Vera's POV
What!? I was spared! We can live! I yelled at Viola, my wolf, but she whimpered sorrowfully. My happiness vanished immediately as realisation dawned on me. I was dragged out of my house and now I belong to no pack. I knew no other pack apart from the Shifters Pack where I grew up. Does that mean I just become a wolf without a pack? I just became a rogue wolf! My heart pounded in my chest.
I didn't know the ways of the rogues. All I knew was that they lurk around in the woods and they are saboteurs.
Tears cascaded down my face as I made my way sluggishly out of the Pack mansion. I took a last look behind me and all that I had lost dazzled through my mind. "One day I will return and I will surely recover all that I had lost. I will avenge my parents and crush all those who crushed us," I muttered.
"The chest!" I almost forgot. "I have to take it with me!" I turned around and rushed back to my cottage.
I burst in and grabbed the chest. I smashed it angrily on the ground, but it didn't break. Curious about what was inside, I decided to carry it with me.
The cottage was at the extreme end of the pack and since I had no destination, I jumped into the nearby vegetation and found my way into the woods.
*******
The day was gradually receding and I was hungry. I had gathered some wild fruits during the day. I feasted on them and got myself a drink from the brooks beside me.
I had decided to stay closer to the brooks. I can survive without food but without water, I wouldn't last long.
To my dismay, I soon realised that my choice was wrong. The brooks attracted other wolves, who also came to get some drinks.
I lay low in the shadows as I saw a few wolves approach the brooks. They lapped up some water and were on their way.
I was sure that they were rogues too but unlike me, they weren't new.
"Should I just join them?" I contemplated until they vanished out of sight.
Not long after they had left, another set of wolves stole into the darkness. They were two. They did not look interested in the waters. Rather, they looked around stealthily like they were in search of something.
"I am sure this was her stop. I saw her here, I can still perceive her scent. If she isn't here, it means she just left," one of the wolves mind-linked the other and surprisingly, I heard it!
These weren't rogue wolves, they were from the Shifters Pack-my Pack, that was why I could connect to their links.
"We have to hurry and get the job done… she couldn't have gone far," the second one responded and they sniffed the air, walking closer to my hideout.
They are here for me! They want to kill me! Who sent them? Alpha Simpson? If he wanted to get rid of me, he would have ordered my execution without going through any troubles. Is it Blake? My heart throbbed at the thought and I clenched my fists.
This is not the time for this. My attackers were getting closer by the second and I had to flee! Without hesitation, I jumped out of my hideout and went for the run.
I was right! They leapt at me from behind and they were in a hot chase. After running for a while, I needed no one to tell me that I couldn't beat them in my human form. It was night already, my sight was limited and I couldn't run fast. On the move, I shifted into my wolf and pranced into the dark.
After running nonstop, I realised my pursuers were gone. I stopped and looked around the woods cautiously, wishing I could conceal my scent. "I have to live," I hummed repeatedly as I trod carefully.
I took a detour and I caught one of them unawares. He was taking slow steps around, looking for me. This was my opportunity and I had to go for it. I dropped the chest that I was holding and pounced at him from behind.
My fangs located the crook of his neck and I buried them deep inside him. With an angry and loud snap, I clamped my fangs shut and geared my head backwards.
Blood splattered and a great cry reverberated through the woods. He gnashed his fangs in pain, his eyes sunk into his enormous head and he geared it back and forth, pushing me with a dangerous force.
I landed on my back with my four limbs in the air. I had dealt him a lethal strike and he wouldn't go down alone. In his wake, he approached me like a rabid dog, aiming for my head.
A gust of wind blew in my direction as he rushed my way. It took a while for me to rise, but I was right on time. I intercepted his strike with my arm and he bit deep into it. His paw landed on my face and with a powerful strike, his claws cut through my face.
I shrieked in pain, howling out loud. Blood dripped from my arm and face, I couldn't even breathe well.
I had become a prey, I wouldn't make it, I knew it. My vision became cloudy and I saw him raise his other paw, he was going to hit me again. Luckily, he stopped and staggered backwards. He fell without warning and every movement became still.
Thank goodness, thank goodness, I sighed in relief, but my freedom didn't last. Just as I remembered that my attackers were two, I began to feel the presence of the second wolf. He pounced in from nowhere and whimpered as he saw the dead body of the other wolf. I wasn't sure if he saw me or not, he growled aloud at the sight and pounced away.
I swallowed the lump in my throat and breathed unevenly. "I am still alive, we are still alive…" I breathed.
Vera's POVSlowly, I rose on my feet and began to sway away. My route was in the paths within the woods, now that I knew that they were after my life, I couldn't be more cautious.The chest! I dropped it when I wanted to attack the wolf earlier. I can't leave it behind, I must get it! I looked behind me with determination. Turning around, I began to drag myself back. With each step, I felt weaker and my vision became more blurry, my bleeding wouldn't stop either. It wasn't an easy choice but I had to do it. Luckily, I found the chest. It was lying just a few inches from the body of the wolf that I had killed earlier. I flipped it up and my heart skipped a beat. It was cracked open and empty! This can't be!" I lamented looking around for the unknown contents. I was sure that it wasn't empty when I found it in my father's bedroom.No! I yelled out loud and stormed about as I began a search for it. Not too far from the chest, I saw a stack of neatly folded papers. I found you! My heart
Awestruck, I staggered along as the guards dragged me on. My head rumbled in confusion and shock. How could this be? My chosen mate was a jerk and my second chance mate turned out to be my captor. He was no other person than the well-feared Alpha Joash! There was no escape from this. Loathing in the fury fire of hell would have been better! I was caught as a traitor and pieces of evidence were found on me. If all that I had heard about Alpha Joash was true, I did not stand a chance to come out of this alive, he would definitely kill me!"Viola…" I began to talk to my wolf but I was cut short as my back crashed against a rugged floor. The guards had hauled me into a tiny cell and thrown me on the floor. I groaned as pain sizzled down my spine. Shutting my eyes, my mind reverted to my father. I remembered all that he had taught me. He was my hero and his uprightness transcended my imagination. But things didn't add up… I raked my fingers through my hair as I remembered the letters aga
It was nightfall. My forehead was perched against the wall of the cell as I had begun to doze off. I had waited all through the day but nothing happened. Alpha Joash didn't show up as well as his guards. I couldn't have been more grateful.Suddenly, a crackling sound hit the air and my eyes flicked open. I saw two guards opening up the cell locks. My drowsiness cleared away immediately."Our misery just began," I hummed to Viola and I shut my eyes again, pretending to be fast asleep.Two strong hands gripped me by the shoulders and jeered me up roughly. Painful howls escaped from my lips as my feet hit the ground. I was still weak and sore from the torture earlier. I was hungry and thirsty, I had no strength left in me. My legs buckled under my weight and I fell to my knees.The guards did not give a damn, they dragged me along and I crawled on my toes and knees behind them.Outside, thick darkness had spread across the skies, but thanks to my wolf eyes, I could see clearly. After wa
"Stop the pretence… I know you have come around. You don't have time for this… you are to resume to the Alpha's chambers by tomorrow. You have just a day to recuperate," an unfamiliar voice rang into my ears and I opened my eyes. My vision was a little hazy but I could see. Déjà vu ran down my spine, bringing me back to the day that I woke up in a clean room after I had fainted in the woods. But it's a different setting. This time, I was not in cuffs and I wasn't surrounded by people.I was lying on a bed and a sullen woman in a clean white robe sat across. She was staring at me through the lenses of her oversized glasses. There was no use pretending, she knew I had regained consciousness.I turned around and winced at the sharp pain in my head. My hand darted to the contour on my neck. There were masses of bandages and it hurt like hell. My last moment on the gallows rushed back to me. I remembered the dart, Alpha Joash, the gallows and how I had blacked out."My Alpha is an expert
It was quite a walk. Although I was fascinated by the scenery, I was all over the place. My body was still weak and my balance was zero. And the guards? They didn't care, they continued to push me along.When we burst into another corner, I knew immediately, ahead was the Alpha's chambers. The structures stood tall and they were breathtaking. Although they stood aloof and secluded from other structures in the pack, they were located at the pinnacle of the pack house and I realised that it could be seen from any point in the pack. It was almost as exquisite as the royal palace of the city's Alpha king and I marvelled.As we proceeded, I saw the maids, there were a handful of them. They wore the same uniform as mine and I found it fascinating. My pack was far behind the most insignificant development here and if I was in a different circumstance, I would have commended all that I had seen.I soon noticed the disdainful stares and glares. Almost everyone we met sneered at me. Oh yeah, the
It was late in the night, Pete had just concluded the training and a guard was leading me down. My head ached and all that Pete taught me rumbled in my head. Despite my weak body, I was put through rigorous training all through the day. Pete didn't give me any breathing space. It was too much for me."This will be your room," the guard that was leading me said and I jumped. I was startled. I tripped and slumped into the room through the open door. I lay there on the floor, thinking about how miserable my life had become. All I had suffered since my parents' demise flashed through my head and for the first time, I didn't cry, I just stared into space, blinking intermittently. The horrendous life where I did not know if I would die or live in the next second was gradually becoming my norm.I had forgotten all about food when I heard a knock at the door. Dinner was brought and I felt hungry instantly. I devoured the meal like I had never eaten all my life.This will be sufficient for ea
Yes, he knows who I am. I'm a bloody liar, a traitor from the family of traitors! To him, my timidity and manners were all pretence.I couldn't stare into his eyes, but I felt the weight of his stare. It bore into my soul and I felt cold. My fingers felt rigid and I could hardly move them. I heard Viola's groaning too, she whimpered within me.I stood there fighting hard to fix the hooks of the second layer of his costume. The hooks ran from his neckline to the helm of the dress.He stood there, staring down at me. Knowing he was glaring at me made me more flustered. Stronger than his gaze was his manly scent, it was driving me crazy. Then it came, Pete's glare from earlier popped up in my head. Although she overdid it yesterday, she put so much effort into training me and I couldn't afford to fail. I took a deep breath, steadied myself and focused on the task before me. And there under Alpha Joash's hateful gaze, I began to fasten the hooks, one after the other.Finally, I did them
"What took you so long?" Pete accosted me as I rounded the last corner that led to the Alpha's office. "What the…" She gasped after taking a keen look at me. Her mouth dropped open and she couldn't say a word. I didn't say a word either, I just bowed slightly and continued on my way. I walked towards the Alpha's office with uncertainty. My heart was beating fast.The guard outside opened the door and I walked in like a disgraceful child."You're thirty minutes and fifteen seconds late!" Alpha Joash fired, looking at the wall clock.I stood transfixed by the doorway, unable to speak. The tray shook in my hands and I freaked out."If you spill that, you won't like yourself," he said harshly as he stared down at me. I swallowed the lump in my throat and began to walk towards him.Standing before him, I steeled my body and dropped the tray on his table. "Did I ask you to drop that?" He said and I picked up the tray again, trying hard not to spill the tea as my hands shook crazily."I a
JoashAt first, when I perceived Vera's scent in my subconscious, I was happy. I had been hanging on, wondering why she hadn't shown up since I ended up in thus state. I thought she had left me again. But all my fears melted away when she suddenly showed up, crying her eyes out.Her regrets, confessions and profession of love were sweet. They transcended into my subconscious mind and kept me going. All I wanted was to return to her, hold her in my arms, tell her that I had forgiven her naughtiness, clean up her tears and make her know that all that matters was that she wanted me now.In my unconscious state, I couldn't keep a record of time and my subconscious floated in space.At some point something changed, affecting my subconscious existence. I began to fade away. All that I thought that I was holding onto, thinned out and I was all alone in a dark abyss. At that point, I had given up. I couldn't hold on anymore and I knew death was around the corner. I couldn't see nor feel my
It was a long day and the sun was almost setting. I hadn't gone to check on Alpha Joash since I left his room in the morning.After speaking with Fred, a glimpse of my past flicked through my eyes and I was taken down memory lane. I was just a maid until the mating ceremony between I and His Highness. I guess that was why I was treated like a Queen when I returned. What if the mating ceremony didn't take place? I would have returned to continue my life as a maid.Power and luxury is intoxicating. Despite the aftermath of the ruins, I enjoyed the privileges of a queen. Everyone treated me with respect, my words had effects and they were prioritized.My emotions were high and I just kept a low profile all day. Now that it was evening, I was planning to go see His Highness when I heard a soft knock."Your Highness! Targon seeks to be in your presence," a guard announced."Oh! Targon, let him come in," I responded and signalled to the maids to leave.The door opened and Targon walked in
Vera"Where the heck is this place? Am I a prisoner here?" I charged at the guard who now stood rigidly against Blake's door. The guard remained unfazed and ignored me. Seeing that my ranting wouldn't yield any result, I let him be and retired to my bed. I should conserve my strength."Think, Vera," I muttered to myself. I needed to escape from this hell hole, but how? I didn't even know where we were and how to navigate.I remembered the dangerous steep wall and the tunnel. How do I get to safety? I tried to mind-link my mate but all I felt was blankness. I must be far away from him.Blake then came to my mind again. Hatred surged up within me immediately. But I had to convince myself, I needed him now. If we escaped together, he might know how to navigate…But as sweet as the idea was it was still dangerous! Escaping with Blake with his level of injury was almost impossible. Moreover, who knows where he would lead me after getting him out of here?"Argh! Where are those bastards w
JoashSwords clanked, arrows danced and gunshots rocked the air as the combat peaked. The few soldiers who escaped the explosion battled hard with my men, but they couldn't beat us.Either way, they were going to die. They either die at my hands or die at my father's hands for losing me. Their fate was decided since they were assigned to this battle.Derrick and I pounced out of our hiding places alongside our subordinates. We charged along the open space making us visible to the enemies.Seeing me, they went mad! Yes, I was their target and it was their chance. Their strength doubled and they attacked without mercy.While they battled with my men to get through to me, I dodged every shot, dart, dagger, and arrow that came my way. Simultaneously, I fired my muskets, taking some of them down while Derrick and the two men who were with us covered me on every side. Speed was an essential tool, our enemies were well-trained but we outshone them with our incredible speed.In a brief moment
SilasMy heart bled as I peeked at the ex-lovers. Having them together was more intense and heated than I had thought. I felt sorry for them, they were caught in a web of conspiracies and were victims of circumstances.What if the adults did their job? What if they weren't greedy? Those two might have been together and their love would have blossomed.When Vera accepted Blake's rejection, I saw him quake and my heart bled. The tiny bit of humanity that bound them together was shed off. In that instance, the anger in Vera's eyes turned murderous. Blake became nothing but one of the bastards that she wanted to kill to avenge her parents' death. But with a brave restraint, she stopped herself and walked out on him."Vera!!!" He yelled her name but she was done.Love has always been complicated. As for me, I had seared my emotions and love was out of the picture. No love, no fated mate, just the throne!Heaving a sigh, I lifted the lid to the dungeon to return to my bedroom. I wanted to d
JoashMy assertion was right. My father's men hadn't shown up and it was almost sunset.It was our gain and his loss this time. It afforded my men and me enough time to bond. Apart from the bond, Derrick and I discovered each man's expertise.We paired them into groups. We also formed our rules and different combat strategies and hacks that we needed to win the battle.Normally, I would have expected that my father would send just a few of his men since he knew that I was a small fry and had lost everything. But I didn't want to take chances. Since it was about me, Father wouldn't hesitate to empty his entire army to come after me.One of our strategies was to maintain different positions. We also had potent leaves stuck to our bodies as camouflage and also to conceal our scents. By Twilight, we were already set. We had assumed strategic locations. Each man with the weapons he knew how to use best.I and Derrick were stationed at the entrance, but he wasn't with me. We were stationed
SilasI knew when Vera and my men arrived. I was well informed about the journey from the beginning till they entered my underground chambers through the tunnel. The path through the tunnel was an alternative route known to me and a few of my men.After I left the palace in the morning, I tried the link up with Joash all through the day but he wasn't responsive. The bastard was ignoring me whilst I wanted to know what the hell was going on in his head.I was up till past midnight and I heard Vera when she entered the room where Blake was locked up. I had not seen him since I visited him and broke his nose.I was sentimental at first and I wanted to stop my plan of making the ex-lovers meet but I changed my mind. Their meeting could be pivotal to my backup plan.I wanted to watch what was about to go down to pick my cues. So softly and gently, without alarming anyone I climbed down through the stairs and stood at the vantage position from where I watched.As I looked at Vera, all I saw
SilasI sat on the ground in father's yard with Kepler all night until the rising of the sun. It was about time that my father resumed his office. I thought Kepler would go in to fix his duty but he didn't leave. He stayed with me until I heard my father walking out and fully ready to resume the day's assignment."Long live, oh King! Long live,Your Highness!" The palace workers greeted and I turned around. Father was fully dressed in his kingly regalia and was strolling out of his chambers. The first set of assignment everyday was his morning patrol."Your Highness," I greeted with my forehead kissing the floor."Take him to the courtroom," he ordered without looking my way.Kepler left with my father while two other guards carried out my father's instructions. They dragged me down to the court room like I were a criminal.They threw me in but I landed on my feet. Father's seat was empty as he hadn't returned from his patrol. Why is father doing this to me? What has he found out abou
VeraI was led into a clean room where an array of maids were waiting for me. My guards had disappeared and there were a new set of guards waiting for me.I threw myself towards the bed, but before I hit the bed two maids rushed towards me. Skillfully, they dragged me away from the bed and began to unclad me.My clothes were full of filth and grime, they were stinking. I wondered why I didn't notice this earlier, but now that I noticed, I was too tired to clean up. "Get your hands off me!" I yelled at them and threw one of them on the floor."Enough!" One of the guards commanded as the other maids rushed at me. He walked towards me, lifted me up and helped me back to the bed. "She is tired. Let her get a first round of sleep before working on her," the guard commanded.Some of the maids were dispersed and I flung my tired body on the bed.I shut my eyes and sleep carried me into the dream land.When I woke up I felt a little disappointed, the sleep didn't last as long as I had expe