the portals with their own powers; they tore the very fabric of the universe, creating doorways between our realms. History teaches us that before the treaty, the portals were a weakness when left defenseless. They are always active, like a pathway between worlds. No magic user alive has ever been able to close one; which was why the kings of old built their cities around them. Now the portals are guarded at all times.
The sounds of people shouting rang in my ears, and it took everything in me not to panic. The portal was a marble archway; the magic it exuded made each hair on my body stand to attention.
“Through here!” a male voice shouted—probably a guard.
Oh, gods! I had to get out of here before they could see what I did to the other guards on my way through.
I clutched the medallion so tight that it cut into my palm. The last thing I did before I stepped into the portal was spare the balcony one last glance. A giant, naked figure crowned in the moon’s light hunched over the railing as if in pain.
“Luna!”
Chapter Three
The familiar sense of confusion washed over me. I bit my lip, grounding myself. My destination had to be clear in my mind. Now wasn’t the time to lose focus.
The void between realms was not a place that I wanted to get lost in. Nobody knows what happens to the people who give into the void’s confusion, but one thing was for sure, they never returned. I focused on the portal that I wanted and pushed forward, ignoring the shapes that swam into view, having no desire to discover what they really were. Some stories say that they are voyagers, lost souls eternally looking for an escape.
I shivered, shrugging off the sense of dread I felt, and walked into the light that led into The Estate’s great hall. Apparently, an assembly was being held, and I had just appeared in front of the entire pack—scantily clad. Every single head in the room turned to stare.
“Oh, shit.”
A collective intake of breath, followed by hushed voices and snickers, made my hackles rise. Words like “whore” and “just like her mother” were whispered around the room, but I refused to break under their scrutiny. Plastering a self-satisfied smile on my face, I pulled my shoulders back, straightened my spine, and walked directly down the middle of the seated assembly.
Three iron chairs were on the stage, and in them sat three very smug-looking Council members. My eyes shot daggers to anyone that dared look up; luckily for most, they were smart enough not to.
I climbed the stairs of the staged area two at a time; the medallion’s bite the only thing keeping me grounded. As I walked to the central throne, the room silenced, and the gaze of hundreds of eyes prickled my skin.
I threw the bloodied medallion directly at the feet of the man responsible for this mission.
“Here,” I spat. His brown eyes flickered. Was that surprise that I see?
Bending down, he scooped up the medallion, turning it over in his palm to check its authenticity. His face set in the disapproving mask that I had grown accustomed to.
“Miss Moon,” the Alpha snarled. Alpha Kingsley didn’t look a day over twenty-five—perks of his Lycan genetics. He looked me over as if seeing me for the first time, and glee shone in his eyes at his discovery. His breath released a manic laugh, “I assume your skills as a Warrior were not utilized in this trial, Miss Moon?” He pursed his smug, thin lips. His snide face screwed up, just begging for me to punch it.
The crowd laughed, and I plotted mass murder in my head. A wolf whistle behind me echoed around the hall, followed by several snickers. I whipped around, daring the brave person to do it again, this time to my face. They all shrank into themselves. Cowards.
The portal at the back of the room let out a soft hum indicating the arrival of another person. Luke’s mischievous smile spread across his face as he appeared with an identical medallion around his neck. The crowd erupted into applause, and I tried not to scream at the favoritism.
Lazily, he prowled toward the stage, his cool, confident gaze traveling across his adoring fans. That gaze reached me, and he stopped dead, his breath hitching as his wide eyes moved down my body. Luke’s gaze drank in my image and my face heated. I had never felt more naked than in that moment.
Regaining his wits, he continued to swagger toward the Alpha, his smile growing smug as he noticed the predicament I was in.
Shaggy, blond hair grazed his muscled shoulders, desperately in need of cleaning. I noticed the dark bruises under his sky-blue eyes, hidden under a layer of thick dust and grime. Cuts and bruises riddled the skin that was visible under his black combat attire. Leaves, dirt and sticks were stuck in the plates of his armor. He looked like he had just had a fight with the earth and lost.
“You look like shit,” I whispered as he walked past me to place the medallion before the Alpha, in a deep, respectful bow. Creep.
“Alpha, I gladly report that I have passed the final task. Please accept this proof and my undying gratitude.” He turned to face the crowd. “Without you all, this wouldn’t have been possible. I celebrate this victory in your honor; I will give my life to protect each and every one of you.” The suck-up then bowed fist over heart, and the crowd went nuts. I could swear I heard several women swoon. Sickening.
Luke took a step back next to me, bending down into a slight bow to whisper in my ear, “And you look like a lady.” Gods, take me now.
Kingsley raised his arms, and the room silenced instantly.
“Two of our Recruits have come back to us!” He paused for dramatic effect. His gaze traveled over to me. “Granted, one of them has extremely questionable tactics.” Gods, he’s loving this. People chuckled. The mutts were obviously feeling braver in numbers.
Kingsley stood, puffing out his chest. His muddy brown hair had been oiled within an inch of its life, and his eyes matched—muddy and dull. Sharp, thin features made up his permanently pissed off face. Kingsley could have been good-looking, but years of being a miserable bastard had scrunched the skin between his thick brows into a permanent scowl.
“The packs will be gathering in the next few days. Remember that each one of you represents the Koray.” The man dared to look pointedly at me. “Anybody dishonoring this pack will be punished … severely.”
The eight Lycan packs that inhabited the Arcadia were once governed by the Lycan King, the last Koray Alpha. He was the direct descendant of the first Lycan Alpha and the last of the royal bloodline. Since the King’s death, Kingsley had taken over his role as the pack’s Alpha. From what I had heard about our late King, Kingsley could not have been more different. Fueled by greed and drunk with power, he was the very reason that the eight packs had chosen to separate.
On that positive note, the minions were dismissed. I watched as people began to exit the hall, some brave souls even shot curious glances my way.
“Nice dress, Lu,” Luke’s smooth voice fanned the back of my neck. A sound reverberated in my chest, and he at least had the courtesy to look a little scared as he backe
d up with his hands in the air laughing.
“I’m joking! Geesh, Luna, you’re never this, erm, intense.”
Puffing out a breath, I deflated, gazing at the retreating figures of my so-called pack.
“I’m tired, Luke. Tired and filthy. I need to bathe.” I moved to leave the building but felt a hand grip my wrist, hard enough to bruise the skin. Kingsley looked down at me like I was something that he had stepped in.
“Yes, I’m sure that Miss Moon has a lot of dirt to wash away.” Kingsley’s shit-eating grin made my knuckles ache.
Luke, having known me for a long time, recognized that I was close to attempting to rip the Alpha’s head off.
“Alpha Kingsley, I have a few things that I wish to discuss with you.” Luke touched the man’s shoulder. Kingsley’s mouth twitched with the many insults he wanted to bless me with. Not to look like the bastard he was in front of golden balls, he opted to spare me this once.
“Of course, Lucas,” he let go of my arm, and the second he did, I practically sprinted out of the great hall.
Across the courtyard, the female dormitory blocks were a welcoming sight. Gods, Trial Month must have been long for me to think that. I flew up the three flights of magically-lit stairs, thanks to the Mages we have on our Council and headed for my room.
Our pack lived in a secluded community; most people were born into it. I, however, was dumped here. This pack definitely wasn’t my family, and I could not wait for the day that I joined the League.
Pushing the door open, familiar scents of the room that I shared with my best friend Sarah greeted me. She was laying across her bed, shooting up when she saw me before dragging me into one of her comforting hugs. Her small body pressed against mine briefly, before pulling back as she ran her powder blue eyes over me, checking for any damage. Obviously, she didn’t like what she found from the small frown line that deepened between her big eyes.
I always thought Sarah looked like a Sprite; her features were small and pointed. Her hair was almost the same length as mine, touching the bottom of her ribs. That was our only similarity, though. Where she was blond and tan, I had raven black hair that almost looked blue in the light, and my skin was as pale as moonlight. She was perfect; she looked like a princess and held herself like one too. Even her voice held a soft singsong quality.
“Lu?” she hesitated, “what on earths are you wearing?”
I harrumphed, walking toward my bed, and grabbing the fresh clothes that were at the end of it.
“Long and painful story,” I stated. “Let me get cleaned up, and I’ll fill you in.” I walked into the sparse bathing room. Like everything else in The Estate, it was cold and stark. The room was white stone, and it held a small, enchanted cubicle in the corner that spat out fresh spring water. I stood under the powerful stream, allowing it to massage my body, not really putting any effort into getting clean.
My mind drifted back to the bathing room that I stood in earlier, to the man with the eyes of fire. A chill swept over my body that had nothing to do with the cool water that ran over me.
“Who is he?” I whispered to myself, noting the way my voice quivered.
After a couple of hours sitting on my bed listening to Sarah, my shoulders started to relax a little. I briefly told her about the missions, but as usual, I didn’t go into much detail. Her eyes bugged when I told her that I had realm hopped, and she fired question after question, her practical mind wanting every possible detail.
Realm hopping was not off-limits, but until now, I had no reason to travel to a different realm. Sarah would experience it soon when she moved to the Capital. She almost danced with excitement as I mentioned the different realms.
“What were they like?” she whispered.
“Well, the last one … was like it was taken from one of those children’s stories you used to read,” I said as I rolled onto my back to stare at the ceiling. “The ones about princes and princesses.”
Sarah somehow managed to relate the subject to a history book that she was researching. She had a knack for relating everything to academia. I was just happy to lay back and pretend to listen, but the events from my last trial plagued me.
A knock at the door shocked me out of my inner musings, and I groaned, rolling myself off the bed to see who it was. Luke was stood at the door with his hands up in the universal surrender position. Whatever banter he was about to come up with halted, when his gaze found my own. He looked over my face with wide eyes, his Adams apple bobbing as he swallowed. Shaking his head, he moved his gaze away from me, nodding when he saw Sarah.
“Hey,” his voice sounded horse, “can I come in?” I stood aside, allowing him to enter.
Shutting the door, I folded my arms across my chest and stood against the wall with one eyebrow raised. Luke crossed the room and plopped himself onto my bed, grinning. He must have just showered; his damp hair was tied back at the nape of his neck, and several strands fell out around his face, framing his brilliant eyes. His golden skin, in contrast with his blond hair and eyes, made all the girls at The Estate swoon. But he never showed interest in any of them.
Everyone here at The Estate had golden skin. Everyone, that is, except me.
“So,” he said, “where’s the dress?” The sparkle in his eyes quickly turned to terror as I dove toward him.
“It was a part of the mission,” I growled. Luke fell over Sarah’s bed, laughing, and she soon joined in too. I just sat staring at the traitors, waiting for them to shut the Underworld up.
Luke and I trained side by side over the years with one goal in mind—to join the League. The League was a force made up of many species that protected the realms and the Council from those who wish to harm the treaty. Each supernatural within the League's ranks was a Warrior. Sarah, like most females, was training to become a member of the Council.
The Council was an organization that had one goal: to make sure that all the realms coexisted alongside one another peacefully. Sarah, specifically, was destined to become a Candidate for the Koray’s female Alpha, which meant she would be the pack’s representative within the Council. Our political voice if you will. To become a female Alpha, Sarah would first have to train in the capital with the other Council candidates.
My best friend was a born leader. She was smart and could command the attention of an entire room with just one look. Her words would make even the most levelheaded person jump off a cliff if she ordered it. Not to mention her parents were high-ranking Council members.
I had known Sarah and Luke my entire life. They were both Lycan, born into the Koray pack. I, on the other hand, was a Hybrid. More commonly known as a mutt. What made up my mixed-up ancestry was still a mystery. Even though Hybrids were common due to interspecies mating, I had no tell-tale signs of what I was.
I was strong, with sharp senses like a Wolf, but unlike them, I had never actually shifted. There were also other things I could do, strange things, things that I had learned to keep hidden.
We had come a long way since mutts were captured and enslaved. The practice was now illegal, a crime punishable by death. But even though the Council had passed the law, there was still a considerable amount of inherent prejudice within our society. We still had a long way to go, for the species to consider Hybrids their equals. Most became servants or worse, falling under the Council’s radar, and unable to repay their debts to society. Because let’s face it, what decent-paying job was there for a Hybrid?
At an early age, I realized that if I didn’t want to be abused or owned, I had to take advantage of my unusual circumstances. The Estate’s Priestesses discovered me on the evening of the Harvest Moon twenty years ago. Hence my imaginative name. I was a baby, barely a day old, and left on the temple steps, or so the story goes.
The Harvest Moon is one of the Lycan’s most holy festivals, and it was because of that that they did not leave me for dead and allowed me to stay here in The Estate. In my early years, the temple’s Priestesses raised me until I was old eno
ugh to join The Estate’s academy, the most prestigious Lycan training facility.
I was the first Hybrid in history to have ever boarded here. Many people believed it was because Kingsley is really my father, and my mother was his whore who died giving birth, but I know that is not true. The hate he harbors just for me is not exactly paternal.
It became apparent very early on that I was destined to become a Warrior. While most females my age studied the histories, I was putting guys twice my size into a choke hold. After ten years of mixed classes, we choose our path. To many people’s horror, I chose the League. A couple of other girls did too, but mainly as an act of Rebellion.
By the time we were sixteen, most of the girls had dropped out, leaving around ten percent; as training became more dangerous, even more left for the comforts of the Council. For me, I could not think of anything worse than a job with the Council. A bunch of damsels that sat around arguing and screaming for help at the first sign of danger.
Being a Hybrid in one of the royal packs was no picnic, but life is tough. I refused to be a victim of my circumstances.
By the time we hit twenty, which was the year the trials began, there were only two girls left—me and Dee. Dee was a tall, thin girl who was as quiet as a ghost and had a wicked shot. Out of lessons, Dee and I never spoke, she was sullen and had no need for small talk, a trait I admired. I wonder if she had come back from the trials yet.
“What do you think, Lu?” Sarah shifted me away from my thoughts.
“Huh?” I said.
She sighed and walked over to me.
“We asked if you wanted to come down and get some dinner?” Her hand brushed the hair from my face, “You don’t look so good, Lu; are you okay?”
“Just tired.” I sighed, “come on; let’s go eat.” As I said the words, I realized how hungry I was, and my stomach rumbled in agreement.
Luke laughed, patting me on the back. “I know the feeling.”