ALICIA “That was remarkable. Congratulations.” Someone says as she approaches us. I don't need any introductions because I have her in my medal picture. It's Patricia.I step away from Esther, about three steps away. It's very honorable to let the opponents take care of their own, and there's some respect due to an injured warrior, enemity aside.Patricia stands tall over Esther, then bends low as if to whisper something to her.“You had the opportunity, but you didn't utilize it. You should have killed her.” She speaks in a very low tone but I can hear everything, especially now that the whole battlefield is so silent. Esther is too weak to respond.“Now, you leave me no other option but to finish this piece of trash for you, but first, I need to show everyone around here how we deal with failure.” Patricia whispers. At that moment I realize what she is about to do. I need to stop her, Esther was a very good warrior and she doesn't deserve this.I draw my sword and dash quickly, but
ANDREW'S POV Things in our camp are taking an interesting twist. Alpha Eric has now joined us full time unlike in the past when he would come visiting every once in a while. He has pitched his tent some distance away from mine. However, he has not yet joined the battle. I hear that he will be joining tomorrow.Seeing him here I can't stop thinking about my friend and how he lost his life. One day I will make Eric pay for my friend's death, but right now I'll pretend that everything is fine.Eric has an affinity for women that is unparalleled and he comes with it to the camp. For the two days he has been here I have seen at least three women leaving his tent but that is not what bothers me. What bothers me to the core is that one of those women is someone I know, and met in my sojourn into Drake's territory, Bernice.Bernice is an old member of our pack, and she later moved away, joined Drake's pack. Her presence in Eric's tent is very suspect. I have heard before about our spies in e
ALICIA The next morning the war starts in earnest. Our side is very energized as we move out of the camp, marching towards the battlefield. There are four commanders today, the Gamma, the Beta, Alpha Lazarus and Alpha Drake. I'm also among the leaders of a women only battalion with about one hundred warriors.The warriors, more enthusiastic than before, are chanting victory songs for their respective leaders, praising and extolling them. My warriors praise me as the first ever woman wartime Luna who has left the comfort of her pack house and joined the battleground to fight for honor and friendship.“Hail the slayer of demon Patricia! Hail the great Alicia!” They chant.Today I feel it's going to be a day like no other, the spoils will be many. Something tells me that today will mark a turning point in this war. I'm certain that things will turn for the better.We get to the big clearing that is the battleground and we run to meet our enemies, each side shouting loud chants, ready to
ANDREW They have brought Alicia to the camp, a camp that has been razed to the ground and all prisoners released and evacuated. Bodies of our dead warriors litter the compound and there's no evidence of any fighting. This means that they were found unawares or even sleeping as usual and murdered in cold blood.Brice can see what his lax warriors have brought unto us, and now more than anything else we need shelter from the elements. Then there's the thorny issue of my sister Alicia. She has regained consciousness but now she is very weak and even though her eyes are open she can't talk. She still lies on the stretcher she was brought in as Alpha Eric assesses the damage or what is left in our camp. There's nothing much to see as the only remaining structure in the whole compound is the hut that has the radio equipment and also acts as an extra cell for prisoners. I decide to stay besides Alicia and wait for Eric to come back and explain to me why he has taken my sister. I understand
ALICIA The door to the hut opens and I spring up from my corner. I have managed to sleep on the damp floor and the visitors have just woken me up. There is a familiar scent, that of Eric.“Bring her out, but leave her criminal brother. We'll deal with him later.” He instructs.Two females walk quickly to where I am and frogmarch me towards the door. I can sense that Andrew is watching us, so I see no need to alert him.“Wait!” He growls in the darkness. “Where are you taking my sister?” No one answers him. I see him struggling to get up, but he's handcuffed from behind.“Touch her and I'll kill you with my bare hands Eric. Do anything to her and you will regret you loser!” He shouts. Eric walks in just as we approach the door.“Shut up Andrew. You are going to die, having outlived your usefulness. You sabotaged our mission and helped your sister to kill our warriors. I'd worry about myself if I were you.” Eric taunts him before walking behind us, then locking the door. I can still he
ALICIA Later in the night the chains that pin me to the wall are removed and I am put into hand cuffs. Two other people come in, carrying a small table that they place at a corner a short distance away from me. As they walk out I notice an assortment of weapons on top of the table. They include knives, razor blades, scalpels and some other crude weapons. I know what is going to follow.“Alicia, I bring you a visitor. Be kind to him." Abed says. The two men consult for a while but I don't hear what they say. Abed walks out immediately and I hear his footsteps as they fade into the corridor.“Alicia, as you can see, I am here to persuade you. My name is Dwayne and I am here to replace Abed who has been given some other assignments. I am a bit reasonable and if you cooperate you will find that I am a cool guy." He says. I keep quiet. He starts circling the cell. “My role here is very simple." He says from behind me. “I want you to denounce Drake as your mate, and once you do that I wil
ALICIA “Find the camp where I was being held before I was brought here Valerie. I need to send a message to my brother being held there.” I whisper to Valerie.“I know where it is. The guards here don't keep secrets.” She tells me.“Please, go there and find where they have kept a man known as Andrew. He is my brother. If you manage to see him, tell me where I am.” I say.“Anything for you Alicia. I will try all I can to ensure you are released.” She says.“Well, leave now before the guards throw you out.” I say. She walks out slowly, her shoulders heavy. She's carrying so much weight on her mind. After she's gone I manage to sleep a few winks.It takes what looks like eternity for morning to come, but eventually it does come. I am in so much pain and so weak but the natural light that is slowly creeping in gives me some hope. Drake must be looking for me now, very seriously. He knows about the rogue camp and that is where he will look first, then I hope he will search deeper and fin
DRAKE'S POVYesterday was the day the war was fought fiercely. We have never fought like this before. Some rogues took us away from the battlefield but we managed to subdue them. All in all the rogue army was beaten to a pulp and if they manage to rise again then I'll applaud their spirit. By the time we left the battleground there were about a hundred of their fighters dead and a large number wounded. Their top commanders had escaped or hidden from the Juggernaut that was our army. Whatever had motivated us should stay with us even today and into the future.However we suffered losses too and our biggest loss was the death of one of our leaders, the Gamma of Lazarus' pack. He had charged at Andrew Waters with at least four of our men. Andrew had injured the men and struck a lethal blow on the Gamma, killing him on the spot. We learned of his death very late in the evening because we came back late. His trusted men brought his body home and his family and the whole pack were inconsola
ALICIA It's a deep and wide void and it's as if I am floating in it. The expanse of the void is so large, big, infinite. I can't fathom where it starts or where it ends. I am all alone and everywhere I look I see nothing but an endless blue colour. I have been here before. I wonder why I have come back.I try walking around but I don't know which direction to take. East or west? North or south? And where exactly will I be going to? I ask myself endless questions.“Alicia.” A soft yet powerful voice calls from behind me and I turn to look. What I see mesmerizes me. A blinding white light comes from the distance. As it approaches it becomes even more brighter. It's not hot like the sun's rays but it's clearer than it's light. I can't face it with my eyes so I opt to turn away.“You are here once again.” The voice says.“Yes I am. Thanks for the invitation.” I say.“This will be a very brief meeting Alicia. I know you have been through a lot. So much has happened in a few days and I am
ALICIA In the morning I summon Tiffany to my office. It's really sad that she has to come up from the dungeons but I have already asked Drake to release her. I am sure he will listen to me since she isn't a threat to my life any more. Also, she proved her worthiness when she led us to the cabin in the woods and releasing her will be a good way of saying thanks.She comes in dressed in a different dress from the one she was wearing yesterday. She is also smelling nice, evidence that she has bathed and changed. I love how she looks. When I remember the filthy girl she was after Andrew's interrogation, I see big change.“Hey there. You are looking great.” I say as she walks into my office. She takes a seat facing me and I invite her to take some of my coffee.“How is your stay down there?” I ask.“Very nice Luna Alicia.” I can tell that she genuinely admires me now. So interesting how one can change from hating to loving in such a small period.“They have given me a bed and new mattress
ALICIA For a moment I don't understand what they are talking about and I stand before them in a daze.“Take a seat Alicia. The Alpha will tell you everything.” Andrew says as he takes a sip from his glass. Looking at Drake he smiles and gestures that I take the seat. I place the recorder on the table and sit still, waiting for Drake to speak.“Alicia, Andrew told me about your request to talk to Tiffany and I said why not? So we decided to make a scene, make Tiffany think that you were her only saviour. That way she was going to trust you and open up because Andrew's tactics were bearing no fruit. I was so happy when I saw her hiding behind you, running away from the interrogation machine that is your brother Andrew.” Drake finally says and my mouth flies open.“Do you realize how serious this is? You seated here, drinking fine whiskey while I am down there risking my life?” I ask them.“We had no alternative. You were already talking to her. We wanted the disagreement between you an
ALICIA.I decide to go to the dungeon to see what Andrew is doing and find out what Tiffany has said. I would have waited for the report but I am dying of curiosity. I know it's dangerous going there alone but the prisoner is not a threat to me. Andrew must have neutralized her. I find him shouting at her and when he sees me coming he steps aside for a while. I walk into the dimly lit cell and after my eyes get accustomed to the darkness I decide to talk to her.“Listen Tiffany. It's Luna Alicia here. Listen, It's over now. Bernice, your partner in crime is dead. Your comrades, Boniface and others are dead too. Everyone who plotted against me is dead.” I tell Tiffany. We are at the dungeon where John was locked up a few days earlier. Interestingly, she has refused to talk even a single word to Andrew despite being tortured thoroughly.“In this cell, we had locked up a very dangerous assassin, John, who had been sent by Alpha Lazarus to kill me. He failed. He is now dead. All those wh
ALICIA “I don't think it's a good idea Alicia. It may be dangerous for you and I don't want you to risk your life as well as your unborn pups. Just stay back here." Drake says. We are now in the radio room together with Andrew. I knew all along that he didn't want me to accompany him on this mission but I am not giving up. I must face Bernice on a one on one basis. She didn't come to the battlefield, therefore I didn't get the chance back then. But now she isn't going to escape from me. I will not allow Drake to deny me this golden opportunity. I choose to remain silent for a while, as I look for words to answer him.On a huge screen before Andrew there is a green dot that keeps on moving and Andrew has already informed us that the dot represents Gamma Boniface's phone as he walks into the deep woods. Our speculation is that he is going to meet with our enemies, Bernice included, for plans against us.Boniface is a big man, elderly, almost the same age with Alpha Drake's father. He d
ALICIA “Perhaps we got too busy that I forgot to tell you something very important.” I say to Drake in the evening as we watch TV. His head is rested on my lap and I am stroking his hair. There are few gray strands and some times I make jokes about them, telling him that he is now an old man.“What could that be?” He asks, getting up and sitting properly. Huge biceps and triceps show through his tight fitting top. He looks at me seriously and I understand why. We have been through a lot, from a war straight into security threats and now internal sabotage. I know he thinks that what I am going to tell him is something bad.“Very good news. Relax.” I can see him relaxing. He even goes back to his former position.“Drake, I think I am expecting.” I say. He doesn't move an inch. Instead, he changes channels on the TV.“I know.” He says casually.“What?” I ask him, surprised.“As a man, and an Alpha for that matter, there are some things that can not escape my attention. I noticed the cha
ALICIA We are seated in Drake's office to discuss the recent turn of events as well as to get some briefing from Josh who has been spying on Lazarus and his pack. Drake is on the high seat moderating debate.“Tell us Jim, what did you observe?” Drake asks.Jim rises with some files in his hands and greets us. Thereafter he goes to the specifics.“Alpha Lazarus is a very sly person. He pretended to be friends with us, spoke good things about us, oozed sweetness when we were around, but in real sense he is a very bad person.” Jim says. Everyone listens carefully.“You will not believe what I found out. One, he freed Bernice from the prison we had put her in. I hear she told him many of our secrets although I highly doubt that she knows much. Also, Alpha Eric is completely healed, and Lazarus has met him in the forest. No one knows what they discussed.” I don't know what to react to information that Eric is still alive. I had given up on my revenge the moment I saw him going down in bat
ALICIA “Please don’t do that. Don’t touch it. I’ll do everything that you want me to do.” I plead with John whose hand is already stretched, reaching for the switch. He pauses for a while, then starts turning to face me. That moment is full of silence as I pray that he doesn’t do anything to hurt me. Outside the banging has stopped and I start cursing them for giving up on me. I wish Drake was here, he would have acted by now, he is not one to make decisions slowly.He comes back to me, grinning with his big teeth partially covered by his upper lip.“Anything? Anything? You said you will do anything and in return I am to stop killing you?” He asks.My heart is pounding heavily, and I am trying very hard not to cry. He comes even closer, “tell me this and I will disappear without harming you,” he looks me straight in the eye. His big eyes are intimidating and I can’t hold the gaze. I stare at the floor.“If you swear to me that you will leave Alpha Drake, forfeit your position, I will
ALICIA “Alpha Lazarus has reached out to me to kill you because of two reasons.” He says. Saliva from his mouth splashes onto my face but I can't wipe it away because he has me pinned to the wall. I remain silent.“Your mate Drake did something unforgivable, and since there exists some peace treaty between their two packs, he can't be touched. You are the one to pay for what he did.” He adds.“What did my mate do? I thought we were out there helping Lazarus?” I ask just for the sake of prolonging the conversation. Drake has already told me everything I needed to know.“Don't pretend that you don't know Alicia, it insults my intelligence. But I'll remind you all the same. Drake aided or abetted in the killing of two very senior pack members. Your own brother did the killing, of course with the blessings of Drake. Earlier , Lazarus had passed a death sentence on your brother Andrew. He didn't manage to kill him, but he has you now. You die today.” I don't hear anything else he says bec