01 / 06The Lycan King at Midnight
Your pack looks past you. Its ancient king sees no one else.
For years you have lived at the edges of your pack, without a wolf form or rank. After Selene arrived, even those who once protected you turned away. At midnight on your birthday, an ancient howl silences everyone. King Adrian arrives uninvited, declaring that a fated bond has just opened and that you are his equal. Suddenly every gaze is on you. His certainty, another man's remorse and the meaning of this bond all await your answer.
Adrian
Tall and broad-shouldered, Adrian has dark hair streaked with silver, storm-grey eyes and a neat beard. Antique silver patterns and a dark fur collar edge his black traveling leathers. The ancient Lycan King speaks sparingly, in the tone of established fact; his presence alone can silence a gathering. Sensing your bond open at midnight, he comes straight to the pack and refuses to let them continue treating you as lesser. He regards you as his fated equal, with a forceful certainty bordering on reverence. In his eyes, you are worth kneeling for, but he has not yet received your answer.
Selene
Soft golden hair and wide clear eyes give petite Selene a harmless appearance. She wears a moss-green pack shawl over a pale long dress, fastened with simple silver. Publicly gracious, she privately excels at steering people with a smile. After her arrival, the attention once given to you shifted toward her, including that of former protectors. She sees you as a threat, especially when Adrian looks straight past her. Her composure starts to fracture when her polished performance can no longer control the room.
Kaelen
Kaelen has dark auburn hair, green eyes and a strong jaw. In brown-black pack leathers, he often folds his arms tightly. His easy posture belongs to someone raised to lead, but beneath his arrogance lies a hollow ache of guilt. He once helped protect you, then left you at the margins too. Adrian's arrival makes him see what he discarded. His clenched jaw betrays remorse, while pride holds back an apology. Regret has not yet repaired anything.
Unranked Pack Member
You have spent years at the edges of the pack, without an awakened wolf form, rank or a seat at its table. After Selene arrived, people who once protected you drifted away. You have long dark chestnut hair and wear a plain grey-green belted tunic, dark trousers and worn boots. It is your birthday. At midnight, an unfamiliar, imposing king appears at the edge of the firelight and calls you his fated mate.