RITE OF PASSAGE

The atmosphere suddenly become tensed with an urgent rhythmical vibrancy that seemed to usher the dull mind of their eldest Alpha into a melancholy state and Caleb rose up from where he sat in response to the frenzy happening right in front of him. As he strode towards the oblivious crowd, he wondered who raised the song first which wasn’t supposed be part of the initial setup of the ritual ceremony they had long been waiting for but he didn’t bother to find out and went forward beckoning at some bystanders that weren’t part of the crowd to usher everyone together. They obeyed his bidding and started to inform the little ones to gather around

“Silence everyone! Stop the song and Gather around!”

He shouted and raised his right hand up. At once the rhythmic melancholic chant and the intense drumming beats stopped at the raising of his hand. William and Logan got up from their seating place and strolled to join the pack assembling in front of the Alpha. Sean and Robin forced their way through the midst of the crowd and were able to find a space at the forefront despite their small body size compared to the adults in the crowd.

“Everyone, please gather around to listen to the chief”

William said when he saw some of the betas trailing behind to join the group as he and Logan eventually arrived where Chief Caleb stood barefooted on the sand in front of the assembly. There was profound silence everywhere as everyone paused to hear what the Alpha was going to say. Even the whispering among the little ones in the group had died off by the time William relayed the order of the Chief to the general assembly.

Chief Caleb savoured the silence for two minutes with his broad eyes searching for something on the blunt faces of those present in the assembly. His wrinkled face glistened in the refracting light of the bonfire as his pack waited for him to begin the ritual. Only the itchy sound of burnt twigs snapping inside the fire could be felt and heard by the gathering as complete silence engulfed the surroundings.

He cleared his throat twice and peered at the crowd one last time to straighten his looks upon the young ones who were getting a bit anxious about his delay to begin his opening speech as expected. He started without any further delay when his husky voice was clear enough to be heard in the silence of the night.

“For many years, we have been living in seclusion in this hideout we inherited from our ancestors and hiding amongst the townspeople according to our ancestral rules which has been the core reason why we survived this long for many years in solitude without any external attacks from our counterparts who lacked the power to shape-shift. Our rules have kept our secrets safe and the rules have never been broken.

They have no idea of our existence even when we mingle with the people of this town thanks the similarities of our other nature and this has been the major reason why we have survived from their onslaught. Here and now, we have gathered once again for yet another ritual to initiate a fresh bloodline of betas into our pack that will carry on our legacy. Tonight’s the penultimate ritual before the full moon rises the following month which will be the final test for those that passes this ritual and there’s no need to remind you all that we Hykians do not need to wait for the full moon to rise first before we can shape-shift. The final transformation into a lasting werewolf only occurs when the full moon rises and I believe we might be having a futuristic Alpha amongst those chosen though not all of you will become one since the moon spirits selects those who are worthy to become one during the final ritual with the aid of the Maguri.….”

He said, and took a slight pause to check if his audience was paying good attention to what he was saying. Then he lifted his hands to the dark sky whilst everyone was still watching his every move from where they stood.

“And now, without delay, those chosen for the ritual should stepped forward with their Maguri as a sign of our ancestral blessings”

The ten boys strolled out of the assembly at his call with each leaving where they had stood in the midst of the crowd. Sean lowered his head behind Robin as they both trot to the front and positioned themselves in the queue of the other boys facing the Alpha. Caleb’s eyes lingered from one boy to the next as he slowly rested his hands by his side, observing their stature as well as the significant thing around their neck. Then he stopped all of a sudden when he saw two boys with their bare torso exposed without the Maguri around their necks like the others boys. A slight murmuring rippled in the crowd from behind the queue as soon as they recognized the sudden cause of his bewilderment. To their surprise, he did not reprimand the two boys but turned around to face William who had already anticipated this was going to happen even before they came to the hideout.

All seemed to think he was going to ask the fathers of the boys that defaulted, even Logan was expecting that he was going to question them about their sons not abiding to the rules but his intentions were different. He only took time to read the facial countenance of his two subordinates for some minute and resumed what had been interrupted by the discovery that Sean and Robin was missing the Maguri, a vital material that was to be used for the ritual ceremony. Everyone else including the Alpha knew that partaking in the ritual without a Maguri attracted severe punishment and from the looks of the third Chief’s face, he was already prepared to witness his son undergo severe torture for failing to have his own like the other boys.

Caleb fixed his gaze at the two defaulters who shuddered in fear when they saw his blunt expressionless face facing them. It seemed to everyone that it wasn’t the fathers that was going to be interrogated but the culprit themselves will have to answer for their erroneous deeds. Sean swallowed a lump of saliva when he realized that the inevitable was going to happen but he doggedly returned the Alpha’s stare even though he already knew that he had offended the sacred oath of the ritual while Robin was staring at the sand, completely embarrassed to look at his own father who was standing behind the Alpha.

“It seems almost all the boys are prepared for this ritual”

He said and moved closer to the two defaulters. He stood in front of Sean first who was more composed than his accomplice.

“Where’s yours, boy?”

“There was no time for us to prepare fully before sundown”

Sean replied meekly as he doggedly stood his ground which somewhat amazed the crowd of onlookers unlike Logan’s dad.

“Didn’t your father give you instructions about its importance in this ritual?”

“Yes, he did”

Sean took a glance at William who showed no concern of what was happening nor did he look at him when his son was being interrogated.

“I’m sure you are aware of the consequences that awaits those that break this rule”

“Yes…I am”

“And you are ready to suffer the punishment for bringing shame to our ancestors?”

“Yes… I am”

He mumbled out without thinking of the repercussion of his words.

“Then so be it. I’m pleased by your brevity to accept responsibility for your actions. There’ll be no further discussion about this and your punishment will serve as a deterrent to those who break our rules”

He said without blinking a sweat and moved over to Robin who felt paralyzed by his presence but Sean surreptitiously got hold of his left palm from behind without the Alpha noticing that Sean was preventing his buddy from collapsing in fear.

“What’ve you got say about this, young man?”

Caleb question ruthlessly watching as his facial expression kept instilling fright in the heart of the two boys. There was no need for someone to tell the Alpha that the second defaulter was rather timid and fainthearted fellow than the first but he did not hold back his mean stare which had already catch a deeper shadow on the young boy.

“I…”

Robin stuttered unable to say something out from his mouth to defend himself. Sean pressed on Robin’s fingers to help him get enough courage to speak but Robin’s mouth was trembling uncontrollable and seemed incapable of uttering any word.

“Speak up, now!”

Caleb ordered not amused by Robin’s fearful demeanor. Logan was getting worked up about his son’s inability to answer the Chief and wanted to intervene but William, reading his intentions held back in his tracks. The crowd saw this without the Alpha realizing what was happening behind his back though Robin saw his dad being held back by the third Chief but they did not react nor did they move from where they stood, watching idly at them. Logan withdrew submissively and returned back to his place at William’s warning glare which told him it would cost him dearly if he interfered with the Alpha’s interrogation.

“He was with me”

Sean said out of the blue which caught everyone’s attention without looking at Alpha’s face. Caleb turned to face him as well.

“I wasn’t talking to you but this young lad right here”

“He’s can’t answer your questions because…..”

“Because he’s afraid of me and fear isn’t the wolf way”

“He’s in this mess because of me, so, I beg of you to let us partake in the ritual, we’ll be ready to face our punishment as required of our code”

Sean said daringly. Caleb felt the fearlessness in Sean’s voice and returned back to where Sean was standing not too ashamed of what he said. The other boys were now getting more nervous about the situation was now getting tensed by the minute.