Black Blood

I avert my gaze, knowing that I have nothing to gain from this sight. Men and sex, I guess I don’t understand. I have never understood sex anyway. I don’t understand the lust, the appeal and the pleasure. Diana’s words slide past my thoughts.

Just keep trying, it never hurts.

She said it as if it was something she actually enjoyed. It’s up to me, I tell myself.

I look around at the group of people. Most of them are dressed in the same shade of blue as me and Novak are. Everyone is neatly dressed, the women are made up and their hair is done. I recognise this kind of reception from the castle, but it’s different, it’s less static. In the castle, there was always a tense atmosphere. The mood here is better described as festive and cheerful.

On the left-hand side of the open field is an improvised bar with a man behind it. I decide to make my way through the group of people and get something to drink. The man behind the bar is a bit older than me. He’s wearing a blue suit and has his brown hair neatly styled.

‘Can I help you?’ the man asks friendly. On the bar are many different kinds of drinks, most of which I have never seen before. From a yellow liquid with flowers in it to a huge bottle of black liquid, it’s all there. It’s crazy to realise that there are so many different types of drink. All I know is wine and whisky.

‘A red wine please,’ is my reply. The man nods understandingly and takes a bottle from the bar. From under the bar he picks up a glass and pours the wine into it.

‘I’ve never seen you here before, are you new or a visitor?’ the man asks nicely and puts the glass on the bar.

‘Visitor,’ I answer and take the glass from the bar. The man nods understandingly.

‘Where are you originally from?’ The man asks questions I don’t want to answer. I take a sip of wine. The wine is spicy and strong, something that suits life in the forest.

‘Everywhere and nowhere.’ Although this information is of no use to the man, he nods his head. The man wants to ask me another question, but I am saved by a loud noise. The echoing sound bounces along the trees as if someone had hit a hollow object. I look at the man behind the bar in surprise. The man has a smile on his face and walks out from behind the bar. His eye falls on my questioning face.

‘The ceremony begins.’ I am glad that the man explains without me having to ask. I take another sip of my wine and start walking behind the crowd. I have no idea where we should go for the ceremony and certainly not what it entails.

I’ve lost track of Novak for a while now and, to be honest, I don’t really fancy his presence. His behaviour today was not optimal and his attitude towards Zora is still not entirely clear to me. I know that Novak has a past in this pack, but that he would be intimate with a lady while we have been here for less than two hours is something I did not expect. Probably my awkwardness around this subject is more down to me than him.

I turn my attention back to the ceremony. The crowd takes me to a clearing in the forest. On the grass, hundreds of chairs and benches are positioned in neat rows. At the end of the chairs is an elevation with something resembling an altar. At the altar stands a man in a white robe and the present Luna and Alpha.

Everyone starts looking for a place on a chair or a bench. It doesn’t look like there are any set places so I take a seat on the first chair I see. I hold the glass of wine in my hand and watch the people find their seats.

A few sips of wine and a few minutes later everyone is sitting on a chair or a bench. Next to me sits an older couple and a child of about nine years old. The girl is looking at me with interest and smiles. I smile back at the girl, but say nothing else. The girl is pulling nervously at her dress. I am about to say something to the girl when once again a loud echoing sound slips through the forest. I look surprised at the altar and see that the man in the white robe has struck a gong. The crowd falls silent, their eyes focused on the man.

‘Welcome, today we are at one to crown our new Alpha,’ the man begins. The current Alfa smiles, takes a step forward and opens his arms to the crowd.

‘Today I am passing my place to Asa. I am sure he will lead you with justice, strength and respect. It is time for me to step down and let a fresh new wind blow through this pack. I want to thank you for the past years. I hope you will welcome Asa as you did me,’ the current Alpha speaks of his son. You can hear the pride and love in his voice, something I have never heard from my father. The audience starts to clap. I quickly put my wine glass on the grass and clap along.

‘Let’s bring in your new Alpha, Luna and Beta.’ Again the clapping sounds through the forest. People stand up and turn their heads backwards, something I follow without knowing where to look.

As soon as I look behind me I see a black and grey wolf walking towards the altar. At first it’s a strange sight and a hard realisation that these are Asa and Sira. This is the first time I have seen a werewolf in real life. It is a lot more impressive than I had expected.

The two wolves walk in long strides through the middle of the crowd. The difference between the two wolves is clearly visible. The grey wolf is a lot smaller and less broad than the black wolf. If I didn’t know that Asa has black hair I would have been able to recognise which of the two wolves he is by the size of his wolf.

The two wolves slowly step onto the altar and bow to Luna and Alpha. It is a beautiful gesture of respect. The two wolves turn their heads in our direction. Less than five seconds later Asa and Sira stand before us in their human form. Both are dressed in the same blue colour as everyone else.

Asa is wearing a suit whose jacket is inlaid with silver and gold stones. The jacket is decorated with dozens of pins and silver embroideries. In his hair is a silver wreath similar to a woven branch. Although this part of his outfit is already impressive, I find the chain around his neck to draw the most attention. The silver chain has a pendant in the shape of a moon with a large shiny white stone in the middle.

Sira is wearing an all-blue dress, also inlaid with gold and silver stones. She has the same chain around her neck as Asa, only the moon has been replaced by a sun. Her hair is partially braided with silver pins and a silver diadem sparkles in her hair.

My father was king before I was born, so this is the first time I get to experience a coronation. So far, it reminds me a little of a wedding, thankfully not my own nightmare. People seem thousands of times happier than I was that day.

I shake off the nightmare of that day and look at Asa and Sira walking up the altar. Behind Asa and Sira, Alex comes walking in human form. He is wearing a green suit with several pins on his jacket. His jacket is not inlaid with silver but with golden stones. He is dressed less elaborately than Asa and Sira, but it doesn’t detract from the festiveness of the outfit.

As soon as everyone is in place, the clapping subsides and people sit down on their chairs and benches. I follow suit and sit down again. The man in the white robe steps forward. In the middle of the altar is a stone stand with a white stone bowl. The man stands behind the stand and looks into the crowd.

‘Let us begin.’