PROLOGUE
It is a cold, dark night. The darkness is so thick, that it can be cut with a knife. It is however not difficult for her to see, as her vision is excellent. The harsh, chilly air of the forest slaps against her, but she keeps walking. She is deaf to the chatter of the nocturnal animals, as she refuses to take her eyes off the figures walking briskly ahead of her.
“Mother!” she cries, but there is no response.
“Papa!” she cries again, but there is still no response.
Magically, the moon appears in the sky, bathing her with its light. The figures turn, and she sees their faces.
Her parents. She was right.
As she moves closer to them, they fade slowly into the forest, and she clutches her chest, letting out an ear-piercing scream.
Kayola jerks out of her sleep, drenched in her own sweat, her forehead beaded with perspiration. She lifts her hand to her face and realizes she has been crying.
Not again!
It is the same nightmare, and it always ends at the same scene. She is never able to touch her parents. If she can’t touch them in real life because they are dead, why can’t she touch them in her dreams? She fingers her chain, an emblem given to her by her father on her 21st birthday, and she begins to reminisce once again, about her life, and how gratifying it was, before it all changed, all at once.
CHAPTER ONE……….THE INCEPTION
The forest is never dry
It is ever filled with howls
And it all goes awry,
when the Rogues prowl.
The Taga Wereforest is a large forest, home to two categories of werewolves: The Conscientious Pack and the Rogues. The forest is located in the deepest parts of eastern Crete. It is till today, unexplored by humans, and the werewolves have made it their home. Legend has it, that any human who tries to explore the forest ends up dead. This, has, therefore, kept humans, especially hunters, from the Taga Wereforest.
Right in this forest, there is a demarcation between the Rogues and the Conscientious pack, and there is usually peace unless the Rogues decide to invade the territory of the other pack. Thus, these two have for centuries, been at war. There is a commendable development in both territories, as these rival wolf packs have individually developed their economy and infrastructure, ensuring that there is no iota of interdependency. There are mansions, hospitals, and schools in both territories. And, you guessed right; they do not trade with each other.
The Rogues are enemies of the Conscientious Pack, as the former are violent, and they thrive on causing chaos. Power tussle is real between both packs, and the Rogues will not hesitate to destroy the territory of the Conscientious Pack. Thus, the Alpha of the Conscientious Pack cannot afford to be weak. Complacency equals death.
Milos is a tall, handsome, young man, a full-blooded werewolf. His father, Stocles, is the head of the Conscientious wolf pack, and of course, he is a man of war. He has known war all his life, and he only married Milos’ mother so he could procreate and keep the bloodline running. Stocles begins to take Milos hunting right from the time the latter is five and has since taught him all he needs to know about war. The Rogues have been successfully controlled by Stocles, and he wants to keep it this way. Thus, he equips his son with adequate knowledge to lead and protect the pack, and Milos, a valiant young man, learns obediently under his father’s rigorous tutelage.
It happens that the Rogues invade the Conscientious Pack, and kill a number of werewolves, including two pregnant wolves. Angered by the audacity of the Rogues, and their wickedness, Stocles handpicks his finest pack warriors, including his son, and they strategize. Six full months later, they retaliate, and they successfully murder Alexander, the leader of the Rogues in cold blood. However, as they endeavor to escape, Milos is shot in the back with an arrow. The other warriors quickly lift him from the ground, and they are able to go back into their territory. There, he heals slowly, but surely. It is at this point that the whole pack holds a meeting. There and then, they mandate Milos to find his Luna before his 25th birthday, which is in five months. They also order that he does not venture out of the territory until he has found his Luna, marked her and caused her to be with child.
Milos is unhappy about the recent development, and he is disconcerted. After he recovers completely from his injury, he goes back to the training field, but things are not the same. He is distant in his training, and he is not as active as he usually is. His aging father is worried and calls him into his room. There, he asks Milos what the problem is. Milos tells his father that he is bothered about the fact that there is a strong possibility that he does not find his mate, his Luna. Stocles assures Milo that he will find her. Milos rests assured, and soon, he is back to his former self.
It is a bright night. The moon shines brightly in the sky, and the night echoes with promise. He is racing towards her, her scent filling his nostrils. His paws vigorously pound the soft, cold soil of the forest, leaving his prints behind him as he runs. Her scent keeps getting stronger, and all he wants to do is behold the one who smells so good. He hears his wolf growl deep within him, and he tries to control it, all to no avail. His wolf eventually wins and turns him in the opposite direction, and the scent is distinctive. He immediately stops dead in his tracks.
And he sees her. Well, her back view.
Tall, dark-skinned, and curvy in the right places. Exquisite, magnificent. He slowly moves towards her, dying to see her face, but instead, like a mist, she gradually vanishes.
Milos wakes from his sleep, his heart pounding against his ribcage. He is discombobulated. What could this dream mean? Who could she be?
There is a knock on his door. It is his personal steward, Eutychus, here for his wake-up call.
“Come in,” Milos says.
Good morning, Master Milos, it is almost time for your routine training” he says, and bows out of the room.
Milos gets out of bed, stretches, and walks into the bathroom. While in the shower, he reflects on his dream. Will he ever find his mate? Why is he being denied the opportunity of seeing her face?
He steps out of the shower and promptly wears his training clothes. He picks up his sheath, which clothes a Vanatian sword, the one his father gave him on his 18th birthday. It is passed from generation to generation, and it is a lethal weapon of war, recognized and feared by all, even by the Rogues who claim to fear no one. The thought of his mate plagues him again. Will he ever be able to pass it to his son? Will he ever procreate?
He again jolts out of his wondering and exits his room. He trains with his father for his routine six hours, and he goes back to the mansion. There, he is presented with his itinerary for the day. He is to take a tour around the pack, with his father, and then he has the night to himself.
It is late at night, at exactly ten p.m. Milos rouses from his sleep, and the moonlight pours into his room. The night is brighter than usual, and he immediately realizes why; it is a full moon. He feels his wolf growl deep within him. Slowly, at first, then it becomes more intense. Milos hears the night call unto him with a kind of urgency that he has never experienced. He jumps out of his bed, out of the room, out of the building, and into the night. He transforms and races into the thick forest. As he does, he gets a déjà vu feeling, and he accelerates. He can hear voices, indistinct at first, then crystal clear as he comes closer. He halts, as he recognizes the howl-like voices. Unmistakable voices, those he has trained all his life to apprehend.
Rogues.
He circumspectly moves towards them, camouflaging with a tree, and he gets a pretty good view of what they are doing. They surround a young, slender lady, human from all indications, and they begin to harass her, passing her around, and they make threats about raping her in turns and then finishing her off. Milos knows from considerable experience, that these are not empty threats. These are Rogues, and they are always out for blood. Ruthless and evil are they, and pain excites them. One of them tears her white dress apart, and she screams in horror. Her screech pierces Milos’ heart, and he immediately loses his last shred of control. He charges at them, and in milliseconds, tears them to shreds.
All three of them.
As I walk home With you tonightJust like my heartThe moon was brightThe stars like oursWere twinkling eyesA match made in heavenOh sweet surprise-Tia Maria.Milos, breathing heavily, turns and looks at the creature before him. She is the most beautiful thing he has ever seen. Visibly tall, about 5ft 9 inches, long, shapely legs, skin as brown as chocolate. Her tattered dress does very little to hide her shapely curves. His gaze travels to her face, and rests on the biggest and brownest eyes he has ever encountered. He registers the look of horror on her face, and her paralysis, caused by fear. He immediately remembers that he is still in his wolf form. He transforms quickly and advances towards her. She whimpers, and crawls backward, with tears in her bloodshot eyes. He takes a
I look at you- and I want to kiss you More than anything I just want a kiss A kiss to tell me that you trust your lips against mine. A kiss to prove to me that I can still see the world with my eyes closed. A kiss to remind me that actions truly do speak louder than words. I look at you- and I just want to kiss you -Affectionate Poems. Milos waits patiently at the base of the S-shaped stairwell. He has promised to show Wanda around the territory today, as she has been in her room for the past four days, coming out only when it is time for food. At a point, she asked that her meals be brought to her room, but Alpha Stocle
“Okay, I’m all ears.”
Your love is like that sparkling starIt takes me to be so farYour love is like that solaceThis gives me peace withinYour love is a flame that meltsMe and my heartKnow that this love won’t change everKnow that you will remain a special partOf my life and my beingBaby, I am in love with youA love that gives me a clueThis bond will stay forever in time! -WishAFriend.comWanda awakens from her hibernation and she perceives that she is being watched. She slowly opens her eyes and registers that Milos is awake, and is staring at her. She pouts and Milos erupts in a burst of deep, husky laughter.“Why are you laughing?” she asks, grimacing.
I can’t take the mental strainMy thoughts a rickety trainWhy do we have expectations?Reality has its own limitationsIt doesn’t have to be this wayI am meant to always be gayBut I know without a doubtThat I’ll figure this out. -PenaciousShewaWanda wakes up to a gentle touch on her leg. The touch is soft, yet insistent. She opens her eyes slowly to see a blurry but definitely feminine figure sitting at the foot of the bed. She rubs her eyes gently with her right hand and sees Anastasia, the mate of the Beta of the Conscientious Pack. She is a petite woman with dark, flowing hair, reaching her waist. She has soft blue eyes, and her facial expre
“Death be not proud, though some have called theeMighty and dreadful, for thou art not so;For those who thou think’st thou dost overthrowDie not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill meJohn DonneShe smiles to herself as she dresses up for breakfast, remembering the events of the past night.It is almost three a.m. when Milos awakens from his sleep. He looks around and quickly apprehends that he is still at the creek, and Wanda is with him, fast asleep. He looks at her face, so peaceful and beautiful. How could he have been so lucky to land himself such an enthralling beauty as his mate? Well, he has the moon goddess to thank for that. He observes that although she is wearing a fur coat, Wanda is from all indications chilly; she is human after all. He tenderly lifts her in his strong arms
‘Tis so painful to lose you to DeathO valiant man of war and an astute generalBut springing out of your loins unto the earthIs your protégé, the queen eternal.PenaciousShewaIt is the age-long custom of the wolves of the Conscientious Pack to mourn the death of a late Alpha for a period of seven days. During these seven days, no one is to step out of his or her house, and the pack must be quiet. The sound of mirth must not be heard, and this is always the tradition, as the death of every Great Alpha is to be lamented on in this manner. After the expiration of these days, on the eight day, the body of the deceased Alpha is taken in a procession into the Tomb of The Great Alphas, and buried.After the Great Alpha is laid to rest, there is great rejoicing and celebration, so massive that the Rogues
I crave a love that adds value to my life. I do not want just a relationship I crave a partnership I desire the one who will aid me Up the mountain of life And guide me through the valleys of adversity. Someone who is able to breathe in sync, And dance by my side through thick and thin I want that grind together kind of love, With a best friend I can build an empire beside. -Coined from Tene Edwards Waking up with a start, Wanda jumps out of her bed and flees to the