Awakening

Chapter 1

'Brothers and sisters, this is the beginning of a new era! No longer will we be kept in the shadows. No longer will we hide who we are! At long last we will be able to take our rightful place in this world!'

Victor's melodic voice cut through the night sky. His eyes were full of fire and the conviction of his message could be seen on every face in front of them. The small group roared with applause, showing their support. The air was filled with excitement and expectation. Rose felt proud as she looked on at the handsome, light haired man beside her. Her eyes lingered on his face and she quietly took in his slender features. His eyes caught hers for a moment and her heart gave a small jump. He was her love, her life. She knew he would lead them into victory. No more hiding, no more cowering. They would at long last be able to live in peace with the humans. This was their chance at a normal life. At last she would have a place to call home.

It had been almost 30 years since they had met. Almost 30 years since he gave her a second chance on life. When he found her, she was merely a scared 21-year old girl, living off scraps and whatever she could manage to steal. She had been alone for almost as long as she could remember. Her father left on "business" shortly after she was born and was never seen again. Her mother had to work multiple jobs just to keep them warm and fed, which meant Rose was left with a neighbor for most of the day. Her mom died of pneumonia shortly after Rose's fourth birthday. She didn't remember much of her mother or her childhood home. Now and again bits of her past would come to her, but it wasn't clear.

Her memories only really started with a grey, dreary brick home she was sent to after her mother's death. St. Michael's Orphanage had been her home for over ten years before one day she stole away into the night.

The orphanage was run by four nuns. Very religious, of course. Any sign, or alleged sign, of disobedience or unruliness was punished severely. Many nights the children would go without being fed and most nights the hallways were filled with the sound of lashings. The most unruly of the children were sent to "solitude" to think over their sins, which was a cupboard in the kitchen. One morning, after having spent two days in "solitude", she was informed that someone was coming to visit who wanted to adopt a girl of Rose's age. She was so excited at the chance to get out of that hell hole. A glimmer of hope had been presented to her. Her excitement however soon faded when she met the potential adoptee. During their meeting his eyes wandered over her body too frequently, his hand resting on her knee with too much familiarity to her liking. He had promised to pick her up the very next morning. That night she climbed out of her bedroom window and hit the ground running. She had learned to take care of herself, depending on no one else. One day, however, she became sick. With no way to pay a physician, she knew that she didn't have much time left. She was scared and alone and not prepared for death. That's when Victor found her. She would never forget that night.

#

She was so cold. The icy wind whipped against her face. She could hardly move, though she was unable to tell if this was from the cold or as a result of the sickness. If only morning would break, then she could at least enjoy the rays of the sun, maybe feel a little warmth before she died. Her stomach grumbled. It had been nearly five days since she had last eaten. She thought back on her life and thought it unfair that one person should suffer so much.

A loud crash down the alley sent her heart racing. She peeked out from under her long eyelashes and her eyes fell on a tall figure approaching. At first it seemed like he was going to walk past her, but then his eyes met hers. He stopped dead in his tracks, examining her quietly. Dark curls danced wildly on her head, framing her pale face. Her cheeks were sunken, her collar bone protruding through her skin. Her paper thin skin was a shade of icy blue. She looked at the man with her big green, almost lifeless eyes. He looked at her for a moment more, thinking, and then spoke in a melodic voice.

'Little One, do you wish to live?'

A simple question, but for a moment she didn't know how to respond. She was so tired. Tired of being hungry. Tired of being cold. Tired of being treated like she didn't matter. Tired of struggling to stay alive. She wanted all the suffering to end. But she was also terrified. Terrified of what awaited her after she had drawn her last breath. She'd given up on the idea of a God a long time ago, but images of hell fire and brimstone riddled her mind. Maybe life would be better with this stranger. He exuded confidence, which gave her comfort. Life couldn't be worse with him, could it? She had already lost so much and given so much away of what she had left. But there was one thing she was sure of though. She knew she wanted more than the life she was living.

He looked at her expectantly and as she looked into his eyes, she came to a decision. She nodded, or at least tried to. For a moment she was afraid that he missed the gesture, but he had understood. He bent down next to her and took her small wrist in his large hand. She stared at him and realized how handsome the man kneeling beside her really was. His blonde hair fell into his eyes whilst his arctic blue orbs seemed to stare right through her soul. Her eyes wandered over his strong nose and jaw. With slender fingers he slowly lifted her wrist to his mouth and bit down hard. She tried to scream out as the pain seared through her wrist, but her body was too weak to follow any instruction. She felt herself being picked up in strong arms, just before being enveloped in darkness.

#

The next few days had been absolute torture. Everything around her was dark. She couldn't move a muscle. She had no idea where she was or what was happening to her. The darkness surrounded her, clouding all her senses. Cutting off all rational thinking. All she was certain of was the pain. Her whole body was on fire, like she was engulfed in flames. Yet there was no smell of smoke, no sound of skin crackling. The raging fire burned and burned, following the path of her veins. She had never been in so much pain in her entire life. She wished she could run, jump, roll. Anything to make the fire go away. It was maddening. In her mind she begged and pleaded, but no one came. No one helped. She wished for death to come. But it seemed that not even Death dared face the fiery inferno. She thought back to what little memory she had of her mother and for the millionth time she wished that she could hug her one last time. After what felt like an eternity, she finally felt the fire disappear and the darkness faded. She opened her eyes slowly, not trusting the sudden calm of her environment, and her heart jumped wildly in her chest as she looked into a pair of ice blue eyes.

#

Rose smiled as she thought back to the first few years with Victor. It took a while to get used to the idea of lycanthropy. However, she soon found out that it was a wonderful gift that left her stronger and more agile. Her senses were heightened and she felt more confident in her skin than she had ever been.

She couldn't help but fall in love with Victor. He had promised her life and he delivered on that promise. He protected her fiercely and loved her passionately. He patiently taught her how to use her new found abilities. How to control her monster strength. How to sense the things around her. He helped her hone her sight and smell. He taught her how to fight and how to use various weapons. She could forgive his temper and his, sometimes, hurtful words because he had given her everything when she had nothing. Well, almost everything. She still had no place to call home. She never had the chance to grow flowers or vegetables. Never had the chance to paint the walls of a cottage. Never had the chance to raise children. "Later", Victor would promise. She longed for a home of her own, but the humans weren't ready to accept them yet. But Victor had formulated a plan. A plan that would unite humans and lycans. At long last she would be able to build a true life with Victor.

She snapped out of her reverie when the crowd's roar cut through the evening air again. Victor was finished with his speech. He was smiling from ear to ear, showing off his perfect smile. He looked at her, giving her a wink. He walked up to her and pulled her close, putting his head against hers.

"We are almost home, Little One." he whispered.

He took her face into his hands and crashed his lips to hers. She felt herself melt against his body and smiled against his lips. She couldn't wait for their future.