In the morning we left because Marilyn had work. We hadn't heard from her since...or at least I haven't. Once in a while Percy would pick up his phone, giggle and start typing. I went to sleep early today, physically drained. I lay on the bed still thinking of Marilyn and wondering if she was thinking about me. A notification sound lit up and I checked my phone. A text asking if I was Okay, Tony, I replied with a thumbs up and set my phone down. I closed my eyes not wanting to think anymore.
I think I'm dreaming...I remember closing my eyes but not going into the woods. I'm standing in a clearing. Nothing but wood as far as the eye can see. The moon was clear above me. I couldn't tell if it was sweat or dew on me. I felt weak, almost had to get my body to sit up. My breathing was heavy. I finally managed to stand and I saw a silhouette of someone further in the clearing.
"H… hey!" My voice was hoarse, I slowly made my way to the silhouette.
"Why?" The voice was so familiar. A cold chill runs up my body and I freeze. Author. "Why'd you let this happen, Lancelot?".
Author turns to me. His face was mangled and rotting. Blood was sliding down his shirt. I hear what I think is something running towards us.
"Author we…" and before I could even say anything before a giant black wolf attacked Author, eating the rest of him. I was stunned I couldn't move as I watched my friend being devoured by a wolf.
I stepped back and broke a twig. The giant wolf finished devouring his Body it looked at me staring back into its blood-red eyes. My legs felt like cement and I couldn't move or breathe much less but the more I tried to make something and I mean anything happen the wolf slowly made its way to me but at that moment. Tears of water streamed down my face and yet I didn't make a move, being too petrified by fear.
The wolf grew closer and closer till I managed to wipe my hand across my face to dispel the tears. When I looked up it was in a pouncing position, I fell back into my elbows as it jumped on me. The wolf's fangs were bared as if it was ready to tear right through me, a paw on my chest to hold me down there but still managed to be as menacing as ever, and then in a second, it started communicating with me.
I couldn't hear any voices but I could feel what it was saying. I heard a deep and powerful voice that resonated through my head, the wolf was communicating in growls and noises but I heard voices in my head like echoes.
"I am the beast. Hear me and listen well, boy, a war is coming. It will tear through the fabric of your pitiful life if you don't fight against the witch. You are king. It's time you start acting like it." The wolf managed to convey to me inside my mind as he bared his teeth, only moving its head and body mostly to what was conveyed.
"No, I don't want it. I just wanna get through this" I said out loud which made the wolf turned its head to the side in confusion which I could see that it couldn't hear or understand. So, I shook my head to signal that I said no.
"Then FIGHT." The Beast-Wolf transmitted as it tipped its head allowing me to see its crimson eyes glow arising an intense feeling of adrenaline till, I woke up seconds later letting out a short but strong growl, eyes glowing and claws out.
"There's nothing like waking up to the sound of death and scariness in the morning isn't there?" Percy said smiling hunched over a bowl of cereal on his bed.
"Huh," I said shifting back to normal.
"I have no idea but you have the word 'Beast' written on your arm and you kept saying something about Author. Look I don't have a clue what you were babbling about but Mary sent you a text while you were dreaming about a midnight encounter with 'the sexy king of wolves'" he paused to clear his throat to add a comical effect. "Former king, sorry." Percy said eating his cereal but still managing to be a total spaz.
"Yea ok, wait did you go through my phone?"
"Yes…"
"Are you wearing my second favorite hoodie?"
"Yes"
"Why"
"You sleep in your first like a weirdo so I can't steal it because you to move too much"
"True...wait did you spill milk on it?"
"Oh that, yea, that was there from last week"
"Emmmhm, I'm gonna eat then we'll leave," I said as read the text that said: "Meet me at poppies after school."
So, I grabbed my jacket, put on my Uniform then got somethin to eat as everyone got into Tony's car to hightail it to the school. We get there surprisingly on time and make our way through the hall comfortably named 'Wolf Avenue' Because it leads to the Werewolf domain of the school but we get there and the entire pack life is waiting for us.
"Just in time your highness I was just about to make an announcement," Morty said standing there trying to appear nice but sounding completely condescending.
"Well don't stop on my account," I said as I made my way to my chair which was practically a throne, making me feel like Robert Baratheon or Queen Elizabeth or somethin'.
And I don't say this loosely because it was Wolf tribe customary or somethin' where you gotta say "My King" when someone in my position passes or addresses you in a formal or subjective setting if not then it's considered disrespectful but I don't let Tony or any of my friends do that crap because it just makes me uncomfortable and most of the time if they do it then they're just making fun of me.
"My King", "My King," said two or maybe eight Wolves as I passed them not saying a word as they slightly bowed their heads.
At the beginning of the week, everyone goes to their assigned halls for weekly news. The Three Pillars listen to complaints, improvements, and now that I'm King I suppose I must go. I walk down the hall to the giant Metal door. As soon as I opened the door, I was met with nothing but noises, I had to pause for a moment to stable myself. Three layers worth of people shouting and laughing, chatting amongst themselves. walked to the metal throne and slowly everyone started to quiet down...
"As many of you know…. tonight, is the first full moon of this school year which marks the start of challenge season," said Morty in the center of the room sounding pretty confident and assertive in what he was saying but giving off a weird vibe like he was acting in some play and didn't mean what he was telling.
"Challenge season?" I said confused on my throne
"Yes sir," Morty said, turning towards me then back to the crowd speaking loud enough for everyone in the room to hear even if they didn't want to.
"From now until which is August till the Worm moon in December which is the last full moon of the year anyone can challenge anyone to a duel or a match where the victor moves up a rank and the loser goes down. This goes for everyone including "the king", he said, turning to me making sure I got the message. Betas can become Alphas, vice versa...in the end, it depends on you and your might on how far you can go." Morty said as he had the floor.
"Challenges are entirely suggested to be one on one and have an extra Superior to advise and manage the match so it's legitimate. No weapons or kind of magic allowed only yourselves and yes most lower-level personnel can challenge upper 10 leveled persons as in five to one but I highly advise against it cause if someone accepts that challenge, they are most likely able to take on that many people at once and if they win then the victor would be transferred your power and become more powerful as an individual so choose your fights wisely although if you gather enough strength to fight them again and win then regain all the power you lost before not to say you'd be completely powerless if you lose, to begin with, but still." I said stepping in sounding wise and King-like for once.
"Excuse me but didn't you and Sir Galahad and what was its Sir Gawan, Giwayen or win whatever it is challenging multiple other people last year causing mass literal glitch in the system ranking up extremely leaving more than three dozen in the infirmary? I mean like they healed but that amount of physical and emotional pain we had to endure was excruciating and now low and behold months later. I see you magically get ranked as number one, the alpha, sitting on that throne-like you were born to and now all of us are supposed to act like this is normal and just accept it!?." Exclaimed a random figure who stood up emerged out of the stands.
"I'm sorry friend, who are you?" I asked.
"The name's Elliot and you have no friend here seeing as how the very idea of you as the Alpha is disrespect on all of us as a species much less a tribe or a pack," Elliot said angrily
"I will overlook your tone as I try to overlook the amount of disrespect I can almost physically smell oozing out of that ass you call a mouth but I degrees even though I've only been in this position for a bit now I feel as if I have to pull rank to remind you just who you think you're talking to so either I hear an "I apologies my king" or you'll be picking up your teeth with a broken arm," I said with a towering demeanor as my tone daggered hostility in the room scaring most as they noticed my poster didn't chance once throughout my response.
Elliot spat on the ground in my direction then said, "There's your apology and there is no need to call you a 'King' cause to them, You're one to them but not to me. You're nothing but a cheat".
The room fell silent till a certain idiot who was half asleep woke up completely only to burst in late to the meeting and shout.
"Aye moron, I ain't the strongest Wiseguy out here but last time I checked my super hearing still works the same, and by the by its pronounced Gawain if not Wayne and if ya can't say it properly then it should be outcha mouth in the first place so I might have to teach you a little lesson for disrespecting me, my crew and the boss over here," said Wayne as cocky yet charming as he could be holding his metals and talking with his hands with the other.
"Pardon my tardiness Lancy and Ser but I had a little car trouble along the way and it just broke on my way here.". Wayne said giving a half bow to me
"Damn beast…" Elliot whispered under his breath
I'm not sure how but even though his words were quiet enough that no one else in the room could hear while most of them were still bewildered at how chill Wayne was at this moment. Just like before...I was able to hear every word that he said clearly as if he was standing right before me and I could also hear multiple things coming at me but in Elliot's
head.
All I could hear was hurtful and nasty things coming all at once followed by curses that I could barely fully make out…wait. I looked around glancing at everyone and then it just hit me. I'm the only one who can hear him and I might be sensing his intentions so hard I can briefly hear his thoughts.