Hidden Lycan. (COMPLETE)

Chapter Thirty Eight

As Alaric came into the view my focus first landed on Lucas and Xavier falling in line behind him. Their shoulders tense, their jaws ticked and ground together. They held themselves painfully rigid. My eyes then slid to the man beside him. There was nothing physical that made him stand out from the other wolves other than his clothes. 

His jeans and black polo were unnaturally ironed. I mean even out here in the middle of the forest there wasn't even one wrinkle to be seen on his clothes. His shoes somehow had no signs of dirt or mud from where he'd been walking through the gathering, and his hair managed to stay in place. It was almost unnerving how perfectly intact he was making himself seem. He carried himself with his shoulders squared, head slightly tipped up giving off such an air of superiority it was almost humiliating. He was trying too hard, even I could see it. 

But as they came to a stop in front of me the guys all walked away from him in front of me and knelt. I mean one knee down, forearm over their knee and heads bowed. I was torn between feeling confused or angry they felt the need to kneel to this man. His aura was strong, but no stronger than Eli's. And the smirk that crossed that smug face as he watched my guys kneel had me balling my fists in anger. 

"Fallon." Lucas hissed. I looked down to him and he looked pointedly to the ground. HA. I scoffed, crossing my arms over my chest before staring right into the mans black eyes daring him to try and make me kneel. I kneel to no man. He may think he seems intimidating, but after meeting and spending time with a god, he has nothing over me. 

The smug smirk slowly slid from the mans face as he kept eye contact. I don't know why but something was telling me not to look away, looking away shown weakness, it let him know I was submitting. I would never submit to the likes of him. Determination filled me. My arms fell to my sides and my shoulders pulled back as I rose to my full height. In no way was I trying to challenge this man, but I also wouldn't bow or kneel or submit either. 

"Stand." The man commanded, never taking his eyes from mine. It was everything I could do to keep my eyes on him and not look to my men as they stood beside me. "Who is this?" He asked, not aiming his question to any of them in particular, but expecting an answer all the same. 

"This is Fallon. She is our mate." Xavier was the one to answer. His tone hard, wary and most of all concerned. The man bellowed a laugh breaking eye contact, his eyes sliding to Xavier. Somehow I didn't feel like I won anything, I felt like I made myself and my guys a target. But for what I wasn't sure. Unease coiled in stomach. 

"She is quite the woman." He said, his eyes running over me almost lustily. My lip curled of their own accord thinking about what this man must have in mind. "It is unfortunate Council members can not challenge packs." The man said as he eyed me hungrily. But when he didn't get the fearful response from me that he wanted, anger blazed within their black depths, ever so briefly, but long enough for me to see. 

"I apologize in place of Fallon Councilman. Fallon is still new to this. She is unaware of our customs." My eyes widened as they burned angry holes at the back of his head. Apologize? For me? I sneered. I would not apologize. I will no longer bend or bow to any man, no matter his rank or position in any community. 

I did however move in front of the men and nod my head in acknowledgement. "The only thing I will apologize for is my ignorance. But I am sorry to inform you I do not intent to bow or kneel to anyone. Wolf or likewise. I mean none of you any harm nor do I pose a threat of any kind, but I am my own person. I've spent the last twenty years away from all of this and I intend to keep it that way. I came here in consideration of my men and all of your positions, no other reason." 

My men breathed in a harsh breath behind me, but the councilman smiled. "I like this one." He said, nodding his approval. "She will cause trouble." He then looked back to me his eyes hard but curious. "Now if you'd all follow me. It is time that this woman show us exactly what she is, because she obviously isn't human. I can tell that not only by her scent but also her ability to keep and maintain eye contact with an alpha. A lower rank, especially a woman should not be able to do that. She may indeed be useful." 

I suppressed the urge to growl at his sexist statement. Woman can be as powerful if not more so than a man. This man needs taken down a few notches. As he turned his back I began to stalk towards him, but my arm was caught by Xavier. His eyes were pleading. He shook his head, grasping my hand as we followed silently behind the councilman. 

I wasn't sure what I was going to show these people. Hades said my lycan would know what to do so I was trusting him and her on this. But I couldn't shake the coiling nerves that twisted in my gut. Quickly reaching to my shoulder I picked up the kitsune pup and placed him in the bushes. "Stay here and hide. I'll be back." I told him. His little eyes widened, but curled into a ball and rested his head on his paws. I got questioning looks as I pulled my hair into a long ponytail, but I only shook my head. 

As we followed behind the councilman eyes followed us. I could feel more eyes than I was comfortable with gazing over me. Acting like I didn't notice was hard, even harder was continuing to walk with my shoulders squared and head high, faking confidence I no longer had. I was nervous and scared, though I'd never admit it aloud. 

I saw the hand dart for me from the corner of my eye, barely twisting out of the way in time to avoid being grabbed by a man who looked like he wanted to eat me. "Keep your hands to yourself." I hissed at him, dusting my clothes off like he didn't just give me a heart attack. His eyes widened in anger. The guys went to move to my side, but the councilman stopped them, and evil smile plastered on his face. So he wanted a show. He wanted to make an example of me. He wanted to play. Okay. 

The man lunged again, but my lycan's speed took over. I spun behind him and managed to land a heavy blow on the back of his head. He staggered forward a little, but didn't drop like I wanted. I guess I pulled back too much. I knew I couldn't show my true strength, but I also didn't plan on getting beat to a bloody pulp again. 

"I'm going to enjoy breaking you." The man spat as he stalked towards me. My eyes widened in horror at the implications of the mans words, making furry boil in my veins. This man was vile. Pure evil if he thinks he can force himself on a woman. I held my hand up to him, stopping him before looking to the councilman. "What are the rules for challenges here?" I asked. The man furrowed his brow as he looked from me to the councilman in confusion and shock. 

The councilman laughed, while my men watched in horror and concern. "No rules." He said waving his hand at me. "You hold no position, so he can't take anything from you. But if you win, you may take whatever rank he holds within his pack." I look over to the man with a quirked brow, hands on my hips. "And your rank?" I question. The man was shocked speechless, staring at me slack jawed. I sighed rolling my eyes, before snapping my fingers in his face. "Hello? Earth to brute." I yelled, making sure I gathered a crowd. If I couldn't bring the councilman down a few pegs, this creature that calls himself a man will have to do. 

"I'm Alpha." He finally sneered at me. I nodded, acting bored. "And your pack?" I asked looking around. He growled, but pointed over to a gathered group not far from us. I saw red. Six large barbarians held chained women. Chained. They were hardly wearing any clothes, their eyes puffy and red rimmed. Tears still stained their cheeks, bruised hand prints stood out on their necks, while other parts of their bodies were covered with what I knew all too well was whip lashes. But these women were human, they couldn't heal. 

A growl so savage ripped from my throat the demon alpha actually stumbled backwards onto his back. I towered over him. "And I'll enjoy breaking you. Just like you did to those women. Now stand your pathetic good for nothing, waste of air ass up." I growled, stepping back allowing him space to get to his feet. 

His pride was already wounded, so when his eyes flashed yellow, I knew he was shifting. ok I said to my lycan while the man stood to strip to begin his shift. Now would be a good time to show me what Hades said you'd know. I could feel her compliance. Her protectiveness for the females urging her forward.

I felt as the shift began to take over, I bit my tongue fighting against it. No, we couldn't shift into a lycan here. I screamed in my mind, begging her to listen. Trust. Her whispered word drifted through my mind. Trust. She wanted me to trust her. And I did, to a certain extent. But I knew deep within my soul she wouldn't endanger me or our men. So I allowed the shift take over. 

It was painful, but not as painful as the first time. This time though it felt different. I didn't feel myself grow, it almost felt like I shrunk. The cool air against my skin, suddenly seemed warm. All my senses heightened as her mind merged with mine. And before I knew it the shift was over, leaving me more than shocked that I now stood on four paws, and not the two legs of my lycan. 

What the hell? I screamed. Looking at myself through my lycans eyes. My fur was thick, and such a brilliant silver it could rival the moon. My size rivaled even the massive brown wolf that stood before me. The guys gave me a knowing smile. They knew something I didn't. Oh, they had some explaining to do when this was over. I growled to myself, focusing back on the wolf before me. 

He was fast, hoping to take me off guard while I was distracted with my men. But I managed to look back right as he lunged for me, darting out of the way right before his jaws would have clamped around my throat. I crouched low to the ground snarling at his dirty methods. The damned coward. When he came for me again I didn't dodge, I charged, meeting him halfway. 

We clashed in a heap of claws and teeth. Hoops and hollers echoed around the forest, bouncing off the trees. Some cheering for the alpha, but some cheering for the unknown female who accepted his challenge. I tuned them out. My mind remembering the women who needed help.

I managed to dig my hind leg into the soft underbelly of the alpha. A pained yelp falling from his snout as he fell away from me. It wasn't over though. We were both bleeding from bites and claw wounds. My silver fur colored red with a mixture of our blood. His stomach seeped blood from the wound I'd just inflicted. 

He growled as he circled me, looking for any opening he could. I wasn't giving him one, he couldn't win this, I wouldn't let him. I'd free those women. I snapped my jaws at him, challenging him to attack. It worked. He was already angry, but as I continued to challenge him, refusing to submit, his anger grew. I could see his anger clouding his judgement as he lunged, eyes falling to my throat, telling me exactly where he intended to attack. 

I snarled, waiting for him to get closer, before I lowered my body to the ground only for him to sail over me through empty air. It took two seconds for me to turn and jump, landing on top of the alpha, knocking him to the ground the air whooshing out of him in one big huff. Left panting for air, I pulled my lips over my teeth in a low growl. The alpha bowed his head, submitting to me, but the councilman said no rules. I glanced over to him briefly just in case, only for him to nod. And just like that my fangs sunk into the brown wolfs throat, a whine echoed around us as the crowd fell silent. Giving my head a swift and hard shake, the alpha's neck snapped, the sickening sound bouncing off the eerie silence. 

I didn't wait for applause, for approval. I didn't wait for anyone as I stalked the rest of my prey. The women cowered on a log next to the men who had them chained. The men's eyes were wide as they took me in, having no other choice but to bow as I reached them. I angled my body, blocking the women from the men before taking the chains in my mouth and harshly jerking them out of the men's hands. 

They shot to their feet their eyes blazing. But one low rumbled growl had them back in their seats, heads down, eyes on their shoes. I snorted, rolling my wolf eyes as I turned to the women. They whimpered, shying away from me. But I placed the chains that were once in the men's hands on their laps. A loud clank sounded as it hit their laps. They looked at me with wide startled eyes, but I just nodded my head before rounding behind them and nudging them up. 

They followed without a word as I led them over to the guys. The women were terrified as they looked from me to my men. I nodded and rubbed myself along the length of them trying to tell the women they were safe with them. They seemed to understand as they hesitantly shuffled their feet in front of them. 

"Impossible." A man shouted from somewhere in the crowd. "There has never been a female alpha." I growled, only to be cut short as the councilman stepped forward holding a hand out towards me. "Oh, no?" He asked, his voice loud enough to carry over the gathered crowd. "Tell me then, how do you explain councilwoman Lilian? Or councilwoman Sandra? The queen?" He questioned. The crowd fell silent at his words. "This female is obviously different, just as the councilwomen and the queen are."

The councilman turned to me and my men. Jealousy, lust, hunger, clouded his eyes as he examined me. "There is obviously no laws broken here." He stated, almost regretfully. "You're all free to leave in the morning, I'll inform the rest of the council and the royals on today's events." He then turned on his heels and left. 

No, it couldn't be that easy. Something was off. That man held too much envy for him to have just given up. I sat on my haunches and watched the man weave and bob through the crowd with my head tilted. It wasn't until he turned and looked back that I knew. He was planning something. This wasn't over.