Forged in the Flames
Chapter 1

Chapter 1

“Come out, come out, they have arrived!” A voice rang in my head, and I did not need to know why myfather’s Delta would call us to come out in the middle of the night.

The day was hectic because my father used most of it to move from the big house to one of the tinyhouses in the pack compound.

The big packhouse used to be a palace.

My father had taken over the pack after the werewolves in our territory had joined forces and sackedone of the Lycan kings that plagued our lands.

I learned the man was evil, and he never showed mercy.

It was imperative to defeat him because his belief that Lycans were superior to werewolves led him totake steps leading to the enslavement of my kind.

It was my father, along with his friends, that liberated us.

I sat up in bed, a bit reluctant to go out, but if Delta Israel was right, I had no choice but to comeoutside.

My father had broken the sad news to me in the morning about him having to concede to the challengethe savage prince of rogues, Nikolas, had given him.

My father said he could not allow people to die because of his pride. He further told me that he hadnegotiated with the Rogue Prince, and the prince agreed to care for the pack members if my fatherswore by his wolf to submit.

I doubted if the Lycans could be trusted, but my father was hopeful because he knew we wouldn’t win awar with them, and he was right.

Alpha Nikolas was a rogue Lycan of unknown origin that made a name by conquering every pack in ourterritory.

We were the only ones standing, and we knew it was only a matter of time before he came calling.

Obviously, we were his primary target because he ensured he conquered every pack around us toisolate and trap us, pending the time he would strike.

Unlike the other alphas, my father chose peace over his pride and dignity, and I hoped he wouldn’tregret it.

I learned the savage prince grew up in the wilderness, packless and grew his army by creating a packof rogues.

They were a mix of savage Lycans like him, known to be deadly and ruthless.

I wondered how my father could give his pack away to such people. There was no guarantee theywould keep their promise, but it was better than fighting to the death.

I managed to get off the bed and headed outside my room. I saw my father approaching, and it wasclear he was coming to me.

“Aliana,” he said almost in a whisper, and I frowned at him.

He walked to me with a smile, but his eyes spoke otherwise; he looked afraid and hopeless. He placedboth hands on my shoulders and made me look up at him.

“I know you are brave and determined. But I need you to be a coward,” He said, and I frowned at him,wondering why he was telling me this. It went against everything he taught me.

“Listen to me, Aliana,” He said with teary eyes.

“These people are savages. They grew up in the wild and lack empathy and patience. One wrongmove, and we are dead. I did not sacrifice my dignity to watch you die. Gwendolyn will not forgive me ifanything happens to you. You are the only family I have left, Aliana, the only family that has not beenkilled.

Please stay alive, for my sake.

It is only those alive that can fight another day. There is no defeating these savages. I have done thisso we can continue to exist. Please promise me you will not aggravate them and always keep yourhead bowed. Promise me that your wolf will not challenge them. Promise me that you and Raven willnot disobey and disrespect the rogue prince,” he said with misty eyes. Tears welled in my eyesbecause I knew life wouldn’t be easy under the savages.

Still, my father needed me to promise, so I reluctantly nodded.

“I want you to swear on your wolf,” he said sternly, and I looked at him with disbelief because that wasextreme.

“Father?” I said, and he looked at me.

“I want you to remain alive, and this is the only way,” he said; I knew he was right.

My father was in his fifties and did not have many warriors anymore because of all the warriors we sentto help the neighbouring packs during the attacks.

If we defied the savages now, we would die.

“I promise, father, but I won’t swear by Raven,” I said, refusing to swear by my wolf, and my fathersighed, knowing he would have to make do with my promise as is because he wouldn’t get more thanwhat I had already offered.

I was twenty-one going to twenty-two, so I should be mated, but helping my father by carrying out theluna’s duties kept me single. As things were, I doubted I could ever leave my pack.

I had planned to leave and go on a journey to replace a mate worthy to come home with me and rule in myfather’s stead, but that was a lofty dream now.

Being unmated and unclaimed at my age was a disgrace, but it was bearable as long as I was aroundto care for my father. The takeover will be a hard pill to swallow for all of us.

“Come on, let us greet the new Alpha,” my father said, and I could hear the fear in his voice.

My father knew this was wrong, but it was the best option. It was a matter of choosing between thedevil and the deep blue sea. In this case, he chose the devil.

We went out, and they asked us to line up.

I wished we had moved outside the pack compound because only those living in the pack compoundwere asked to line up. Ordinary pack members were sleeping in their homes. I noticed all our packelites were in the compound and realised it might have been the rogue prince’s request.

“Where is your alpha?” I heard a deep voice say, and everyone looked in the direction of the voice.

A brawny man with a scar across his left eye, dark hair and honey-coloured eyes walked out.

He was about six feet seven inches. It was no doubt he was a Lycan.

He had a chiselled well-sculpted body, tanned skin and hints of tattoos on his neck and hands, visibleonly where his shirt did not cover.

Other than the scar, there was nothing savage about the man. He looked neat and civilised. He did notlook like a man that grew up in the wild. He had indeed come a long way.

I stared too long until he caught my gaze, and I quickly averted my eyes. I was glad he ignored mebecause he didn’t say anything or approach me. I was insignificant.

“I am Nikolas, also known as The Prince of Rogues and now, your Alpha.

As you all know, I own all the packs in the territory, and Alpha Gabriel has signed his pack rights andpower over to me. He has sworn by his wolf to serve me and be loyal. I will expect the same from all ofyou.

Henceforth you all answer to me.

Disobedience and defiance will be seen as treasonous, equating to death. Any rule broken will be seenas treason, so be careful to keep my rules.” he said sternly, and everyone was silent.

“Alpha Gabriel Nowak, step forward,” he said, and I watched my father reluctantly step forward with hishead bowed.

It was difficult for him to do because even though he wasn’t a lycan, he was still an alpha.

My father walked out, and Nickolas’s men began to laugh.

The Alpha maintained a stern expression, and I could hardly figure him out.

“Kneel, old man, and show your submission and allegiance,” He said, and people started to murmur.What he was asking my father to do was disgraceful.

“Kneel, old man,” he repeated, dangerously looking at my father.

My father was in front of me in the centre, so his back was facing me, and I saw his hands shaking onhis sides. He did not want to kneel.

“Shall we fight then?” Nikolas asked, and my father shook his head, trying to still his hands, trying toforce his wolf, Jack, to comply.

“This is too much. He has given you the pack and his position already. There is no need to humiliatehim like this,” I said, and everyone went quiet. I could hear a pin drop if I tried.

“Who are you, and who asked you to speak?” Alpha Nikolas said, and my father shook his head.

“Pay her no mind. She is nobody,” my father said quickly, trying to protect me, and the man refused tolisten.

“Who are you?” He asked me calmly, never losing his cool. But the evil in his tone rang through, and Iknew whatever his intentions would be, they would be cruel and insidious.

“Alpha Gabriel’s daughter and acting Luna,” I said, and he smirked, but the smile did not touch hiseyes.

His eyes turned completely black and cold, and I felt the need to step back, but I dared not. If I did notstand my ground now, the bastard would never respect me.

Against my better judgment, I let Raven take over, and we stared back at his dark orbs with my goldenorbs. We refused to let him scare or dominate us.

“Where is your Luna?” Nikolas asked my father, and that was a topic my father often avoided, but Iknew he had no choice but to answer.

“She was killed five years ago,” My father replied with a heavy heart.

“So you let the girl carry out her mother’s duties,” Nikolas said, referring to me as a girl. I was a woman,for goddess’ sake. He heard of my mother’s demise, and that was all he could say. I was furious.

“No wonder she feels she is a woman,” Nikolas said, and his men chuckled.

“Both of you, kneel,” he commanded, and my body shook.

I have always heard that the Lycan’s presence is intense. Their command was irresistible, and onecould not remain defiant to their command for long. I was experiencing all that at once.

I shook, and I felt my knees going down. I fought it, but Raven complied. “No, Raven, don’t,” I told mywolf.

“We are not dying today, Aliana” She shot back, and my knees touched the ground. I had only onething to do. Look at him from where I knelt. I refused to bow my head.

My father fell to his knees too, and tears welled up in my eyes.

This was the highest humiliation an Alpha could endure. They usually surrender and move away fromtheir packs or die in battle. This was unheard of. As the most powerful werewolf Alpha, this was indeedhumiliating.

“Throwing away life for the sake of pride is foolish. Knowing how to stay alive and survive youroppressors is wisdom. This is me, humbling myself so you all can live and have a fruitful life. Remainpeaceful, Aliana” My father linked me.

“Bare your necks,” Nikolas said, and my father and I did as he commanded.

I could hear the others weeping and his people laughing. Tears welled in my eyes, but I fought themand won.

They knew what Nikolas was doing to us.

He had demoted us from leaders to slaves with those orders.

Everything my father fought for was gone. All werewolves were back to where we were before I wasborn; slaves. I dreaded the days ahead.

My father and I bore our necks gracefully. Nikolas had done his worse.

“Good; henceforth, you all answer to me, my Beta, Gamma and Delta. No werewolf is above a Lycan,and it will remain so. You might have created a haven for yourselves here by stealing another man’skingdom, but I am here to restore it,” he said, addressing everyone.

I could not believe we would be answering to a bunch of criminals and savages. That was what rogueswere: criminals cast out of their packs.

“If you act as this girl did, you die; if you try to run, you die; if you refuse orders, you die; if you arecaught plotting, you die. In fact, if you do anything against Alpha Nikolas or any of us, you die; the onlyreason she is still breathing is because of the Alpha’s mercy,” a gingered-haired man said, and I figuredthat was Nikolas’s Beta. If this was mercy, I wondered what the savage’s wrath would be like.

Nikolas’s gang of criminals looked ruthless and evil; I dreaded the coming days. I have heard of therule of the Lycan kings. The Forest Territory was the only safe place for werewolves, but not anymore.Our days of bliss had ended.