The Lycan

A gentle breeze was blowing. The sun felt pleasantly warm today—not the usual scorching heat. Lyall, a young man, took a deep breath, as if he wanted to claim that air all for himself. He sat leaning against a tree, accompanied by a book—a volume he cherished like a precious treasure. Everything seemed peaceful. Yes, he loved that tranquility, he would trade anything to keep it. Lyall closed his eyes.

"There you are." A voice disturbed his peace.

"Ugh...Go away." Lyall growled.

"No. It’s only a matter of time before he finds you."

Lyall opened his eyes and looked at the young man standing before him—someone his own age, gazing at him with concern.

"Who?" Lyall finally asked.

"Who else? That bastard Cedric, of course. He just won't give up on you!"

Hearing Cedric’s name made Lyall sigh and close his eyes again. "Not interested."

"But he is! Why not just fight him? Aren't you both werewolves?" Jeremy raised his voice.

"You're too loud. It’s hurting my ears. Just go." Lyall waved his hand dismissively.

Jeremy let out a frustrated sigh. "Can't you just fight him? You're both princes. You're on the same level—even if he is older than you."

Lyall shot him a sharp look. "And if I fight him, is there any guarantee he'll stop? Cedric is an asshole and will always be an asshole. No matter what. I don't want to waste my time and energy on him." He closed his eyes once more.

Jeremy slumped onto the ground. "So, we're just going to take it?"

"Just ignore and avoid him. That’s enough. And for you, you can stay away from me for a while. So he won't disturb you."

"It’s not enough! You’re just as annoying as he is now." Jeremy crossed his arms over his chest.

Lyall glared back at Jeremy. "Don't compare me to that pest."

He let out a long sigh. "I wish I could. But you two really are alike."

"Yo—"

Lyall cut himself off. He heard something. He knew what it was. He looked at Jeremy. "You’d better run."

Understanding what Lyall meant, Jeremy stood up and ran. Jeremy wasn't a werewolf, he was just an ordinary human. However, he had been friends with Lyall since they were ten years old—though he had only discovered Lyall's true nature five years ago, a revelation that had shaken him deeply.

Lyall didn't run. He simply reopened the book in his hands and started reading. No, he wasn't afraid of Cedric. He had been avoiding him all this time because he didn't want to give Frederick—his father's cousin and Cedric's father—a pretext to rebel.

"Well, well, well... So predictable." A girl smiled faintly, crossing her arms over her chest. "Hiding from my brother again, cousin?" asked Eve, Cedric's younger sister. Despite being a girl, she shared Cedric's temperament. No, no, she was worse. More volatile and unhinged than Cedric.

Lyall sighed. "Do I look like I'm hiding to you? Go play with your brother. Don't bother me," he said without looking at Eve.

"Why? Are you scared? How about you fight me instead?" Eve laughed.

Lyall looked at her with a puzzled expression and sighed. He had no desire to comment or engage with the two siblings, they were far too childish—especially Cedric. Suddenly, someone appeared, snatched the book Lyall was reading, and handed it to Eve.

Lyall closed his eyes, then stood up and glared at Eve. "Give it back," he growled.

"Hmm... This? This piece of junk?" Eve held up Lyall's book.

"Don't be childish, Eve."

"Don't be childish, Eve." Eve mimicked Lyall's words in a mocking tone, then burst into laughter with her friends. Lyall closed his eyes and let out a breath. He stood up and fixed a sharp gaze on Eve.

"Give it back," he requested quietly.

Eve clicked her tongue. "Reading this book—no matter how much—won't bring Lycaon back to life or make him rise from the grave!" she exclaimed. Her two friends—a boy and a girl—laughed loudly. "Unless he becomes a ghost. Boo!" Their laughter grew even louder. Lyall clenched his fists, his breathing became heavy. Eve stepped forward slowly, saying, "What? Angry? A coward like you can actually get angry?" She stopped right in front of Lyall. "Let's spar. One-on-one. If you win, you can take this book." She held the book up again. "If I win, this book is mine."

"That book is of no use to you. It’s just junk to you," Lyall said flatly.

Eve smiled. "True, but it means something to YOU. Come on... Don't be a coward. Or are you underestimating me because I'm a girl?"

Lyall remained silent. He didn't want to take the bait. He knew Eve wouldn't hand the book over easily, but he wanted it back—it was a keepsake from his older brother. He racked his brain for a way to retrieve the book without having to fight Eve. Lyall took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"I'm not wrong to call him a coward, am I? Because that's exactly what he is!" Eve turned and walked away from Lyall, who stood frozen in place. He didn't care about their taunts, their blows, or their insults. Just not the book his brother had left behind, that was the only thing he had left. Lyall started to step toward Eve, but he had barely taken a single step when a shout rang out. Jeremy was screaming as he ran toward them, brandishing a large tree branch. Eve quickly caught the wood and delivered a powerful kick that sent Jeremy flying.

"That retardes's lost his mind," Eve cursed. Lyall was still stunned by Jeremy's sudden outburst. Jeremy struggled back to his feet, limping, and charged at Eve again—this time with his bare hands. Eve nimbly dodged and knocked him down hard once more. Strangely, Jeremy kept trying to get up and attack.

"Jer..." Lyall called out, still in shock. He watched his best friend acting so strangely—especially considering that just minutes ago, Jeremy had been whining at him to fight back.

Jeremy was knocked down for the third time. He lay motionless on the grass for a moment before finally rising again. Eve’s punches and kicks were far from ordinary, though she was a girl, she was a werewolf. Eve was also a formidable fighter. She constantly trained to prove her worth to her father. Jeremy, on the other hand, was a mere human. He could die.

"Stop it. Jer... Stop," Lyall said to Jeremy. Jeremy steadied his breathing.

"At least he isn't a coward like you, cousin." Eve chuckled. Jeremy struggled to his feet, he could barely stand, yet he forced his body to move. He launched a relentless series of attacks, though not a single blow landed on Eve. Suddenly, however, Jeremy slammed his body into hers, caught off guard and losing her balance, Eve fell, with Jeremy landing on top of her. She quickly shoved him off.

"Disgusting!" she shrieked, scrambling to her feet and backing away. "How dare a mere human like you touch me!" Eve’s eyes turned pitch black. Her breathing grew ragged. She was on the verge of shifting, and it was certain she would attack Jeremy. Lyall knew Eve well, he stepped in front of her, blocking her path. "Move!" Eve snarled.

Lyall shook his head. "No. He’s just a human, Eve."

"That's right. He’s just a human, and yet he dared to touch me!" she screamed.

"He could die," Lyall stated firmly.

"I could make it look like he was killed by a wild animal." Eve took a step forward. Lyall blocked her again. She glared sharply at him.

"And I won't stand idly by, you know that."

"A coward like you?" she laughed mockingly. "Come on, Lyall... even a fool knows you couldn't hurt a fly!" She stepped closer to Lyall. "Because of THAT monster."

Lyall looked at Eve. Yes, it was true. What Eve said wasn't wrong. Ever since that monster took up residence within him, he had become a coward. He always avoided anything that might trigger his transformation into a wolf.

Eve set her sights on Jeremy again, and Lyall kept trying to block her path. But suddenly...

*Thwack!*

A heavy blow landed on Lyall's face. He lost his balance. Eve shifted into her wolf form and shoved Lyall—already staggering—to the ground, pinning him down with one paw. Jeremy, lying weakly on the ground, slowly inched away. Eve lowered her body, growling fiercely at Lyall, who stared back at her without fear.

"You're no match for me. A coward like you doesn't deserve that monster." Eve spoke via mind-link; Lyall heard her clearly.

"You can have it. With pleasure."

Eve growled even louder. Her sharp claws dug into Lyall's chest. Lyall winced.

Suddenly, Eve was flung aside. Another werewolf had appeared. The wolf growled fiercely at Eve. Eve scrambled up and growled back. She lunged, attacking the wolf—which was slightly larger than herself. The two wolves clashed. Eve slashed at the other wolf with her sharp claws and tried to bite, but the opponent was stronger. The light-brown wolf slammed Eve aside. She got back up and tried to attack again, but still couldn't defeat the brown wolf. The wolf slammed into Eve with great force.

"If you dare bother Lyall again, I’ll tear your little wolf body to shreds—and I don't care whose daughter you are." the brown wolf growled via Mindlink.

Eve snarled. She knew she was still no match for that wolf, but she didn't care. Defeating the brown wolf would be an achievement that—she was certain—would earn her father's praise. She had trained so hard for this. So very hard. All to gain her father's recognition. Yes, her father. The one who always praised Cedric. Cedric, Cedric, Cedric. Always Cedric. Eve snarled again and charged at the brown wolf. They clashed once more, clawing and biting at each other. The brown wolf knew, too, that Eve was no easy opponent. Especially since she was a princess; everyone always treated her gently and with caution, even going so far as to let her win during sparring matches just to avoid offending her. But not the brown wolf. He didn't care. He cared about only one thing: Lyall's safety.

Eve was thrown back yet again. Her body was covered in wounds, but she refused to stop. This was her chance to defeat the brown wolf.

"Eve, stop. You're going to get seriously hurt." one of her friends warned. Eve didn't care. She prepared to attack again, despite stumbling. One of her friends stepped in front of Eve, holding her back. "Listen to me. If word gets out that you lost to Zaiden, Cedric will humiliate you in front of your father. There’s no one else around here. Let's go!"

Eve was still snarling, but she knew that what Erina—her friend—was saying was true.

"Come on, Eve..." Erina pleaded. Eve fell silent for a moment, glaring at Zaiden, before running off.

The brown wolf then shifted into the form of a handsome man with slightly long brown hair. Zaiden was shirtless, revealing his muscular abs. He walked over to Lyall.

"Are you okay?" Zaiden asked as he put on his t-shirt. Lyall paused, casting a brief, frowning glance at Zaiden before walking past him toward Jeremy.

"Are you alright?" he asked Jeremy.

Jeremy nodded. "I'm fine," he said quietly. He sat down and leaned back against a tree.

"What happened to him?" Zaiden approached them and crouched down to examine Jeremy's face and body. "What's wrong?"

"He tried to commit suicide," Lyall answered curtly. He remained standing, glaring at Jeremy in annoyance.

Zaiden looked at Lyall. "Suicide?"

"Don't exaggerate," Jeremy chuckled.

"Exaggerate? You call that exaggerating?! She's a werewolf! And she's insane! But you fought her! With that damn little twig! That's suicide!" Lyall shouted.

"Hey, hey—that twig wasn't small!" Jeremy insisted.

Zaiden stared at Jeremy in astonishment. "You went up against Eve?" He gave Jeremy’s shoulder a light pat. "You’ve really grown up, mate!"

Jeremy chuckled, clutching his stomach as the laughter made it ache. Lyall snorted. He couldn't believe Zaiden was actually praising him. They were both crazy!

"Come on, we need to see a doctor to check your injuries. I’ll help you walk," Zaiden offered.

"No... I’m fine," Jeremy refused.

"Tsk! He thinks he’s a werewolf who can just heal himself!" Lyall muttered.

"Stop being annoyed with him. He’s hurt. He bravely stood up to Eve." Zaiden gave Lyall a gentle shove. "And you," he said, looking at Jeremy, "I know you’re tough, but a medical check-up is necessary. Just to be sure you’re okay. Even we werewolves see doctors. Let's go!"

Zaiden supported Jeremy as they walked toward the nearest hospital.

"I can't carry you on my wolf back, the hospital is in human territory."

"No problem, Zai. I’m still strong enough."

Zaiden chuckled. "You’re becoming a real man now." He looked at Lyall. "Are you coming?" he asked Lyall, who was still standing there.

"You two go ahead. I’ve seen enough of his stupidity." Lyall turned and walked away.

"Ly!" Jeremy called out. Lyall looked back. Jeremy tossed a book, which Lyall caught perfectly. Jeremy smiled and continued walking, supported by Zaiden. Lyall stared at the book. Even Jeremy had managed to snatch it back from Eve. It seemed the idea that Lyall was a loser wasn't wrong after all, he thought to himself. Lyall sighed, then walked after Jeremy and Zaiden.

"Forgive him, Jer. It seems being a prince is driving him mad. Can't really blame him, though. He didn't even thank us—just grumbles all the time. He's more of a nagger than my mother." Zaiden whispered to Jeremy.

"Don't worry about it. I get it. But it looks like being a prince comes with the risk of acute stress," Jeremy whispered back.

"Poor guy."

"Yeah, Zai, poor guy."

"I heard that!" Lyall shouted. Zaiden and Lyall giggled.

***

In no time at all, Eve had already taken down five people. Her body was drenched in sweat, yet she refused to stop. Nothing—absolutely nothing—could hold her back.

"Come at me again! Hurry up!" Gasping for breath, she continued to challenge the men, who were staring at her with a mix of expressions. Eve planted her hands on her hips. "What is this?! Is no one going to step up?!"

"Miss..."

"Don't talk to me. Just tell them to step forward and fight."

"Miss, no matter how much they fight you, you’ll still win. They’re no match for you." The man tried to keep his voice gentle and calm, even though he desperately wanted to put an end to Eve’s madness and the suffering of the gammas there. It was true, Eve was far beyond their league. Despite being a young woman, she was incredibly strong and fast. Moreover, she was a princess—Frederick’s daughter and the Alpha’s cousin. If she suffered even the slightest scratch, their lives would be forfeit.

But Eve didn't care about that. She was notorious for her obsession with fighting. And let’s not forget: everyone always gave in to her whims. On the flip side, she could be a... normal girl. She would primp, shop, and dress like a lady—almost as if she had a split personality. Right now, however, she was in a constant rage, cursing and screaming because no one would fight her. Everyone was at their limit, yet Eve showed no signs of stopping or even toning down her frenzy. To make matters worse, news that she had lost to a low-life like Zaiden had reached Cedric, fueling her volatile temper. It wouldn't be long before the news reached her father, too.

"What exactly is wrong with her?" asked Stefan, a friend of Cedric—Eve’s older brother.

"You know why. That’s just Eve. The spoiled brat. She’s always making trouble for everyone." Cedric looked on with displeasure. "I’m sick of looking at her." He grumbled.

"But she used to be normal."

"That was before she lost to Zaiden."

Stefan looked surprised. "Wait, Zaiden? She fought him? But why?"

"Because of Lyall, of course. What else? Zaiden isn't the type to get provoked easily unless it involves Lyall."

"Defending Lyall? That coward? Ugh! They act just like a gay couple! Even if Lyall is Lycaon's younger sibling, that’s just too much!" Stefan snapped. "But... isn't she good at strategy and combat, even though she's a woman? I thought she would have won."

"You've got to be kidding, Stef." Another man, Mark, chuckled. "She ( he pointed at Eve) might be good at fighting, but her emotions are unstable. She also tends to be impulsive and refuses to listen to anyone else!"

"Sounds like you know her pretty well," Stefan remarked sarcastically.

"It's not so much that I know her well, but rather that I'm fed up with her. There are so many reports coming in, endless complaints. And who's responsible for all that? Her! If only she weren't a princess—if only she weren't your sister, Ced—I might have already..." Mark clenched his fist. "Just imagine if she were a royal princess. She’d probably go even more out of control!"

"You can do whatever you want to her. You have my permission," Cedric said with a smirk.

Mark raised a hand in front of his face. "No, thanks. She’s already caused enough trouble."

"Hahaha... So, you're a coward after all!" Stefan taunted him.

Mark turned his face away. "I don't care if you call me a coward, a baby, or whatever. I want nothing to do with her. Period!" Mark stated firmly.

"In that case... How about Stefan handles it?" Cedric suggested, causing Stefan to glare at him. "You were looking down on Mark, weren't you? Besides, it's no secret that Eve likes you."

Stefan scowled. Mark, naturally, loved the idea.

"I'm sure the wild Eve will listen to the handsome Stefan Starline."

"Ha! Very funny." Stefan snorted.

Someone came running toward where they stood and bowed respectfully.

"Young Master, please help us. Princess Eve is getting completely out of control."

The man didn't plead with Cedric—Eve's older brother—but with Stefan instead. It made Mark laugh.

"Hey! Why me? Ask him!" Stefan pointed at Cedric, his temper clearly about to explode.

"B-but... Lady Eve only listens to you."

Hearing that, Mark burst into even louder laughter. Even Cedric joined in. Stefan raised his hand, about to strike the man before him, but Cedric quickly stopped him.

"What he said is true. Why would you want to hit him?"

"But I—"

"Don't you feel sorry for them?" Cedric asked, gesturing with his chin toward the exhausted Gammas before looking at the man standing there. "Tell Eve that Stefan wants to speak with her."

"You—" Stefan shot a murderous glare at him as the man hurried off toward Eve. Was Eve ugly? Certainly not. She was stunning, with light brown, shoulder-length hair and soft hazel eyes. Many said she resembled her mother. Unfortunately, her erratic behavior made everyone avoid her.

Mark laughed loudly. "You're done for, Stef! Let's go, Ced. Let Stefan handle Eve."

"No!" He draped his right arm around Cedric and his left around Mark. "You guys have to suffer just like I do!"

Cedric shook him off. "Eww! We're sick of her. I have to see her every day at home. Mark? He has to deal with people's complaints on Eve's behalf. You're on your own." Cedric walked away, followed by a chuckling Mark. Stefan was left speechless. His plan to escape vanished the moment Eve's soft voice called his name.

"Hi, Stef."

Stefan turned around to find Eve standing there, smiling sweetly at him as she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. She looked so different from the Eve who had been fighting earlier. Oh god!

***

Tadariez