The following day came, upon my tear filled night. A sense of fear hung heavy in the air. I had been taken out of my cell by the guards again. The same instructions had been given, and I stood once again on the training grounds, facing the pack of my captors.LIt was a painful reminder of the fact that I was away from my pack, and their smiles were a constant ache in my chest.Unlike the previous day, I was in my element, and I did not bother with an introduction as I got into a pose and started to stretch. A few minutes later as I raised my voice to guide the warriors through their training, I couldn't help but feel a growing sense of irritation. I wanted to be back with my pack, leading them to war, not stuck here, forced to train the very wolves who had taken me from them.What was most insulting about it is that these wolves did not have half of the talent that my pack members had, and it infuriated me to be training a pack of wolves that I considered less than me. I barked out
A week had passed since the day Alpha Dan had visited and tauntef me with my captivity on the training grounds. Each day after that, he had come to the training grounds to watch me train his pack members, and it had been a constant struggle for me to maintain my composure and keep myself focused on the training. On one hand, I was doing a great job keeping myself together whike I trained the guards, but on the other, my heart ached for Brad, my pack and the freedom I had lost. More hope was getting lost as the days blurred into one another, and I had almost given up hope on Wally every going to my pack and helping me out. I found that I had gotten the respect of the pack warriors, and I was starting to get comfortable in the pack. It was a small shift in my psyche, almost unnoticeable at first, but it grew with each new day, and every time I caught myself I cursed at the gods for letting me get comfortable in a place that did not want me. I found myself waking up in the mornings wi
The following day, dawn shone through the new window, and the instant my eyes shot open, even I knew that the air held an unusual tension. The air in the dungeon seemed mustier, heavy. It was as if the very wind knew that something serious was about to happen. I had woken up with a strange sense of calm, even as I knew that I would continue to train Alpha Dan's pack members.As I stood on the training grounds that morning, I couldn't help but feel my sense of discomfort continue to grow. I could attribute it to paranoia, say that I was seeing things where they weren't, but unfortunately, that was not the case.Even the sky was heavy with gray clouds, and it seemed like my balance had disappeared. I felt antsy, and my hands had developed jitters, so I glanced around, wondering if something was amiss. Yet, everything seemed normal.The guards were just casually going about their duties, and the warriors around me were preparing for another day of training, stretching and oiling their
With our plan in motion, my pack members, led by Brad and I, split into two groups. The primary mission of the first half was to evacuate the members of Alpha Dan's pack from the burning grounds and guide them to safety. It was a chaotic move to make, since I had a vendetta against their pack leaders, but it was a necessary endeavor to ensure no one got hurt in the spreading fire. Meanwhile, I, along with Wally and Brad, ventured into the depths of the dungeon to free the prisoners who had been locked away for far too long. There was no doubt in my mind that most of them had even been locked up unjustly, and they would be left alone to burn in the heat of the dungeon, unaware of what was going on. It was a task that was especially important to me, having lived in the darkness of the dungeon for so long, and I was determined to right the wrongs that had been committed by Alpha Dan's pack against the people who lived in the orisons. The dungeon was a grim and oppressive place, with c
A murmur ran across the cave and I looked across at all the pack guards that I had trained. It might be temporary, but I had earned their respect during training, and their loyalties lay with me. Along with my pack members, who had met Alpha Dan and had a vague idea how he and Alpha Leon looked like, we separated the people of the pack until we had two distinct groups - one for those willing to cooperate and assist in the search for Alpha Dan and Alpha Leon, and the other for those who remained loyal to their leaders, even in the absence of the pack that they belonged to.They had unconsciously separated themselves into two groups, each one wary of the other side. The co-operative group were people I remembered from our days as the outcasts, people who had helped us build willingly and would stand on the side of the truth, and the other were people I recognized with sniggers as we had attended campfires with their pack, along with some of the men that had come with Alpha Dan to help
The night in the cave passed with tension still hanging in the air between both packs. Our failed attempt to locate Alpha Dan and Alpha Leon had left us with a sense of frustration and unease, and an unspoken disdain now lay over the entire pack, most especially the members who had ratted out Alphas Dan and Leon. Despite the cooperation of some former members of their pack, the two Alphas had slipped through our grasp once again, and it left me infuriated. The night before, when we were having dinner, the members who had remained loyal to Alpha Dan had only pushed their food around, only taking in scraps of food and chewing slowly, as though they expected poison. As morning light filtered into the cave, we were greeted by the sight of our new, mixed group. It was funny to me how just the day before, I had been sure of the pack members that I had, and now all of a sudden I had more than I knew what to do with. Some of the ones who had remained loyal to Alpha Dan before had now made
Chapter Ninety-Nine As the sun dipped that evening, casting long shadows across the cave entrance, we continued to discuss the logistics of moving our now expanded group back to the Safe Water pack. It was no small feat, considering the varied ages and physiques of the people we had now welcomed into our fold.There were people who were so old they had a hard time standing, and even more that were so young that they couldn't understand what exactly was going on. Seth, one of our skilled pack members who had grown up with an unfettered sense of direction in the wilderness, volunteered to lead the group during the first leg of our journey. He was well-versed in navigating the terrain of the woods, and his sharp instincts had often served Brad well during previous expeditions. “Are you sure he can handle being at the helm of the expedition? Because it might drain him pretty fast, and I need to be sure that he knows the way. ” “He knows it better than anyone else. Well, except you," h
We continued that way for over a week, the journey taking its toll on everyone. People were cranky, and sleep had become a foreign thing for my elders and I, but I was proud that we were almost home. What was left of the journey back to the Safe Water pack was less than an hour long–I recognized the body of water I saw by tye magical plant I saw. It was still early days, yet while everyone else slept or tried to, I would stay away, daydreaming of what my home would look like now. Brad would have been forced to move into the pack house in my absence, and I wondered if he had even bothered to decorate the room and make it into something beautiful for my arrival. I was going to leave all of them there and get a headstart to the pack the next morning, then I remembered how understaffed the pack was, and how much of a struggle it was to find pack members who were healthy, knew they way, or weren't ill in any capacity when they were on their way here. She sat down with her feet folded b
P.S: Dear readers, we've come a long way. Please don't forget to leave your comment in the comments section and your vote counts as well. See you in my next book' Winks'. Love Ya. Last Chapter. ***** The crisp autumn air rustled the leaves overhead as I stood with Brad by the edge of the clearing, my hand instinctively cradling the small swell of my belly. The pack had settled into a comfortable routine after the wedding, our days filled with moments of joy, laughter, and the expectation of new beginnings. Feeling the gentle kicks from our unborn child, I marveled at the miracle of life growing within me. Brad's hand rested on my stomach, his eyes filled with awe and love as he felt our baby move. The bond we shared seemed to have even deepened by the knowledge that soon, we would be welcoming a new member into our pack, and it would be a baby: a symbol of our love and the unity of our community. As I stood there, lost in the wonder of impending motherhood, Wally and Margot appro
P.s: Dear readers, we're coming to the end of this book. Please try to leave a review in the comments section. I really appreciate all your efforts thanks. ***** The sun set on the victorious battlefield, painting the sky with hues of orange and pink. Amidst the jubilant pack members and the warriors from the Black Creek pack, Brad and I found a moment of quiet to discuss our future. Erin had joined the celebrations, her eyes reflecting the relief of a battle won and the joy of newfound family bonds. We walked together along the edge of the clearing, the sounds of laughter and celebration fading behind us. Brad looked at me, his eyes filled with a mix of love and determination. "Layla," he said, his voice soft yet steady, "we've been through so much together. I can't imagine my life without you. I want to spend the rest of my days by your side, facing whatever challenges come our way, just like we did today." I smiled, my heart swelling with affection for the man beside me. "Brad,
Amidst the chaos of battle, Erin stood her ground, her eyes locked onto Rame with a mixture of anger and disgust. Brad and I, observing Erin's fierce resolve, exchanged a quick, worried glance. We knew Erin's history with Rame, how he had manipulated her in the past. We couldn't let her face him alone, but we also understood the need for Erin to confront her father. A lot of the battle had been for the pack, but a lot of it had been for Erin's sake too."Brad," I said, my voice low but urgent, "we can't just leave her alone with him. She needs our help, our support. We can't risk her getting manipulated again."I nodded, my eyes never leaving Erin. "I know, Brad. But we can't just rush in without a plan. We need to be strategic about this. If we charge in recklessly, we might inadvertently make things worse for her. We have to trust Erin, trust that she's strong enough to handle him."Brad clenched his fists, frustration evident in his eyes. "I trust Erin, but I don't trust him. He's
The air in the pack meeting hall buzzed with excitement as I stood at the front, my eyes scanning the faces of the pack members. The news of the imminent threat from Rame had spread like wildfire, and now, the entire pack was gathered to discuss our plans for the upcoming battle. Among the crowd, there was a palpable sense of fear, mixed with a touch of anxiety. The arrival of reinforcements from the Black Creek pack was eagerly awaited, not just by my pack members, but by me too. I would never admit it to anyone else, but I was terrified of what was going on. As the pack settled, Brad stood by my side, his presence a source of strength. In the last few days, I had found that I needed it a lot more, because the horror of lur wntkre situationnovertook me at the most random times. I couldn't afford for that to happen right now. Right now, I needed to convey a sense of calm and confidence to inspire our pack members. I took a deep breath, my voice projecting across the room."Thank you
The journey back to our pack was a quiet one. Brad and I walked side by side, lost in our thoughts. The encounter with Rame had shaken us to our cores. As we trudged through the dense forest, I couldn't help but glance at Brad, trying to decipher the storm of emotions that must be raging within him. Finally, unable to contain my curiosity, I broke the silence."Brad, how are you feeling?" I asked, my voice gentle. "Seeing Rame, the one who took your father away from you... it must have been incredibly difficult. I know you never speak about your father. In fact, no one in the pack does. They all act like he is some taboo topic, and hearing Rame just-”He sighed, his shoulders tense. "It's... complicated, Layla," he replied, his voice heavy with the weight of his emotions. "I never thought I'd see him again after that night. I had buried the memories deep inside, trying to move on. But now, facing him, it's like reopening an old wound. Anger, sadness, confusion... it's all mixed up ins
"You can call me someone who's not afraid of delusional villains," I retorted, my voice firm, refusing to back down in the face of Rame's anger. "Your reign of darkness ends here, Rame. We won't let you destroy our pack."Rame's eyes blazed with fury, his lips curling into a snarl. "You think your bravado will save you? I've faced stronger opponents than you, and they all fell before my power. There are many things that I can do that your small brains cannot even begin to fathom. Do you really feed into the belief that your confidence will help you?"I exchanged a shared glance with Brad, our shared annoyance fueling our speech. "Rame, your power may be formidable, but it's nothing compared to the strength of all the love that there is in this pack. Erin may be an exception, but in this pack, we protect our own," Brad said, his voice steady. "Our pack stands together, and that makes us stronger than you can ever comprehend. Get it through your little head that you are not getting your
"Layla," Brad's voice trembled with emotion as he continued, his eyes fixed on mine, "Rame was once one of the most respected wizards in our pack. His fall from grace was a tragedy that was caused by his own ambition. He was a friend to my father, a mentor even. But power corrupted him, turned him into a monster."I took a hold of Brad's hand, offering him silent support as he gathered the strength to continue. "Rame's desire for power took over him," he said, his jaw set in determination. "He killed my father, believing it would grant him the Alpha position. But our pack members, out of loyalty, stood against him. We banished him, hoping he'd never return."A chilling laughter echoed through the ruins, and Rame emerged from the shadows, his eyes glowing with malevolence. "Oh, what a touching tale," he sneered, his voice dripping with mockery. "But you see, I've embraced the darkness. I've become more powerful than you can imagine. Your loyalty and love won't save you this time."I ti
The pack house welcomed us with its bright colors, and I felt a warmth inside that I hadn't felt before. Brad and I settled into our favorite spot in the living room, a comfortable couch where we often discussed pack matters and important decisions, long before he had lost his memory. In the distance, the fire in the fireplace burning bright. Seated close to each other, we held on to each other for long minutes at end, looking at each other like it was the first time we had seen each other in a long time. We were locked in lazy conversation and trying to figure out who could have done this in the first place, and we had tried out many different names, but one kept on coming back, over and over:Erin"I know she has a crush on me," Brad said, his brow furrowed in contemplation. "But could it be possible that her feelings took a dark turn? Maybe she couldn't handle the fact that I didn't reciprocate her feelings. Though, that would have been very counterintuitive."I nodded, understandi
The memory came rushing back to me, vivid and clear, as though it had happened just yesterday. I closed my eyes, allowing the past to wash over me, taking me back to that fateful day in the heart of the forest.Many years ago, when I was still young and finding my way as a leader, I used to roam the woods surrounding our pack territory with the forest, with its ancient trees and whispered secrets, was a place where I found solace, and the place where I enjoyed training the most. On that particular day, the sun had gone down early.I was lost in thought, my mind occupied with the responsibilities of being an Alpha. As I walked, I heard laughter, the innocent, carefree sound of a. Hold coughing. Intrigued, I followed the sound until I stumbled upon a clearing. There, surrounded by wildflowers and bathed in moonlight, were three children.The eldest, a boy with tousled brown hair and curious eyes, looked to be around ten years old. He had an air of confidence about him, his posture sugg