PROLOGUE

(Part 1)

Alpha Lionel sat in anguish and sadness while the others argued. He couldn’t hear a word they were saying, all he could think about was that the tame woods pack was no more and he still hadn’t rested on it. He still couldn’t believe it. He just saw Alpha Tay yesterday along with his Beta. They were all here together and the meeting ended hopefully and even Alpha Tay had told him that together they would end this war with Alpha X.

Alpha Lionel began to feel guilty. If he hadn’t brought the idea of the neighboring packs relocating temporarily to Silver woods till the war was over then Alpha Tay and his pack members wouldn’t have been ambushed a few hours ago.

‘Alpha?’ His beta, Jared slightly shook him. He snapped out of his thoughts and realized that everywhere was quiet now. He sighed, they expected him to say something.

‘Don’t blame yourself, Lionel.’ Alpha Kane said.

He was the Alpha of Mist woods and a good friend of Alpha Lionel’s. Well they were all good friends, all four Alphas of the neighboring packs. Silver woods, Mist woods, Tame woods and Dark woods. It had been that way always, all packs living together close to each other in harmony. They did have minor disputes but never serious enough to break them up.

That was Until Alpha X of Dark woods decided not. He called them for a meeting a year ago and told them he thought it would be a good idea for him to become the overall and supreme leader of the four packs. The other Alphas disagreed. It was never done.

Each Alpha to its own pack, that was the way it had always been. Alpha X was not happy about it, he decided to travel far across to a sorceress of dark magic. He had his wife and son sacrificed and returned to his pack with dark powers. He called his pack members together and told them of his intentions to lead the four packs. He was going to take each pack’s orb so that each part of the pack and its powers went to him. Those of his pack members that defied him where killed.

Alpha X still summoned another meeting with the other Alphas and this time he was giving them two choices, allow him to take over or let him forcefully take over while letting no one stop him. The Alphas stood by their initial decision, Alpha X left the meeting calmly. It was then that the other Alphas began preparing for war. They knew of Alpha X’s new dark magic and sudden thirst of blood, they had heard what had occurred in his pack so they knew that this was no joke. Alpha Lionel of silver woods suggested they moved the other packs to silver woods temporarily since it was the farthest from all the packs. It would keep the pack members safe while the warriors fought.

Now, Alpha Lionel felt unsure of the next step to take.

‘It’s just us but we can’t let that stop us.’ Alpha Kane said and his Beta nodded, so did Alpha Lionel and his Beta

‘We must carry on, for Tame woods. For Alpha Tay.’ Alpha Kane added sharing through his eyes his comfort and grief with his fellow Alpha

‘For Tame woods. For Alpha Tay.’ Alpha Lionel replied.

(Part 2)

Roge, son of Alpha Lionel who had just been killed sat in the throne room, alone. His eyes sore from crying, body and wolf weak from the coronation ritual. The door opened and Diane came in.

‘May I come in Alpha Roge?’ She gave a little bow and he rolled his eyes before standing up from the throne and walking down.

‘Will you please stop that?’

She laughs and hugs him. He rests his head in her neck and sighs deeply.

‘How are you?’ She asked after they broke up the hug.

He nodded and she playfully pushed his shoulders

‘This is me, Roge.’ She says. ‘Talk to me, we’ve barely spoken since all this happened and I know you’re going through a lot’

Roge knew that she knew that he wasn’t okay. Diane was his best and oldest friend. Even Kelt, his newly made Beta wasn’t as close as she was to him. He and Diane had grown together, it was no surprise. Her father had been his father’s Beta. The thought brought pain to his heart and he sunk slowly to the bare ground. Diane followed suit.

‘I’m not ready Diane, Not for this.’ He buries his face in his hands. ‘I’m not capable. If he couldn’t – ‘

‘Don’t say that Roge.’ Diane interrupted him in a firm voice. ‘Alpha Lionel walked so that you can run. He was a strong and great leader and you will be too.’

‘Alpha X is a monster Diane, He murdered them! He roared with so much emotion

‘I know, Roge.’ She shouted back holding his gaze and he could see hurt in her eye. He suddenly felt so stupid and insensitive. Beta Jared, her father was killed with his father too. They had both lost important people. Diane had loved her father so much. He was everything to her.

‘I know Roge.’ She repeats in a more calming and soothing voice. ‘He’s not going to stop. Your father was wise to take the war to dark woods because he bought us time. But now they’re coming. Alpha X is coming for you and the orb and then all of us.’ She paused before continuing. ‘I practice with you Roge, I know what you can do and it’s way more than you give yourself credit for. You are a fresher, younger and more evolved Alpha.’

‘But most of the major fighters are dead.’

‘There are backup fighters, Roge. Alpha Kane of Mist woods is here too and he has backup fighters too.’

In the midst of all that was going on Roge had almost forgotten that the Alpha of Mist woods was here too. One of his father’s last gifts to him a was a plan with Alpha Kane to make sure to abandon the war and go back for a new approach if things were going south. He was the only Alpha from their time left now. (Except for Alpha X of course)

‘And you have me.’ Diane added.

He sighed. He knew Diane meant she wanted to fight too. ‘You can’t fight Diane.’ Of course she could, Diane was the best fighter he had ever seen. Alpha Lionel had once said she was as elegant as a deer and as sharp as a leopard but as skilled as an Alpha Wolf. That was after he had watched her single handedly put down every opponent in a single Kombat. She had been trained by her father, Beta and because women were not allowed to fight she had trained harder hoping to break the bias but Alpha Lionel had stood by his rule till death. He had though permitted that she trained with Roge as often as she could because he had undeniably recognized how skillful she was.

‘I can.’ She argued on ‘You’re the Alpha now, Roge. You know what I can do. You know what we can do together.’

‘I can’t put you in the middle-‘

‘I am in the middle already, Roge. I promise that for my papa I would bring X to his knees. For all the bloodshed, destruction, I would bring X to his knees.’

Roge looked in her eyes saw determination and even though he knew if her mother knew of this she would go crazy but he felt comforted and more confident with Diane going into battle with him. He wondered if that was selfish but he also knew Diane and knew she wouldn’t forgive him if he denied her this. He decided he would change the rule about females in battle but before then they would find a disguise for Diane.

PROLOGUE (Part 3)

(5 YEARS AFTER THE WAR AND THE IMPRISONMENT OF ALPHA X)

(TODAY THE FIRST CHILD OF ROGE AND DIANE, ALPHA AND LUNA OF SILVERWOODS IS BEING BORN)

‘There’s a sorceress that won’t leave till she sees you.’ Kelt told Roge immediately he emerged from the labor room. Roge snarled. He didn’t like the mention of sorcerers and Kelt knew that but that didn’t stop him.

‘She’s very persistent, They say she’s been seeking your audience for an hour now.’ He continued as they stepped into the study and he shut the door behind them. Roge rushed to pour himself a glass of wine. Before he took a gulp he offered the glass to Kelt who declined.

‘How’s Diane and the baby?’ Kelt asks and Roge sinks into an arm chair with a sigh.

‘They say the baby is being difficult but its normal. Diane is being strong.’

Kelt nods as if to say, as expected.

‘What color of hair do you thin the child will have? Silver like the father’s or dark like the Mother’s?’

Roge stops to think for a bit and then laughing he shrugs. ‘I just know the child will have a silver wolf, like its ancestors’ He playfully raises his shoulders.

They laugh.

‘I saw the sorceress, I think you should let her see you…… briefly’

Roge sighs but tells him to bring her in to the study.

‘Not the throne room?’ Kelt confirms

‘I would rather not take on that journey.’ He said thinking of how far away the throne room seemed to be. ‘I would also rather have her somewhere private.’

As Kelt is leaving, Roge calls him

‘Did she say what she wants for God’s sake?’

Kelt swallowed. ‘She said its about your daughter.’

Roge’s forehead creases in panic and he waved his hand at Kelt in dismissal. He wondered what the deal with the sorceress was. Who was she? And what did she mean by daughter?

When the sorceress came in, Roge admitted to himself that she wasn’t what he expected. He wasn’t sure if he expected a crooked old woman with a staff, but he wasn’t expecting this blonde elegant young woman who filled the room with the scent of roses and had a flower crown on her head. She sat without being told to and her white gown swept the ground around her. She radiated so much that she looked like an angel.

‘Don’t leave.’ He tells Kelt who was making it for the door but now stood behind the sorceress with hands behind him.

‘I was right, something IS wrong.’ The sorceress said and her voice was so calm though bass. She looked around shaking her head

‘What can I do for you?’ Roge says firmly.

‘Is your daughter here yet, Alpha?’ She asked calmly and Roge stood up snarling and breathing heavily.

‘I should not let you in here, I don’t know why I did.’

‘Because I am not here to cause harm, that’s why.’ She spoke back ever so calmly

‘What do you want?’ Beta Kelt demands from her as he hurries to calm down his Alpha.

‘I want to see goodness prevail like the old times and darkness conquered.’

‘Your people brought darkness.’ Roge said but the sorceress shook her head.

‘No Alpha. The darkness in your people sought the darkness in my people for help.’

Alpha Roge understood what she meant. Bad werewolves met Bad sorcerers for help. He knew of the good sorcerers, had heard about them and read about them. His father had told him they lived in the woods too but never showed themselves to anyone. He had also said they were probably hidden. He knew they were rarely seen.

‘Well darkness is no more. Alpha X and what is left of his team are underground in their own dark woods and they are never seeing the light of the day.’

The sorceress laughed heartily and it sounded like bells.

‘X is on his way here.’

Kelt gasped and Roge stood wide eyed.

‘That’s not true’ He says in a whisper with his heart pounding.

At that moment there was a knock on the door.

‘Who?’ Kelt barked

‘Joan.’ Diane’s mother. Roge rushed to the door to see her. She was all smiles.

‘Your baby girl is waiting to see you.’

Tears flowed from his eyes and he means to run to his wife but he remembers the sorceress. He tells Joan he will be there shortly and then staggers weakly to his chair.

‘Congratulations Alpha Roge.’ Kelt says and he smiles lightly. Roge nodded in response and then turned to face the sorceress. She knew it was a girl.

‘How do you know?’ He asks

‘You can’t be seriously asking a sorceress that question.’ She’s still calmly seated. ‘There is no time. Alpha, X would be here soon. He is not a prisoner anymore and his dark magic are awake now, after 5 years.’

‘I don’t understand, we bound him. How did he escape?’

‘The same way he escaped death.’ She starred directly into Roge’s eyes and he cursed.

Even after Roge and Diane won the war, defeated Alpha X and his fighters, he couldn’t be killed because he had sacrificed his family for immortality. Even still, Diane had single handedly broken his limbs.

‘You made a mistake by not finding a way to end him.’ She said

‘How can I do that?’ Roge presses

‘You can’t Alpha, It’s too late for you.’ She stands up ‘We need to go to your wife before it becomes too late for anyone.’

Roge nods first and then stops walking towards the door. He’s unsure of what is happening. Can he really trust the sorceress? As if reading his mind she says reassuringly

‘You can trust me, Alpha Lionel did.’

Roge stares at her for a while.‘ I need you to assemble the warriors, Kelt. I will be with you as soon as I can, My friend.’ Kelt nods and then after a brief hug with Roge he shifts and goes out through the window.

Alpha Roge and the sorceress begin to walk quickly towards the room where the Luna and new Alpha heir were. Once inside, the Alpha commanded everyone out of the room except his wife. He rushed to their baby and he saw the little baby girl with dark hair. He cowered and sobbed.

‘What’s wrong Roge?’ Diane asked confused. She settled a questionable gaze on the sorceress who gave a simple smile and a bow.

Roge quickly explained who the strange woman was and what she had told him. Diane was quiet for a while.

‘That must be why I had bad dreams recently.’ She whispered remembering seeing everywhere around her burning in consistent dreams.

‘X is coming for the three of you and he is coming stronger.’

‘I won’t let him touch my child.’ Diane protested and Roge rested his hand on her shoulder

‘You are not strong to fight, Diane.’ He said sadly.

Diane didn’t say a word, she knew it was true. The labor had been excruciating and she felt so weak now. She realized that it could be over for all of them. Silver woods, Mist Woods. Her baby. She began to sob.

Roge felt so angry and scared. He knew how strong his luna was. Stronger than him even, he was the one who usually lost hope easily, Now to see her cry….

‘There’s something that can be done. That is why I am here.’ The sorceress calm voice soothed the room and Diane’s sobs turned to sniffles.

‘Tell us’ Diane pleaded in a whisper and Alpha Roge nodded.

‘Your daughter might be the only one to survive this family.’ The sorceress says in a questioning tone and after a brief exchange of glance, the new parents nod in unison.

‘Now,’ The sorceress begins, ‘As I speak, my people at home are planting a tree for this Alpha heir. You need to trust me by handing over the orb for me to bury underneath the tree. As the tree grows, your daughter remains unseen from the eyes of X. She is to leave here as soon as possible with someone you trust with her life and the life of Silver woods. Neither of you can take her because your blood has been marked by the enemy. She will return when the tree is about to stop growing. The tree and the orb will call her to come back to take her rightful place and end X forever.’

‘Will she able to do all that? Alone?’ Roge says starring down at the infant fast asleep.

The sorceress laughs, ‘You are aware of what you two can do together and you question what this child can do? Besides she will not be alone. Now, to save your people….. to protect silverwoods from total ruins,’ she reaches inside her garment and hands over an orb to Roge. He staggers backward because of the weight of it.

‘Mist woods Orb, Alpha Kane’s scent is strongly on it.’ Roge said

‘Not him, his son.’ The sorceress corrected. Roge looked confused.

‘The boy is just 7.’ Roge said

‘Well, his father was murdered before him.’

‘Alpha Kane is dead?’ Diane gasped

‘I was at mistwoods, I have no time to explain what happened but that boy is Alone and angry and the most mature kid wolf I have ever seen’

‘Back to what I was saying,’ The sorceress continues undistracted by the sorrowful looks on the Alpha and Luna’s faces. ‘You have to stab him with the orb.’ She raised her hand not to be interrupted as they were about to ask questions ‘It’s a delicate plan and if it doesn’t work then all of Silverwoods will be destroyed. The boy has drank from it and he is now the Alpha. But all he has is his father’s Beta, he is an Alpha without a pack. I have cast a spell on this orb, if you Alpha Roge stabbed X with this Orb and here in Silverwoods, he will be cast out and unable to set foot for as long as my spell can hold him. Silverwoods will also be cursed, only marked people can leave and return. And because it is not your orb, you will die. Then, the little Alpha will be the Alpha of Silverwoods. This is not commonly done but in a situation like this, there is no choice.’ She paused. Roge didn’t flinch but Diane broke down in little sobs again. ‘If you are unable to stab Alpha X with this then everyone dies, he drinks from the orb, kills the little Alpha and then we still have the last hope…your daughter. But this way, her mission is harder and way more dangerous.’

‘We’ll do it.’ Diane says, ‘I have faith in her because we ran so that she can fly.’

‘Good. Now, we have to begin.’