THE AWAKENING OF THE CHOSEN

In the realm of the Heavens "It is almost time for the awakening." The Moon Goddess Selene sighed with anticipation. "Selene, maybe you should let him sleep. The other Gods are not as pleased with your little creation." Maui, Goddess of the Sun pleaded. "Maui, he is a little of everything. Perfect, why is my Chosen feared when peace is what he is intended? Peace and harmony." "Selene, he is almost as powerful as a God! They fear that he will be powerful enough to destroy even us one day. He is an abomination!" "Nonsense, he bows down to the Gods!" "He bows down to you!" Maui quickly pointed out. "When the last Chosen walked the earth, he ended wars! He brought an end to famine among all. Every species benefits, and would you rather things continue as they are? Everything is fine until they sleep, and then destruction comes upon us once again." "If you let your pet awaken, know that you have been warned! The awakening in itself will cause a war of great destruction. I know you hear the whispers. He creates an imbalance of power," Maui declared, "He is the balance of power!" Selene shrieked. "So your mind is made up? You will let the child be born?" Maui demanded to know. "I will." Selene said sternly. Both ladies froze as they felt the presence of Heron around them. "Then let the hunt begin," a portentous voice echoed upon the walls. "Coward, you can't even show yourself!" Selene hissed. "You will see me soon enough covered in your Chosen’s blood." His evil laughter pulsated throughout the room. "What have you done, Selene?" Maui's voice was shrill as she thought of what was to come. "Maui, go. I need time to think alone." Selene stared off into the distance, lost in her thoughts. "Selene, the lives that will be lost! Is it worth it to you?" Maui practically stomped her foot, causing Selene to look at her. She seldom ever loses her composure, Selen thought. "Sacrifices will be made, but it is all for the greater good." Now they both had an air of sadness. One thought of what was to come and the other of what work needed to be done. "Fine!" Maui spun on her heels, disappearing into thin air. Once Selene knew she was alone, she whispered: "I will protect you, my beloved, but first, a few adjustments must be made." Heron POV "She cannot be reasoned with. Therefore, it must be done!" Heron stood among several other Gods and Goddesses. They all began to shout out at once. It was a meeting mostly of like minds but completely unofficial. "There has to be another way!" "I still don't see the harm in the child; the last time the child came with peace." "I will not go against Selene." "I will; Selene is no better than the rest of us." "Right, I agree with Heron that the child must die!" "ENOUGH!" Heron shouted. " If Selene insists on creating this abomination, so be it every child born within a year from now male or female, to a she-wolf, shall die!" Maui gasped, "You do not have the authority to make an order like that, Heron!" "I just did, and you do not have the authority to stop me!" "The Chosen has always been a male of Lycan descent. Why are they killing the girls? You're trying to end the entire species. There are no fools here, Heron!" Maui glared at him. "In one year, they will recover! Stop with the dramatics, Maui. It is your fault this problem grew to the extent it is today." Heron accused. Maui huffed. She had a particular distaste for Heron, the God of War. He had a knack for creating problems when there were none. She knew she would not persuade him any more than she could, Selene. "Only the boys!" Maui insisted as she stared Heron down. "Fine, then kill them all!" Heron yelled! At least the girls shall be spared, Maui concluded. "You will pay for this, Heron. This is not over." Maui glared at him, but he gave her a returning smirk as he went to gather his warriors. "Did you hear that?" Maui felt her sister Selene's presence surrounding her. She had her answer. Selene POV I am sorry, my love, but you will have to lose a part of yourself to find your true purpose. It is the only way to protect you. Your beginning will be painful, but I will endure this pain with you and, in the end, your reward will be more significant than any Chosen before you. When you come of age, you will inherit the strengths of all those that came before you. Your keeper will keep you safe until then. ...And so, war among the Gods began seeping from the realm of the heavens to earth. Ashville, North Carolina 1996 Blood Hunters Pack Alpha Loren Hunter preferred to work out to calm his nerves, so he was on pushup 436 and not the least bit out of breath when he heard his Beta call out, "Alpha Loren, come quick!" "What is it?" He calmly asked as he continued his work out, "The elders are in an uproar. The ancient scrolls have changed!" His Beta was practically shouting, "Changed! What the hell are you talking about?" Now he paused to look at his Beta, "Alpha, come, for you must see it for yourself!" His Beta insisted, He followed his Beta into the deep woods and the hidden caves within the mountains. The elders dwelled here constantly in their wolf forms. He was met at the entrance by Enok, one of the oldest living Lycans that remained on earth. The despair was shown in his eyes. He morphed into his human form and stood in front of him naked. His Beta walked away. Coming back seconds later, he handed him his cloak to cover himself. "Alpha Loren, we are doomed." He spoke, "Enok, what is it?" Loren asked, stepping closer to get a look, "This morning, right before my eyes, a decree from the Gods. Every male Lycan born this year must perish by our own hands. Alpha, the Lycan bloodline, is nearly extinct! This will end us for sure." "I don't understand." His Beta Duncan, spoke, "You're the strongest of our species." "Which is why we were targeted and hunted the most. Other species thought that if they took out the Lycans, they could somehow get the upper hand. Lycans are different; we can only mate with females of Lycan descent; there are very few left with pure blood. Look how long it took us to find our Luna. Most Lycans settle for she-wolves that do not have the proper bloodline. At the last council meeting, there were very few packs of pure-blooded females, not many left in the whole world of Lycan descendants, and out of those, few were of child-bearing age. We need the boys to continue our bloodline. It's imperative." "Show me the scrolls," Loren demanded, Enok led them to the great hall where they came upon the scroll and there it was written. "What does it say, Alpha?" "Basically, every male child born within the year should be put to death. If this decree is not fulfilled, the wrath of the Gods will fall upon us." "Alpha, what will we do? Luna is in labor, as we speak. If it is a boy-" "Give me a moment to think!" He snapped, silencing his Beta, Just then, Nurse Ava, mind-linked him 'Alpha, it's time you should be here now!' "The baby is coming; I have to go!" "Alpha the council will be here. They will come to make sure the decree is fulfilled. I can't believe the Moon Goddess is allowing this to happen." "Me too, Enok." The Alpha said as he turned using his wolf speed, he headed toward the pack hospital. When he entered, he called out for his Luna, but in return, all he heard was a blood-curdling scream that sent a stabbing feeling through his heart. He ran down the narrow corridor toward the sound of her voice when he ran dead smack into Nurse Ava. "Where is she?” He grabbed both shoulders and shook her, but she said nothing, she just stared at him. He shoved her away as he ran in search of his mate. Bursting into the room, he saw the most horrifying sight. His wife lay on the floor covered in her blood. "She took my baby!" She said, reaching for him. She was ashen gray and her lips blue. "Where is the damn doctor?" Just then, his Beta and Doctor Toven came running in. "Alpha the council is here! They are demanding to see the child, Alpha." Duncan declared, He was one of the most powerful Alphas, but fear gripped him. If he did not produce a child, the council would kill them for going against a decree ordered by the Gods. "Do what you can for her. I will talk to the council. What happened dear?" He asked her as he nuzzled his nose against the nape of her neck. 'She took my baby.' She said in a mind-link that only he could hear. "Who?" She had no answer, she just stared at him lost. He picked her up and placed her on the bed. He looked at his poor love. "I will return in just a moment." What would he say to the council? He could feel the shifting in the atmosphere and knew they were upon them. He would do what he could to fight them off to protect his love. "Where is the child?" They were always dressed in long lavish robes, burgundy, and gold in color. The first one looked at him, his eyes were pits of darkness. "Here she is! Beautiful and healthy as can be," Doctor Toven said from behind him. The Alpha turned and looked at her confused, yet there in her arms was a babe. One of the members of the council stepped forward to examine the child. Unswaddling the child, he examined her s*x. "A girl. This child is safe." He stated simply as he sniffed the babe "definitely of Lycan blood." The Alpha wanted to ask how he knew but he decided it was wise not to prolong the visit. He instead nodded as he brushed the baby's forehead with the tip of his finger. Even as he gazed upon the child at that moment, he knew she was not his. "Congratulations Alpha," The council members walked off into the fog, leaving them standing there. "Where did the child come from, Doctor?" He asked, "I heard a cry in another room and there she was." The doctor said, "Luna said she w-" "Alpha!" The doctor stated firmly "All our lives have been spared." She said, simply passing the baby to him. "Now what is her name?" He held the sleeping child close to his chest as he walked back inside the hospital. His wife sat up now, her color already coming back to her, and she reached for the baby. She took the child and began to nurse her. So, in love with the child, she almost didn't notice his confusion. She brushed his cheek with her hand and simply said, "Selene." He asked no more questions, simply accepting that the Goddess had spared them all. "She is beautiful, we will call her Mundora," Luna said as she began to nurse the baby. Leaving Alpha Loren to wonder where she came from, and more importantly, where their pup was. 4 years later “Mundora, come and say hello to your little sister.” Luna Darla called as she settled the baby into her crib. Mundora sat in her small child-sized pink rocking chair that her father had made for her. She continued rocking and playing with her doll. “Mundora, she is beautiful just like you my sweet, come, don’t you want to see.” Mundora stopped rocking and carefully slid out of her chair, placing her doll in her seat as she walked over to her mother. Her mother reached into the crib and lifted the baby. Mundora immediately caught sight of the blanket the child was wrapped in. “Mama” she pulled at her skirt. Alpha Loren came into the nursery. “Ah, a room full of the most beautiful girls in the world. How did I ever get so lucky?” He ruffled Mundora’s hair as he leaned in to kiss Luna's cheek. “Papa, that's my blankie,” Mundora said, but her words fell on deaf ears. “Honey, look how she wrinkles her nose when you kiss it. She reminds me of Mundora when she does that.” Darla laughed as she adored the small babe. “So tiny, isn’t she? I forgot how small they were in the beginning.” Alpha Loren said, admiring the newborn as well. Mundora stared blankly ahead, fixated on the blanket. Luna Darla knelt so that Mundora could get a closer look at the baby. “You have to be gentle, Mundora, she is fragile right now. She still has some growing to do. Her name will be Madeline, just like your doll. Would you like that, Mun?” Darla said, brushing her hand across Mundora's cheek. She did not answer, instead, she focused on the white blanket with daisies on it. It was her blanket and she liked it. Specially made for her by her grandmother and this new baby was wrapped in it. That simply would not do. She thought as she stared longingly at the blanket. The crib was placed in her parent’s room at night because the baby cried so much. Mundora found this extremely annoying as well, because she was no longer the center of her parents’ affection. This is when the dark shadow began to appear, whispering to the child. “It is because she is theirs and you are not. The only way to get them to love you as they once did is to eliminate her altogether.” “Won't they be angry and send me away?” “Not if they don’t know it was you,” the voice whispered. Not if they don’t know it is me. The words began to dance around in her head for hours and hours and she would hear the voice taunting her. “They call her beautiful. When was the last time you heard those words, little one?” “Always making a fuss over her, it's obvious who the favorite is.” “Would they even notice if you were gone?” “Just take your hand and place it over her mouth and nose. It will be over in seconds, and it will feel so good.” “You’re never going to get that blanket back, Mundora. Everything else that is yours will be hers soon. You watch and see.” Mundora could no longer take it. She waited until her parents went to the packhouse theater and she snuck into their room. There Madeline lay wrapped in her pink blanket. She reached between the bars and gave it a tug at first, then yanked the blanket. The baby rolled onto her tummy. Mundora inhaled the scent of the blanket now and frowned. It smelled like baby powder and her, Madeline. She huffed with discontent. Her blanket was ruined, and it would have to be washed. She turned to go when she saw the shadow seeping under the door like a black cloud of smoke whispering “Take the pillow and put it over her head, Mundora, finish it now.” “Okay.” She said, simply dropping the blanket. It fell at her feet. She had to pull herself up and climb to get into the crib. There was a pillow already inside. She looked at the baby that was already lying face down struggling to breathe. Grabbing the pillow, she placed it over the baby’s head. The black shadow gave a menacing laugh as it said, “Now push it down as hard as you can.” Mundora did until the baby quit squirming. She then crawled out of the crib and grabbed her blanket. She quietly closed the door behind her and crawled back into her bed. Snuggling with the blanket, the voice whispered, “Now how do you feel, Mundora, my Queen?” Mundora thought her question over before simply answering “Good,” as she drifted off into the most peaceful sleep she had ever had.