Chapter 2 THE LYCAN TRIAL

SIX MONTHS AGO

BEFORE CHANDA'S DEATH

The air in the clearing was filled with anticipation as werewolves-male and female, alphas and omegas, from different packs, far and beyond. All gathered as one, chanting and screaming, eager to witness the battle of Alpha supremacy.

The Lycan Trial, fought under the light of the full moon, promised the arrival of a new Lycan king that would continue to strengthen and protect the years' long bond between packs of the West region.

Velkan of the Goda pack, stood at the edge of the window, awaiting the rise of the full moon to seal his fate. It wasn't supposed to be like this, he thought, glaring down at the clearing. His dead father had been the Lycan king, loved and most importantly feared by all. His older brother was supposed to be in line for the position, but he had also died on that fateful night, leaving him now, to have to fight and prove he was worthy of the position.

"If I didn't know better, I would have said you were nervous." He turned to the voice. Aiden, he smirked. The only person apart from his mother that he felt he had left in the world.

"Nervous? Ha! I'm just angry that I have to prove to these mutts that I am their king." He answered. "I mean, I have the blood of Lycaon flowing through my veins."

"There is the cocky bastard. You know, Ryder is one of the best Gammas in the West region. He might put up a real fight."

Velkan laughed. "That is because of the Elder's Clan. They so badly wanted this trial to happen. It gives them something to be excited about."

The position of Lycan king had been passed from Alphas to their firstborn sons in the Goda pack for hundreds of years. Following the death of his brother, the Lunar trial had been proposed to pick a new one, but nobody had dared to contest it, so, the elders presented Ryder from the Farkas pack.

"I'm surprised they hadn't picked the Alpha of..." The loud cry of the blow horn cut him off.

Velkan walked to the shelf in the room, picked up the gin he had left brewing and raised a toast to Aiden. "It's time. After three strikes of Ryder's blood, we celebrate." He drank it and walked out with Aiden following.

****

"I haven't seen this many wolves in one place."

"Well, the trial doesn't happen often."

"Yeah, the last one was over 400 years ago."

"I hope Ryder wins. He is strong."

"For a warrior, yes. But Velkan is trained for this."

Velkan smiled at the comments of the spectators, as he climbed into the clearing and transformed into his wolf, Rex, a towering figure with silvery fur that glittered in the moonlight. Yes, he was trained for this, but he would have preferred to have his brother here, in the presence of their father and pack members, being crowned the new Lycan king.

Ryder, his opponent, a lean-looking wolf, known for his fast pace and sharp claws, climbed into the clearing. "Your Highness," Ryder lowered his head to him. "May the best wolf win."

Without warning, Ryder lunged at Velkan, pushing him to the far end of the clearing, causing an uproar in the crowd. It's on, Velkan thought as he struck out his front paw, claws sharp across Ryder's face, making him bleed. Strike one. Ryder loosened his hold on him, so he pushed back against him.

The two wolves circled each other. Ryder howled and lunged but Velkan dodged to the side, leaving him with the opportunity to swipe his claws at Ryder's side, drawing blood again. Strike two. 'That was too easy, he thought. The third strike and this fight will be over'. They tumbled on the floor, claws clashing when Ryder used his fangs to sink into Velkan's side, tearing off his flesh. He pushed him off, whimpering in pain on the floor.

Ryder howled and Velkan looked into his eyes. They were red, almost blood-like. Something was wrong, he thought. The trial rarely ended in death, but as Ryder circled him, he feared for his life.

When Ryder lunged for his neck and sank claws deep, he could hear him clearly in his head say, "Time for you to join your dead father."

The crowd screamed in excitement as Velkan fought for his life. He tried to fight off Ryder but felt his spirit dying. How could this be? He has been in worse positions. A scent caught his nose and he realized Ryder had stained his claws with wolfsbane and was chanting in the old tongue while choking him.

It was now or never.

He gathered sand from the ground and threw it into Ryder's eyes, causing him to fall back, losing his grip. Staggering, he lunged at Ryder, striking him for the third time, drawing blood. He rolled him off and stood, still in pain from the wolfsbane.

The crowd erupted in cheers for Velkan's win, but Ryder, half-blind, screamed as if possessed and lunged for Velkan again, but he dodged, causing Ryder to go over the edge of the clearing, falling to his death.

The energetic crowd went silent, a few gasps here and there, everyone shocked at the turn of events.

An elderly woman climbed into the clearing, joined by two men who looked just as old as her. "Today, we have witnessed a display of power and supremacy, as is the purpose of the Lunar Trial." said the old woman, her voice very loud.

She walked to Velkan, who had changed to his human form and raised his left hand to the sky. "Under the light of the full moon, Under the blessing of the Moon Goddess," a bowl with red substance in it, was presented to her by one of the men by her side. She placed a finger in it and rubbed Velkan's forehead. "I, Hati, Elder of the West Region, crown you Velkan, as the new Lycan King."

The silent crowd erupted, clapping and blowing horns in celebration, obviously neglecting that they had all just witnessed the death of one of their own.

"Velkan. Oh, Velkan. I knew you could do it." His mother, Leia, rushed to him.

Velkan fell to the ground, his body reacting to the wolfbane flowing in his veins.

"Velkan. Velkan, are you...." His mother's concerned voice was the last thing he heard as he faded into the darkness.