6. RITE OF PASSAGE

Aura

“I, Lowell Flame, do solemnly vow that from this day I will acknowledge my duties and responsibilities towards the pack. And I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same. I will obey the orders, follow through the actions and defend my pack against the enemies. I will sacrifice my life to Alpha Demetrius Volkov as and when needed. From this day my life is yours to take and possess. I accept this pledge upon my honour till the day I die.”

“To the Alpha of the North. Above all” The crowd exploded with roars, fisting their hands in the air, chorusing the Alpha male’s name over and over again.

I had been waiting for this day — for my rite of passage. To get accepted and honoured as a true member of the pack. But now, standing at the end of the queue, the excitement melted down. Leaving me in a pool of doubts.

I never thought it could be so hard. Simply waited for my turn. And when my name would be announced, I stepped forward before the crowd to become one of them.

Now, the anxiety was coiling in my gut, making me think if somehow Alpha Demetrius decided I was not fit for the pack. Was there even such a possibility? I had met the requirements for my initiation. Barely. And what would I do, if that happened? Should I plead for another chance? That would be the stupidest act. Anyone ever done it. Being in the Northern soil.

No place for the weak. And pathetic. The old Northern dictum.

With my actions, I would just prove myself both. Lessening my already limited chances.

I repeated the words, more like mouthing the sworn declaration once over in my mind. I didn’t want to stumble over my words in front of the whole pack being under stress. It showed my lack of confidence. And precise determination.

I was directed to stand at the last. That was the only spot always available for the females. At the bottom. I didn’t argue but I didn’t agree with these ridiculous rules. Never been much of a follower anyway. I was very much aware of how the pack functions. That was how it had been going on for ages. But I would prove them wrong. Prove them all wrong those who thought we females were nothing.

Just a string of entertainment.

A female could be equally strong and fierce in the battleground. She could defend her pack if given a chance. I would fight for my chance and not stop until I became the first female warrior of the pack. But surely not last.

My determination would be a firm knock on those closed doors. Females would no longer peer through the peepholes. Wide opened their door. Leaving all the restraints behind.

Females had never given the rights to voice out their thoughts. Opinions. They were powerless in the presence of males.

But I grew up in different circumstances. Never witnessed my father ill-treat my mother for any cause. More like, my mother never missed a chance to show her displeasure. They equally hold their individual opinions. Being a dutiful daughter, I respected both their views. But it was hard to keep up with mother’s umpteen wishes.

When the general finally announced my name. Loud and clear. It took me a moment to grasp the situation I pulled in. I was expected to step forward, making my way through the crowd to the dais.

The general was waiting for me at the front, putting his hands behind his back. His hardened gaze was always assessing, weighing up for any sign of weaknesses. At the back of the dais, on both the sides, two males occupied the spot.

One — tall, with slightly long hair and coarse beard. His eyes collected and alerted to his surroundings.

Other — the shorter one. His hair was light, and his gaze seemed dull and uninteresting. As if he could care less being in here. They might be the second and third in command of Alpha.

Alpha Eloise sat on a throne in a long, tight fitted dress. Multi-rows of brilliants around her neck. She folded her hands in her lap. Head held high. Eyes straight ahead. A fine layer of powder coated her face. And a shade rubbed on her lips, resembling her cherry-red hair. She was the epitome of beauty and grace.

But her beauty was confined to her physical appearances only. She never uttered a single word in the pack meetings. She just sat there. Always silent.

Being an Alpha female, she held the power to support and come to the aids of the females. Speaking for their rights. Setting an example for every female in the pack. Strong and determined. But she did nothing. Nothing over the years.

She was neither a true Alpha nor born to be one.

On her right, seated Alpha Demetrius. He settled himself into the limelight, taking up the most space on the dais. His throne was carved out of fine rosewood, crested with gems and twisted metal patterns. His line of descents had been ruling over for centuries, sitting on that Royal throne.

As the distance was shrinking, my footsteps felt heavy. A sense of wariness forming at the pit of my stomach, crawling its way out, slowly spreading over my skin. Whatever courage I gathered, I could feel being drifted away. Leaving me edgy. Unsettled.

I had never been at this proximity to Alpha Demetrius. Only caught a glimpse of him here and there. But when his attention was directed at me, intently. Solely. I lost all the inner battles and pushed myself forward.

His face was strong and defined. A sharp jaw with prominent cheekbones. His platinum hair thrown back neatly into a ponytail and the sides were slightly undercut. His dark eyebrows sloped down in a hard expression. Muscles rippled across his firm chest and abdomen beneath the shirt. Strong arms. Sturdy thighs and calves. A male. An Alpha male. In every way.

Alpha Demetrius would make the other men pale in his comparison.

A curious look of intent displaying on his cold, stern face. It almost made it difficult to move my limbs forward. My steps became hesitant. As if they had stopped working on their own accord and now I was just forcing my body to walk ahead.

The aura radiating of him had an overpowering effect on everyone present here. Without a single command of his control, people would willingly bend their knees before their Alpha.

I noticed a flicker of emotion on Alpha Eloise’s face. Alarm. Confusion. Before she turned her gaze away, directing to the crowd.

Reaching before the dais, I bowed my head in respect, addressing Alpha Demetrius and his bloodmate. It was not appreciated to look straight into the eyes of Alpha Demetrius. It could be misinterpreted and seen as a challenge. And Alpha Demetrius did not take any threat lightly, directed at his way.

The general positioned before me blocking the view of Alpha Demetrius. I was grateful for the gesture. I didn’t know how I could go through my rite if those watchful eyes set on me. Fixed. It made me uncomfortable.

After delivering my oath, I knelt on the flat ground. The General handed me a small, glass phial — a clear coloured liquid with a fainted golden tinge. I raised the phial to my mouth. Tilting my head back, I poured the liquid and swallowed it in one shot. It tasted bitter. Smoky. An unpleasant smell lingering in my mouth. Burning down my throat. Like pure acid.

I stretched the fabric on my shoulder to the side, revealing my shoulder blade. The general didn’t give me the time to calm my racing heart. He took the ceremonial silver iron from the burning coal. The red-hot silver iron shone in anticipation, to transfer some of its fiery energy into my body. He pressed the branding iron firmly against my skin. When he withdrew, my skin stuck to the burning iron, he pulled hard to remove it. A sharp jolt of pain vibrated through my body, making me gasp. The air forced out of my body. The simple task to inhale and exhale seemed challenging.

Head hung low. Jaw clenched. Tight fists. I squeezed my eyes shut, didn’t let the tears break through the cracks.

An unpleasant smell of my burning flesh wafted into my nostrils. And fainted curls of smoke pouring out of my scarred skin. I gathered myself before looking up to meet the expectations. Turning my head I examined the raw scar. Layers of my skin burned down. An image seared on my flesh. Permanently.

A conflict of angry red lines tumbling forward and backwards, overlapping over the two slash lines. Representing the Volkov symbol. Bound me branded to my fate.

I was born in the Northern soil. I would die here.

When the general stepped away, the view once again resumed. Alpha Demetrius’s piercing gaze set on me. His head tilted sideways. Eyebrows lifted. He was observing me. Looking right through me. Trying to find something I was not aware of. Making me alerted in his presence.

Did he do this with all the participants? Or I was the only female, naturally, I was the victim of his doubts. Was this another test, no one knew about? But certainly, most important.

I gave him nothing without knowing what he was searching for. I managed to keep an impassive face, maintaining my steady posture. My jaw started to hurt as I clenched my teeth hard against each other to fight off the pain. The pain became impossible to endure with each departing seconds but I continued to stand still at my spot.

I hardly focused on the general’s speech. My senses became numb. And with Alpha Demetrius’s unwavering stare fixed on me, an uneasy feeling settled in my gut. His eyes wandering freely over my body, mirroring a strange expression. I didn’t know what he was seeking for — traces of fragility. Probably. I might not look strong in relating to my physical appearance. But I had a strong mind. And that defined who I was.

I was able to catch the last sentence when my name was stated, “Aura Willis, now you are one of us. The official member of the Volkov pack.”

I didn’t wait for any second longer. Retreated quickly from the scrutiny of Alpha Demetrius. Turning my back, I made my way at the end. Towards the table where my family was seated. I took gulps of air filling my lungs. I did not realize I was preventing myself from the basic necessity.

I sat beside my mother. Her eyes fixed on the mark. She placed her hand on top of mine in understanding. I turned my head sideways to spot father through the crowd. I didn’t have to look much longer. He was the only one standing among the warriors; eyes crinkled with a proud smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. But beneath his smile, I caught his concerned gaze.

Chaz and Ivy both congratulated me. Seated across, sharing our table. Dirty, empty plates were the reminder of their finished dinner. But this time, we were not done. Three plates filled with slices of blood orange pies took the centre stage. Dessert was offered as promised.

My mother stared at those pies with suspicion. As if someone added poison into its stuffing. By no means, she would believe that someone just put the pies on our table by mistake. Never happened before. Nor it would be. Ever. She knew that. We knew that too.

I kept my mouth shut. And was hoping she didn’t ask me either about it right now. I concentrated hard on chewing and swallowing the food to avoid her questionable gaze. My taste buds felt unresponsive. All I could think about the sharp pain coursing through my body. I grasped onto the edges of the table to keep myself steady and trying to think about anything other than pain. As if somehow ignoring the discomfort would make me feel relaxed. But I failed miserably.

I couldn’t even relish the pie, I got myself into a deal for it. Chaz was more than happy to dig into my share of the pie. Now and then, I looked up and consciously looked down into my half-eaten plate when I felt Alpha Demetrius was staring at our direction though we were a good distance apart.

I was relieved when the dinner was finally over and we headed back to our homes. I changed into long, loose clothes and curled up under my crochet quilt.

After a soft knock, my father entered my room. The faint glow from the lamp cast a shadow over his features. He crossed the room and sat down at the edge of my bed. He stroked my hair gently, whispering a few words of comfort. I must have drifted into my peaceful slumber when a loud knock on the front door made me awake.

I stirred in my sleep and found out my father left my room. I slipped out from the bed and followed the trail of voices erupting from the living room. I slowly made my way rubbing off the sleep from my eyes, leaving the comfort behind.

Chaz was standing at the doorway. He was intently listening to the conversation playing out before him. I stood at the entrance with a questionable look on my face. When father opened the door wide and stepped away. Chaz’s mother, the salutary wolf of the pack, entered. I was more surprised than before. She hardly visited anywhere. Always remained to confine within her own house in the forest.

Noticing my presence, Chaz’s gaze fell on me. And all heads turned back. She crossed the room and stopped before me. She handed me a small glass vial. I eyed the bottle of amber liquid and looked at her for further explanation.

She told in her assured tone, “This is palm oil. Rub gently over your mark. It will soothe the burning sensation and subdue the pain. Helps you to heal quickly.”

My lips stretched into a soft smile. I immediately pulled out the cork with enthusiasm and smelled the liquid. My nose scrunched when the strong rancid smell filled my nostrils.

“Aura, you need to use it if you want your pain to go away. You don’t have to smell it.” The salutary wolf remarked.

“Thank you for your kindness.” I looked over at Chaz. I was sure he must have brought his mother here at this late hour. But he ignored me.

Father looked somehow tensed. Worried. But my mother’s eyes sparkled with anticipation. It was hard to comprehend the situation.

The salutary wolf broke the silence “You are welcome my dear. But I would pass your gratitude.” This time I was confused. Why did she behave like her son was not here? And why Chaz was avoiding my gaze, instead of saying a simple welcome.

“I was specifically given orders by Alpha Demetrius to deliver this oil to you” She looked away, meeting my parent’s eyes “It’s already too late. We should leave.” They both made her way out of the house.

Father turned his back and left the room in a flash. Mother seemed content. She accompanied me into my room. She took the bottle and rubbed the oil over the scorched skin. Instantly, the cool liquid made me sigh. My eyelids felt heavy.

I had never thought Alpha Demetrius could be so warm-hearted. And thoughtful. Those long, hard stares only to test me how I respond to the pain. Maybe he was pleased. Noticed how tough I am. And considered to offer some relief.

Now, I needed to prepare myself. Showed my determination to Alpha Demetrius. To become the first female warrior of the Northern pack.

With those strong thoughts, I fell into a deep sleep without knowing the raging storm forcing its way into my path.

It was just the brief silence before the storm took its course.