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Revised version.
Chapter One
"By the moon and all her light Gau, you look like complete shit. Surely you didn't put up that much of a fight," a rich deep voice mused from atop the twin stair cases that gave the main entrance of Eluethera a grand appearance.
Gau looked up with what little dignity he still retained and actually managed a fairly decent scowl. A remarkable fete considering the present situation that had befallen him. He was kneeling; naked, bleeding and bound on the dark rich marble flooring of the home that belonged to the founding line of his species.
Flanking him were two of his very distant brethren, the very same two that had found, captured and brought him here. Here to this place to face the crimes he had committed. Crimes he, and others of his particular kind, believed should not even be offenses, at least when committed against those not of their own kind.
Not that it mattered what he believed anymore though, not now that he knelt facing his punishment before him. Punishment to be decided by the man descending those majestic stairs with both grace and dignity.
Kedyn; son of the son of the son who's father's great grandfather gave life to them all by laying with the celestial maiden back when the world was new.
All other lines were marked and changed by one or another, but this one was born and with that birth the first line ruled the rest. With that blood in his veins Kedyn ruled them all as his father's heir. He showed it, a true god among wolves. No half dilution withing him. He and his gift descended from the moon goddess herself and her consort, the wolf who was man whenever she left her sky in darkness to visit him. The child she'd conceived from her true were-consort was the first of the Lykae clan. While her beloved became man when she left the stars free reign of her night sky, her children grew fur when she was full and could keep watch over them.
That was only a story, though now Gau saw the product of that legendary liaison he couldn't be certain any longer or it's falseness.
Power all but saturated the air around Lord Kedyn. Although his skin was more sun kissed then blessed by the pale moon. His hair was a rich shade of dark chocolate rather then an unearthly light. Only his eyes gave the truth to his nature. Animalistic and wild, one may see his golden gaze as maddened, Gau saw only the raw power of his kind and trembled.
"Ajal, Dacado," Kedyn sighed stopping at the foot of the stairs, "You weren't supposed to use such excessive force with him. I know that you are young and therefore overzealous but you really need to learn-"
"It wasn't us Kedyn," Ajal interrupted drawing himself up to his full height of a mere 5'11" with indignation. His chocolate eyes narrowed with playful insult as he ran a careless hand through his short brown hair.
"We found him like this," Dacado agreed. The taller of the two as 6'1", Dacado looked as if he came straight from the New York rock scene with light flesh, long mahogany hair and honey eyes echoing that of his late father.
"Did you now?" Kedyn mused crouching in front of the trembling captive.
Gau couldn't bring himself to look directly into the Lykae King's eyes so his gaze fell over Kedyn's shoulder. The sight promptly cause him to soil himself.
Rurac. Every wolf who had ever been told of the pack had been told of the legendary Rurac. The half mad Beta wolf who followed Kedyn loyally and without question, killing all those who opposed the king ruthlessly, cruelly and without even the slightest hint mercy or remorse.
The 6'5" monster pulled away from the shadows to loom behind Kedyn menacingly. Muscle rippled and tightened in the man's darkened arms as his pale eyes bore into Gau's weak courage, or lack there of.
Stories had it that a five hundred years ago, or something like, Rurac had found his life mate, and killed her. Some said he had already been crazed when she crossed his path, others that he became so after her death. No one knew for certain if he had killed her intentionally or by accident. The truth that they all had though was that he failed to fully claim her before her untimely demise. With that all weres could sympathize and understand his insanity, if it did come after.
However his vow against all mutts struck fear and contempt before any comforting words.
"So, I'm curious," Kedyn caught Gau's wandering attention once more, "Who did you piss off? And what did they do to you? These wounds aren't so bad that they shouldn't have been longed healed."
Gau tore his gaze from Rurac and glanced at Kedyn's chest, still unable or unwilling to meet those golden eyes.
Kedyn continued without an answer from his captive, "They look almost like true wolves inflicted them. Too close to a pack little pup?"
Gau shrugged pathetically before a strange light filled him with courage, enough to suddenly confront his king, "It was worth it," he said defiantly meeting those enticing golden eyes, mistake.
Kedyn raised an eyebrow at the mutt with mild interest at the balls that Gau had suddenly decided to grow, this man believed he knew something no one else did. Interesting.
"Why do you say that mutt? You were attacked by true wolves and will bare the scars for the rest of your pathetic life."
"She was beautiful," Gau replied absently lost in a memory of blood and snow, coaxed by those unearthly golden orbs of power.
"She?" Kedyn prodded gently.
"Wolf girl," Gau whispered in awe.
Kedyn's eyes widened a fraction. Wolf girl? Was this mutt saying he'd seen a female Lycan? Could it be possible? Did women of their blood actually exist?
"Where?" He snapped quickly ignoring the reaction of his pack's pups; Ajal and Dacado to this startling claim of information.
Gau's eyes suddenly flashed into focus as Kedyn's concentration broke, the mutt glared hard at the Lykae King.
"Where!" Kedyn demanded seizing the mutt's throat before his wild eyes glanced up at Dacado in silent question.
"We found him near the Canadian border in the mountains. He was exhausted, had obviously traveled far."
"Northern Alberta is my guess," Ajal added.
Kedyn's fierce gaze fell back to the mutt before him, "Answer Gau, your life depends on this."
"Yes, northern Alberta," Gau sighed in defeat as he gave up the greatest secret of his immortal life, "There's a nature reserve there. No entrance place. The pack's territory overlaps into it."
"You're certain of this? She's one of us?" Kedyn tightened his grip on the mutt's windpipe momentarily in warning. It was an impossible claim but then again being the descendant from some long absent goddess was impossible as well. They very well lived in a world of impossibilities.
"Yes," Gau gasped, "I scented her. Didn't even believe it but she smelled different and familiar. I found a wolf, she ran, I gave chase. Her pack attacked me while she stood as a woman. I barely escaped."
"I see that," Kedyn snarled as he stood pushing the mutt away from him.
A female. He had to find her. She could be the one, his eyes closed in pleasure at the thought. Even if she wasn't, he had to bring the only female of their kind into the pack, for protection against mutts like Gau. Ones who would kill her after using her body and boast of it.
"Gau," Kedyn said calmed and quiet, half turned from the bastard bleeding in a puddle of piss and bile on his expensive floor.
The mutt raised his gaze slowly, looking from the king to the executioner, Rurac, who remained at a distance giving some hope to the situation.
"Gau," Kedyn repeated, "Your crimes consist of those that make us monsters in the eyes of the outside world. You have brought attention to yourself and your kind. You've raped and murdered women. Eaten the flesh of innocence. You've changed in the eyes of a mortal and then allowed him to live."
Gau watched in horror as Rurac stepped forward claws curled preparing to deal the death blow.
"We've remedied this disaster you had lain at our feet," Kedyn spoke over Gau's weak protests, "But we can not allow the threat you have provided to exist any longer."
"I told you about her!" Gau snarled his voice reaching new heights in fear and tone.
"Yes, for that your death will be quick and I will keep her safe from your kind."
Gau's voice rang out and was cut off with a sweep of Rurac's hooked claws.
Kedyn watched the mutt bleed out slowly, calmly before addressing his present pack members, "Get this cleaned up and get ready to go to Canada."
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