I heard the sound of the door opening somewhere just outside of my dreams. The creaks of the floor echoed hazily as they drifted across the room. She always tried to be quiet, but always insisted on waking me up every morning. I'm not sure why.
I felt the sunlight kiss my face, signaling that she had mad it to the window.
"Good morning my little moonbeam!" Her voice was probably as bright and warm as the sunlight pouring in. I slowly sat up, attempting to see through the mess of black hair. Despite the large balcony doors now exposed, most of the room was still left in shadow.
"Mom, I am 20, you don't have to wake me up every morning."
"Oh nonsense, honey," She tutted as she moved around the room, "You're in our house and you're still my baby."
I sighed in response and let her go about her business. I could hear others moving about the house as she finished knocking on doors and opening curtains. I sat in bed and wated as the sun finished peaking up over the hills in the distance, causing the lake to slowly shift and glow. I guess that was one of the good things about her waking me up, I always saw this glorious start to the morning.
This also meant I had a hour or so before I absolutely had to get ready. I watched as the wolves raced through the forests, little blinks of movement. I am sure border patrols were racing to see who was better this morning, they always did. I wonder how much trouble I could get them in if I told the Alpha.
They could get me back for some things at my family, that is for certain. Perhaps this is a mutual agreement to shut up and enjoy the little things. I rolled my heavy blankets off of my legs and rubbed them slowly. They ached today, something was going to happen, and I am not in the mood for it.
Dad must have been up as well, because the smell of food wafted through the hallways, which means the noise will be overwhelming in a moment. But I suppose that is what happens when three sets of twins are in teenage hood. How did I get stuck being one of the oldest?
I slipped out of my bed into the closet, it was family picture day and thankfully mom never made me switch my style. Funny, even Kahle was coming back from the mountains for family picture day. Then of course there is the ball tonight that they expect us all to go to. I can't wait to figure out how to skip it. I guess I could technically say my bones just hurt too much, they're normally really lenient with that. At this moment, I wouldn't be surprised if I didn't have to lie about it by the time night fell.
I wasn't much of a wolf, at least, not in the sense most of us are wolves. There were many packs across the world. There were also many clans of witches around. Every once in a while, although rare, they would be paired together. Even in more rare is when their children took on both sides of the family. The hybrids. It was a wonder if they survived beyond a young age, if the medical problems didn't catch them, the hunters sure did.
Perhaps that is why I still lived at home even though I was 20. Perhaps that is why my mother treated me as if I could do no wrong. Perhaps that is why we are so far into pack territory. I was the first hybrid born in this pack ever. Everyone treated it as a gift, I suppose. We had a few wolf/witch pairings over the years, being one of the oldest packs, but even still they all went normal.
I grew up fairly healthy, all things considered. I didn't look like the photos I saw, but I still had to use special equipment every now and again. Weekly visits to the chiropractor and doctor were routine and I saw no end in sight. The pack was getting antsy though, as I was one of the oldest hybrids in recorded history, and getting close to the time at which they shift and grow their crystals.
There has only been three other hybrids to live into old age, but those were in the beginning years. They are myths more than anything now. The silver ones. Two sisters and one brother, guided us into a new age of peace from the war between all of our factions. Wolves, Vampires, Fairies, Witches, and anyone else you could think of at each others throats. But again, they just myths. I don't believe that to have ever happened.
As for me, I could feel the change coming, my bones ached constantly and doing daily tasks were becoming difficult. Then there were the laws. Because I was a witch I had to go to all the sabbaths, meetings, and dancing under the moon. Because I was a wolf, I had to go to the stupid ball. Everyone looked at me with pity and fear though, no one wanted a hybrid as their mate. They were too dangerous, and too much work.
I started sneaking out after the first party. I was excited, at least a little, when I went to my first one at 16. But by the first hour, I had the punch bowl poured on me and chased out into the night air. I ran home that night and figured out a way to hide ever since.
I shook my head at the memory and moved to find something decent to wear for pictures. It still had to be considered formal so that the family looked proper. I guess that is what you get when your father is in a high position of power in the werewolf world. Beta for the pack, high council for the northern territories, even visits the Alpha conventions.
My mom is also a coven leader, my grandmother helping her run when she is here. They are one of the older covens, a lot of old blood from way back when that I never cared to learn about. I slipped a floor length black dress. It would hug the bodice closely, with an across the shoulder neckline, the sleeves of lace falling in soft loose tubes around the arms. The skirt would loosen up a little, but still be sleek and fairly simple. I grabbed my knee high fabric boots that tied all the way up and made my way to the bathroom.
The shower was more painful than I cared to admit and more red lines started to show across my body. I hadn't told anyone, but they pulsed to my heart beat and curled like smoke. I realized that it was about time to get ready so I forced myself into the clothing and made the three beaded braids in my hair. I hid the dark circles under my eyes with pale foundation and the blackest eyeliner I could find.
If I could do anything right, my eyeliner was always sharp enough to kill a bitch.
I heard the sound of silverware hitting plates and sighed, there were so many people over today. There also seemed to be movement in the parlor which meant they were setting the seats up for the photo. 13 kids in total. I want to know where all the twin genes come from, I hope they skip me because mom had enough sets for all the girls.
I am not sure I could handle it, my mom is a true miracle. I sighed and grabbed my cane from the side of the dresser as I left the bathroom. The ache seemed to get stronger by the minute and I was honestly thinking that this may be the first family photo I miss. I slowly made my way out into the hall and was barreled into by the last set of twins running down to breakfast.
We tumbled down the stairs in a heap of limbs as we all shouted in levels of fear and annoyance. I was able to twist so that I was the one landing on the floor instead of the twins. The landing wasn't even the worst part. It was having two pairs of knees landing on your diaphragm that kills you. I didn't move for a while, seeing black spots floating as I tried to get myself to remember how to breathe.
The twins were off to the dining table in no time though, they went giggling and arguing about who was the best at soccer and English. They competed in just about every aspect of their young lives. 12 years old and already have more knowledge than I ever cared about at that age.
I missed breakfast, in the five minutes it took me to connect back to reality while laying on the floor. I am not sure how they were able to shovel that much food into their stomachs so fast. I wasn't really in the mood to eat anyway, so I guess it was okay. As I made my way through the kitchen to the parlor, my mother came in fussing about her dress and dad attempting to calm her down as he struggled with his tie.
In the name of cliche things, it was cute.
"Mom, you look wonderful, and dad needs help." I chuckled and rolled my eyes at the death glare my father sent my way. We made our way back to the parlor where the photographers were trying to organize 12 kids, four sets of grandparents and two aunts into a photo together. The room wasn't that big, so you can imagine how crowded it could be. The young woman, whose hair was sticking up in many places and her lipstick was just off her lips, and a young man with newly applied secondhand lipstick ushered us to our spots.
As we lined up for the photo, we heard our front door receive a forceful knock, accompanied by the sound of armoured feet entering the house. The entire room went dead and there were no smiles as guards came to the doorway with Alpha Dorrian Harris behind. None of us responded as the photographer grabbed the photo before scampering off into a downstairs office.
A messenger with a large smirk stood behind the Alpha. He stepped forward, dismissing the kids who had the werewolf side with only a glance. My mother ushered the witchlings to follow. Alpha Harris radiated some sort of emotions that were not akin to anything specific, but certainly did not bode well for the up coming news. "Andrew, Selene. I must speak to you in your office."
You know how I said that something was going to happen that I wasn't in the mood for? Well, the other shoe just dropped.
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Fifteen minutes later, we were sitting in my fathers office, having just been explained that the Alpha's convention would once again be held in the Northern Territories and that our pack would be hosting. They also said that the alphas would be coming with their children to see...me.
"The alphas of various packs are going to be there, they are requesting that the hybrid be present at the ball." The messenger gave a pointed look towards me as he handed over records of how I had been skipping the balls.
"I have a name.." I huffed over the increasing angry grumbles of Alpha Harris and my parents. I soon was the subject of many glares across the tables. I sighed, setting my cane on the table and standing up slowly. I put my hands on the table and for the first time, outright defied my alpha and my coven leader in the same day.
"I understand that has a hybrid that I have duties to both traditions and laws. I understand that by breaking them I could receive various penalties in regards to my actions. What I have failed to see this messenger give you is what happened on the first ball in which many of the visiting and local pack members caused issues like dumping the entire punch bowl on my head, shattering the very antique glass bowl, tearing pieces of my dress that they liked off, and quite literally throwing me off a balcony into the rose bushes below." My nails slowly started to bite into the metal table.
"In fact, when you asked what had happened the following morning, I covered for everyone. I said I got trashed on some bullshit alcohol I made up and got grounded for a month. Fantastic month really, having to go to AA and having the rumor spread around among other things. But, while you were making teens and adults attend a stupid ball that doesn't even mate more then two pairs and everyone just sneaks off to have one night stands, I was studying."
"I studied the art of the blade, bow, and stealth. I can pick lock most brands and models of locks and I can tell someone has walked through a pristine clean room where nothing has been disturbed. I studied my supposed history and why us hybrids are so great." I growled in annoyance. "But no one actually wants us. You just want to parade me around like some sort of trophy or exotic pet."
There was silence in the room for a long time, the alpha never unlocking his eyes with mine.
"I will have one of the visiting Alpha's sons escort you personally to the ball. I expect you to be in attendance or accept rouge status."
I let go of the table with a shove, "Fine." I ignored my cane as I limped out of the room. They wanted a trophy, fine. See how fucked up their little hybrid is then.