The Hybrid Queen (The Elysium Cronicles 1-5)

Chapter 1 I live in the supernatural world of Elysium. It is considered a heaven on earth for all of the supernatural creatures created by the Gods and Goddesses to help protect us from the humans who hunted us out of fear. Some humans were brought into this world when it was created by the vampires as slaves and a food source. As the years have past they started to live less in the dark ages and started to treat the humans better. No longer slaves but an important workforce to their coven, feeders are well paid and given good accommodation for them and their families and no longer do they feed on children, with their laws changed to protect them until they turn 18. As I have said in this world we have the Vampires, they have several covens which are lead by their masters, strong vampires who are only answerable to their King and Queen, who lead all of their lands, as they have the purest blood. Their rulers tend to follow the first male born, which is the next in line for the throne. Next is the witches and wizards who also have covens lead by their most powerful females with the help of her beloved, which is the equivalent of a mate to the witches, wizards and vampires. They are all kept under control by the Queen and her King. The females are usually the most powerful, which is why they lead the race. We also have the fae. Now, in their kingdom, there is only the Queen and King who rule in their different areas. They do have Lords who help them in their role to work with their people. The fae is quite progressive compared to the other races. The crown is passed on to first born regardless of if they are male or female, and they rule with their mate. Then there is the dragon kingdom, which is split into 2 sections, the east and west kingdoms. Each kingdom has their own royalty ruling them. Again, the line of succession goes to the oldest male heir as they are seen as stronger. To be fair to them, they treat their mates are their equals when they find them, and their Queen has just as much say as them. Finally, there is the shifter kingdom, which is also split into two sections, the north and south. Each kingdom has many werewolf packs within it, which are run by the Alpha’s and Luna’s, then the beta and Gamma. The werewolves are led by the Royal Lycan pack, which is ruled by the King and Queen of Lycan’s then next is the Royal beta and then the Royal Gamma. As with the vampires and dragons, the line of succession in the packs and the royal line is passed to the oldest male heir. On the whole, their mates are treated with love and respect, male wolves and lycan’s are known to be extremely possessive and protective of their mates, hold them in high regard, and lead with them. There are always exceptions to that rule, where they reject their mates for various reasons, or treat them as a pretty decoration on their arm, never giving them any proper power and equality. Now, for myself, I live in the North Lycan Kingdom in a medium-sized pack called the Moonrise Pack. On the whole I have had a wonderful life with my mother. Our Alpha and Luna are amazing people, Luna Darla is a lovely woman and my mum’s best friend. Unfortunately, their son and his friends are not as good people who have let their ranks get to their head, so they feel superior to their pack members. I am not very popular with them. They all hate the fact that I am a better warrior than them, and I feel no urge to submit to them. I also have no urge to submit to my Alpha and Luna, but I do so out of respect and to not raise any suspicions about myself. That is the only reason I act like I submit to any visiting Alpha’s. My mother has always told me I am special, I have my wolf Calla, but I am also part fae. Luckily, everyone can only smell my shifter gene, and I make sure not to accidentally use my magic around other’s. My mother has always trained me in secret. She was a warrior wolf in the Royal Lycan Pack before she moved here with me. My name is Rayne Lancaster, and I am just away to turn 18 and shift for the first time. I stand out from the others in the pack with my unusual looks. For starters, I am only 5ft 5, which is really quite small for a shifter, most of us females being between 5ft 8 and 6ft. The males are even taller between 6ft and 6ft 6, and I have always been teased for my height. It is not just the height that makes me stand out. My hair is a pure light silver colour, and my eyes are a vibrant lilac. I have never seen another shifter with the same eyes of hair before, so I know it must come from my fae side. Most have never questioned my looks, but kids can be cruel at times, and some see me as strange and different from them because of them. The fact I grew up without a father did not help, as many speculated on who and what he was, as I look nothing like my mother. Hopefully, after my first shift tonight, they will no longer question what I am as I will be like them. Or at least that is what I thought. Unfortunately, at midnight, nothing happened. My bones did not rearrange, and no fur sprouted from my body. I know Calla is in there she has been with me for so long now, I just have no idea why I didn’t turn like the others in the pack. All I have gotten out of my stubborn wolf is her telling me we are different and it is not our time yet. I really need to talk to Mum to see if she has any answers for me. Unfortunately, some of the pack members saw my failed shift, so I know that by lunchtime tomorrow, the whole pack will have heard about my failure. I slowly make my way home, dreading what I will be told and worrying about what the pack is going to say and think now. Especially that pr.ick Jamison who already thinks he is so much better than me, he will love this. He hates me being stronger than him, so I know he is going to use this knowledge to get back at me for my supposed snubs and wrongs I have done to him. I mean, just get over it, so you have had your a.ss kicked by a woman. You are not the only one. So far, only his dad, the Alpha, can beat me, and it is still a close fight, which, to be fair, is only because I give him the advantage. I really fear for the future of my pack when he is put in charge of it, with his outdated views, laziness and arrogance, he will easily ruin all the hard work his parents have done to make this a warm, happy, accepting pack. As I walk into my home, I can see the sadness in my mum’s eyes, I wonder if she knew this was going to happen. She did ask to talk to me before midnight, but I lost track of time with my friends, and I was too excited about meeting Calla properly it completely slipped my mind. “I didn’t shift mum, now it will just give those a.ssholes more to talk about” I tell her sadly. I know, baby, I know. This is why I wanted to talk to you beforehand to save you the upset. I have been both dreading and looking forward to this day since I first held you, there is a lot you need to know about yourself just remember you are still my daughter and will always be, I love you so much” she tells me looking worried. “You are starting to make me nervous mum, what is going on” I say quietly. “There is a lot you don’t know about yourself and what exactly you are, I promised that I would keep it a secret from you until the night before your 18th birthday” she says solemnly. “What is going on? You really need to tell me to stop my from thinking the worst” I say anxiously. “Rayne sweetheart, I am not your real mum, although as far as I am concerned, you are my daughter and always will be. Please let me tell you everything before you judge our decisions. Everything was done to protect you” she says with tears in her eyes. Well, fu.ck, this is definitely not what I was expecting. My whole life has been one lie after another. I hate to see her upset though, because as far as I am concerned she is still my mum and has always been there for me so I will listen and give her the benefit of the doubt for now.