The King of Werewolves

Chapter 2

Sofia.

“Improve your stance, Nate. Your enemy will have an easy time taking you down if you use that stance in battle.” I moved closer to the young male and guided him, trying to correct his stance. “Here, widen your legs and don’t balance on your hind leg if you’re going on the offensive.”

I continued my inspection, taking note of the young warriors’ improvements. I believed in training every day. You never know when your enemy is going to strike.

When I was satisfied, I went and stood beside my father as he supervised the warriors. He nodded at me for a job well done and I beamed with pride.

I’m Sofia Ansel, twenty-two year-old daughter and only child of Alpha Saul, leader of the Raven Wolves. We’ve been targeted by many enemies in the past so my father came up with an idea. We began training young teenagers from the age of 16 upward and by the time they turned 19, they were highly trained and just as deadly and stealthy as an assassin.

The program was put in place so that in the case of war where the men had to leave our home, they wouldn’t be leaving the women and children defenseless and I was assigned as their trainer.

Beta Darren came up beside my father. “Alpha, we have a half-dead rogue just inches away from the border. My men are currently watching him in case he's a spy, but I wanted to inform you first.”

My father's eyes darted to me and I already knew what he was going to say. “Sofia, stay and keep an eye on the training. Darren, I'm coming with you.”

Without giving me a chance to reply, he left with Beta Darren. I huffed annoyingly at the task he gave me. Signaling to my assistant, I instructed him to make sure the young warriors continued their training.

Then, I turned and stalked my father and Beta Darren all the way to the border. I quickly climbed up a tree some meters away from where they stood, so I could see everything without being noticed.

“Where's the trespasser?” My father's voice boomed. The circle of warriors broke to let him in and I strained my neck to see the rouge Beta Darren talked about.

Unfortunately for me, the branch I was crouching on broke and I fell with a thud. I lay still, hoping my father and his warriors would be preoccupied with the rogue that they won't come to investigate.

I sighed as Beta Darren's face appeared in my line of vision. I tried my best to put on a cheeky smile even though my body hurt. “Hello Beta.”

He hauled me up without saying a word and marched me forward to meet my father. The disapproving look on my father's face almost paralyzed me and I put my head down in shame.

“Who is supervising the training?” He asked, his voice formal as if he was talking to one of his subordinates.

“Keith is.” My voice was barely above a whisper.

He sighed and said, “I don't approve of your disobedience but you might as well be included, considering the fact that you'll be the Alpha soon.”

He stepped to the side, making room for me and I jerked my arms away from Beta Darren's grip before moving forward to peer at the rogue.

I wasn't expecting the sight before me and I gasped inaudibly as I took in his physique. The man in front of me looked like he was in his early twenties. His beard was grown and poorly kept, same with his hair but his body bulged with muscles under the layers of grime.

“What do we do with him, Alpha?” Beta Darren's voice broke me out of my trance and I looked up to Father expectantly, my heart beating fast in anticipation of his reply.

“Let's hear what Sofia has to say,” he turned to me and my eyes widened. He gave me an encouraging nod and that was all I needed.

“I think we should take him back to the pack house, nurse him back to health and then question him.” My dad raised his brows at my suggestion and I looked down nervously. It sounded stupid even to me but there was something about him that made my heart speed up.

The first person to break the silence was Beta Darren. “Alpha, I don't think that's a good idea. We're currently at war with the Demon Oak pack and neither one of us has been able to gain the upper hand yet. This might be a ploy on their part to spy on us.”

“So what do you suggest?” My father asked and my heart sank as I realized he was considering the idea. But it was the most reasonable explanation for this, I guess.

“I suggest we kill him right here. We don't know the plan they might have come up with. And I don't think risking the pack’s safety to save a total stranger is advisable.”

Even though that was the most logical idea, I didn't believe it was the right thing to do. I held my breath as my father contemplated.

“Your idea is logical,” he said after a while and I almost scoffed as I saw Beta Darren beam with pride, “but I think I'll go with Sofia's plan. We can't just conclude he's a spy from the Demon Oak and it would weigh on my conscience if we killed an innocent wolf based on assumptions.”

Relief flooded through my whole body and I waited for the instruction I knew would follow.

“You two,” he pointed at two random warriors, “take him to the last wing in the palace and guard the entrance. Until we have proven him guilty, no harm must come to him.” They nodded and left with the rogue.

“Darren, I'm putting you in charge of this. Call Doctor Roman and make sure the rogue is nursed back to health. I want to be informed on his daily progress.” Beta Darren nodded with a sour expression on his face before he also left with the rest of the warriors, leaving my father and I alone in the woods.

“Walk with me, Sofia.” My throat tightened as we strolled towards the direction of the packhouse. This was it. I was going to be reprimanded for my disobedience.

“I want to commend you on your decision making.” He said and my mouth dropped open.

“I still think you need to brush up on some things…” He pointed out some of the mistakes I could easily have made and I absorbed all the knowledge he was imparting into me that I didn't realize we had gotten to the pack house until he stopped.

One of the palace guards was bowing in front of us. “Alpha, the rogue has woken up.”

My heart lurched at the sentence and I felt my father's gaze trained on me.

“Go and conclude the training, Sofia. When you're done, you know where to find us.” My mood soured.

The training will not be done for another one and a half hours and by that time, they will be done with the interrogations and the verdict will already be passed on him. The thought of him being beheaded caused my heart to constrict painfully in my chest.

I wanted to be there to at least try and plead on his behalf if he was truly a spy but the look my father gave me left no room for excuses.

I would be a fool to disobey him a second time so I nodded and made my way to the training ground, my steps heavy as I tried to get the image of his severed head out of my mind.