Orb of the Night (#1 of the Resolution of Royalty series)

Chapter 1

"I challenge you to a duel!" Julian called out, flexing his fists. The onlookers turned around to look at him, shocked and surprised.

Serephina turned around and raised an eyebrow. "What did you say?"

"I said I challenge you." He repeated, slowly advancing towards her. "We cannot have a female Alpha. It goes against Nature itself. If you yield now, I'll spare you and make you an Omega."

"I accept your challenge." She said, in a flat tone. Others were surprised at that and started whispering among themselves. "Lets do it here. The people will be the Judge of our duel."

He grinned evilly. "This will be fun. But let me warn you, I will no mercy on you just because you're a woman." He charged at her, his claws out. She stepped aside, sticking her foot out. He tripped on it and staggered. He turned out, appearing livid. He slowly shapeshifted into his wolf form. His face grew brown fur and his back bent. His hands and legs changed into claws and in no time a brown wolf stood in his place, growling lowly.

She chuckled. "No one should mess with a Black." She shapeshifted too. Black fur grew on her body as her back bent and her claws came out. A big black wolf stood in her place, growling lowly. They circled, assessing each other. Julian growled loudly and jumped first, aiming to bite her neck, but she dodged it and jumped on his back. He ran askew in an attempt to get her off as her wolf form was heavier and bigger, but she dug her claws into his fur to hold on to him. They struggled like this until Serephina stood on top of him, holding him down on the ground.

"Surrender now." She growled at him, sinking her claws into his delicate neck region. He growled in pain, breathing heavily. His chest heaved up and down rapidly.

"I yield."  She let him go and he scrambled to stand up. They both stood face-to-face. She looked down upon him and he bowed his head, surrendering himself. She howled proudly into the air and they both turned into their real forms. Even in their human form, Serephina was taller than Julian.

"I hope you learnt your lesson. Don't think I will be lenient with you next time just because you're a man." She stated, her voice dripping with venom. He hung his head low, not meeting her eyes.

She nodded at his cowardice. "That's what I thought." She turned to the crowd who had gathered around them. "I want you all to know that I will continue to be your Alpha until the  I die or the day my child turns eighteen I have a child. If anyone tries to challenge, they will suffer greatly for it."

"That was so cool." Her Delta Adelaide Hawthorn said, grinning happily. She was a woman in her mid-thirties, with brown hair and green eyes. Werewolves were immortal and they stopped aging after a certain age. But the age varies in different wolves but its never more than forty. Serephina had stopped aging at the age of twenty-six. 

"Thanks."

"He shouldn't have said that." Her Beta Caleb Heart complained. "Did he forget who united us twenty years ago after the war?"

"Probably. He's an egghead." Adelaide scoffed.

"Okay now, let us not talk behind other's backs." Zeta Benjamin Ross came walking towards them with another person walking beside him.

Zeta bowed in front of them and the other one bowed too. "Alpha, there is a messenger from the King. He has to convey a message to you personally."

The messenger bowed to Caleb. "I, on behalf of..."

"Excuse me but I'm the Alpha." Serephina said, cutting him off. He looked embarrassed and bowed his head in an apology.

"It is alright. Give us a moment alone." They bowed to her and went their different ways. When they were out of earshot, he said, 

"I apologize for my mistake..."

"Like I said earlier, it is alright. Now please convey your message."

He handed her a letter and cleared his throat, straightening his spine. "I, on behalf of the King, am here to inform you that His Majesty wishes to unite Vampires and Werewolves under one umbrella. So he has sent a peace treaty to the mighty wolves. He hopes that it will accepted by the wolves. If there are any changes to be made, they can be made accordingly along with the King."

She nodded her head thoughtfully. "A peace treaty, you say?" She rolled open the piece of parchment and read carefully through each and every clause. It seemed reasonable to her.

She looked up at him and smiled. "Inform your King that we will think about it and get back to him."

He nodded and bowed his head. She looked around and called out to a warrior. "Please show this gentleman the way out." They both walked away and Serephina sighed, looking at the treaty.

"This is going to be tough." She said to herself and walked towards her house to review it carefully again.