The Omen of the Crow

Chapter 13

    Rickon walked over to a shelve and pulled out a thin book, the title read Athelwolf. He opened the book and flipped through the few pages it held. "Not much is known about him except he was originally a Scottish King, all records of him were destroyed. His royal family was ashamed of their mutant family member, they erased him from their history for the most part." He stopped on a page and began to read out loud.

    "Athelwolf was born a beast unbeknownst to his family, his bloodline it seemed had held a dark secret through the generations. When the disease took over and ravished his body Athelwolf became a barbaric beast, the vicious creature killed anything in its path. Athelwolf terrorized the norhtern region of Scotland, he ravished the land. He was feared so, that differences amongst humans and supernatural beings were set aside and instead  they came together.

    "None it seemed could stop Athelwolf, however. Athelwolf terrorized the land for one moon year before he hid away from life. Five hundred years later Athelwolf awoke from his deep slumber and once again darkness fell over the land. This cycle continued twice more before his mutation changed mankind forever.

    "On his third awakening Athelwolf left his homeland for reasons unknown. He ravished the land once more but this time was different. Scandinavian King Rickon did not back down from the beast, he would not let the creature kill his people. King Rickon prepared for battle and sought out the beast. He fought bravely, King Rickon had by now gain a reputation of the best fighter in the battlefield. Alas his mortal strength was no comparison to Athelwolf's supernatural abilities.

    "Athelwolf tore into King Rickon's throat leaving him for dead. The king lay dying in the snow but as night approached and the moon peeked out of the clouds King Rickon began to turn. His blood had become susceptible to the lican's venom. King Rickon had become the very same beast he was set out to kill. However, his body had mutated the virus once again and as a result King Rickon was able to hide his beast inside and walk as a human.

    "King Rickon sought out Athelwolf once again with renewed strength. In his bravery and as a true Martyr King Rickon was able to push Athelwolf back and managed to wound him. Athelwolf disappeared and it was assumed he entered back into another slumber. King Rickon scavenged the land in search of the beast but to no success. 

    "King Rickon guarded his Kingdom and he awaited Athelwolf's next awakening." Rickon closed the book and threw it on the desk.

    "They decided to leave out the part where my people hunted me down out of fear I would turn out like Athelwolf. They banished me and sentenced me to my own slumber in the original land where it had all started." He crossed his arms and leaned against the desk.

    "How were the packs created?" I asked him.

    "Athelwolf had bitten several humans in my Kingdom who unbeknownst to me had also survived his venom and turned. The men dispersed and created their own packs becoming alphas. Their mutated blood allowed for a survival rate of up to thirty percent when bitten. When I awoke my werewolf instinct led me to the same. I called for all Alphas to gather and a pact was made for us to gather whenever Athelwolf awoke and keep him at bay so he couldn't go on murderous rampages. Many of those alphas have died at his feet since then, there aren't many of us left."

    "How will an heir solve this?" 

    "Alphas are the only ones that have destined mates all other pack members choose their partners or don't. With only a thirty percent survival rate most wolves who fall in love would rather not risk the humans life, but given our declining numbers a higher number have risked it.

    "Alphas are also the only ones that can breed, their children become the next generation. They then become alphas and take on the responsibility of fending off Athelwolf when he awakes. Also with each new generation the survival rate becomes higher. I have never mated before so my child will be the first new generation to appear, giving us a higher survival rate. Alphas are the ones that bite any new potential members, if any other pack member were to try it the human would have zero percent survival rate." He responded.

    "So let the other alphas worry about procreating, their new generations would save your race." I stated obviously seeing a solution to his race's extinction.

    "There are four pack across the continents mine being one of them. The other three alphas have already birthed their heirs ensuring their packs survival for now, mine has been the last to do so. Werewolves are extremely territorial it is in our blood, which means we do not sire werewolves for other packs. This truly is survival of the fittest now.

    "The pack to the south has a survival rate of forty five percent, the one to the north forty percent and the one to the west thirty eight percent, new generations only give us an extra two to three percent increase at a time. Also alphas typically only have one child which is hidden away and guarded till their fifteenth birthday when they turn." He crossed his leg over leaning further into the desk.

    "What a mess." I walked over and picked up the book from the desk flipping through the pages making sure Rickon had read me the truth.

    "Yes but now my pack has hope. I must ensure our survival with an heir, it is also the alphas that keep Athelwolf at bay but I fear with only four of us left we will be less successful." His voice had a tinge of sadness behind it.

    "Perhaps you should hire some assistance, there are beings out there that may help if the price is right." Five centuries ago the same pack had called upon us for assistance, perhaps our failure to kill Athelwolf deterred them from asking again. I wouldn't mind fighting the beast again, he had left a sour taste in my mouth, one that did not go away for many years.