“Blood. Blood. And more blood. After hundreds of years the war between the werewolves, veratus and humans ended with the veratus defeated. Veratus or vampires as the humans once called them are not the beautiful creatures depicted in human fictions. They are grotesque beasts that walk on all fours with fangs that hang three inches below their lower jaw. Their eyes are solid black soulless orbs and their hairless grey skin is lined with blueish green veins. They can usually be smelled before being seen. Blood is their food of choice, but they don’t just simply bite their victim and suck their blood. Instead their victims are torn limb from limb and the vital crimson fluid is gulped down from the gaping wounds left behind.
The veratus were scattered to the wind after their defeat. Weakened but resilient, they still managed to launch effective attacks that oftentimes wiped out whole cities of humans and werewolves alike. The werewolves and humans maintained their alliance by continuing to support each other before, during and after every new veratus attack. It was soon decided that additional steps needed to be taken in order to prevent the diminishing veratus ranks from replenishing. In an effort to increase their own ranks and strengthen their bonds, the werewolves and humans agreed to arrange bondings between pups with Alpha or Beta blood and humans with supernatural abilities. Bringing forth a nation of hybrids.
Two hundred years after that accord was struck, there exists almost no werewolf or human that is of pure-blood. Very few pure-blood packs remain but they are considered guardians of sorts against veratus attacks for neighboring hybrid packs and human settlements. We remaining pure-bloods live nomadic lives and rarely seek alliances with humans or hybrids, we keep to ourselves as a means to keep our forces pure and strong. However, every so often a hybrid emissary will locate a pure-blood pack such as ours and arrangements are made with the Alpha to create an alliance.
We, the Ahroun wolves, are the only known pack remaining that does not hold any human or hybrid alliances. Though we are a small pack we are strong and have thrived for thousands of years as veratus hunters. Unlike our kin we are natural born warriors, descended from the moon goddess herself. Her blood flows through our very veins, as the first of us was born from her love with one of the first werewolves, Lycas Ahroun. We possess skills and abilities other wolves do not, which gives an edge against the veratus. That is why we, the Ahroun, take time to honor and thank the moon goddess for every new season we are blessed with,” the elder explained to twelve wide eyed pups.
Tonight was the night of the winter solstice. It signified the end of winter and the beginning of spring. All beings be they human, hybrid, or werewolf would be celebrating the moon goddesses gift of a new season. All the adults and coming of age pups were celebrating at the town center. The town center, though decrepit, was alight with candles and paper lanterns of all shapes and sizes. Long strips of colorful fabrics were draped along building fronts and winter flowers of all kinds were spread across the ground.
The women danced to the beats that the men created by stomping their feet and clapping their hands. Heads full of hair as white as the moonlight bounced and bobbed to the rhythms that thrummed through the air. Ahroun wolves were known not only for their bright white hair but also for their copper skin that glowed under the moonlight as if dusted by gold. As nomads, the Ahroun pack rarely stayed in any place too long as it left openings for veratus attacks. Being a small pack of about one hundred and fifty wolves, the Ahroun were always on guard, allowing themselves to relax only during a solstice.
Abandoned towns or cities were always chosen to hold the solstice festivities, as they offered multiple lines of sight and escape routes. The days leading up to each seasonal solstice were spent scouting and setting traps in order to protect themselves from a surprise attack. All necessary precautions were taken and all tripwires and traps were triple checked for security. At sunset the youngest pups were stowed away with the elders and the three strongest warriors while the rest of the pack celebrated.
Six year old fraternal twin sisters Nanette and Annette Mason were among the pups hidden away with the elders. As the youngest daughters of the Alpha, both girls were fiercely protected by their pack. Alpha males were a dime a dozen, but an Alpha female was a rare find, as rare as finding a moon goddess given true mate. Nanette was the first Alpha female born since the war had ended over two hundred years ago. Her Alpha blood was discovered due to her accelerated development as an infant. From the moment she was born her hazel eyes were alert and she didn’t cry.
As their mother cuddled both twins close, Annette was crying loudly. Nanette cooed the same exact lullaby that their mother had sung to them while they were in her womb and soothed her sister to silence. An eidetic memory was the first sign of an Alpha female and Nanette had used her memory of her mother’s song to calm her sister's tears. Her development continued to shock and amaze the pack as she grew. At one month she was rolling over. At three months she was standing. By the time she was six months she was already walking and speaking full sentences.
Annette was not as advanced as her sister, but Nanette didn’t leave her behind. She helped her sister excel in all areas. Soon enough, Annette was walking and talking at nine months, which confirmed that she in fact was a Beta female. Beta females were more common, but still highly valued. The discovery of the twins Alpha and Beta blood had forced the Ahroun wolves to move more frequently in order to avoid detection by humans, werewolves, and veratus all together.
It wasn’t until the twins were five years of age that their father Gilead Mason, the Alpha, began to send out emissaries in search of other pure-blood packs. The emissaries all returned empty handed up until the twins' sixth birthday. A pack from the east, the Philodox pack, had accepted the offer to meet and discuss a possible alliance. The meeting was to take place three days after the winter solstice.
