Chapter 28: Chapter 28

No matter the challenges we face

One thing is certain,

We have a will on the inside

That cannot be taken from us

If we harness our will

And the knowledge that we have

Then shall we project

Our true nature of leadership

- PenaciousShewa

Kayola wakes up to the sound of several feet making heavy contact with the ground. She slowly sits up and tries to figure out where the sound is coming from and what it means. Her first instinct is to bolt out of the room to see if all is well, but she decides against it and calmly listens to the continuous thudding. Within seconds, she understands that the soldiers of the village are patrolling the pack.

This immediately brings back memories of how she used to train with her father and his soldiers, and how strong her father was. She begins to cry and shake and tries to catch her breath. The past two weeks have been really bad for her, and although she is healing, she still misses her parents terribly. She wipes her face and gets up from the bed and stands by the window. Here, she looks out of the window and sees the soldiers matching. Scanning them with her eyes, she observes that they are a little more than nine hundred. That’s a manageable number, but if the Rogues were to invade this pack, Kayola is sure that these soldiers would hardly be able to stand up to the challenge.

She suddenly feels the urge to join them, so she puts on a grey jumpsuit and a white T-shirt that Petra had gotten for her at the flea market. She walks out of the room, out of the main door, and into the chilly morning. It is just 7 am, but from the look of things, the soldiers have been training for at least an hour. Kayola leans on the wall of the building, trying to be invisible, and watches as the warriors move from right to left and from front to back. She is surprised at how she is able to anticipate their every move, and every time, she is right. She again remembers all the tactics her father taught her, and she is filled with a longing to be a warrior again. She is so lost in thoughts that she does not notice that the leader of the pack has been staring at her for a while, wondering why the immigrant (Kayola) has her interest piqued by the patrol.

He whispers something in the ears of his second-in-command and the latter nods and quickly takes over the training. This sudden change brings Kayola out of her thoughts and it immediately dawns on her that she has been noticed.

So much for being invisible.

“Hey there, lady,” He greets.

Kayola looks up at him. He is tall, about 6 feet 3 inches, with deep blue eyes. His skin, although exposed to rigorous training, is still very healthy. His teeth are as white as his irises, and he looks at her with a very calm and warm expression on his face.

“Good morning,” she replies softly, taking in his features. “I see that you have been working hard,” she states.

“Well, the safety of the pack is paramount to me, and so, I do what I can.” He replies.

“Pardon my intrusiveness, as I have been locked up since I came, so I have not really been able to relate with many people, save my aunt and the kitchen staff. Are you by any chance the Alpha of this pack?”

“Spot on, Miss Kayola, and don’t be surprised I know your name, I know everything that goes on around here.” He says.

“I must say that I was surprised, but at the same time, I know that it is your duty to be abreast of all that is going on in your pack. Surprises are not good for an Alpha”

“You seem to have a lot of insight; may I ask how you got to know this?” He asks, scanning her from head to toe with his eyes.

“My father was the Alpha of the Conscientious Pack, and we were invaded y the Rogues. Before the invasion, I was personally trained by my father, and trust me, the training was vigorous. If not for the unfortunate incident, I would have been the next Alpha.” Kayola says sadly.

“A female Alpha? How phenomenal!” He exclaims. “I grew up to hear so many good things about your grandfather and father, and I am deeply sorry for the terrible incident that befell your pack. I know it hurts right now, but trust me when I say that time heals all wounds. I have also gone through something similar.”

“Really? Care to talk about it?” Kayola asks, wanting to hear the story of this fine man standing beside her.

“You see, I was only five years old when my father, the former Alpha of the Peasants pack was murdered. Although I was young, the event was so traumatic that my brain captured every moment.” He says.

“How did he die,……Alpha?” Kayola says, trailing off after realizing that she does not even know his name.

“The name is Warinth,” He tells her. “And just like yours, our pack was invaded by these same Rogue bastards. I remember I was still sleeping on that fateful morning when the maid in charge of my care rushed into my room, shook me violently, and carried me in her arms to my mother; then we all ran away through the back gate of our pack.

When they were done plundering our pack, carrying away our produce, and raping our young ladies, they left for their Territory. That was when we went back into the pack, only to find my father in the pool of his own blood.”

“Oh my goddess,” Kayola says with a lot of pity. “I am so sorry”

“Thank you, Kayola, and trust me, it was a very terrible period for me and my mother. The pack was upside down and my late father’s Beta, with the help of the young wolves, had to rebuild the pack from the scratch. I was named the next Alpha fifteen years late, at the age of twenty-five. Since then, I have been in charge of the pack, and although it has been challenging, I wake up every day with a purpose, and that purpose is to ensure the safety of my people, and this has kept me going.

“Wow, this is pretty inspiring,” Kayola says and then pauses at the sound of the soldiers who are coming back to where she and Warinth are standing.

“They are done patrolling” Kayola observes, and Warinth nods in affirmation.

“You know, I was watching you all before you came over to join me, and I must say that you have a fine army, but it can be better,” She says.

“What are you suggesting?” Warinth says.

“I stand to be corrected, but I observed that you do not have archers” Kayola states, turning to look the Alpha in the eyes.

“You are not wrong. It is just that we do not have the right person to train our soldiers to be excellent in archery.”

“Well, I was trained by my father to command the arrow, the sword, and the javelin, and since this is my new pack, I might as well make myself feel at home,” She says with a smile.

“Really? I am so excited to hear this. Thank you so much, Kayola. I’ll inform my Beta. For now, please go and rest, enjoy your day.” He says and proceeds to join the other soldiers.

“Bye, Warith,” Kayola says, and as she turns and starts to walk back into the house, she feels her wolf leap. She silently thanks the moon goddess for bringing her to a place where she can use her extraordinary skills.

Awww……….I am so glad that Kayola is getting better. What about you?