The Original Alpha

Immortality Isn't Always Invulnerability

"Why're you still living here?" Talia asked from the couch of Lycan's trailer, Laura playing on the ground outside, making her own town made out of sticks,"If you're a thousand years old, doesn't that mean you're also rich?"

"Just because I'm old doesn't mean I have a lot of money."

"So you're not rich?"

"I...am comfortable with what I have, and if I happen to lose something I definitely have enough money to replace it," Lycan said, handing her a beer and sitting down next to him.

"So you are?"

"I have made a few investments that have been very fruitful," Lycan admitted.

"Like what?"

"Like...Apple," Lycan said,"And Google...And there's a small investment from when America first started a bank that would have me set for a couple centuries when I decide to cash it in."

"So...You're stupidly rich."

"Most immortals just take the money that they want, I'm smarter. Now, Bill Gates has got nothing on me."

"So what have you been doing all this time? Knitting?"

"Little bit of everything. Built a few cities, made up a lot of legends around werewolves, made a few friends, lost all of them, there were a few times I messed with my brothers and sister."

"You have siblings?"

"Five still living," Lycan answered,"The Original vampires. A bunch of stuck up bitches."

"So does that mean you're a vampire?"

"Was. I've gone nearly nine centuries without needing to drink blood. And damn grateful for it," Lycan added.

"When was the last time you saw them?"

"1914, at a Christmas party," Lycan said,"Thought I'd see how they were doing then, see if they got any better. But as it turned out, my oldest Brother is still stuck in a box and I arrived just in time to see them kill my other brother Kol."

"They killed him?"

"Different kind of killing. They put a special dagger in his heart that made him dessicate. Just put into a deep sleep until the dagger is pulled out."

"Have they ever tried to do it to you?"

"Wouldn't work. The daggers are made of silver."

"So?"

Lycan held up his ring, showing the silver in it,"No one really knows why, but silver effects werewolves differently than someone would expect. Everyone thought it's a weakness but it's the opposite. We're immune to enchanted weapons made from it, and no matter how you're injured by it, a wolf will always heal."

"So, if you were shot with a silver bullet?"

"It'd hurt a lot, then heal. Even if I stabbed you in the heart with a pure silver knife, it would still heal."

"I didn't know that," Talia admitted, then she looked at the ring,"What's the deal with the ring anyway? Did you get it your senior year?"

Lycan chuckled, looking down at the red stone on his finger,"It was a present actually from two hundred and fifty years ago. It's called a Shift ring, it does a few other things but it's main purpose is when I shift and I lose my clothes, it puts them back on for me when I turn back."

"Where can I get one of those?" Talia asked, looking at it with a new perspective,"You mind if I see it?"

Lycan cleared his throat,"Uh, sorry. No can do. But I can ask around to see if I can get one made for you."