Forged in the Flames

Chapter 2

We remained on our knees, waiting for the new Alpha’s orders. We were now slaves, so there was no point acting brave anymore. I did not want my father’s sacrifice to be in vain, so I chose to keep my promise to him and behave myself. I knew things would get more complicated from then on, and I needed to be strong.

“Get up,” Nikolas said, and my father and I stood up.

Nikolas walked up to my father and stared him in the eyes until my father averted his gaze.

“Good. I do not want you to leave this place. If you do, I will end your girl,” He said, saying that last part as if I were an object. My father nodded, and Nikolas moved towards the entrance of the packhouse. His Beta walked to us and yanked me from my father’s side.

“Henceforth, you serve the alpha,” the Beta said, and my father looked up with surprise and fear.

“That wasn’t part of the deal, Alpha,” My father said, but Nikolas remained cold and unmoved. He stood by the entrance, and I could see he was mind-linking his men.

“Something to keep you in check,” The Beta said, squeezing my upper arm a bit too tight for comfort. I stifled my voice. I would not give him the satisfaction of screaming.

My father was afraid and sad.

He was a mix of emotions, but I doubted Nikolas had a heart to appeal to.

Nikolas knew we could not fight him. Other than strength and speed, Lycans had abilities we werewolves could only dream of. The takeover my father led in the past only succeeded because of years of meticulous planning and the moon’s blessings.

They were an evolved version of us, and there were rumours that some had the ability to turn werewolves into Lycans, but those were rumours as it had never actually happened and might not.

We also never breed with them. Although it was a possible mix, we were considered inferior gene carriers and thus not a good choice for mates. Werewolves mated with only werewolves, and Lycans mated with only Lycans. The laws and prohibitions were endless, and we were at the bottom.

The forest was our home where all werewolves were free, but now, just like the snow and hill territories, the forest territory was no longer a safe haven for us.

Nikolas looked like a man that would ruin anything he wanted, and now I was somehow on his list of objects to destroy.

“Please, Alpha, allow her to have a normal life. She is all the family I have. If you take her, I will have nothing,” My father pleaded in tears.

He was powerless in this regard, and we all knew it.

I wanted to tell him not to beg, but even I did not have the heart to face what Nikolas would subject me to. I was also afraid.

“I doubt you show your enemies the same sympathy. She will serve me until I feel generous,” Nikolas finally said, and my father shed tears for the first time.

“No one would want her if you do this. She will lack honour. If you must, then just claim her,” He said with difficulty; I wanted to say no, but I knew my father was right. This bastard will get his way whether we like it or not.

“Never!” Nikolas said as if I weren’t worth it.

“She will never be my Luna. She will never bear a Lycan’s mark; she will be my property to use as I see fit. I can never mate with a werewolf. Never! She will have no honour, and that is final!” he said, and the tone in his voice made me know that he meant what he said.

It also sounded like there was hatred in his heart, and the hatred was towards my father and me.

What did we do to him to make him want to go this far and ruin my life? He took over the neighbouring packs and never took any of the Alphas’ daughters for himself. He allowed them to continue to live on the land as slaves but never took their daughters. Why me? Why was he doing this to us?

“Get your things and move back into the packhouse, Little girl. Alpha has plans for you,” the Beta said and let go of me, then walked back towards the structure we used to call our packhouse.

This was indeed going to be a hard life for everyone. The Forest Territory, Riverhead Pack and I would be the sorest losers.

Everyone returned to their homes after the Alpha had given the order. I had a bitter taste in my mouth and knew it would only worsen.

I went into the house my father and I moved to and began to gather my bags. Fortunately for me, I did not unpack.

My father entered the room and sat on the couch. He bowed his head, and I knew his heart was in his mouth.

“I failed you, Aliana,” he began to weep.

I stopped what I was doing and went to him immediately.

“No, you did not, father. You kept me alive. You kept all of us alive. We would have died like the other packs who refused to surrender, but you stood your ground against the Lycans and made sure we lived

at the cost of your pride. You are a great man.

Your humility is bravery, father. There is no alpha brave enough to do what you did,” I said, holding him, and he wrapped his arms around me.

“He wouldn’t give you the honour you deserve,” he said, and I smiled at him even though my heart was breaking too.

“I am not as fragile as you think, father. I will survive Nikolas and his gang. I promise you. I won’t let him break me,” I told him and told myself. I was determined.

I was slow about leaving, and after two hours, one of Nikolas’s men came to get me.

He was vulgar and arrogant. He lacked manners, and I knew that would be what I would deal with daily. He treated me like trash, but I expected it from a lycan.

I carried my bags and followed the savage back to the packhouse.

I had left that place with my father in the morning and returned there in the night as the Alpha’s property.

They gave me the room beside the Alpha’s quarters. The man who came for me did not talk after we left my father’s house.

“May I go and get the rest of my belonging?” I asked, and he growled before nodding. It was unnecessary, but he believed it made him look strong. What a joke.

I returned to the house and told my father where they had placed me. I knew I dared not stay long. I could feel their eyes on me when I was leaving. So I carried my bag and headed back to the packhouse.

I returned to the room allocated to me, where I finally broke down.

I had held my tears to keep my father strong.

I had hidden my fear to take away the Alpha’s satisfaction, but now that I was alone in my allocated room, I could cry.

“We will be okay, Aliana,” Raven said, and even though she said it, I could feel her fear too.

“Look at the bright side; we are alive,” she said, but I continued to cry, unable to get over my fear.

I finally slept, not knowing what would be expected of me the next day.

I woke up late in the afternoon, freshened up, wore simple shorts and a t-shirt, and left my room.

I wandered the hallways because no one had spoken or told me what to do.

I dared not actively seek the Alpha or his top-ranking officers. They behaved barbarically, and I did not want to be at the receiving end.

I walked through the corridor until I stood by the railing linked to the stairs.

I could see the entrance and the foyer clearly from that view.

I saw everyone entering the packhouse.

There was a cluster of people in the foyer, mainly women in sheer clothes, and I could smell their Lycan stench.

I was disgusted that we wouldn’t only have to deal with the criminals but their whores too.

They were all staying in neighbouring conquered werewolf packs. I believed their Alpha had sent for them.

Lycan women hated werewolf women, so I knew we would not have peace in Riverhead.

I wondered what else they had in store for us.

“Ladies!” I saw one of Nikolas’s men from last night say, addressing the women. So I figured Werewolf women were girls while their women were ladies. Noted.

“Welcome to the Forest palace. The werewolf Omegas will lead you to your quarters. You will be summoned when needed by the Prince or his officers,” He said, and they seemed excited about what he said. I wondered if Nikolas had screwed all of them. I let the thought leave my mind immediately. It wasn’t my business.

Deciding I had seen enough, I decided to walk away when a huge box was brought into the packhouse or palace, whatever they wanted to call it now.

It caught my attention because a growling sound came from inside. There was a wild animal in it.

I was appalled by the treatment. Was this how they punished themselves?

“Little girl,” I heard a voice behind me, and I turned to see Alpha Nikolas. He wasn’t smiling, but neither was I.