Ch 002: The Odd One Out

 [ Aysel ]

At first, when I change into something presentable and follow the guards with Liora and Seren, I swear I’m dreaming.

Nothing today feels real.

Hours in a sleek convoy, riding silently with girls from other packs. Arriving in Emberglade by evening, people stopping in the streets to watch us. 

Stepping onto the grounds of the almighty Emberglade: home of the supreme, immortal, hybrid Grand Lycan King. Breathing the fresh, cool air, eyes tracing towering buildings unlike Lumiville’s small homes.

Being led into the massive Selection Court, where a woman introduces herself as Mistress Sheiza, our guardian overseeing the Selection and preparing us for the official day a week from now.

Still, none of it feels real.

Only after days pass do I accept the truth: I am here. Participating in The Selection.

For the entire week, our lives follow strict routines. We are fed rich, healthy meals meant to strengthen our bodies. We stretch every morning under careful supervision. We are bathed daily in warm water soaked with flower oils. Our skin is massaged and oiled. Our hair is washed, treated, brushed until it shines.

And yet, instead of feeling honored, I feel terrified.

I don’t belong here. If anything, I feel like I’m trespassing in a world not built for someone like me.

Liora and Seren ensure I never forget it.

Since the guards announced I’d be coming along, their bitterness has shadowed me. They don’t miss a single chance to remind me that I am an intruder.

“Honestly, I almost pity you,” Seren sneers one afternoon in the sauna. Her gaze drags over me like I’m filth. “Do you think being pretty, maybe even the prettiest, is enough to survive this Selection?”

She shakes her head mockingly. “Poor thing. You have no idea what you’ve gotten into.”

“She doesn’t,” Liora adds, lips curling with amusement like I’m a big, fat joke. “The Selection has tiers. Girls with wolves and traits like us, take the top ranks. And a wolfless girl like you? You’ll be scrap. Passed down to soldiers. Thrown into filthy harems. Fucked until you can no longer make use of your legs.”

She leans close. “If you think that guard did you a favor, think again. You’re completely screwed, sister.”

I try to tell myself they’re lying. That they’re only trying to scare me and keep me small. But their words gnaw deep into my chest anyway.

What if they’re right? What if this is my biggest mistake?

Should I have stayed in Lumiville? Tried to fix things with Sylas?

As the days pass, my fear grows heavier. Then, the D-day arrives.

Standing before the mirror, I barely recognize the girl staring back at me.

She’s dressed in an exquisite white robe made of flowing satin, beads of jewels catching the light. Her platinum-white hair is oiled and styled, falling down her back in soft, shining waves. Her skin glows, lips pale.

Her deep violet eyes stare back, wide, frightened and unsure.

My heart pounds so hard, threatening to leap out of my chest. I’m certain that with the rate of anxiety I’ve been experiencing lately, I’d have had a heart seizure if I hadn’t brought my medications with me.

Gods… is this it? Is this the day my life takes a turn for the worse?

When the women finish applying scented oils and heavy, intoxicating perfumes to my skin, I thank them quietly and step out.

I join the others in a smaller hall, where we’re told to wait until we’re called.

As I step into the hall, soft chatter fills the air.

The girls have already gathered into small groups, heads close together as they whisper and giggle, excitement lighting their faces. They talk about expectations, fantasies, and futures they’re certain are waiting for them beyond tonight.

Dreams they’ve carried for years.

“Girls! Come look!” someone suddenly shrieks. “The Grand Lycan King is here!”

The girls instantly spring to their feet and rush toward the window in a frenzy, pressing together like starving birds rushing toward feed.

 I follow, curiosity tugging me.

I’ve heard countless stories about the Lycan King since childhood. Lycan King Raegon Varkis. The half-wolf, half-dragon king. A rare hybrid. The most powerful being in the entire realm.

I’ve seen his face in magazines and watched him on screens, but seeing him in person is not that easy.

I squeeze in behind the others, rising on my toes as I peer through the glass. Outside, a black limousine has come to a stop. Armed guards surround a man dressed entirely in black, a royal regalia draped over his broad frame.

I can’t see his face clearly.

“Fuck the moon,” one girl gasps, clutching her chest. “He’s so tall…. and HUGE.”

She isn’t exaggerating.

Even from here, his height is undeniable. He towers over everyone around him, his presence commanding and intimidating. There’s something about his powerful aura that sends a chill down my spine.

“You think any of us could be chosen by him tonight?” the same girl asks breathlessly, turning to us.

A few girls snort.

“Not a chance,” another says bluntly. “For the last three Selections, he hasn’t chosen anyone. Everyone knows he just shows up to watch.” Then, she lowers her voice in a gossip whisper. “Plus, I heard he’s impotent.”

More murmurs, though the news of his impotence is nothing new. 

“I don’t blame him,” a third adds, clicking her tongue. “When you’ve lived for millennia, especially without a child, nothing excites you anymore.” She sighs dreamily. “Still… imagine being the one who finally catches his interest, becoming one of the Lycan King’s consorts.”

A wave of giddy sighs follows. Faces flush and smiles bloom.

“I will be that girl.”

The room goes quiet. The girls turn their head, at the same time my gaze shifts slowly, though I already know who that confident voice belongs to.

Liora.

She doesn’t look at any of us. Her eyes stay fixed on the figure outside the window, a dark, calculated and confident smirk curving her lips. 

I know that look. It’s that look she wears when she wants something. Something she’s willing to destroy anyone to get.

“Girls. It’s time.” A sharp clap breaks the moment.

We all turn as Madam Sheiza steps forward, flanked by two other women dressed in elegant gowns and thick fur lining their collars. 

“The Selection is about to begin.”

The girls fall into a neat line at once as we’re led out of the smaller hall and toward the grand one.

The moment we cross into the wide, open space, I seriously consider turning around and running. 

My heart pounds so hard, it almost feels like it might burst through my ribs. My stomach churns, nausea rising as fear twists deep in my gut.

I feel dizzy, and small.

“Hey,” a soft voice whispers from behind me. “Are you okay?”

I turn slightly to see one of the girls looking at me with concern. She has gentle eyes that are warm and kind, and a calm smile that feels out of place in all this tension.

I nod quickly. “Yes.”

“Don’t be too nervous,” she says quietly, as she reaches out and gives my arm a light squeeze. “We all are. Last night, I saw half the girls rushing to the bathrooms. Everyone’s pretending to be confident, but we’re all terrified.”

Her grip tightens just a little. “So hold your head high, okay? That’s how you find favor before the gathering.”

“Okay,” I whisper. Something eases in my chest. Just a little. “Thank you.” 

“I’m Maelis, by the way.” She adds. “What’s your name?”

“Aysel.” I answer simply. 

She smiles once more then lets go as we continue forward.

The grand hall is breathtaking.

It’s got towering ceilings, massive chandeliers dripping with crystal light, and rich decor lining every wall. Around us, elites sit in silence. Lords, Kings, nobles. All watching with careful, judging eyes as we walk in like commodities.

And at the very center of it all… is Lycan King Raegon.

“Oh gods… oh gods…” a girl mutters ahead of me, her shoulders trembling.

My breath catches.

I’ve always known he wasn’t like other men. But standing this close, I can see that he’s more.

He’s terrifying. His presence alone presses down on the room, dark, breath-taking and powerful. And to top it all…

He’s devastatingly handsome. Handsome in a way that feels god-like. 

“My King,” Madam Sheiza says, bowing deeply. The two women beside her follow suit.

She straightens, then turns to the gathering and bows again. “My Alphas, lords and kings.”

When she steps aside, the full view of us is revealed to him.

“The girls are ready,” she says calmly, gesturing toward us. “Awaiting your command to proceed.”

For a long moment, he says nothing. Just watches from his throne.

None of us dare to meet his gaze. Our heads stay bowed, spines stiff and breaths shallow as we wait.

Then his dark, silky voice fills the hall.

“You may now present yourselves.”