The Rejected Werewolf Princess by Didiadeyemi

RYKER'S POV

I choose Ryker.

Those were three words and on paper they looked simple enough but the truth was far terrifying. Who was choosing and why did they choose me? There were so many questions running through my mind but I didn't have an answer for any and it was maddening. I walked closer to the writing on the wall, most of it had faded off due to nature but it was still readable.

“Did Reina write that?” Juan asked and although I knew he was talking aloud, I couldn't help but respond with a shrug. “What do you think she meant?”

“I don’t know,” I mumbled as I stepped in front of it. I lifted my hand to it and felt a tug in the center of my gut and was pulled to it. I lifted a hand to it and no sooner than the moment my finger touched it, it felt like I was sucked into a void.

At first, all I saw was darkness and then I heard a sound. I turned to it and found Reina there. She was mumbling to herself, her hands were pressed hard against her head as if she was trying to shut out some noise. She looked insane, there was blood dripping from her nose and she was stumbling around like she was drunk or hurt.

“No!” she screamed. “Stop talking. I can't, I'm not ready.”

“Reina?” I asked but she couldn't hear me. It was almost as if she couldn't see me. I tried to move closer to her but I couldn't move. It was almost as if I had been glued to the ground. “What the hell is going on?"

“Itis time. Reina,” I heard an audible voice in my head. I was sure it was whatever was inside of her that she had passed down to me- the magic. It sounded different though, almost darker and more sinister than what I was used to. “This is what we agreed on. You must pass it on." “Please,” she looked like a child begging on her knees like that. Her hands were still pressed over her ears and drool fell from her lips mixing with the pool of blood in front of her. I almost felt bad for her because in this moment, she looked nothing short of human. She looked like a fragile girl who was scared.

“Enough!”

Even I shook from the force of the order. It took everything in me to not fall to my knees and cower. There was sheer and undiluted power in that voice. It was the kind of power that you knew could hurt you, the kind that you knew would unleash years of misery and torment. I couldn't imagine that Reina lived with this for years and I couldn't imagine that this was what was inside of me. It was far greater than what I had bargained for.

just knew that in that moment, she regretted her choice to even dabble in this magic. It was fun at first, almost light hearted, the power made her drunk and heady, but now, she was paying for her

you,” she whispered. “I don’t want to

told you Reina, dark magic comes at its own cost and you said you would pay with your soul, did you

“I didn't know what I signed up for. I

don’t want anything else. I need to choose

were six in total and they each had strands of hair inside.

despite already knowing what it chose. After two long minutes, Reina’s eyes darkened and she started to move. She moved in a daze, like she wasn't in control of her own body. I watched as she walked past where I

happen next but I couldn't stop her. She drew the knife across her skin and with her forefinger, she wrote on the wall in blood. I stared at the writing, fresh and dripping in contrast to the faded mess Juan

guttural and otherworldly. As soon as she said that, it felt like I had been thrown

had seen and felt the potential power that could be brewing inside of

over to where I had seen the vials of hair. They sat in their place just staring at me and before

there for like two minutes, I couldn't get to you, I couldn't touch you and now you're smashing bottles so can you tell me what the fuck

She offered us all

wasn't sure if Juan understood the fullness of what I was saying but he understood enough because he cursed. “Do you

“It just looked at me and- fuck. I

“Ryker-"

is nothing here. Just grab her books and her journals. I need to figure out what I can about this but it chose me, Juan. I don't know why but maybe it thought I could be the next Reina. I don’t know why the f**k it did but I would rather die than hurt my