Lilith.

Chapter 8 - The Tradition

Alexander -

I woke up in the middle of the night in agonising pain, my neck felt like it was burning, my limbs felt like they were being torn away from my body one bye one, only for them to regrow and it all to go over and over again. I screamed in agonising pain, I didn't know what was going on and all I wanted was it to stop.

" BABE" I faintly heard Emma scream but I didn't want to focus on that, I wanted to focus on the source of the pain and make it go away. " Emma what is going on?" my mother burst through my bedroom door, my dad must have been hot on her heels because I smelt him too. " ALEX" they both screamed at in a second they were by my side.

" What is going on?!" My mother exclaimed trying to ease the pain by stroking my hair, it wasn't working. " His mate" my father whispered.

Lilith.

Lilith. Pain. Flames. Tradition. It's. Happening. She. Won't. Survive.

I heard my wolf pant the words out, but what he said made my blood turn ice cold. My mate was in danger, and I wasn't there to protect her.

Lilith's POV:

I walked towards my mother and father in the underground room, the only source of light was the fire torches that were hanging on the walls and my family holding candles.

My white dress was trailing behind me, I felt like I was wearing an ancient robe which apparently it was. Worn by my ancestors hundreds and thousands years ago for the same exact ritual as this one. I made it to the circle in the middle of the room, but I did not enter it, I stood outside of the embedded circle with the cold crawling it's way up my feet.

" Lilith Rose Ivanov, please step into the centre of the circle" I did as my father instructed me to do so. My mothers passed him a book, a very ancient looking book which my father opened in one swift movement to the exact page that he desired.

" For thousands of years, for our whole existence, the ritual of inauguration has been close to our hearts. To become a royal blood one is to sacrifice themselves to this ritual, one must sacrifice themselves to serve the moon goddess, one must sacrifice themselves for the good of the werewolf society" I closed my eyes taking in every single word that uttered out of my fathers mouth. " Which brings us to the dawn of this morning, to welcome my daughter , to assert the blood that runs through her veins, the blood that pumps her heart as the blood of the Ivanov family, the family of the descendent of the moon goddess. The family chosen by the creator herself to rule the beings that she created, the bring peace to the world" Everyone blew out their candles and started muttering words in Latin, almost as if it was a prayer and pretty soon the words made their way to my mind themselves.

Suddenly I felt excruciating pain, I felt my body on fire, my mind on fire, everything was on fire. Everything was being torn, I felt like I was being stabbed by a million of silver coated knives with a syringe attached full of wolfsbane in each one puncturing my body. I couldn't move, I couldn't open my eyes and I couldn't speak, I couldn't breathe and I could hear my wolf howling in pain. This lasted for another eternity which meant 20 minutes before everything died down and I collapsed onto the floor, my mind, my body and me myself had enough and I welcomed darkness with joy.

2 days later.

" How long do you think she'll still be out for?" I heard Demetrius whisper to someone who was holding my hand, by the warm and gentle touch I could tell it was my mom. " Honey the doctor said she'll be able to wake up soon, her body was just tired due to the inauguration" ah yes, the painful fucking procedure that I will curse to the day I die. " If only that bastard was there with her, she wouldn't have been knocked out cold for two days". Two days. Two days of my life just wasted for sleep, I hated wasted my days.

" Wow two days" I said opening my eyes and looking at my family. They all looked surprised and shocked to see me awake, has it really only been two days because their facial expressions indicate as if it's been two years and if it has I will be mad, very very mad. " Yeah two days" my mom smiled at me which I returned.  " That's great guys but can I get some water please" my throat was very itchy and it was very uncomfortable to speak. " There ya go" I watched as Caspian shoved a glass of water infront of me which I gladly took. Oh boy how I missed being awake.

1 week later.

" Remember whenever you want to come and visit us you can, our house will always be open to our children" my mother smiled at all of us as our bags were being packed into a car. We were all going back to America, we couldn't afford to miss any more school without having anyone start raising questions.

" Pftt house" Caius murmured under his breath which I heard clearly, and so did everyone else.  I giggled at Caius, my parents didn't own a house, they owned a castle but it was our home. " Sure mom, don't worry Lils will beat Caius up for you in the plane" my brother kissed my mother on the cheek before saying bye to our dad. " Yeah Caius, watch out" I winked at him and he paled, fight it will be.

We said our goodbyes and were on our way to the airport, Demetrius sitting in the front speaking to the driver in Russian. A language I really want to learn. It didn't take us long to get to the airport, and it was only a matter of time when we were all sprawled out on the plane on the way to America.

" So, what are you going to do now Lil?" I looked at Viviana and I knew what she meant. " I will hide my mark away from him, he doesn't need to know that I'm a royal until we have the ball" I answered. My parents want to throw a ball to welcome me into the werewolf world and to announce that the search for their kidnapped daughter is long over. Not before they find out who killed my auntie and her toy boy, because as we found out I only narrowly skipped death as whoever it was knew who my auntie was. They also knew that she had me.

" Miss Ivanov" I looked up to see one of the air hostesses holding the popcorn and ice tea that I ordered. " Thank you Jamie" I read her name tag and gave her a small smile, she looked shocked that I bothered with her name , for some reason, being an Ivanov was like being Queen Elizabeth in  England.

I wish I never had to leave Russia.

'