The Curse

1

We are a tribe coming from the lands, where today's Mongolia is. Back then, we have spread in all directions to flee violence and terror. Our people believed in nature as our religion. We cherished her sun, moon, greenery and the animals that she gifted to us and in return we received the power of shape shifting.

My ancestors settled in a country that is the today's Balkan region. We have been living on this land for over a thousand years. Surviving several different empires, tsars and kings. But only after the invasion of the ottoman's, our pack got separated. One side was protecting the land, siding with the humans from our region and the other side, sided with the ottoman's after the Alpha discovered his mate to be the sister of an ottoman commender. My grandad accomplished to bring the pack back together but the tensions never stopped.

My name is Kenan and I'm the Alpha. I took over the pack when I became the strongest member in our region. My ancestors were the highest ranked soldiers of the sultan. The beta of our pack is an older man who is going to leave his position soon, for his son to take over. His family belonged to those who chose to fight against the Ottoman Empire. He is the one who is continuously trying win over my families position but he was never powerful enough to fight my dad for the role of the Alpha. His son Milan however, is challenging me tonight in a fight for life or death.

,Dad, you shouldn't allow this!', my younger brother tries to reason with my father as we sit down for dinner, which could be my last.

I gulp down a bite of roasted potatoes as the conversation gets heated with my older brother joining in.

‚Milan is an incredible fighter. The boy has spend more time in his wolf form than in his human body. The lad fights vampires for fun. They might win this time. I agree with Hamza, you shouldn't have allowed the fight. They were trying to win for centuries. It's enough! We are one pack! We shouldn't be fighting each other!'

Mom sits at the end of the table. Silent. She already told me that she fears this night. No one wants to see their child dying before them. I can only imagine how she feels.

‚The position of the alpha should go to the strongest of us. If I lose tonight, then it's my fate to die and it's Milan's time to take over. That's how it should be.'

My father nods in agreement and I leave the table to get ready for the fight.

-

It's a summer night. Chilly but it feels nice. The moon goddess is watching over us as we stand across from each other. Milan is as tall as me but he is not as muscular. His brown hair is cut short. His face is shaved and covered in small scars, as well as his pale body. He stands proudly listening to instructions whispered by his father.

The fight starts when the full moon is free from the dark clouds in the sky. They may vanish in seconds, minutes or hours. I'm ready. The pack has surrounded us in the clearing somewhere in a thick forest in the Balkans. Far away from the humans living here.

I feel the distress in my pack. If the alpha family changes, it will change the future of everyone here.

The grass under my bare feet is still warm from the sun shining on it during the summer day.

I look to the moon and I see the last cloud moving from the brightness.

Milan does the same as I revert my attention back to him.

I feel the similar bone crushing pain of the transformation as my body leaves it's human form and turns into a beast. The pack around us howls towards the moon goddess as I turn to my opponent, ready to kill.

Milan's brown wolf runs towards mine as my legs run on their own instinct. We approach each other, standing a few feet apart when my eyes meet his and my world turns upside down.