To be lost in beauty is exactly how Eric once felt. He loved everything about where he lived. After all, it was all he knew.
Everything was fresh and lush. It was basically a welcome to anyone that appreciated the beauty of nature.
The plants that hung from the ceiling decorated the above in a set of yellow, green and purplè glow that lovingly hugged and kissed your face when you looked up.
They hardly saw any sunlight but kept growing fiercely.
As Eric continued walking while he hissed at the Ivy and Virginia creeper. People thought they were beautiful until you connect face first into them and had to remove a kidney stone without a certified physician. Eric shook his head and continued.
The petroglyphs on the wall told the story of how it all began. There were pictures of men slowly changing from beasts to men and then to beasts again. The creepers held other plants that grew and choked the life from them covertly covering the artwork.
The Ritual of the Apis with The Great Stininging was also displayed. That was the reason for Eric's predicament. He hated The Great Stinging, he would ensure that The Ritual of the Apis was completed correctly this time so he could gain his freedom.
You could feel the change in era walking through the rocky terrain while using your fingers to caress the artwork(if you dare) while inhaling the beautiful flowers. No wonder the bees were selected as the ultimate protectors, this was their heaven.
People would kill for this view right? Wrong! Eric took this as a reminder of his obligation, he had seen it once too often.
Growing up he loved and appreciated it but he grew wary he thought maybe just maybe he would get to leave this God-forsaken place and experience everything that Chad told him about.
Why did he have to be chosen to protect, to serve? All he now wanted was to explore the world above. He couldn't escape his duties and so he grew angry, having not found his soul mate yet made matters worst. He was 19 years old. 1 year pass the date of soulmate selection and now he had to think about The Ritual of Apis and The Great Stininging not being repeated.
He hummed softly, calmly approaching the bedroom where his Alpha and Luna lay.
He peeked inside and carefully examined how the Alpha lovingly held his Luna not wanting to lose her due to a stupid curse. Eric longed for what he saw, when his Alpha opened his eyes Eric tried to hide his emotions but the Alpha already felt everything.
"Soon Eric, all you have to do is help me complete the Ritual and you shall be free of your Beta position." The Alpha slowly got up not wanting to wake his Luna who suffered from horrible migraine and the inability to conceive due to the curse.
Eric did not answer. He had originally wanted to just leave the note he had folded in his pocket but now he had to speak with the Alpha.
"Come" They both walked through a hall, closing the door to the bedroom, and down a winding corridor leading to the main office.
Dulino and Eric went to the office. Dulino took his seat on the sofa while Eric sat beside him. His desk was filled with paperwork he hadn't looked through for the past months since his Luna became severely ill.
Dulino wore a stoic expression. He prayed Eric had good news and that the Queen was ready for the Ritual. Eric proceeded to answer the questions he knew were plaguing his Alpha
"Everything is almost proceeding as planned.."
"Almost?" Dulino raised his brow, an expression Eric knew too well.
"You remember when The Queen was chosen how the Luna instantly became sick..."
"Eric don't patronize me with things I already know, get to the point!" The Alpha's patience grew thinner by the day.
Eric sucked in a deep breath seemingly controlling his tongue and what he truly wanted to say.
"The Queen in Chad's girlfriend, daughter of the beekeeper who was sacrificed at the Great Stinging..."
The Alpha took some time to ponder this.
"That being the case has Chad been sexual with her?" The Alpha asked fearing the answer. It was a known myth that the reason all the other Queens failed was that they weren't virgins.
Dulino knew Chad found a second mate and it was customary for a wolf to seal the deal after meeting, plus this was Chad's second chance.
What he didn't expect was the fact that Chad's mate had to be sacrificed to save his Luna. If Chad has been sexual with her then he could count the Luna dead per the myth and after that, his death or maybe his madness would follow.
Oh, how Eric prayed this was the case, for surely he would be free of this wretched much sooner.
"They had opted to wait until marriage, per his mate's request. " Eric said dishearten having thought about how things would have been different if only Chad had slept with her already.
"And what's wrong Fredrick? Your duties would end much sooner if they had right? You would rather see your Alpha dead than assist with curing the Luna's curse?!!" Tulino stood up, his nostril flared as he bared his teeth, his canine descending while he took up an attacking stand.
Eric hated being called by his given name, he also knew he was no matched for the Alpha so, he tried his best to remain calm.
Tulino grabbed him by the collar as his eyes pierced into his.
"Answer me you half-breed!!!!" Another attack on Eric's dad being human. The only human to have wandered into the cave and fallen in love with a wolf before finding out that she was an actual human being. Well, the said human was a zoo keeper so one can understand the love for animals.
He often told Eric of the world above, the world Eric longed for after his dad was killed during a suspicious fight with supposed rogues.
Eric felt Emma's pain when Chad told him what she went through. But his desire to be free from where he lived and to find out what cause his dad's death was greater.
Emma had to be sacrificed as intercourse wasn't on her agenda.
When Eric made no effort to answer the Alpha swung at him, Eric skillfully backed away but didn't calculate his step properly and fell on the desk destroying the paperwork castle that was formed.
Eric was tired of being there, his anger rose and canine descended, the Alpha blinded by the thought of losing his Luna grew furious. Eric noticed this and continued his verbal abuse.
"You know for an Alpha you are weak!" Eric taunted him.
The Alpha flew at him and sought to make his face a pancake. Eric pushed the Alpha off him and spat a metallic tang leaving his tastebuds, he then aimed to connect his foot to the Alpha's face.
The tension in the room could be felt from a mile away thus stirring the Luna from her sleep.
She felt the pain of her lover as Eric and the Alpha exchanged blows. The pain became unbearable as the Luna crawled from her bed amidst her anguish.
Dulino huffed from one corner of the room while Eric took a sharp breath. They both examined the injuries they inflicted on each other.
They had not fully transitioned as that would be completely foolish to do in an enclosed space.
Eric had wanted to escape this place ever since he became Beta and Dulino had never really liked him as he dated the Luna briefly before they became mates.
A savage roar erupted from Dulino's throat as he swung at Eric but before he could sever Eric's head from his body the silent cry of his Luna held him back. He looked towards the door where her weak frame stood.
"Lino.." she called him loving. "Stop please".
Eric took this as an opportunity and lunged at the Alpha sinking his teeth into the Alpha's neck, he did what had to be done and now the Luna wept as her beloved lay on the ground lifeless.
"Eric!! Eric!!" The Alpha called pulling Eric from his trance. He had just imagined killing his Alpha. He really needed to leave this place before he was tried for mutiny.
"Sorry Alpha," He apologized for spacing out.
"I understand that you are sad because you haven't met your mate but as soon as the Luna becomes well then you can choose the next Beta and search for your mate," Dulino said understanding.
"This is greatly appreciated!....you know that the Vespa counterpart has also been chosen and we are yet to find out who that person is," Eric said tensed as The Great Stinging played in his mind.
"I have men working on it, allow Chad to ready the Queen for the Ritual" The Alpha stood ready to leave for he didn't like being away from his Luna for too long.
"There is also..." Dulino turned around looking at Eric expectantly. "Nevermind.." He had thought about telling Dulino about something mysterious that happened with Chad but Chad could handle himself. After all, he was the descendant of the greatest warriors.
Eric looked towards the door that just closed. He looked around the room. He couldn't wait to leave.
********
A gigantic man awoke from deep within the earth, his state was mummified to prevent decay, his roar sounds an alarm that informed his Lycan brothers that a Vespa sorcerer has been chosen likewise a bee Queen. It has been many years since they killed the last Vespa sorcerer.
This was what led to Sandra's death and that of her mom, her grandmother and her great-grandmother. They had all sacrificed themself to save civilization, the Lycans would ensure that no more sacrifice was done.
A low rumbling began, getting louder by the second it signified the awakening of the other Lycans. Frank continued to watch the scene infront of him. War was inevitable.
********