Lucius burst out of the basement, his heart racing. The mirror's reflection still haunted him – purple eyes, blood-stained hands, and razor-sharp canines. He sprinted up the stairs, slamming his bedroom door shut behind him.
Breathless, Lucius rummaged through his worn leather bag. Amidst the chaos, a tattered book emerged. Its cover, once a deep blue, now faded to a muted gray. The pages yellowed with age. Lucius's trembling hands opened the book. His mother's handwriting could be seen across the pages. A mix of ancient languages and cryptic symbols. Teachings she had shared with him before her passing.
He flipped the pages till he got to the part he was searching for. His mother had once taught him about the werewolves. In fact, his mother had once told him that his Uncle, General Maximus Decimus, was rumored to be also one of these ungodly beasts. Lucius' focus was now on this page where his mother wrote down details of werewolves.
"The most famous mythological account of werewolves comes from the legend of Lycaon, a king of Arcadia.
Lycaon, known for his cruelty and impiety, was transformed into a wolf by the god Zeus as punishment for his wicked deeds.
According to Ovid's "Metamorphoses," Lycaon's transformation occurred after he attempted to trick Zeus by serving him human flesh.
Zeus, outraged, transformed Lycaon into a wolf, condemning him to roam the earth as a beast.
Ancient Origins:
The first werewolves, known as the "Lunar Born," emerged during the Great Moon Eclipse (circa 500 BCE). The eclipse's extraordinary energy infused select individuals with the power to shape-shift. My husband, your step father, also had this power.
The Packs: Early werewolves formed packs, each aligned with a distinct lunar phase:
Full Moon Pack: Led by the legendary alpha, Lyraea, who is a direct descendant of Lycaon. They controlled the night, protecting humans from dark forces.
Crescent Moon Pack: Focused on knowledge and magic, they developed ancient rituals to harness lunar energy. From here, Druid Alphas were born. Although only one out of a thousand crescent moon pack member could become a druid Alpha. Druid Alphas have the power to harness elements such as fire, water, earth, air and metal.
New Moon Pack: Masters of stealth and shadows, they served as spies and assassins. Only a few of them can take the form of actual wolves, they rest can only make use of the fraction of the wolf powers.
The Great Betrayal: Around 1200 CE, a rogue werewolf, Mahjong, also known as the demon wolf, sought to dominate all packs. He forged an alliance with dark sorcerers, trading loyalty for power.
The War of the Moon: Mahjong's rebellion sparked the War of the Moon (1230-1250 CE). The Full Moon Pack, led by Lyraea's descendant, Kael, fought against Mahjong's forces.
The Treaty of Tenebrous: The war ended with the Treaty of Tenebrous (1250 CE). Malakai was defeated, but not before unleashing a curse: "May the Lunar Born forever walk the thin line between human and beast."
Modern Era: Werewolves now live in secret among humans, struggling to maintain control over their transformations. The time of the ancient werewolves "Lycans" have passed.
Types of Werewolves include Pure Bloods: Direct descendants of the Lunar Born, retaining full control over their transformations.
Turned: Humans bitten by werewolves, often struggling with control.
Aberrants: Rare individuals with unusual abilities, born from human-werewolf unions.
To whosoever shall read this, there is one type of werewolf that is even more dangerous than a demon wolf, we call it "The Darach". Darachs are wolves who feast on their own pack members and whomever they see, they feast and absorb the powers and lifeforce of the individual they feast on. Know this well. The eye color of an Alpha is red, the eye color of a beta is golden, but when you see the blue eyed color wolf, run.. hide.. and pray it does not find you, for that is the color of the Darach."
Lucius's mind raced as he stuffed the book back into his bag. The weight of his newfound identity threatened to crush him.
"A werewolf," he whispered, the words tasting bitter.
His thoughts swirled with questions: Should he hide, protect humanity from his newfound monstrosity? Or hunt down the Darach, demand answers for the curse inflicted upon him? Lucius paced his room, his heart racing with every possibility.
He recalled his mother's words: "The power within, Lucius, it must be harnessed."
But how? And what about his uncle, General Maximus Decimus? Was he truly a werewolf? Lucius's gaze fell upon the book, now hidden in his bag. He knew he had to find answers.
"Lucius darling, are you home?" Madame Von Doom's voice echoed from downstairs. Lucius sprang up. He was still bloody as he had forgotten to wash himself before coming to his room.
"I will be with you in a minute Madame, I haven't taken my bathe." Lucius said in a loud voice. He had a plan in mind though, and that's to find the other wolf that was there that night. Lucius had to find the gray wolf Alpha.
*
Lucius went deep into the forest. He let his extraordinary senses navigate for him. He focused on any abnormal scent, and went deeper into the woods, till he came upon a cave. He took out the knife he had brought with him and went into the cave. Foul scents assaulted his nose and he almost puked. Littered around the cave were torn rotten human flesh and broken skeletons.
"This must be the wolf's den, and judging by what's here, this most be that Darach's den". Just then, Lucius will hear a low menacing growl behind him.
Lucius's heart skipped a beat as the growl vibrated through his chest.
He slowly turned, knife at the ready. A pair of piercing blue eyes stared back, surrounded by darkness.
The growl grew louder, and Lucius's grip on the knife tightened.
"A Darach," he whispered, his voice barely audible.
The eyes drew closer, and Lucius saw the outline of a massive wolf. Its fur was matted, stained with blood and dirt. The stench of rot and death clung to it like a shroud. Lucius's instincts screamed to attack, but he hesitated. This was the creature that had turned him. He needed answers. The wolf took a step closer, its jaws open, revealing razor-sharp teeth. Lucius stood firm, knife, poised.
"Don't come any closer," he warned, trying to keep his voice steady. The wolf's growl softened, replaced by an eerie silence. It regarded Lucius with an unnerving intelligence.
"You're the one," Lucius said, his voice filled with accusation.
"The one who turned me."
The wolf's ears perked up, as if acknowledging Lucius's words. The sniffed the air as if taking in Lucius' scent.
"You're... different," it said in a low, raspy voice.
Lucius's eyes widened in shock.
"You can talk."
The wolf's gaze seemed to hold a hint of killing intent.
"You are a threat to me." It said as it began to slowly move sideways around Lucius in a slow and threatening manner.
"Not even the alpha is considered a threat, but you.. you are a threat to my existence.. you have to die." The Darach said.