The Hunt.

Alaya’s POV It was a fine night, the stars were out in the sky sparkling like diamonds and the full moon in its position as the king of the night. The night was as beautiful as a bride ready to be married, still there was something uneasy that hung on the air that very night. The loud howl of a wolf could be heard throughout the town, coming from the woods. A werewolf howl on a full moon, was a regular sound in this part of town. But something about this particular night was different, because the howl came again and again, each howl louder than the formal. The werewolves in the village became alert, there was tension in the air, they knew that the call was out of the ordinary and that something wasn't right. I was standing close to the windows of my room, a typical Princess room, painted and decorated to my taste. The bed in it was big enough for five people, white bedsheet with golden blanket, are my favorite colours. I stood there, looking down at the workers in the palace as they walked hastily to their different directions. The werewolves that guard's the palace Villa, gathered in small groups as though they were awaiting orders from the King, my father. What could be happening? I wondered as I nudged the curtains and went back to slide into the bed. Few seconds later, a knock came on the door, it was my father; holding my little brother in his hands and my mom beside him. He looked frightened by whatever it is that was going on in town that night, my father was hardly ever scared of anything. There was this one time I was with him in the woods, he was teaching me how to shoot, then suddenly a bear charged towards us from no where; he pushed me aside and shot the bear down, he then came to where I was shaking in fear and gave me a hand up. He told me I was going to be the Alpha Princess someday, so I should be fearless, courageous and strong enough to lead the pack. "Dad, Mom, what is happening?" I asked. The first time I saw this look on his face was when the news that mom might not make it alive, while she was in the ER giving birth to my little brother Camie. The news was brought to us by the doctor at the hospital's receiving room, where I was seated with Dad. Dad was so terrified and scared, that was seven years ago –back then I was just Eleven but I could fathom what was going on. On that particular night, he wore the same look as he said, "Am leaving your brother here with you, look after him". - "But Dad, what is really going on"? I held his hand, as I was determined to get an answer from him. " The town is under attack, your mom and I are going to join the others to defend our town". I understood the reason why he had to go join the others – since our town was under attack, he was the king and the Alpha of the pack and had to lead the pack in such urgent situation. But knowing all these, I still didn't want him to go. There was an unease feeling that tingled my belly, I tried talking Dad and Mom out of going to join the others, but they saw no reason not to lead the pack in such a Crucial situation. Despite my desperate effort trying to convince Dad to stay back, he dismissed my fears with the talk that he was the King of the village and also the Alpha of the pack, so he won't sit back home while his pack and the entire town was under attack. I held onto Camie's wrist tightly in fear, as we walked with Dad and Mom downstairs, mom decided to stay back inside the palace villa and take care of things, while Dad left to join the werewolve guards in the Villa and they all went outside the gates to stand in position awaiting the Invaders. "Do look after your brother, don't loose sight of him no matter what happens" Mom said before she ordered her head guard Kalus, to take Camie and I back to the room, she also left instructions with Kalus and the other guard Jim, to guard the door of my room. She explained the route to the secret exit in the King's Chambers incase things went south and told the guards to bring us there – that she will be waiting there for us. Mom was a beautiful and elegant woman, she had always been dutiful when it comes to her role as the Queen of Nevada, she had the habit of having a plan B in every situation and this time was no different. I saw the anxiety in her eyes, when she bent to hug Camie and I. "Mom, be careful out there". I said out of worry "I will my Princess" she replied with a smile, trying hard to conceal her fears. She reached to kiss my forehead and Camie's too, then she left the room in a haste. Camie clinched me by the waist in fear this time, I held him closely as we moved to sit on the bed. I assured him that everything was going to be fine, that Mom and Dad was going to come back for us. But that never happened, the night got worse, as the Invaders swooped the village killing and burning everything on their way to the palace villa. I told Camie to sit put, while I went to the windows to see what was going on down stairs. At the gate, my father and the other werewolves were in position waiting for the Invaders, Mom was directing the rest on what to do. Our villa was a fuss, and I wished and prayed it will all come to an end. "Here they come" A voice shouted, the werewolves readied themselves as the Invaders who were also werewolves from Eureka trooped in a rush towards them. "It has been an honour serving you all my people. Today we defend our lands, our people and our mines. The gold mines are ours and no one is taking it from us" I had my father's voice as he shouted out those words to his men, the men all roared at his words and charged towards the Invaders. The battle was a fierce one, I watched as they tore each other's bodies with their claws and so many bodies dropping dead on the floor. The people of Nevada, my people fought gallantly, but they were out numbered. King Adam's men were an army of about two thousand, while my father's men were 700. It was a bloody fight. The gold mines, was it what all this was about? I was lost in thoughts. At that moment, I remembered that Dad once told me about the threats he received from King Adam, the popular ruthless and greedy King of Eureka to relinquish the mines to him or he will take it by force. So this is what it came to? "Alaya, am scared" Camie's cry startled me, so I rushed to the bed and hugged him. He was just Seven years old at the time, but was very smart for his age. I calmed him down and went back to the windows. On getting back to the windows, I saw King Adam's pack rounding up my father and his pack. "Camie let's go" I yelled "What of Mom and Dad, Alaya" "They will meet us there" I lifted him off the bed to my shoulders and walked towards the door. Suddenly, the door opened and Kalus urged us to hurry. I held Camie tightly, as they lead us to my parents Chambers, towards the secret exit my mother, the Queen mentioned earlier. "The Queen is waiting for us at the exit" Kalus one of my mom's trusted guards said, as we walked through the hallway to my father's Chambers. "And my father"? I asked "Your highness, the King and his men has been surrendered by King Adam and his pack. They have taken over the palace" He suggested we quicken our steps, less, the Invaders might caught up with us. We met my mom at the entrance to the exit, which was our only chance to elude the sight of King Adam's men. Mom was shaky as she enveloped Camie and I in a tight embrace, She gave me her royal golden necklace and told me to cherish it. "Take care of your brother, he is feeling a little feverish. Here is an address of your aunt Cecilia, now you have to hurry" she touched Camie's forehead before handing me the address "Mom, aren't you coming with us?" "My husband, your father is here. Am not leaving him behind" "But Mom!" I yelled "You should go now with your brother. Adam is taking over our villa and I won't let him take you two as well, you both are all your father and I got" I tried all I could to convince her to come with us – but she won't budge. I looked at the address in my hands written on a piece of paper, it read,14 coast Ave, Ojai California. I have been there a few times, when Mom took Camie and I to visit her sister. I really wanted to know the cause of the war, was it worth the lives that was lost in one night, so I asked, "But Mom, why did they attack our town" I insisted to know. "King Adam has always had his eyes on our lands, because of the gold mines. He wanted to invest but your father declined, knowing him to be a cunning and greedy man" "Since he didn't get his way he attacked to take our lands my force" She nodded her head in confirmation to what I said. I heard the stories about the King of Eureka, but never knew it will reach our lands. He must pay for what he has done today. While the thought ran briefly through my mind, Mom's voice startled me back to reality. "Alaya dear, promise me you will stay alive and look after your brother" "I will, Mom" "Let's go! They are coming" Kalus shouted I heard quick footsteps approaching towards the entrance to the secret exit where we stood. Mom started entering the code to access the door, while Kalus and Philp the other guard were fighting with the men, trying to stop them from reaching us, but there was too many of them. The exit door opened and Mom urged Camie and I to into the elevator. As the door was about to close, I saw as one of the men with a bull tattoo on the back of his hand, stabbed Mom with his knife. I cupped my mouth with both my hands, trembling in fear, as I watched her drop dead on the floor, Camie was crying and calling out for Mom when the exit door slide close. The elevator took Camie and I down to the ground floor. When the door slide open, we were at the parking garage of our villa. Camie was still cry when I cupped his mouth with my hand, as I heard footsteps approaching us. I moved swiftly with him and we hide beside our Father's favorite car, a 2003 Cartier Limousine. My heart was pounding profusely against the walls of my chest, as the footstep came close to the car and stopped. Then turned and went back into the villa when a voice called out to him. I moved outside the garage into the backyard of our villa, with Camie still in my hands. I walked towards the back gates leading into the woods, then I sighted my father on his knees and a man wearing a crown on his head who stood in front of him, pointing a gun on his head. He must be King Adam I figured. At the moment he was about to shoot my father, I couldn't hold of shout. "Dad! No!!" I yelled "laya run" My father yelled back his last words- "Don't just stand there, get them" the king commended, after he shot my father on the head. I picked Camie up to my shoulders and ran into the woods, as fast as my eighteen years old legs would carry me. I moved swiftly through the woods heading south to the highway. The King's men who were after me, swooped into the woods to hunt us down. Camie and I were the last descendents of the Prim royal family and the heirs to the throne of Nevada, killing us meant a total victory for them. "The King needs them alive"-Yes Sir. I heard one of them shout and others responsed, just before they turned into werewolves to comb the woods in search for us. The King wants us alive?But why? I thought for a minute about what could be his motive. "Am scared, Alaya" Camie's tinny voice startled me, and his breathe tickled my neck. "Am here Camie, don't be scared and promise me you won't cry"- "I promise" he said I quickly hide behind a tree trunk and lowered myself to the green grass that covered the ground, as the werewolves got close to where we were hiding, I felt my heart pounding aloud. I was sweating profusely under the cold winter breeze, Camie still curled his hands tightly around my neck shaking feverishly, as if his life depended on it. He was Seven and too young to experience such tragic situation. I knew he must be cold in that weather – but the thought of how we would survive the night alive, crowed my mind; at that moment, oneof the werewolves came close enough to the tree trunk where we were, sniffing around and when he was about to pick up on our scent, the leader of the pack howled in a distance and he turned to join the rest of them. My breathe came down a bit to normal, but the hunt wasn't over yet, we still had to make it to the highway and hope to get a vehicle that would take us to Ojai – that would be only if we make it through the night. They continued the search for us through out the woods, and all through the night we hide from one corner of the woods to another. I had an edge over them, cause I grew up playing and training in the woods with my father, so I knew my way around more than they do. It was a difficult task for them, as they tried to hunt us down. During the early hours of the morning, I managed to elude their sight and got to a point in the woods from where I could see the roads, with Camie on my shoulders all through the night, I was exhausted. On seeing the roads, I leaped with joy.