The Council's Verdict

Serena kept tracing the small stone carving that Ronan had given to her. Today, she would finally have to meet with the council. She was so nervous that the mark on her skin began to glow. Would she be able to prove herself worthy or would she let the darkness take over her? 

The door burst open, revealing Lyra. 

" Lucian said you should meet him at the front of the cave." She said, but Serena could sense the insincerity in her voice. 

" Thank you, I'll be going." She stood and walked to exit the room. As she passed by Lyra, Lyra held her by the hand stopping her.

" I hope they all vote for your destruction." Lyra spat out bitterly before letting go of Serena's hand. As she approached the front of the cave, she grew increasingly nervous about everything. When she arrived, she saw Lucian and Dorian whispering to each other. 

" I'm here." She said aloud to call their attention.

" Ok, we need to get going before Selena Blackthorn and the entire council demand my head." Lucian said as he opened the car door for her to get in. 

Serena's heart pounded against her chest as the grand council hall came to view. " Remember, I'm here for you; I won't let them harm you." Lucian said giving her a reassuring nod. 

Serena took a deep breath and nodded, preparing herself for the ordeal ahead. They stepped into the grand hall, and the hallway were filled with portraits of great ancient wolf's and elders who had passed away. Serena gasped as her eyes landed on the picture of the black fur wolf. She stared at the portrait, under which the word Onyx was written. This was definitely the wolf from her dream. 

" Come on, we can't keep the council waiting." Lucian said, pulling her. 

As Serena entered the room full of dignitaries and the highest ranking elders, she could sense their scrutiny. Some saw her as a threat, a rogue element that needed to be eliminated. Others however, seemed to regard her with calculating interest, as if they believed her existence would bring a good outcome.

Serena stood before the council still nervous and at the head of the table was the Council's leader. A wise and aged werewolf name Eli, his eyes were fixed on Serena with a piercing gaze. 

" So you are of the descendants of the Onyx wolf." He voice dripping with an air of superiority. " The whole werewolf world is thrown into commotion and fear because of your existence."

Serena stood tall her shoulders squared, as she faced the council. 

" I mean no harm to the werewolf world. I'm here to prove myself." She said with a firm and resolute voice. 

" How do you know you mean no harm? You don't even know how to control your powers." One of the council members sneered at her. His statement sparked a whispered conversation among the council members. 

" Quiet!" Eli shouted, banging the wooden gavel against the table making the room to return back to it's quiet state.

" You said, you came to prove yourself to us, right?" 

" Yes, Wise one." 

" Shift." 

She stepped back a bit to give herself a bit of space before communing with the wolf within her. She closed her eyes embracing her wolf as her bones crack and began to reshape. Her wolf form—black thick fur and her purple glowing eyes made the council gasped. Some showed signs of fear while others had an inquisitive look.

" She is a monster." One of the members spat out disgusted. " You are a curse on our kind, you should be put down." 

The Onyx wolf growled as her purple eyes swirled, slightly turning to the colour red. The flowers and leaves that beautified the room began to whither, and the glasses shattered. Serena was no longer in control of her wolf again, the darkness was winning. The council member that had called her a monster started coughing and gasping for air. She was draining life out of him, and he could die any moment. 

Lucian quickly shifted and stood in front of the Onyx wolf, capturing her attention. 

" That is enough." Lucian growled. Slowly the wolf returned control back to Serena and she shifted back to her human form. Lucian covered her with a jacket as she tried to catch her breath.

" Alpha Lucian, she has to be killed immediately." Eli said still in shock. 

" No! That won't happen." Lucian's eyes flashed with anger. " She is under my protection." He sneered angrily. 

" You want history to repeat itself again?" Selena voiced out for the first time since the meeting started.

" What do you mean by that?" 

" We all know what happened to your mother, Lucian." She sneered. " She suffered from the same curse and it consumed her despite all you and your father did to save her. You can't save Serena." 

Lucian's voice twisted in rage as he stormed out of the hall with Serena in his arms. His mother's death was a very sensitive topic for him. He hated to be reminded of his failure to save his mum. 

Immediately they got back to Nightfang pack, Lucian didn't even wait to help Serena out. He alighted the car when it got to a halt and disappeared into the house. 

Lucian stood before his mother's grave tears streaming down his face. 

" Mum, I'm sorry I couldn't help you. I'm sorry I allowed them to kill you." 

" Lucian." He heard in whispers. He looked around but no one was there.

" Who is there?" No one even knew this grave existed. He turned back to his mother's grave stone and there she was, his mother's spirit.

" Mum?" 

" Lucian my boy." She said with a smile. This was the first time he was encountering her spirit, other times he could only feel her presence.

" Mum, I'm sorry."

" Lucian you have to hurry, time is running out." 

" What's that mum?"

" You never failed me Lucian. My fate was sealed even before you were born. But Serena... She's different. She is the key to breaking the curse that has haunted our family for generations." 

" Mum I don't understand." 

" Lucian, hurry!" 

That was the last thing she said before she disappeared leaving Lucian at the grave side. Chapter 12: The Council's Verdict

Serena kept tracing the small stone carving that Ronan had given to her. Today, she would finally have to meet with the council. She was so nervous that the mark on her skin began to glow. Would she be able to prove herself worthy or would she let the darkness take over her? 

The door burst open, revealing Lyra. 

" Lucian said you should meet him at the front of the cave." She said, but Serena could sense the insincerity in her voice. 

" Thank you, I'll be going." She stood and walked to exit the room. As she passed by Lyra, Lyra held her by the hand stopping her.

" I hope they all vote for your destruction." Lyra spat out bitterly before letting go of Serena's hand. As she approached the front of the cave, she grew increasingly nervous about everything. When she arrived, she saw Lucian and Dorian whispering to each other. 

" I'm here." She said aloud to call their attention.

" Ok, we need to get going before Selena Blackthorn and the entire council demand my head." Lucian said as he opened the car door for her to get in. 

Serena's heart pounded against her chest as the grand council hall came to view. " Remember, I'm here for you; I won't let them harm you." Lucian said giving her a reassuring nod. 

Serena took a deep breath and nodded, preparing herself for the ordeal ahead. They stepped into the grand hall, and the hallway were filled with portraits of great ancient wolf's and elders who had passed away. Serena gasped as her eyes landed on the picture of the black fur wolf. She stared at the portrait, under which the word Onyx was written. This was definitely the wolf from her dream. 

" Come on, we can't keep the council waiting." Lucian said, pulling her. 

As Serena entered the room full of dignitaries and the highest ranking elders, she could sense their scrutiny. Some saw her as a threat, a rogue element that needed to be eliminated. Others however, seemed to regard her with calculating interest, as if they believed her existence would bring a good outcome.

Serena stood before the council still nervous and at the head of the table was the Council's leader. A wise and aged werewolf name Eli, his eyes were fixed on Serena with a piercing gaze. 

" So you are of the descendants of the Onyx wolf." He voice dripping with an air of superiority. " The whole werewolf world is thrown into commotion and fear because of your existence."

Serena stood tall her shoulders squared, as she faced the council. 

" I mean no harm to the werewolf world. I'm here to prove myself." She said with a firm and resolute voice. 

" How do you know you mean no harm? You don't even know how to control your powers." One of the council members sneered at her. His statement sparked a whispered conversation among the council members. 

" Quiet!" Eli shouted, banging the wooden gavel against the table making the room to return back to it's quiet state.

" You said, you came to prove yourself to us, right?" 

" Yes, Wise one." 

" Shift." 

She stepped back a bit to give herself a bit of space before communing with the wolf within her. She closed her eyes embracing her wolf as her bones crack and began to reshape. Her wolf form—black thick fur and her purple glowing eyes made the council gasped. Some showed signs of fear while others had an inquisitive look.

" She is a monster." One of the members spat out disgusted. " You are a curse on our kind, you should be put down." 

The Onyx wolf growled as her purple eyes swirled, slightly turning to the colour red. The flowers and leaves that beautified the room began to whither, and the glasses shattered. Serena was no longer in control of her wolf again, the darkness was winning. The council member that had called her a monster started coughing and gasping for air. She was draining life out of him, and he could die any moment. 

Lucian quickly shifted and stood in front of the Onyx wolf, capturing her attention. 

" That is enough." Lucian growled. Slowly the wolf returned control back to Serena and she shifted back to her human form. Lucian covered her with a jacket as she tried to catch her breath.

" Alpha Lucian, she has to be killed immediately." Eli said still in shock. 

" No! That won't happen." Lucian's eyes flashed with anger. " She is under my protection." He sneered angrily. 

" You want history to repeat itself again?" Selena voiced out for the first time since the meeting started.

" What do you mean by that?" 

" We all know what happened to your mother, Lucian." She sneered. " She suffered from the same curse and it consumed her despite all you and your father did to save her. You can't save Serena." 

Lucian's voice twisted in rage as he stormed out of the hall with Serena in his arms. His mother's death was a very sensitive topic for him. He hated to be reminded of his failure to save his mum. 

Immediately they got back to Nightfang pack, Lucian didn't even wait to help Serena out. He alighted the car when it got to a halt and disappeared into the house. 

Lucian stood before his mother's grave tears streaming down his face. 

" Mum, I'm sorry I couldn't help you. I'm sorry I allowed them to kill you." 

" Lucian." He heard in whispers. He looked around but no one was there.

" Who is there?" No one even knew this grave existed. He turned back to his mother's grave stone and there she was, his mother's spirit.

" Mum?" 

" Lucian my boy." She said with a smile. This was the first time he was encountering her spirit, other times he could only feel her presence.

" Mum, I'm sorry."

" Lucian you have to hurry, time is running out." 

" What's that mum?"

" You never failed me Lucian. My fate was sealed even before you were born. But Serena... She's different. She is the key to breaking the curse that has haunted our family for generations." 

" Mum I don't understand." 

" Lucian, hurry!" 

That was the last thing she said before she disappeared leaving Lucian at the grave side.